Kitchen Faucet Plumbing Mystery

[Oakprk]

The kitchen faucet started dripping at the control and there was no obvious way to take it apart to replace a cartridge so I purchased a replacement. Looking under the sink I was perplexed to see what looks like male ends on the faucet hoses screwed into the female PEX supply line .

I then went to the Winnebago Illustrated Parts Catalog to see how the connection is actually made and I was further perplexed. The illustration shows the faucet hoses with female 1/2" fittings (as all faucets are) and 1/2" barb X 1/2" FPT/S PEX connectors with no male to male adapter, nor are any other parts listed in the parts list! .

Unless someone has an explanation of how the connections are actually made, I might just have to force them apart to see if there's a miniature male to male adapter inside of the female PEX connector! Hopefully I won't damage the inside threads of the PEX connector since the nuts from the faucet hose ends are into the plastic connectors.

[bigb]

I've not seen that before. Any chance the outer part is just a sleeve that rotates so the supply lines can be attached to an inner male connector using no tools? Or pulled back for a quick release?

[bigb]

It doesn't make sense that there would be a threaded nipple inside because it would be sticking out, you'd see it. What if they screwed an adapter into the supply line nut that has a quick connect fitting that snaps into the black connector on the Pex?

If your replacement faucet has long enough supply lines you could just cut the Pex fittings off and start fresh.

[Oakprk]

Originally Posted by bigb

It doesn't make sense that there would be a threaded nipple inside because it would be sticking out, you'd see it. What if they screwed an adapter into the supply line nut that has a quick connect fitting that snaps into the black connector on the Pex?

If your replacement faucet has long enough supply lines you could just cut the Pex fittings off and start fresh.

The black PEX connector is the supply line and is female and threaded.
I do have plenty of PEX tubing so reterminating it with a 1/2" male connector would work and eliminate the need for an adapter.

[Oakprk]

Originally Posted by bigb

I've not seen that before. Any chance the outer part is just a sleeve that rotates so the supply lines can be attached to an inner male connector using no tools? Or pulled back for a quick release?

The parts list says the PEX connector is a barb x 1/2" female pipe thread, not a sleeve.

[Morich]

When dealing with many things, the first thing to know is there are not many things which stay the same and even fewer that are standard. Like plumbing and drawings? I do not find many faucets that have a standard fitting at the end??
And the drawings are something that may have been correct at the time they were drawn but that can change if there is a change in the faucet used.

The point being that we use drawings as a guide andd when we find they are not correct,we have to deal with what we find and that is the real challenge in fixing things.

In working on small plumbing, the only standard I'vefound is that it is a constant struggle to find out what parts are screwed together!

If I were to name the PEX part you've found, I would call it a barb X 1/2 female swivel fitting??

[bigb]

Please let us know what it turns out to be.

[Morich]

A different form a different source but something like this is what I would expect?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Apollo-1...212S/301541047

[BobC]

Why not just disconnect the faucet and see what you're dealing with? That's what I would have done. The configuration of the existing faucet is immaterial. You just need to determine what kind of adapter, if any, you need for the new faucet and the only way to be sure is to disassemble what's there.

Further speculating isn't going to get you anywhere.

[bigb]

Originally Posted by BobC

Why not just disconnect the faucet and see what you're dealing with? That's what I would have done. The configuration of the existing faucet is immaterial. You just need to determine what kind of adapter, if any, you need for the new faucet and the only way to be sure is to disassemble what's there.

Further speculating isn't going to get you anywhere.

On most newer single handle faucets the supply lines are part of the faucet and cannot be removed.

[Morich]

I'm missing the problem!
From what I see there are lines from the faucet with male threads and PEX from the bottom with female threads screwed onto the faucet lines.
No adapters needed, just unscrew the swivel PEX fitting and screw it on the new faucet!

One thing to note is that it is likely that the old washer/seal inside the fitting will need to be changed as they tend to get brittle,so I recommend changing while you have it open. I spend thirty cents to avoid having to take it apart if it leaks!

