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water leak on starboard side water compartment
Preparing for our first outing this year, filled the fresh water tank today, turned on the water pump, checked for leaks, got one.
I’ll try to describe it and hope that someone can tell me how to get to it and what it feeds.
The leak is running down a grey tube that goes through a hole in the top of the compartment right next to the whole house water filter. It is a hot water line rather than cold. It has never leaked before. Cannot see where the leak originates.
The supply is from the hot water tank, then there is a first T. One leg of this T goes to the port side of the bus (no problem here), while the other leg goes to starboard, a short run. Then there is a second T on this leg. One goes to the outside faucet (no problem here), while the other goes through the top of the compartment where the leak is occurring above where I cannot see it.
Anyone know how to access this black hole?
Anyone know what this line feeds, again hot water only?
I have a few hours tomorrow to chase this before we leave. Last resort is to disconnect this line at the second T and cap it off, but don’t know what I will lose.
Appreciate any enlightening.
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30 Replies
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Tough call Dan, not knowing the configuration of the various plumbing fixtures in the house. I had a 94 Liberty and can’t remember what would have been above that line, but you should be able to sort that out. For sure there will be an access panel to get to the various fittings for the bathroom sink, shower or W/D, if that’s where the water is coming from. Could be just a loose fitting.
Here’s the big question, was the bus in really cold temps and if so, did you take precautions for freezing?
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Tom is right in that without knowing the exact floor plan there is no way for anyone to know where the line goes.
But it probably doesn’t matter where it goes if the leak is running down the water line because that would suggest the leak is likely a fitting straighit up the pipe and hopefully is not water from the floor above finding its way to the pipe to run down the pipe.
The bad news is to determine exactly where the pipe does go up through the floor, and then from inside the coach, figure how to access that spot. It is highly likely it is under a cover that is over the OTR ducting. With luck you can easily open it up and see it and fix it.
This is the kind of problem that can be small and simple to repair, but if the planets do not line up, you spend a long time tearing things apart getting at it.
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What is on that side of the coach that would require hot water? Find that and start looking for access panels.
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Thanks to the first responders.
Just got it.
The only water thing on the starboard side is the washer/dryer. From a reference point, measured to determine that I needed to go in at the bottom of one of the hanging closets (all are lined up on the starboard side) just aft of the air slider. Access panels were right where they needed to be. Tomorrow I can figure out how to tighten a fitting I can barely see while the vaseline on my twisted upper torso leans in.
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Sounds like you got it. We all understand how tight some places we need to work in can be.
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FWIW, my Liberty is plumbed in plastic with mostly grey colored fittings. Over the years, I’ve had multiple fitting failures (never a line itself) and have been replacing/replumbing with brass compression fittings in sections. I have never been able to tighten a plastic fitting to resolve a leak.
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The leaking fitting that I was chasing today in the bottom of a hanging closet that feeds the washer/dryer didn’t get fixed due to time. I cut that line in the water basement and triple clamped a half inch piece of steel dowel rod into the line to blank it off. We are now in transit from N. Illinois to Titusville.
For future reference, what is this grey plumbing stuff called? CPVC? I know it is half inch ID, five eights OD, and takes three quarter inch fittings with half olives or compressions. Would like to buy some, but need the right word to google. Thanks.
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Dan,
You can’t find parts for the gray stuff anymore. My 94 had the same stuff. I have a bunch of new fittings and some pipe in the barn left over and will be glad to send them to you. I won’t be back home until late tomorrow and I can let you know what I have.
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I believe That is the same POLYBUTYLENE piping that was used in residential plumbing for a few years. Due to s high rate of failures it was pulled from the market. There was s hefty class action award for whoule house plumbing replacement. As I recall they suspected chlorine to be the major contributor to failure.
I wonder if connectors for PEX are dimensionally the same. PEX is the cloudy white flexible piping that looks similiar in size to what you have. A quick web search suggest that Qest and PEX sharkbit connectors will work. I’ve seen the PEX connectors in Lowes. Marine stores would also be a good place to look, especially given you’ll be in Titusville.
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My memory isn’t so good, but if I recall I just used the push in fittings that Lowe’s had on my 97 when I did some work on the gray piping.
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It’s not Poly B and you won’t find it in any store. Been there…
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Thanks for the offer Tom. I will buy whatever you will send. We won’t be home until 3/31, but daughter is house sitting. I will check here every day. We arrive at destination tomorrow. An inop washer/dryer this trip is no problem. At minimum I would need about a two foot piece of line and one of those half olive or compression rings. The threaded collar that goes around the ring is reusable.
Thanks for the pex idea Gil. I’m familiar with it but didn’t think of it for this. We used it for a radiant heat in concrete floor project.
Wanted to keep our rig as oem as possible, so the grey stuff would be my first choice Thanks guys.
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E-mail your address and I get it on the way.
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Tom,
If it’s not PB, what is it? Not knowing what it is will make getting the right fittings a shot in the dark. If it has the same characteristics as PB here are two adapters to PEX:
http://www.pexsupply.com/PEX-to-Polybutylene-Couplings-750000
http://www.sharkbiteplumbing.com/fittings/couplings/polybutylene-conversion-couplings
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Tom, I emailed my address to you couple minutes ago. If you did NOT get it, let me know here. Thanks.
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