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MCI 102-C3 coach to RV - Water System

Lowe's had Sioux Chief potable manifolds. Test fit some adapter fittings to connect the regulator. Checking the ports didn't occur to me. I need to see if I can take the 1/2" tubes out and fit some adapters in so I can just thread in some ball valves or the PTC fittings. Lengthy assembly, ain't it?

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Slow and steady. Shot of the expansion tank clearance from the other night. I've yet to grab anything for a cushion to slip in there.

Finished grinding out the last of the metal from the lower portion of the tank pit today. Picking up my tools and dragging the plywood back over top of this area tonight because I'm going to try tracking down some silica sand to blast the remainder of the rust and paint off. None of the hardware store stock it anymore, so we'll try some pool suppliers and then ordering online.

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The 1x1 ss tubing shipped out today. This is for filling in a gap on the underside of the front pit framerails where I am lowering the pit floor by 1" to accommodate the diameter of the corny tanks. With the stacks of funding now handy, we're grabbing all the materials to finish up the assemblies that are best built before the floor gets laid down. Trying our best to get the floor closed up to beat the next blizzard. Snow already hit Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming the other day. FML.
 
Stainless. Gearing up to work on the water tank pit. Took some glass cleaner, a scotch brite and half an hour of elbow grease to remove all that USPS packing tape. Some newspaper between the steel and tape would have been courteous. Moving along.

As much as I want to and as much as I don't want to, I'll probably yank the steer axle out so I have free rein to move about and weld. Now would be the time to slip an Axletech in. 4500 preferred, but nowhere to be found.

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Pulled the rest of these manifolds out of the box to mess around with. One of those random hankerings bugging me to play with some shiny parts that need to be assembled. Decided to go ahead and use these for the water system instead of that bent copper manifold I had spent like ten times as much on. Found the eBay listing and ordered the last three of the brass manifolds from PEX Outlet. Only needed two, but why not grab an extra when they're $3.xx each?

Think I'll call Ferguson tomorrow to have them go ahead and order the spool of 3/8" PE-RT tubing. They should have some 1" stainless close nipples to join the manifolds with and maybe some ball valves to suit. I remembered I had a couple boxes full of John Guest fittings from Fresh Water Systems. Might as well get some more of this built while I'm in the warm house.

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Cut open both John Guest check valves. The valves themselves are too dense to float. I tried some seamless airsoft pellets that I use for wheel balancing. Their plastic is also too dense to float. Going to order some 1/4" HDPE balls from McMaster Carr. I did test the airsoft pellet and it worked fantastically besides not floating in water. This is to make float check valves between the corny tanks and aluminum expansion tanks, by the way. I've been meaning to try this out for months and finally went ape shit on the lathe all day.

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Had a feeling the valves would interfere. Either need to pull the stems out of each valve or add a fitting to extend every other valve away for clearance. Suppose I'll grab a small socket set and get to work. Don't really feel like ordering more fittings to put this together. I do need to buy a wire cylinder brush to clean out all the port threads in the manifolds, though.

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aczlan said,
JNHEscher said:
Had a feeling the valves would interfere. Either need to pull the stems out of each valve or add a fitting to extend every other valve away for clearance. Suppose I'll grab a small socket set and get to work. Don't really feel like ordering more fittings to put this together. I do need to buy a wire cylinder brush to clean out all the port threads in the manifolds, though.​
This is for hydronic heat right? Why not use a pre-assembled manifold that comes with balancing valves, flowmeters, etc on it?
Something like this perhaps?
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If its for air, can you alternate one handle on each side, or are the stems interfering?

Aaron Z
 
[486] said,
JNHEscher said:
Had a feeling the valves would interfere. Either need to pull the stems out of each valve or add a fitting to extend every other valve away for clearance.​
that's generally how it's done
makes clearance for swinging the handles, too
 
These logs were originally made for radiant heat. I'm using them for our water system. The last of the fittings I ordered for them arrived yesterday. Just need to clean out the pipe dope since I don't know that it's the type used for potable water.

The handle stems interfere, so I'll have to pull them out or add some M-F pipe fittings. I ordered M-F ball valves so I would have to add in more nipples to fit everything together and didn't think about the stems sticking out so far.

Edit: Need a 1.5" distance standoff minimum.
 
