RV plumbing thoughts

[obert]

Well last summer my kitchen fawcett broke ( from ageing plastic) and I replaced it with a nice new one that had a brass manifold and fittings underneath. Bought from the RV store at around $30



Last month, I found that I had not properly winterized, by finding the swivel spigot broken and a slug of ice in the remains of my new fawcett. #@$%!



My question is why wont a house hold fawcett from, say, walmart, work just as well as original. I just got a "low cost" plastic job ( oh, wait, its "non-metalic") that outwardly appears the same as orig. -- same fittings, stlye, etc.

Whats the diff. between the cheap plastic fixtures from the RV store and the one I just got from walmart, and should I expect a failure from this $12 patch?



PS I inspected and so far thats the only thing I messed up-- all other plumbing looks OK. We'll see when presurized. OOPS.

 

[Fogie]

Obert, as long as you have the right connections the household type works just fine. I had an Alpenlite. Took the piece of crap plastic one out and put in a really nice metal one in. Much taller spout. Worked great. I didn't even have to change any of the connections. Even put in a vegetable sprayer. Buy what you want. I'd bet it would be a perfect fit.

 

[obert]

Oh, the fit is fine. Just kinda wondered if there was somthing special in "mobile" applications. Im getting better at the RV thing, maybe I'll be good at this when we get a really nice rig. I just went for a cheap fix this time 'cause I was kinda PO'd at myself plus wifes went back to colledge and not working so I'm being a little "frugal" where ever I can. As long as this new fixture doesn't vibrate appart this sumer bouncing down the road all will be good.



Currently in a '91 coachmen 5th wheel.

 

[EricBu12]

When you winterize, I alway leave all the faucets valves all the way on and the toilet valve open... . If you clean out your black tank properly, there isn't any smell from this...



I alway have used Air to force out the water when winterizing and open low point drains. This helps greatly adn I don't need to use antifreeze as there is hardly no water in the system and if the water does freeze a little, the open valves make for the water to expand with no pressure build up and breaking... .



I put a better Faucet in my Shower for the shower diverter but that is it... . All Plumbing will bust if frozen ... just a fact...

 

[klenger]

When I had to winterize (b4az), I always used the pink stuff. I don't see how any of the fixtures could freeze with the antifreeze in them.

 

[JMetzger]

I replaced my kitchen faucet with one from Home Depot with no problem with installation. When I winterize the trailer I blow the lines with air & then pump RV anti freeze through the lines with the rv water pump. I also have a hot water heater by pass so anti freeze doesn't go in water heater.

 

[EricBu12]

I live in Salt Lake City where it gets to -2 or so and sometimes down to -11 in the dead of winter and right now it is 39 degrees and it snowed last night!!... . Spring? not here!!



For 3 years now, I blow the lines with air, opening one faucet at a time to blow out, then do a low point drain with all the faucets open... . the WH is bypassed, I drain and pump dry the water pump, Leave the Faucets open... . Even the toilet valve... ..... IF, there is no water in the lines... ... IT WON'T FREEZE! If there is a little water in a line here or there, the open valves will let the water freeze along the length of the line with no backpressure... ... I have never used Anti-freeze in my RV's... And I have never had a leak..... (knock on wood)

 

[Dieselnerd]

The major difference between RV faucets, sink drains, etc. is price and quality. For the RV stuff you pay more and get less. I've always replaced broken RV faucets with one from a hardware or home depot type store. They never seem to break again. Same for shower plumbing. About the only thing hard to replace with a household item is an RV toilet. There you are pretty much limited to one from an RV store. You can upgrade to higher quality though. As far as freezing, my rigs have been in minus 30 actual temperatures with RV antifreeze in the pipes and never froze up enough to break anything. For max protection leave faucets open after the antifreeze is installed even though the bottle may say leave the faucets closed. This allows for expansion in extreme cold conditions.

 

[Briman]

If you don't use the pink antifreeze don't forget to blow out your p-traps under the sink. Of course they will freeze and split as well.

The Walmart faucet is the best value and is certainly no worse then the stuff from an RV place.

 

[obert]

wow! great responses... .

When you winterize, I alway leave all the faucets valves all the way on and the toilet valve open... . If you clean out your black tank properly, there isn't any smell from this...

Normaly this is about waht I do. BUT apparently I forgot or was distracted from the kitchen sink fixture. The valves were closed and obviosly no antifreeze in the spigot. Oh well. Next winter Ill remember to do a better job- this could have been alot worse.

 

[Foil Freak 1211]

I live in Salt Lake City where it gets to -2 or so and sometimes down to -11 in the dead of winter and right now it is 39 degrees and it snowed last night!!... . Spring? not here!!



