Exterior Plumbing Question......

shadow745 · Sep 24, 2009

My wife and I just stumbled onto a fantastic deal on a mobile espresso van in Arizona. It is fully self-sustaining with 2 45 gallon fresh water tanks on top of the van, a 50 gallon gray water tank underneath, a propane generator and just too many other things to mention. The original owners had the build out done by a guy in Texas. For the water lines he used Blue Kitec. The lines look to be in great condition overall, but some areas of the exterior (exposed to UV) pipe have the outer layers peeling off them. The aluminum part of the pipe is intact and looks just fine. Other than slight insulating properties does this external part (outer layers) of the pipe help in any way? Also, would it be likely that the internal layers would be affected by the UV rays since the aluminum tubing blocks any direct light getting inside the pipe? Thanks for any info.

FloridaOrange · Sep 24, 2009

Apparently there are issues with that "piping".

Kitec pipes and fittings may fail prematurely causing leaks and water damage to your property. At least one expert evaluation has found that Kitec pipes have a manufacturing defect that can cause corrosion in the pipes. Corrosion can result in leaks and other problems with your plumbing system.

Kitec consists of flexible aluminum pipe sandwiched between an inner and outer layer of plastic pipe (PEX Pipe). Kitec generally comes in two colors: blue (for cold water use) and orange (for hot water use). The pipes are manufactured by IPEX USA LLC and have been used in houses as far back as 10 to 15 years ago.

Kitec pipe and fittings fail when they are exposed to water because of a chemical reaction known as dezincification, which results in reduced water flow and leaks. Dezincified Kitec pipe and fittings cause damage not only when they burst and leak, but also impair the ability of a home's plumbing system to effectively provide water to appliances and fixtures.

http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/case/kitec-xpa-pipe.html

I think the biggest thing is whether this vehicle would be approved by the health dept. and/or whatever division of restaurants you have in your state.

Sorry, I don't have any experience to pass on regarding kitec.

Exterior Plumbing Question......

shadow745

New Member

FloridaOrange

Plumbing Designer

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