In older RVs, the plumbing systems were made of brass. There were brass pipes and brass fittings and while this made installation a little simpler, the pipes were expensive and not flexible at all. If you wanted the pipe to move even a little bit, there needed to be a pipe fitting there to move it. When these brass pipes and pipe fittings started to fail, they needed a solution. To fix this problem, RV manufacturers switched the brass pipes for PEX tubing and gray "quest" tubing. These tubes were not only more flexible, but they were also cheaper. For the fittings, they changed the brass out for plastic insert fittings and copper crimp rings. With these, you would insert the fittings into the tube and use the crimp ring to secure the tube to the fitting. These worked for a while, but then problems arose. To install these fittings, tools needed to be used. If a person did not have the right tool or did not use it correctly, the crimp ring might not be applied correctly and it could be too loose or too tight. If it was too loose, the connection would leak over time. If it was too tight, it would crack the plastic insert fitting and again leak over time. Plus, these new kinds of connections were specific to the type of tubing you were using. There was a different size for the PEX tubing and a different size for the gray "quest" tubing. Even if you did get the right kind of tubing and apply it correctly, these connections did not allow you to remove them and start over. If you wanted to move the tubing, you would need to cut it off completely and start over. This is the kind of plumbing tubing and fittings that are used today (with the PEX being used for the newer RVs and the gray tubing being used for some of the older RVs).
If you're like most people, you don't want to keep fixing a spot just to have it break all over again. With the plumbing system in your RV, this is more so. Your RV should be a place where you relax and have fun, not a place that constantly needs to be fixed. If you're ready to have the solution that you can finally just let alone, we have just the thing.
Flair-it Fittings
Flair-it fittings are a new kind of plumbing fitting and are designed to create the best connection on the market today. No more surprise leaks with these fittings. Made of durable plastic, they are made with tighten-to-compress technology. These fittings have a flared end, which is inserted into the tubing. These flared ends work with both the PEX tubing and the gray "quest" tubing. No more looking around for the right size when you have one of these. Once the tube is on the flared end, there is a compression cap that is screwed on over top of the tubing. This cap and flared end create a seal that can withstand 90 pounds of pressure. And the best part of this process? No crimp rings and no tools. If you are working in a limited or hard to reach area or simply would like some help screwing on the cap, we do have a wrench available. Just make sure not to use any kind of lubrication when installing these fittings. With this design, these PEX fittings and gray tubing fittings won't crack under the stress and leak over time, unlike the classic insert fittings and crimp rings.
There are multiple types of Flair-it fittings as well. We have options for water bypass systems, options that work great under a faucet, and even a simple coupling. With the options in stock, you can be sure to find just the fitting you're looking for.
You shouldn't have to deal with a problem that keeps on occurring. If you're ready to fix your plumbing problems for good, these Flair-it fittings are the way to go! If you have any questions, feel free to give our Customer Care team a call or contact us online!