Not if, but when it will leak

[Dave27]

We had a leak in the water connections behind the Nautilus panel. I was prepared for it because of the information provided in this forum. First, I had an water sensor alarm in place behind the panel, it woke me up in the middle of the night to let me know there was a leak. Second, when I found the leak at a hot water soft hose connection. Thanks to Cate&Rob , I knew the cause of the problem and how to fix it. Third, I had pex tools with me in preparation of such an event. Rob, I really appreciate your clear explanation of the connection problem.

While it never seems to be "easy" to fix anything on a camper, I at least understood the problem. Who knew the easiest way to get pex pipe off a pex connector is to heat the pex? I googled it after I couldn't pull them apart. I also had a heat gun because of forum recommendations.

I think we had the leak now because we were camping in a different situation than we normally do. We normally boondock, we only heat the water by propane when we need it. This week we had a site with electricity and city water. So the system was under higher pressure than the pump provides, and I left the hot water heater on electric the whole time. So higher temperature and pressure exposed the weakness in the connection.

Thank you to everyone that shares your maintenance and repair experiences. It really helps everyone on this forum.
Dave

[Yoda]

We had a leak in the water connections behind the Nautilus panel. I was prepared for it because of the information provided in this forum. First, I had an water sensor alarm in place behind the panel, it woke me up in the middle of the night to let me know there was a leak. Second, when I found the leak at a hot water soft hose connection. Thanks to Cate&Rob , I knew the cause of the problem and how to fix it. Third, I had pex tools with me in preparation of such an event. Rob, I really appreciate your clear explanation of the connection problem.

While it never seems to be "easy" to fix anything on a camper, I at least understood the problem. Who knew the easiest way to get pex pipe off a pex connector is to heat the pex? I googled it after I couldn't pull them apart. I also had a heat gun because of forum recommendations.

I think we had the leak now because we were camping in a different situation than we normally do. We normally boondock, we only heat the water by propane when we need it. This week we had a site with electricity and city water. So the system was under higher pressure than the pump provides, and I left the hot water heater on electric the whole time. So higher temperature and pressure exposed the weakness in the connection.

Thank you to everyone that shares your maintenance and repair experiences. It really helps everyone on this forum.
Dave

Its good to hear you were prepared. Do you run a pressure regulator on your city water side? If not you should get an adjustable high flow one. Lots of threads on that. Your on board water pump is probably rated for 45 psi and I believe GD says not to exceed 55 to 60psi on thier system. Not sure if I have that correct - I might have CRS, I have been in campgrounds with pressures over 90, so I always use the regulator which I have set to 55 PSI. I have also camped with city pressure as low as 30psi and found using the water pump after filling the water tank was the way to go.

Hope this helps

Keith

[Dave27]

Yoda we use a pressure reducing fitting that is not adjustable. I also do not turn on the faucet all the way. I think heat was part of the problem too. In any case, it was just waiting to happen with the soft hose on the pex fitting. Thanks for your suggestions for better protection.
Dave

[Cate&Rob]

Yoda Dave27
Keith and Dave:

An inlet water pressure regulator has little to do with the maximum pressure seen within an RV plumbing system. This is due to water expansion caused by the water heater. Water cannot push back out to the pressure regulator or gauge because of the check valve on the inlet fitting. Thus, the water heater is increasing the volume and raising the pressure in the entire sealed water system (unless a faucet is opened to relieve this pressure). A system water pressure gauge (which I often talk about ) will show you this pressure rise. Before I installed my accumulator tank, I would often see 70 psi with the air dome in the water heater properly established. As that dome space got absorbed into the water, the pressure could pass 100 psi. If you get to the point where the water heater pressure relief valve is dripping . . . that is happening at 140 psi system pressure !

howson Howard documented similar findings on this forum someplace.

Rob

[TedS]

It's a good thing you were prepared.

Whether electric or propane heat, city water or boondock, increasing temperature will raise pressure per degree the same if there is no air space in the water heater. An accumulator will absorb the expanding water without the pressure getting too high. A pressure reducing valve will control incoming pressure, but not internal system pressure rise due to heating if the water has nowhere to expand to.

[trkester]

Dave27 After reading adventures of howson , Cate&Rob and others, I installed a small accumulator off my external hose fitting with a Tee. I didn't really care about having a large accumulator for even pressure when running off the pump.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Before I installed the accumulator, I measured my system pressure before turning on the hot water and after. Went from 45-50 psi before hot turned on to 100 after. Pessure under 60 now with the accumulator in place even after the hot is initially turned on.

Terry

[TedS]

I have measured pressures upwards of 150-160 psi. That's why the temperature-pressure valve on the water heater occasionally drips.

[mpking]

Dave27 After reading adventures of howson , Cate&Rob and others, I installed a small accumulator off my external hose fitting with a Tee. I didn't really care about having a large accumulator for even pressure when running off the pump.

Could you expand on that? Can they go anywhere in the system? I thought they had to be between the source and the draw to be effective.

[Cate&Rob]

mpking
Hi Mike,

Not meaning to jump on your question to another forum member, but just to confirm, an accumulator can go anywhere in the system, T'd into a cold water line. You could even hang one on the cold low point drain . . . just not while towing .

Rob

[trkester]

I was able to go out and snap a Pic of mine. I have a storage bin for lightweight storage hung off the rear of the trailer and fastened my accumulator to the bin. The tee (actually a double shutoff Y) off the external spray port and then a capped connection off the accumulator for a pressure gauge. (removed for winter). I do intend to eventually put in a better hose but this is working for now.

[ncitro]

That's great Terry! I went with a 2 gallon boiler expansion tank, I installed it behind the false wall near the water pump. I liked using this because I could adjust the air pressure the what ever I needed for my pump cycle pressures.

[Yoda]

That's great Terry! I went with a 2 gallon boiler expansion tank, I installed it behind the false wall near the water pump. I liked using this because I could adjust the air pressure the what ever I needed for my pump cycle pressures.

LOL - That's the tank the plumier installed on my house system to reduce pipe noise. Mine is HW rated. and on the HW side.. I have a 50 gallon on the pump input side.