Help now a leaking water heater!!! - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 12-14-2015, 12:39 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
BatDude's Avatar
 
Name: Bat Dude
Trailer: Escape
Michigan
Posts: 347
Help now a leaking water heater!!!

Hi all,

When it rains it... well OK this one is not rain related, but DW has commented that the storage cabinet under the stove has been damp/wet.

Too warm now for condensation so I emptied everything and mopped up (maybe 1/4 tsp) of water and began checking the water lines.

Scamp has all very well color coded and turns out the blue = cold input to the water heater is leaking at a line connector of some sort.

I say some sort since I do not recognize how it may work.

Only dripping a drop or two at a time. There is a collar thing (OK not very scientific description) but it snaps off. It is a 3/4 round piece that has a tab facing inward and two arrows On & Off each pointing 180 degrees opposite. I turned off the water out side (Oh yep the demand water pump does work w/o pressure) and turned this to OFF to see if the hoses would separate. I was wondering what type of seal they have.

Likely this is some sort of on-off valve and not a connector as such?

The hoses to not turn with gentle pressure nor pull apart. I snapped the collar back on and moved to the ON position. Seems still a drop or two of water forms there.

I do not want to gunk it up with silicon the bane of many plumbing issues, so thought about a low pressure fix with black tightly wound electrical tape. This usually seals low pressure drips and is easily removed if need be.

I found a Surbuban WH install PDF on line, but it does not have details on the water line per se.

Any clues/help out there before I do something dumb?


About to Trundle down to talk to Bob, but will check back for other input.

Bat Dude
__________________
Conservation biologist specializing in bats. Now stepping aside from paid $ bat work and just Escaping, painting and mentoring grad students
BatDude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2015, 01:38 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Borrego Dave's Avatar
 
Name: Dave
Trailer: Casita SD17 2006 "Missing Link"
California
Posts: 3,738
Bam.....Pow.....holy water leaks Batman
Borrego Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2015, 04:37 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Name: Gordon
Trailer: 2015 Scamp (16 Std Layout 4) with '15 Toyota Sienna LE Tug
North Carolina
Posts: 5,155
I can say with reasonable certainty that you have described the shut off (and PEX plumbing).. I have the same valve that shuts off the water supply to the water heater. And I have two more in the plumbing lines under the port side rear seat for draining the pipes.

The collar should be OK if you snap it back on, its just gripping the shutoff, giving you something to grab. I doubt that is the cause of the dripping.

Sounds like the PEX connection to the valve is bad. If it was only the valve you might be able to heat the PEX pipe, remove it, then reinstall however its likely the connection between the valve and the pipe.

I would cut the PEX a few inches back in both directions from the valve, then use new pipe with a fitting, and a new valve (they are cheap). It's not hard except it requires a rather expensive (~$400) device to expand the PEX pipe so that you can insert fittings and valves.

Any plumber should be able to handle the repair.

In the meantime I would put something under the valve to catch the dripping water and not use city water.. just fill you fresh water tank and run the pump only when needed.



PS, tape, sillycone, etc will not work.
gordon2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2015, 06:31 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
BatDude's Avatar
 
Name: Bat Dude
Trailer: Escape
Michigan
Posts: 347
A Hex on the PEX

Tnx,

Also had a PM from another member suggesting I google PEX.

Does look like an easy fix/replacement IF one had the specialized tools.

There is a roving RV repair person that is available here so I may call and see if it is not an unreasonable cost.
Given we will not be back in Michigan until early April this is a fix we need to address ASAP.

Love the bats you posted in the signatures.

Set the acoustic monitoring station out the night before and found 6 species flying around.