[bigb]

Originally Posted by Morich

I'm missing the problem!
From what I see there are lines from the faucet with male threads and PEX from the bottom with female threads screwed onto the faucet lines.
No adapters needed, just unscrew the swivel PEX fitting and screw it on the new faucet!

One thing to note is that it is likely that the old washer/seal inside the fitting will need to be changed as they tend to get brittle,so I recommend changing while you have it open. I spend thirty cents to avoid having to take it apart if it leaks!

That would certainly simplify things if it is done that way with something like this but I was going by the OP statement that they are both female connectors. Not even sure if the style shown below is even made in a faucet supply size.

[bigb]

Looks like they are available in 1/2", Oakprk are you sure you don't have this?

[Oakprk]

Originally Posted by Morich

A different form a different source but something like this is what I would expect?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Apollo-1...212S/301541047

That would have worked if the faucet connectors had standard male ends. I'll post what they actually are.

[Oakprk]

Originally Posted by Morich

I'm missing the problem!
From what I see there are lines from the faucet with male threads and PEX from the bottom with female threads screwed onto the faucet lines.
No adapters needed, just unscrew the swivel PEX fitting and screw it on the new faucet!

One thing to note is that it is likely that the old washer/seal inside the fitting will need to be changed as they tend to get brittle,so I recommend changing while you have it open. I spend thirty cents to avoid having to take it apart if it leaks!

The new faucet is a single control kitchen fixture which has the feed lines attached and the fittings aren't compatible with the female PEX connectors.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Oakprk

That would have worked if the faucet connectors had standard male ends. I'll post what they actually are.

Good, otherwise everyone is guessing in a vacuum. That's why I would have disconnected the hoses from the very beginning. And depending on your new faucet you may need a new set of adapters.

[Oakprk]

Update:


It turns out the connectors are nothing that I've seen before...see photos.
Inside the female PEX connector is a rigid tubing that goes almost to the opening of the female connector. The seal in the faucet connector goes around that and is compressed when the male connector is tightened into the female.



I decided to cut off the weird PEX connectors and get a couple of Sharkbite 1/2 PEX to 3/8 in compression adapters, compatible with the new faucet compression connectors.

Thanks for all the inputs.

Originally Posted by Oakprk

The kitchen faucet started dripping at the control and there was no obvious way to take it apart to replace a cartridge so I purchased a replacement. Looking under the sink I was perplexed to see what looks like male ends on the faucet hoses screwed into the female PEX supply line Attachment 183216.

I then went to the Winnebago Illustrated Parts Catalog to see how the connection is actually made and I was further perplexed. The illustration shows the faucet hoses with female 1/2" fittings (as all faucets are) and 1/2" barb X 1/2" FPT/S PEX connectors with no male to male adapter, nor are any other parts listed in the parts list! Attachment 183217.

Unless someone has an explanation of how the connections are actually made, I might just have to force them apart to see if there's a miniature male to male adapter inside of the female PEX connector! Hopefully I won't damage the inside threads of the PEX connector since the nuts from the faucet hose ends are into the plastic connectors.

[Morich]

Suggest pulling on the white rubber plug looking items in the male connectors, that will leave you with the regular male connectors on that side, next fit those white plugs (cone washers?) into the black plastic fittings as they are the seal instead of flat washers as many hose connections have.

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Viega-43...hoC54EQAvD_BwE

[Oakprk]

Originally Posted by Morich

Suggest pulling on the white rubber plug looking items in the male connectors, that will leave you with the regular male connectors on that side, next fit those white plugs (cone washers?) into the black plastic fittings as they are the seal instead of flat washers as many hose connections have.

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Viega-43...hoC54EQAvD_BwE

That would allow me to reassemble the old leaking faucet but not gotten my new faucet with 3/8 in compression connectors installed.

[bigb]

OK so it's a compression connection but made of plastic on the PEX side, never seen that before, learned something new.