Brass, bronze, stainless, or plastic?

[thoward]

I had a pinhole raw water leak in my HVAC cooling line and upon inspection the brass had deterioated from the inside. I have a splitter of sorts that takes and splits the incomming line 5 ways. Of course this has to be made with connectors, Ts, and elbows. It is all brass parts.

This got me to thinking should you use brass fittings on a raw waterline. Plastic/pvc seems like a poor choice and bronze is hard to come by. What do ya'll use?

 

[captddis]

Either cupronickel or schedule 80 pvc.

 

[Jackman]

For me I use nothing but bronze where raw water is concerned. My hat has all bronze for raw water and all but the brand new fittings are 1/4 of a century old and still going strong. My shaft logs and stuffing boxes are original and look like new after my repower...had to clean them up but they look new now. To me that is a teatement in itself for bronze. I will pay for true quality...even if its not cheap. Think about it...buy plastic and a few years later it usually reaches its endpoint..buy bronze and it keeps going and going...and going...

 

[Boatsb]

Raw water and below the water line or on an intake should never be plastic of any kind. Brass and bronze are available and need to be bonded but last a long time if properly done.

 

[Pascal]

a few months ago, i was cleaning the AC strainer and it simply fell off the sea cock... everything was bronze except a male male niple made of brass.... which crroded despite bonding.

problem is that you can't find bronze male/male niples... only brass. or you need to use 2 bronze fittings with a short piece of hose...

if you have to use brass, make sure you replace them every 2 or 3 years, or dissasemble them for inspection as the corrosion happened in the threads...

forget PVC in such critical applications, marelon on the other hand is used and supposed to be very good.

 

[captddis]

I believe the question was about a water manifold. The only things that last in that application are Cupronickel like the orig Cruisair manifold or schedule 80! Even Hatt used the PVC for manifolds on many models. All this no plastic stuff is funny. You own a plastic boat. How many have Lectra Sans? yup all plastic and slip joints with pvc glue. Sealand pumps, more plastic. March A/C pumps, more plastic, most Y valves, Jabsco macerator pumps? Shurflo or Jabsco washdown pumps. Sea strainers? knotmeter paddlewheels.
dripless shaft seals?

Pipe nipples should be avoided in A/C plumbing. nothing new there. Dave

 

[Starman]

I believe the question was about a water manifold. The only things that last in that application are Cupronickel like the orig Cruisair manifold or schedule 80! Even Hatt used the PVC for manifolds on many models. All this no plastic stuff is funny. You own a plastic boat. How many have Lectra Sans? yup all plastic and slip joints with pvc glue. Sealand pumps, more plastic. March A/C pumps, more plastic, most Y valves, Jabsco macerator pumps? Shurflo or Jabsco washdown pumps. Sea strainers? knotmeter paddlewheels.
dripless shaft seals?

Pipe nipples should be avoided in A/C plumbing. nothing new there. Dave

This is what had confused me. I was also thinking of the manifold for the water, not the actual raw water intake ( seacock ).

For the water system on Boss Lady, we are using the SeaTech system. The Manifolds are very easy to configure to your special needs. Just order the appropriate snap together parts and it is done.

 

[34Hatt]

if you have to use brass, make sure you replace them every 2 or 3 years, or dissasemble them for inspection as the corrosion happened in the threads..

You don't want to use brass use 316 s.s it is right next to bronze on the chart much better then brass and hold up just as long as the bronze..

 

[thoward]

I believe the question was about a water manifold. The only things that last in that application are Cupronickel like the orig Cruisair manifold or schedule 80!

While I was typing that out I could not come up with the term "manifold" to save my life, I kept coming up with thermostat

I only had the existing to work with and I could modify it but I was not sure if that is the correct way to do it. I have 2 manifolds, 1 incomming and 1 outgoing, they both have had the same problem and I was thinking of custom milling a new pair.

 

[captddis]

You can buy them from Cruisair for about 50.00. They usually last 20 years +.
Or you can make them from the Schedule 80, which is almost indestructable.
I have had good results with copper plumbing sweat fittings and last for years , though not as long as the cupronickel. Avoid pipe nipples as they are the weak link and fail often. Hatt used to use monel nipples and they lasted indefinately. If you can find these then you are good forever.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Look in McMaster-Carr for this. West Marine says they can't find bronze nipples- I suspect they aren't looking hard enough. SS is okay too, but you should use 316, not 304 or 18-8. Brass WILL corrode and fail, sooner or later. As you have found. Probably some brasses are better than others, but how can you tell which piece is made from 'better' brass and which is the cheap stuff? I can't.

You might also try Chesapeake Marine Fasteners here in Annapolis. Sometimes they have bronze pipe goods like that. Jamestown Suppliers may have them also.

 

[Starman]

TH,

Check out this SeaTech site below.

The system is so simple and will work with your existing plumbing, such as the copper tubing.

You order each part to configure your own manifold needs.

The series 35 is what was recommended to us and is the most widely used.

I do not remember the exact prices but it seems to me it was around a C Note for all the parts to build a manifold.


http://www.seatechinc.com/products/newproducts_manifold_inch.asp

 

[thoward]

That sea tech stuff is slicker than owl sh$%......

Thanks guys!

 

[Starman]

The only thing about SeaTech is finding some one who sells it. It can not be bought direct, even by me ( LOL ) and I knew/know the man who started the company about 12 years back.

If this is the way you decide to go TH, and have trouble finding an outlet let me know.

I am not a plumber, but I could draw the plan out. And from that plan, was able to determine which and how many pieces we needed for the manifold.

Best thing.........no tools , other than your hands !!