a little leak can kill you....

[damon]

we have all heard about the damage that even a small water leak can do, and I thought I would share from first hand experience.



These are pics I took last summer from the back of my '96 Prowler 5er that we bought new. From the first pic with the floor closed, you cannot even see that there was a leak. In fact I did not know until I stepped through the floor under the carpet, which caused me to open it up and find this nightmare.



Be very observant out there folks... ... ..... this took about 40 hours of my time to fix and I am sure that it was leaking from day 1 !

 

[damon]

and then I pulled the carpet back...

couldn't figure out how to get more than one pic in a message



pic #2

 

[damon]

which turned into.....

what a frickin' mess... .....



pic#3

 

[dmurdock]

What was leaking? one of the pipe joints?

 

[drees1]

Leaks in campers are like rust on a car. Once you get to the bottom of it, it is far worse than imagined. Was it a plumbing leak that caused it??

 

[dmurdock]

Please don't say it was at the coupling at the wall for outside water hookup... mine leaked at the same place... just had to tighten the fitting 1/2 turn to stop it. Luckily I caught it asap (i pressure-tested the plumbing before I bought the trailer).

 

[damon]

the leak was at the compression fitting conected to the bottom of the water heater. If you look at the 1st picture, you'll see that the poly going to that connection is stressed fairly well to the right side around the other tube. Once the heater was out, this fitting did not leak under a pressure test, so it was very frustrating finding the leak after I had repaired everything and gotten it back together, but not before. When putting it all together, it was very difficult to get that fitting connected because of the misalignment. That's why I think it was leaking slow since day 1, but obviously only when under utility or pump pressure.

 

[ewcmr2]

This is why I installed copper water lines in my 36' race trailer when I added living quarters! Plastic for drains=good. Plastic for supply=bad.



Eric

 

[Deezul1]

Copper will fatigue from vibration and crack, depends on how many miles you travel before you have trouble. I have seen it break from vibration from water hammer in a house.

 

[RedRamer]

Just for information guys, I also had to fix a floor this year.

Small leak, never seen at the weld of the bottom of the door frame. . it was cracked and water got under the vinyl along the wall to the front as the trailer always leaned forward a bit when parked.

Teltale sign was discoloration of the vinyl flooring under the kitchen table, then soft floor.

Stinking mess know where you're coming from damon

 

[Ron Bissett]

leak

Your water pump should tell you of any leak I know this is late but may save some on the same fate you had . with all tank lines open to complete trailer and drains closed tight , Turn on pump it should run to set PSI and hold with out pump coming on for at least a two hour or more time and if it will not come on crack any tap and pump will start up . As for fresh water thank fill to top of fill neck with lines cut off and drain closed let stand after noting hi water mark after letting stand a few min to let trapped air to settle , You can not get all the air out of most tanks and compression of the air will cause a small psi but will hold steady after a few min . If water goes down you have a leak some place and it could be a B=== to find . LOL Ron in Louisville KYOo. Oo. Oo.

 

[RedRamer]

Ron;

there might be an exception to that rule.



when my system is under pressure, about every 10-15 minutes, I get a short "brrrrrrppp". Lasts about 1 second.

I looked all over and the dealer also for a leak and he told me the pump should be replaced because it's not holding pressure to well!

It's only 2 years old and it cost a good buck.

I wonder if ther'es any bull to this?

 

[damon]

If I had only known......

In my case, Ron's recommendation was true. My pump would give short 1 seconds buuuurp's about every 15 minutes, but not ever owning an RV before I did not know that this was necessarily a problem.



Goober, I would pressure test your system with air ASAP. As you saw in my case, the leak was not apparent from the topside, but damage was accumulating under the floor.



Good advice Ron... ...

 

[RedRamer]

damon;

I hear ya... .

Will most certainly check this out this Spring.



I can't see a leak, but then I did not see the last one either.



thanks

 

[Ron Bissett]

water leak 2

Goober if you have a leak and its under the floor and air from outside can not enter and vent to outside , water will turn in to a vapor and rise to bottom of the floor and condense to liquid and then it will Dry rot the floor and you will not know it till you step on the area ,it will not stop until you open and remove the wet insulation or rotten wet wood . As to waiting till spring time will tell . As to replacement of pump , A kit for pumps can found at your local trailer supply or on line at pump brand web site . Kit is easy to do take pump out replace parts, test with a bucket of water or sink in house , hose could act as test for psi cut off about three feet for psi test and one foot for pick up and just bend and clamp end after fill with water bend and clamp use clear plastic line and you can see what it is doing . Time pump for two hrs , . If you have the pick up line on your pump for anti-freeze you can use it for test line psi check . Pump kit should not cost more than ten dollars . Its a DIYS project . lol Ron in Louisville Ky Oo. Oo. Oo. P. S you will need a 12v battry for the test. Ron.

 

[RedRamer]

thanks. .

Maybe I should go to storage yard and yank out the pump. Not too big a job as I put an inline "T" this fall for antifreeze feed.

Seeing as the floor just got fixed, I sure don't wnat that again.

no problemos with the batteries, I got them here. .