Tnx all,
Bat Dude
__________________
Conservation biologist specializing in bats. Now stepping aside from paid $ bat work and just Escaping, painting and mentoring grad students
BatDude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2015, 09:50 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Name: Jack L
Trailer: Sold the Bigfoot 17-Looking for a new one
Washington
Posts: 1,561
There are some fittings for PEX pipe that do not require any special tools. Any big box home center or good hardware store sells them. Even Camping World has them. It should be a simple do it yourself project if you have some basic mechanical skills.
Jack L is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2015, 10:26 AM   #6
Administrator
 
Mary F's Avatar
 
Name: Mary
Trailer: 2015 Escape 21; formerly Casita 1999 17 ft Liberty Deluxe
Posts: 10,941
Registry
You, too, can use the :bat smiley

The emoticon is part of our group. The code for it is

Code:
 :bat
__________________
Mary F Fiberglass Rules!
________________________________
FGRV Forum Custom Search
Info on Adding Photos to a Post
RV Life Network FAQ
Mary F is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2015, 11:03 AM   #7
Member
 
Name: Bruce
Trailer: Still Looking
Alabama
Posts: 49
As has been said, look up "Sharkbite" fittings if you don't have PEX crimping tools or there is a crimp tool for using behind toilets and other close quarters (uses a specific size of vicegrip to close it) that can be bought relativity cheap.
Bullington is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2015, 12:18 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Steve L.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: Casita Spirit Deluxe 2003 16 ft
Posts: 1,899
Registry
Sharkbites are generally brass fittings. Most of the big box home improvement stores will have them. Also available are less expensive plastic fittings.
http://www.menards.com/main/plumbing...32093469983815
Just be sure it says it works with pex on the package. Neither require a tool, just a good clean end of the tubing.

Plus, I believe most stores will rent the ring tool for a modest amount.
__________________
Without adult supervision...
Quando omni flunkus, moritati.
Also,
I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.
Steve L. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-18-2015, 03:39 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
BatDude's Avatar
 
Name: Bat Dude
Trailer: Escape
Michigan
Posts: 347
Issue solved with a mobile RV repair service.

It was the valve itself that was dripping not the connections. The valve was simply cut out with apparently a very sharp LeateherPerson tool blade and a replacement union installed. All completed in < 10 minutes. No heat, no crimping and the item was called a Quick Repair union by the service person.

The service person indicated he had not seen one of these values in use for nearly 8 years.

Then the $$$ part.

A whopping U.S. $20.00



The $40 service travel call was waived as the outfit was already working in the campground for days helping a poor unfortunate woman in a huge class C on a Ford chassis.

She took the wrong road to the campground and the 100 year old overhanging oak trees unkindly removed most of her roof, AC unit, awning etc. etc. So the mobile RV crew were replacing the entire roof, AC, awning etc. etc.

Apparently all is covered under her Progressive RV insurance.
__________________
Conservation biologist specializing in bats. Now stepping aside from paid $ bat work and just Escaping, painting and mentoring grad students
BatDude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-18-2015, 04:40 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Jon in AZ's Avatar
 
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 11,925
Registry
Win, win, win! (Well, sort of... at least she was covered and able to get it fixed on-site...)
Jon in AZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-18-2015, 06:26 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,413
Talking to that unfortunate lady today we were told the repair service found evidence of an old roof leak that caused wood rot so they fixed that too. Her insurance paid for a new awning even though the old one was not damaged. She cleaned off the whole roof, front to back, including the rear ladder. And that was in a 20 MPH zone that is marked "Low hanging branches". Real nice lady, she is work camping here, and has taken the incident with good humor.
mary and bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Leaking Grey Water Tank on Boler KevinDR Plumbing | Systems and Fixtures 10 09-10-2021 07:53 PM
Hello and help re Water leaking in around door Sahara Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 2 08-06-2012 01:36 PM
Water leaking from fridge Robert M Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 4 08-09-2006 07:07 PM
Gray Water Tank Leaking Legacy Posts Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 6 06-02-2003 10:04 PM
Leaking water inlet Legacy Posts Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 11 04-27-2003 09:02 AM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:08 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.