For your viewing pleasure. This is the entire length of the water log mocked up. Large, I know.

Twelve ports on the feed side - four for RO filter inlets so that there is sufficient water input in the event that we're not bypassing them and eight ports for the eight, pressurized corny tanks. This side will run somewhere near 100 psi.

Zurn pressure regulator in between sides. Probably set to 40 or 50 psi.

There's six ports on the outlet side. Only four ports are needed, but there's three per mani. All NPT ports and valves are 1/2". Currently set up to run 3/8" PEX with room to expand if needed. The outlet side feeds the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower, and washing machine.

Everything works out in one way or another. I got a twelve pack of ball valves for the box discount to start off with. Obviously need four more, but because I can't fit two valves in consecutive ports, I'll alternate the M-F threaded valves with F-F threaded valves with nipples to stand them off for clearance. The four spare valves from yesterday's delivery can be used at the fixtures upstairs.

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DE Jeeper said,

From the pic it looks like its just the handle and not the stem that interferes. Im assuming u pulled the nut and handle off and tried it?
 
DE Jeeper said:
From the pic it looks like its just the handle and not the stem that interferes. Im assuming u pulled the nut and handle off and tried it?​
The entire stem interferes. I did give it a try to see if I could make it a quick job. Per my experience with dismantling ball valves, steel bodies can be done, but brass is a no go. Still the same. Every tool I used to grab the male side just rounded off the brass. Not big of a deal since I did need to order four more valves anyway. I'll get F-F vales and nipples to complete the log. Lowe's or Home Depot will have all that.
 
Best shot I could get. Sometimes I think pictures don't do justice because you don't get the triangulated view of two eyeballs to look the object over. Anyway, I would have to file off all but one or two threads to get the stem to clear. I'm thinkin' to hell with the threads and hang one or two handles on a hook as a master key. They won't be needed very often. Just cut the stem threads off and leave enough for the handle to engage on.

Edit: Took one stem down to two threads on the belt sander and it fit. Gonna do the rest tonight. Also setting up a mini 12 volt pump on the vinegar tray to cycle the vinegar through a gallon paint can covered in rare earth magnets to try and collect the piles of iron in the mill scale coming off. Might grab some lawn mower fuel filters to stick in line too.

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You've seen it, so see it some more. I'll order another 12-pack of the same ball valves to finish off the entire log and use the spare four for the upstairs fixtures as mentioned before.

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Forgot to mention that I got a 100' roll of 3/8" PE-RT. Since Ferguson wasn't coming through with the PE-RT out of Canada, I pulled the trigger on the Flair-It brand through Wal-Mart. Dirt cheap and it fits great. I was quite leery about ordering mobile home parts from the best place for people watching. As long as it works, I'll take it.
I'm using John Guest PTC fittings throughout which don't require a tool to disconnect like the Sharkbite stuff. So far, I am thoroughly satisfied.
 
CarterKaft said,

Walmart is actually kicking ass in e-commerce right now. I have been really impressed with the selection shipping speed and prices. Basically my second choice after Amazon.
 
Delivery day. HDPE balls and some o-rings, the rest of the ball valves and some fittings for a friend's car, and last but not least, a Miller Weld Mask II.

HDPE for the float check valves as recently described. I'm sure I'll figure out a use for the spare 248 balls.
 
Started assembling the rest of the water log and the first ball valve installation was a dud. Threads were cut too small so it didn't snug up until it bottomed out about 270 degrees from lining up with the others. Smashed the hex trying to spin in around enough. Had me pissed off at that point getting nowhere during such a nice day out that I had planned to accomplish a lot during the daylight. Finished off the ball valves and 1/4" PTC adapters later on.

Don't think the wife will mind that I clamped my mini vice to the dining table. No other workspace out of the elements, so she lets it slide. Stuck a HDPE ball in a check valve and glued it back together with white E6000. I'll be pressure testing these to 100 psi to be sure that they don't blow apart in the bus. Same with all other water system parts.

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Working on completing some overdue project sections. Performed a little bathtub science. Put 110 psi to each of the John Guest check valves that I converted into ball float check valves. One passed with flying colors. The other apparently has a bubble in the E6000 that is letting air pass underneath the glue. I was fully expecting these to explode. I'll order a couple more valves to convert. Pretty nice to know that this worked.

