Replacing Shower fixture for v-berth head on '78 36ft. trawl

[ed3530]

I've already removed the original, metal shower fixture & purchased a plastic one to replace it. Aside from other differences (e.g., the new shower fixture supply leads are only 4" apart instead of 6 or 6.5" in the original), the connections on the new shower fixture are different...both have threads & are "male" in nature & apparently 1/2" in diameter b/c that's the type of female pieces that fit on them...1/2" diameters. On the old one, the cold water was a nipple & the hot water was a male threaded structure. I've found a 1/2" adapter w/ a nipple on one end for the cold water supply, but I'm having a problem getting something to match up on the hot water supply.

The water supply lines for the forward head appear to come from the sink in the head (the sink slides back out of the way over the marine toilet in the forward head), through the bulkhead separating the head from the rest of the v-berth on the port side at a point under the berth area itself (so, unless you pull up the board over the shelving area, you don't see the water supply lines) close to the hull, come toward the keel about a foot or so, and then the water supply lines go back through the bulkhead to the shower fixture mounted on the wall/bulkhead. The cold water supply line is a "plastic" hose & fits over a barb & is held in place w/ a hose clamp or 2. The hot water supply line is metal & has a hexagonal, threaded female twist-on part at the end that connects to the shower fixture. I have been to the hardware store twice now to buy adapting "pieces" that will allow me to connect the 1/2" threaded male portion of the new shower fixture to whatever the size is of this hexagonal, female, threaded connector thingy on the end of the hot water supply metal tube & neither a 1/2" adapter works, nor a 3/8" adapter. Does anyone have any idea of what i need to connect to the hexagonal, female, twist-on thingy to the 1/2" male, threaded portion of the shower fixture?

Also, is there a way to post pictures on this site? I could post 2 to 4 pictures of what I'm talking about if that would be any help.

[jleonard]

You can post pics. Click on "upload attachment" and add the files.
I adapted all of my faucets, but I can't figure out what parts you are describing without a picture.
The funny thing is I have so many plumbing parts and adapters on board, I probably have what you need.

[ed3530]

Greetings, Jleonard. I'll post pics in a few seconds. I hope they'll be helpful enough. The one of the new shower fixture itself is a bit blurry (if I haven't already deleted it), but the ones of the hexagonal thingy are pretty clear.

[ed3530]

Every time I try to post a reply w/ a photo attached, I get this error:
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Please contact the server administrator, webmaster@albinowners.net and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.

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[ed3530]

photo of hexagonal, female, threaded thingy attached to the end of the metal hot H2O supply line that should attach to the shower fixture.

[ed3530]

Now every time I try to post a single pic, I get an error message stating Internet Explorer cannot display the page as if there's a connection problem. Yet, when I hit the back arrow to Post a Reply, I'm connected to this site!

[ed3530]

Here's a look at the shower fixture but only from the front. Behind the faucets are two male, threaded connectors for the water supply lines & they are 1/2 inch in diameter. I know this because that's the size of the adapters that fit on them. My problem is figuring out the size of the male connector that I need for the female hexagonal threaded thingy on the end of the hot H2O supply line.

[Captn_Dwt]

Hi!
Those fittings are 1/2 " copper "FLARE" fittings. The copper tubing has been "Flared out, like a bell-shapped end" and the "thingy" you see is the nut that holds this to a special male end on the fixture. This type of connection is common on GAS...like Propane. Anyway...a good hardware store can set you right up now that you know what you need.
Best wishes!!

[meridian]

ED3550,
Do you know where the drain under the grate dumps into the bilge? I just pulled my holding tank this morning and have to clean the area before I can get in there and see.

[ed3530]

I've not had a problem with the drain for the shower so other than the holes in the pan underneath the teak grate over the pan for the shower, I'm haven't traced where those holes lead...maybe I should! Another thing I'm going to do is cut my freshwater lines leading to the v-berth head so I can install cutoff valves...none exist right now...so if there's a problem with the plumbing, I have to shut off the fresh water tank valves & drain the system by opening the aft sink & galley sink faucets.

[ed3530]

BTW, I was able to get the proper connection on the new shower fixture to the old water supply lines for the v-berth. I went to Home Depot & spoke to a really knowledgeable man at the contractor's desk & he agreed there was nothing in the plumbing area that could help me @ Home Depot & pointed me in the direction of a plumbing supply house a few blocks away. When I went there, I took the old, orginal shower fixture with me to show part of what my problem was. Initially, the man behind the desk didn't think there was much that even they could do for me, but suddenly I was surrounded by 5 more workers there! Somehow, word had spread that I had come in with a curious piece of plumbing "history." Once these other curious guys got a look at it & I described the flared 1/2 threaded copper connector on the end of the copper, hot water line, one of the guys suggested cannibalizing the original fixture because he was certain that it would fit the new shower fixture & then I'd simply be connecting the flared copper piece to the old male connector. I never even gave it a thought that the old connector could be screwed off the old fixture (and for that matter, no other sales associate in a plumbing area of an Ace Hardware, Home Depot, or even the guy behind the desk at the plumbing supply house had suggested it either). The shower works fine now. Thanks for all the help & suggestions.

[meridian]

I checked my shower drain and it just dumps into the bilge. I beleve the one in the aft head is the same.

[brookesmith]

We decided our 1979 didn't need the shower in the forward cabin. I removed the fixture, capped off the plumbing, and covered the holes with a nice teak magazine rack.

[crowra]

One of the POs decided our boat didn't need a forward shower either. Great idea on the magazine rack for the 'library'! Both fore and aft showers should empty into the sump. Hair and other stuff can clog up the bilge pump(s). Another thing to consider since these boats were built in Taiwan, several of the fittings are neither standard or metric -- they are British. Yours may be using British pipe threads. Both RobS, TOY-RIFIC and Roy Warner, Blue Heron, have posted on the subject.

Here is my all-time favorite blog on trawler projects. His is a Marine Trader but very similar to classic Albins.

http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot.com ... -soon.html