I know this is a Vanguard Manabloc manifold just trying to figure out if the pipe is PB. I know the main supply into the manifold is, it is marked PB2110 but not sure about the supply lines.
Most of the markings are illegible. I have seen the Manabloc with PEX lines before but these just don’t seem like PEX to me.
All the PEX I have seen is white, red or blue not grey.
I called it all out as PB, realtor had a plumber that came in and inspected it and called it all PEX. I think I should send him a thank you for taking the liability off of me. Just wanting to make sure for my own piece of mind.
I have run across PEX of many different colors. I have some stored in my garage that is yellow, green, blue, white and there is some that I have seen that is a light gray but most of the time is clearly marked “PEX”. Here is a fairly recent item I pulled up from the web reg. PEX, manabloc, and PB. Oh yeah, there was definately PB used with the Manabloc sytems for years. What I see in the photo looks like PB to me but I will always try to find PB210 markings and take a photo for my report and files.
Interestingly, in the above article, the manufacturer spent money testing PB for reaction to chlorine and couldl not find a correlation but then they still end up taking their products off the market. They attempt to blame the fittings in their findings and or installers for failures. I did a number of homes for an investor years ago who told me if I found any units with PB to simply stop the inspection as he would not buy it. His reason to me was PB reacts to the chlorine. He was a chemist by profession. I think I might take the word of a professional chemist over those of the people who make the product and have the most to lose.
Now, if I were betting; that looks like PB to me, not PEX.
It looks like PB to me, but on the left side you can definetely see grey with red stripes on the pipes, and I think on the right you can see blue stripes with the grey (not sure).
I haven’t seen too much PB yet, but the PB that I have seen thus far has always been completely grey. Is there PB out there other than the solid grey, that has the red / blue lines going through the grey, to identify hot and cold lines? Maybe you guys have seen that before? Just curious.
Mike great find. So would it be fair to say all PB is still grey in color and the stripes were added to tell the two apart? Bottom line no Pex is grey in color or am I wrong?
Yep Jeff was right. Here is a clipping I found from a master plumber. Great article on PB.
OK are you ready for the ultimate poly info guide? I guess it’s probably good to spew this stuff out sometimes, especially if someone is interested! Here goes: Black was the original color of poly and it was introduces in the late 60’s in yard service applications and there again in interior systems in the late 70’s. Black poly was mostly used in mobile homes only, but can also can be found mixed with gray poly in homes manufactured in the late 70’s. Many times the black stuff that I speak of is mistaken for polyethylene which is not covered in the ongoing class action suit. There was a small batch of white poly made in the early 80’s. Blue poly was welcomed to the market in the late 70’s to be used in yard service applications & can only be used for cold water. Then there is the silverish-gray poly which was introduced in the mid 70’s and was discontinued in the early 80’s. This grayish-silver colored pipes is predominantly found in mobile units, but has been seen in site-built structures that were built prior to 1982. Now to the really good stuff; GRAY POLY! This seems to be the most common color of poly installed in mobile untis & site-built units by far. Every once in a while you will find poly that appears bluish gray which can be found in yard service applications as well. Now to the crimp rings. You did say you wanted some info didnt you. Sorry to those who think this stuff is boring; I love what I do. Your crimp rings that simply seal your fitting along with keep it in place came in to variations; aluminum & copper. With these two material choices you also have two style of crimping; dog eared or full circle both applied with a crimping tool. A dog eared crimp can be detected be the two horizontal bumps or rises on opposite sides of the ring. The dog eared crimpimg tool was used from 76 to 83. After 83 this type of crimping tool was discontinued from the market. However, I’m sure your familiar with the term “If it aint broke, don’t fix it”. Well they did’t fix it and the good old dog eared crimpers were used probably up until 1990! In 83 it was out with the dog & in with the full circle crimpers which are more than likely still being used today. Back to ring material types, the aluminum rings were used from 76 and sold to mobile home manufactures until 1996. You rarely see aluminum crimp ring in site-builts, but nothing is unheard of in this industry! The copper rings were brought into the market in 83 and are probably still being used. Now for the fittings. The original insert fitting was first used in 1976 & the acetal or plastic fittings started up around 77. A white plastic fitting was manufactured by Wrightway in the early 80’s. All plastic fittings were most common in installation’s around the 80’s era. Metal inserts are most commonly found in site-built’s constructed in the 80’s & in 90’s mobile homes. Before the time of the insert fitting, most poly systems were connected by compression fittings which hit the market in 1974 and were made by Quest. Another type of fittin I know of are Brasscraft Polylock fittings which were used from 1984 to 1988. Very few of this type is found due to its cost. The only other type of fittings used that I know of are Grabber fittings which were used from 1982 to 1986; came in both white & gray colors. This type of fitting was also high in cost and was used seldomly. OK, how many times did you fall asleep while reading this? If you have any specific questions you would like to e-mail me I will be more than happy to answer yours and anyone else wants other information regarding the polybutylene class action lawsuit.
