John,
Having replaced several lengths of burst copper in our 1969 Caravel with
PEX and Sharkbite fittings, I would wager that you could do the same with
the black material you have would probably work if it's the same diameter of
1/2" rigid copper pipe such as used in a home.
Go to the Cash Acme web site and see for yourself how easy it is to use.
http://www.cashacme.com/prod_sharkbite.php
Heck, if in doubt, yank out the area of offending black stuff and
replace it all with PEX.
Go for it and let us know how it comes out. Why not take pictures and
offer them to all, back channel?
Regards,
Glyn Judson
1969 Caravel #508
Santa Monica, CA
> Hi, all,
>
> Can anybody tell me what kind of plumbing materials were used in 1980
> Airstreams? Our Caravelle sprung a major leak yesterday and had to be
> fixed. The plumbing appears to be run in half inch black polyethylene
> tubing similar to the stuff commonly used underground, only smaller
> diameter. The factory fittings are metal, with metal crimp sleeves over
> the outside of the plastic tubing.
>
> The plumbing failure occurred at a barbed plastic tee secured with hose
> clamps, which which somebody had tapped into a cold water line. Two
> legs of the tee were secured with double hose clamps but one leg only
> had one hose clamp. The plastic tubing had come off that leg of the
> tee. For the time being I just put it back on and retightened the
> clamp, solving the immediate problem. At the very least I guess I ought
> to add a second hose clamp.
>
> Is this 1980 plastic tubing early PEX, and do you suppose I can use PEX
> fittings like Sharkbite with it?
>
> Thanks,
> John & Barb Sellers
> WBCCI/VAC #1587
> 1960 Pacer
> 1980 International Caravelle
> Dayton, Ohio