Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Well I went to the local RV dealer and acquired my fittings for the fresh water tank (16 gals.) Have to just cut for the outside inlet portal which I will do tomorrow. Using the 3/8 clear tubing. Figure will use it even in the winter as the furnace will keep all the pipes warm. I watched the temps last winter and the closest it got to freezing inside was 35 degrees after being gone for 6 hrs in outside temps in the teens. Furnace will always be set on low.

Just debating whether to insulate the exposed tubes or leave them open to the inside the trailer temps. Maybe insulating them would make them freeze as they won't be in direct contact with the trailer air. Only going to have cold water and using a sprayer at the sink.

just be careful. Make sure it is not vinyl tubing and make sure it is FDA approved.
If it's not labelled as FDA approved for drinking water, it probably
isn't safe to use.

Ron Dickey wrote:just be careful. Make sure it is not vinyl tubing and make sure it is FDA approved.
If it's not labelled as FDA approved for drinking water, it probably
isn't safe to use.

Thanks

Just for dishes and body wash.

Update:

Completed the install. Works great, no leaks. Now just have to run a wire to the front to operate the pump as I use the sprayer. For now I have to open the back door to get the pump turned on.



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Ron Dickey wrote:just be careful. Make sure it is not vinyl tubing and make sure it is FDA approved.
If it's not labelled as FDA approved for drinking water, it probably
isn't safe to use.

Can someone tell me why not vinyl?? I used to have a commercially made RV and they used vinyl there, so...naturally I assumed that it would be ok for my application. Are we essentially just suggesting that we make sure it is OK for drinking water, or should you just never use clear vinyl tubing?? I see the OP used vinyl tubing from tank to pump, etc.

What am I missing....Your assistance is appreciated!!


Thanks for your reply(s)! :>)

Ford Truck Man wrote:

Ron Dickey wrote:just be careful. Make sure it is not vinyl tubing and make sure it is FDA approved.
If it's not labelled as FDA approved for drinking water, it probably
isn't safe to use.

Can someone tell me why not vinyl?? I used to have a commercially made RV and they used vinyl there, so...naturally I assumed that it would be ok for my application. Are we essentially just suggesting that we make sure it is OK for drinking water, or should you just never use clear vinyl tubing?? I see the OP used vinyl tubing from tank to pump, etc.

What am I missing....Your assistance is appreciated!!


Thanks for your reply(s)! :>)

Here is what the folks that make is had to say.........http://www.hudsonextrusions.com/food_grade_vinyl_tubing.htm

Point of interest PVC stands for poly VINYL cloride so I have a lot of "Vinyl" plumbing pipes in my home !

Yeah, that is the same information I saw before buying some. I will have to take a second look I could have swore that what I got was food grade, I believe it was on side of the reel at my local box store.

Well I just got back from my camping trip and as soon as I exited the turnpike I went to Lowes for a off/on switch for the pump and wire for the battery to the pump. Will have it working tomorrow. I will mount the switch on the front wall next to the sprayer.

After reading the comments on this thread, I looked at the PVC tubing at the box store, the carton it was in said 'NOT FOR ICE MAKER USE'. So, I'm guessing there is a difference in manufacture thats the difference. Could be recycled content, typically, there are three 'layers' in food containers with the recycled material encapsulated in virgin material. Also, in my experiance in the plastics industry, just about anything that could come in comtact with the finished product for 'food' use has to be 'food grade'. Food grade lubricants on the machine, food grade mold releases, I've even seen food grade metal polishes.

dh wrote:After reading the comments on this thread, I looked at the PVC tubing at the box store, the carton it was in said 'NOT FOR ICE MAKER USE'. So, I'm guessing there is a difference in manufacture thats the difference. Could be recycled content, typically, there are three 'layers' in food containers with the recycled material encapsulated in virgin material. Also, in my experiance in the plastics industry, just about anything that could come in comtact with the finished product for 'food' use has to be 'food grade'. Food grade lubricants on the machine, food grade mold releases, I've even seen food grade metal polishes.

Dh,
I believe there are at least a couple of reasons for saying "not for ice makers".

1) the working pressure of non reinforced clear PVC tubing is quite low, maybe 40 PSI at 70* F Many domestic water supplies (city water) are in excess of 100PSI.

2) However, this is probably the main reason: FDA standards are for food contact, not potable (drinking) water. The standards origination for potable water is not FDA, USDA, or 3A, it's NSF. The particular standard potable water tubing must meet is NSF standard 61 (NSF61). You probably won't find this tubing at a big box store. Beware there is also an NSF51 standard, it's not the potable water standard.

Here's a link to several hoses that meet NSF61:

http://kuriyama.thomasnet.com/category/ ... %7C3001377

Here's a clear tubing that meets NSF61:

http://kuriyama.thomasnet.com/viewitems ... 01377|1071

Larry C

Looks like that should work!

For people thinking about adding a freshwater tank and a RV type water pump.. Your best bet is to use PEX tubing.. Its what they use in RVs and even houses.. Its 100% safe for drinking water and is pressure and temperature. Its pretty flexible which is why they use it in RVs. Most on demand pumps put out anywhere from 40-80PSI. Thats a lot of pressure for non reinforced vinyl tubing.. Also typical you add a city hookup between the pump and the fixtures if you do that you want pressure rated lines with out a doubt.