Minimum stud spacing for Delta/Pex shower controller??

[JCH]

I laid out/installed all my studs for a 36" custom shower (11" and 20" from the side wall), and now we've decided to switch to a 30-1/4" Kohler Villager bathtub instead.

So now my shower controller has to move.... and so do the studs (unless I just box out the controller area)

What's the minimum stud spacing you like to see when installing a Delta shower controller with Pex?? The Delta site doesn't seem to offer any advice on this.

Thanks!

 

[Cacher_Chick]

There is no one right way to do it. The valve body needs to be secured in the wall so that it cannot move under force.
If you are installing a shower valve/head, DO NOT use pex between the shower valve and head or from the valve to a tub spout.
Using PEX between the valve and a tub spout will force water out of the shower head.
For the tub spout piping, you will want either full size 1/2" nipples or full size 1/2" copper pipe.

PEX and it's fittings are too small for the tub spout piping.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[JCH]

Thanks. I knew about using copper to the shower head and spout, but it's a good reminder.

My question is how much side-to-side room do I need to leave for the PEX supply connections to the valve. It's got to curve around a corner to get there, just not sure how much room I should leave... (I suppose I could run the PEX supplies through a hole in the studs if I didn't have enough room to make the bend).

Anyone got a standard rule of thumb? Valve body is Delta R10000-UNWS

Thanks!

 

[JCH]

Just to clarify, I've never used PEX myself so don't know how small a radius I can bend it on.

I'm doing the framing. A plumber will be doing the plumbing.

Just want to make sure I leave him enough room to get the PEX supplies into the valve.

 

[LLigetfa]

I would drill holes through the studs and make long sweeping bends in the adjacent stud cavities. They do do make preformed bend supports or you could put hard 90 elbows into the body.

 

[Jimbo]

Check the spec manual for YOUR pex, but 6X OD is typical for minimum bend radius.

 

[LLigetfa]

You could also sweat on a pair of 90 degree sweep stub-outs but they're not cheap.