mobilehomerepair.com

Few questions,
1) Is this my well storage tank? The lid was just sitting on top of the barrel, not attached or sealed in any way and it seems kind of dirty in there. How would I go about cleaning and/or sealing it up, if necessary?
2) Pretty sure the upper gray pipe is polybutylene, same as the rest of the house, which I am replacing entirely with PEX. Would the black also be pb, or could it be pvc or something else? It feels similar to the pb.
3) How do I go about replacing the connection there? I want to replace the main line with 3/4" PEX.
Thanks all.

The black plastic looks like the standard black plastic pipe to me. If you can cut a small chunk off a good plumbing supply store should have a connector for you. I would change the grey PB tube to PEX. With the right connectors 3/4" should not be a problem.

Greg

That black pipe is most likely Polyethylene which is common to find and use. You just can't run your house with it. You should be able to get an adapter to transition from that to PEX. It'll likely be a brass/stainless steel barb fitting similar to PEX.

Thanks! I will take the advice to cut it out and take to a plumbing supply store. Probably the easiest way to change out that fitting anyway.

I can't tell by looking at the picture, but it looks like the line is under a porch or something. If you use PEx, be sure that it is 100% out of direct sunlight. Sunlight getting through gaps between boards as the sun rises and sets is enough to deteriorate PEx pipe. Some foil type insulation wrap might be protect the pipe as long s the pipe itself is in a protected area and not stepped on, or have stuff dragged over it.

The pics are right where the deck meets the house, but the tank and main line are just under the house. We're getting new skirting this year as well, so it should be all sealed up eventually. I'm also planning to install drain tile pipe around the exposed part of the main line as described in The Manual Chapter 17. Do you know if it's a problem to have PEX exposed to artificial light indoors as well?

Short answer - I don't know. Long answer - Everything I have ever seen has always said "Direct sunlight". I have never heard anything about UV-A or UV-B, but it would make sense to me that one of those light types causes the damage. But I really don't know. I also don't know for sure if it is just a problem of PEx pipe deteriorating and failing, or if as PEx deteriorates, it leeches into the water making it harmful. I would just wrap the pipe in reflective foil or use an 1 1/2 PVC or ABS pipe as a conduit, just to be safe. It would be a very small run of pipe that could be exposed to sunlight.