Dripping sink

[ZachO]

Well I have a hard time believing this hasn't come up a bunch already but a quick search didn't find anything.

My bathroom sink has a pretty steady drip going. I've read somewhere that fixing an RV faucet is just like fixing any faucet. But then today I'm seeing stuff that says to just replace the whole fixture with a new one from a hardware store (not chromed plastic).

Any advice?

[redbarron55]

I put a nice one in my modified Scamp with the pull out sprayer etc.

[mszabo]

Doesn't your sink have a shower hose running from it? With a pull up handle.
Remove the handle(s) and try to remove the valve. May just need a washer or o-ring.
A new faucet is cheap.

https://smile.amazon.com/Lasalle-Bri...Rv+sink+faucet

[Paul O.]

It only drips when your pump is on, or when you are on city water. Our pump is turned on only when we need water. My first step would be to try to fix it, hoping that it just needs a washer, and then if stumped, buy a new one.

[ZachO]

Alright, I'll see if maybe just a new o-ring. That's along the lines of what I was originally thinking, but then found stuff in my search this morning about just replacing the whole unit.

Yes, it has the shower hose running out of it.

I've never hooked up to city water. It happens whether the pump is on or not. And it's not just water draining back down from the shower head (I don't think). There seems to be enough pressure in the system when I'm using the trailer, whether the pump is on or not, to keep it dripping.

Thanks!

[RandyNH]

If the dripping bothers you, shut off the pump before turning the water off, this will allow the system to depressurize first and it shouldn't drip.

[steve dunham]

Many RV plastic faucets do not have brass replaceable valve seats or cartridges. It's often cheaper and less work to just replace the faucet. My home kitchen faucet was dripping . The cost of 2 replacement cartridges was more expensive than buying a new faucet .

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Many RV plastic faucets do not have brass replaceable valve seats or cartridges. It's often cheaper and less work to just replace the faucet. My home kitchen faucet was dripping . The cost of 2 replacement cartridges was more expensive than buying a new faucet .

Might be a tad off topic but Moen has a great guarantee, cartridges and finish, just call 1 800 buy moen. Moen is all I've used for many years and have called them a couple times for cartridges that went stiff or leaked...they sent replacements no problem. BTW, Moen only uses 2 different cartridges for all their faucets.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Borrego Dave

Might be a tad off topic but Moen has a great guarantee, cartridges and finish, just call 1 800 buy moen. Moen is all I've used for many years and have called them a couple times for cartridges that went stiff or leaked...they sent replacements no problem. BTW, Moen only uses 2 different cartridges for all their faucets.

I' ve had the same experience with Simmons shower valves

[ZachO]

Alright, I'll check into those things.

Originally Posted by RandyNH

If the dripping bothers you, shut off the pump before turning the water off, this will allow the system to depressurize first and it shouldn't drip.

Well, it bothers me for a few reasons. I mean a dripping faucet is never good, for one. But in a camper with a limited supply of fresh water and an even more limited grey water storage tank, it's especially bad. I can just make it through a week of super quick showers and doing the dishes with very little water etc and have to hook up, pull my camper into town and drain the tanks once a week. A dripping faucet could mean the difference of not being able to wait until the weekend.

Anyway, it doesn't really work for me to depressurize the system. I use the water all throughout the day, so I'm regularly turning on the pump. I'd be wasting, just to throw out a total guess of a number, possibly a half gallon of water every day depressurizing the system. Which adds up if I'm using the camper for longer than just a weekend camping trip, which I do.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by ZachO

Alright, I'll check into those things.



Well, it bothers me for a few reasons. I mean a dripping faucet is never good, for one. But in a camper with a limited supply of fresh water and an even more limited grey water storage tank, it's especially bad. I can just make it through a week of super quick showers and doing the dishes with very little water etc and have to hook up, pull my camper into town and drain the tanks once a week. A dripping faucet could mean the difference of not being able to wait until the weekend.

Anyway, it doesn't really work for me to depressurize the system. I use the water all throughout the day, so I'm regularly turning on the pump. I'd be wasting, just to throw out a total guess of a number, possibly a half gallon of water every day depressurizing the system. Which adds up if I'm using the camper for longer than just a weekend camping trip, which I do.

ZachO I'm with you on this one . Shutting the pump off and depressurizing the system would work but it is only a temporary bandaid , solution . The plastic faucets in RV's are used for one reason , their CHEAP and only have to last until the trailer warranty runs out . If it was me I would bite the bullet and buy a good brass faucet with a replaceable ceramic cartridges .
When I was doing electrical service work most people did not want to pay to fix a problem correctly , just make it work , then when it failed again they wanted you to come back again and fix it under warranty.
My favorite was I went to work on a house and there was a ladder in the middle of the kitchen floor . The switch for the kitchen light went bad so they screwed or unscrewed the light bulb to control the light . According to the home owner it had been that way for over a year . Yes it worked but really didn't FIX the problem or seem like a long term practical solution to me .

[ZachO]

Yeah, I don't like to do things that way. I'll dig into my faucet to see if there's an o-ring or something I can replace, but will be prepared to just buy a better faucet.

[Kenny in Ohio]

I don't know what your towing with ZachO but this is a something to consider.
They manufacture RV's not only to be cost effectively for themselves but to keep the overall weight of the trailer down. If your pulling with a small vehicle your overall load on trailer and vehicle has to be constantly on your mine. Everything I have for camping I buy as lite as I can.
Just me.
KVJ

[ZachO]

Good points, thanks Kenny.

I don't worry about it too much. I haven't weighed my trailer, but based on the figures I've seen on this site from people who have, I'm within my limits. I actually need to worry more about my 3500lb trailer axle rating than my tow vehicle.

In general, I agree that lighter is better. But...I spend a lot of time in my camper. I actually travel with 2 cast iron skillets, and probably a few other things that are definitely not weight conscious.

Some things you just gotta have.

Hopefully an all-metal faucet isn't too much weight, but I'll check them out in a store and see how I feel about it.

[ZachO]

Well, other than the little o-ring on the shower bypass valve, I don't see any parts that can be replaced. I went ahead and ordered a new faucet. Just another cheap plastic RV one...

Assuming this one is the original (possibly not a good assumption), 25 years isn't so bad for a $30 part

[ZachO]

Well just an update with numbers. Since I was kind of dismissive of the idea of just bleeding off pressure to stop the drip.

The new faucet comes in on Friday. So until then, I need to make things work. I couldn't justify just draining the water to let off pressure. If I was hooked up to city water and sewer, that would be one thing. Still a waste of water, but no more than anyone living in an actual house wastes in a day. But since I'm dry camping...

I stuck a cup under the bathroom faucet. While I'm using the water in the camper, I just let it drip into the cup. After I'm done with the water, I shut off the pump and open up the bathroom faucet and let it bleed off pressure, into the cup. I pour that cup into a large water bottle.

One gallon per day. That's how much water would be wasted from my freshwater tank (only 10 gallons), and how much would be filling my grey water tank, every day. I'm sure I wasn't losing that much just to the drip, but I'll bet my 1/4 gallon estimate wasn't far off. Good to know because I was barely making it a week taking navy showers and being really careful with dishes, before my grey tank was full.

Anyways, totally not acceptable. So for now, I capture that water and pour it back into the fresh water tank. But it'll be really nice to get the new faucet in!