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Putting together more of the corny tank water system. Back on the expansion tanks. I wanted to thread the ports more because I knew they were too tight. Decided to go ahead and put plugs in because I skipped going to Ace Hardware while in town today. Some of you probably remember how much I do not care for pipe threads. Of course, two of the plugs stop at one thread engaged. Gotta pull them back out and chase the threads.

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Ditched the John Guest float check valves idea because I lost confidence in the plastic assemblies to hold 100psi.

Parts are arriving to put together a serviceable single float check valve on a manifold with a pressure gauge, Schrader valve and T-fit adapters. Viair manifold with holes for mounting. 1/4" PTC T's.

A vertically mounting 3/8" NPT T to connect to a 3/8-1/4 NPT connector to hold a 1/4" HDPE ball (same ball I used in the John Guest valves). I had some Delrin bar left over to mod into a pressed-in plastic basket for the ball to sit in so it wouldn't be bouncing on any metal that could wear it down. Notched a star-like ring in it to let air pass by it when it's sitting on the basket.

The ID of the brass connector I picked up a Ace Hardware today is 0.331", so I can thread it to 3/8"-24 to fit a hollow set screw and push in a 0.348"x0.208" EPDM o-ring for the HDPE ball seat against when the water in the corny tanks level rises up to float the HDPE ball.


I'll be ordering another expansion tank. The threads in two of the ports completely let go when I tried to run a tap in a little deeper in order for plugs to start in them. Plugs went in just fine in the other tank.

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A fitting per week keeps the progress from becoming bleak.

Grabbed the Schrader valve from the PO today. Waiting on the 1/4" plugs. Placing a McMaster order tonight. Maybe even a Summit order. Definitely not ordering anything that isn't ready to ship today. Drop ship stuff keeps getting postponed.

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Summit, Rock Auto, and McMaster orders started showing up today. I'm putting the 1" ball valves on either end of the water log. They had 1/4" ports on them so I got gauges with boots. Parts to complete the ball float check valve are here. I also found some nice stainless binding bolts that are a one thou interference fit in the mounting holes of the Viair manifold. Those made for some sweet threads on the back of the manifold. Quite a bit of overkill in this water system compared to what I see on most rigs. Fuckin' decked, though, eh?

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Brought in a couple corny tanks to set up a small test circuit. I've got everything on hand to push water up to this ball float up to 100psi. Curious if it'll work.

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Tested it. Couldn't get the ball to seal against the o-ring by blowing through it the other night. Still doesn't seal until there's 20psi against it.

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CarterKaft said,

Do you need a softer durometer oring?

Check valves are always finicky if they aren't sprung.

Allot will depend on flow as well, high flows seat balls and poppets quickly while low flows will not have the inertia to get the parts going in the right direction.

Maybe a poppet shaped check instead of a ball?
 
CarterKaft said:
Do you need a softer durometer oring?

Check valves are always finicky if they aren't sprung.

Allot will depend on flow as well, high flows seat balls and poppets quickly while low flows will not have the inertia to get the parts going in the right direction.

Maybe a poppet shaped check instead of a ball?​
Softer durometer o-rings are in my McMaster cart. I'm waiting on some other parts to show up. Been eyeing Mettle Air manifolds and NPT-PTC poly ball valves. Pulled the trigger on those yesterday. This is the third round of water log/manifold assembly. The Unicor logs were getting a little annoying. OCD kicking in, I guess. The Mettle Air units are drilled for mounting just like the Viair mani. Kinda screwed up and ordered 3/8"npt to 3/8"ptc John Guest valves, then remembered a bit ago that 3/8"ptc is 3/8" OD whereas 3/8" PEX is 1/2" OD. Ah well.
 
Getting packages here has been a clusterfuck and a half, lately. Chased down my MettleAir order and found that they sent one incorrect manifold. I checked. Ordered 3/4" inlets on all three. FedEx dropped it a bunch, too.

Edit: Messing around with these manifolds and plastic valves tonight. Got two bags full of John Guest valves that do me no good. The bores bottleneck so badly and the valves don't open all the way. Too often do I get disappointed in a quality product that fails to meet an expectation. I'll probably repurpose the manifolds for some pneumatics. Valves, I'm not sure.

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