Red Sea Reefer Hard Plumbing

[The Gurg]

Lots of people in the United States have hard plumbed the Red Sea Reefer. Most solutions involve buying Red Sea Part 4221 and replacing the barb with a threaded adapter and using a extra couple of wraps of Teflon to make the metric part work with the standard part.

I'm only interested in changing to a spear gate valve at this time, rather than more elaborate plumbing. My tank is the RSR 170.

I wanted to hear thoughts on my more expensive solve: I contacted a supplier in the UK that will sell me 25mm parts. Instead of buying the smaller sump return piece R4221, I would order R42219 the emergency drain pipe (the sump portion) and cut into the pipe and glue everything together using a 25mm spear gate valve, 25mm pipe and 25mm elbows. Any reason this shouldn't work?

 

[Member No. 1]

The valve is available here in the US.

https://www.rrproducts.com/25mm-PVC-Gate-Valve-(Soc)-Viton-product30883

 

[The Gurg]

Awesome. Way cheaper not to have to ship international. Having trouble finding the pipe and elbows on their site. I’ll give them a call and see if I can get all the parts from them.

I measured the outside diameter of the emergency pipe with a micrometer and came up with 25mm. I shouldn’t have any issues glueing the pipe or anything, right? The pvc has a glossier finish than I’ve seen before. Makes me question that pvc glue will work, I would think so but not 100%. Also, hoping there are no fit issues. Assuming the Red Sea part once cut with fit into the gate valve.

 

[Member No. 1]

I did a google search for metric pvc, got a few hits.

You can try that.

As far as glueing, I used the colored pvc, it was shiny as compared to regular pvc, used the Oatley Medium Clear without priming first, didn't have any issues with joining or leaks.

 

[The Gurg]

As I’m digging into it. Finding there is DIN and JIS standards for metric piping. I think the Red Sea uses DIN but will need to confirm with Red Sea.

 

[The Gurg]

Found metric piping:
https://flexpvc.com/cart/agora.cgi?product=PVC-PIPE-METRIC

https://flexpvc.com/cart/agora.cgi (search part: 721100107)

 

[The Gurg]

One other thing I was thinking about. The pump I have is a Sicce Syncra 2.0 with 568gph. Seems like that might be a bit high for 22mm internal diameter of the 25mm pipe I would have by using the emergency drain pipe as the main. But overflow pipe ratings charts seem to vary a bit and are all over the place. If it works for an emergency drain, it should be ok for a main. Maybe the pump is rated too high for the RSR 170? Thoughts?

 

[The Gurg]

Worked perfect looks stock. Thanks Member No. 1 for helping me find US sources of the parts. Runs silent now, doesn't leak, great mod.

 

[Celtic_Fox]

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU you two for this thread and the link to the metric gate valve.

I have a Reefer 450 and was resisting using part R42222 and a threaded adapter because of the decreased internal diameter. But now I will use my emergency drain parts instead. (I've already replaced the emergency drain with an R42222 and vinyl hose, so I have it readily available to modify.)

 

[reelredfish]

Following as I redo my sons 170

 

[Scubabum]

Here is how I changed mine. Hope this helps anyone following this thread.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3lqbX-WlL8