For 3 years now, I blow the lines with air, opening one faucet at a time to blow out, then do a low point drain with all the faucets open... . the WH is bypassed, I drain and pump dry the water pump, Leave the Faucets open... . Even the toilet valve... ..... IF, there is no water in the lines... ... IT WON'T FREEZE! If there is a little water in a line here or there, the open valves will let the water freeze along the length of the line with no backpressure... ... I have never used Anti-freeze in my RV's... And I have never had a leak..... (knock on wood)

I have always used the pink stuff to winterize. I had to put water in my coach last week as we are having major work done to our house and I needed a place to stay for a couple nights. I have since drained and blown out the lines as you suggest. What PSI do you use on the compressor to blow out the lines? I certainly don't want to use too much and damage the plumbing.

 

[JMetzger]

I usally only use 35 to 40 PSI to blow the lines.

 

[kelly4463]

I use 40 psi.

 

[obert]

Dad used to blow out the lines on his old camper. I think he regulated down to 25 or 30, just enough to push the slug of water out of the lines. That thing was old- a 78 or so?- this was only a few years ago. It didnt have any drains or nuthin'.



He and I both now just pull low point drains, open all faucetts (except as noted above), drain and bypass water heater, and push a little ant freeze in just for security.



The RV mechanic where I got my trailer said drain heater tank, open low-points and fawcetts, and youre about 99% safe without any antifreeze.

 

[JanMitchell]

I suppose the person who owned my 5er before me did a lousy job of winterizing the rig as the rinse connection for the tanks has a major leak when I hook the hose up to it. Also, when I hooked the hose to the water intake, the hose on the inside of the trailer wasn't connected to ANYTHING and the water got all over the inside of the compartment. I believe this hose should be connected to the trailer filter which I found laying on the floor of the compartment and then a hose should go from there to the high side of the pump. There is a section of hose between the pump and the sink that is braided steel and doesn't look like it belongs as all the rest of the hoses are plastic with a blue design on them. The water system works well when pumping water out of the tank. It never ends... ... Oh, it's a 34 foot Cedar Creek so if anyone can give me some input I would really appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[Matt42]

If the OEM pipes are gray plastic with black plastic fittings, you may be in for a nightmare. Many RVs were made with polybutylene (PB) pipes which had a reputation (true or not) for leaching into the water. The black plastic fittings reacted to chlorine and cracked. The quick and cheap repair is to find someone who still sells brass PB fittings and crimp rings, and replace all the fittings. Qest brand external fittings also work, but are pricey. I replaced almost all the piping with PEX (Cross Linked Polyethylene) and the updated brass fittings. I bought a crimp tool, and it was worth the price.



Long answer to a question you didn't ask.

 

[obert]

the pressure lines are grey, and so are the fittings. Sort of a semi flexible PVC, I noticed the fittings seem to be about the same material as the line, and scar easily from pliers like a soft plastic.



It was built in 1991, Ive had it for about 2. 5 years, and no plumbing trouble on the piping. I blew a toilet valve and the orig kitchen fawcett was plastic and had got old and cracked on the maniflold inside-- kinda looked like UV aging.

 

[Matt42]

Yours should be OK. We had a 1989 Yukon that was set up with that plumbing, and we had no problems with the pipes or fittings. The one we had problems with was a 1996 Play-Mor.

 

[richardcoxid]

The RV/Residential Kitchen/Bath faucets are interchangeable. I have replaced both of our “plastic RV” kitchen and bath faucets with Moen units that are identical with the ones in our house. Thie also reduces the “repair kit” problems.



The only thing additional that I would recommend is to purchase 2- eight inch long flex (1/2 inch female fittings on both ends) connectors. It is getting more difficult as I age for this “old” body to crawl in the cabinet and work underneath/behind the sink. By moving the Plex to ½ inch pipe connectors down the 8 inches on the supply lines will make it much easier to replace the faucet in the future if that ever becomes necessary. But that will probably never happen, the Moen faucets in our house are 20 years old and still don’t leak.



May you have fair winds and following seas!



Richard

 

[Matt42]

Use Flex Hoses!

The RV/Residential Kitchen/Bath faucets are interchangeable. I have replaced both of our “plastic RV” kitchen and bath faucets with Moen units that are identical with the ones in our house. Thie also reduces the “repair kit” problems.



The only thing additional that I would recommend is to purchase 2- eight inch long flex (1/2 inch female fittings on both ends) connectors. It is getting more difficult as I age for this “old” body to crawl in the cabinet and work underneath/behind the sink. By moving the Plex to ½ inch pipe connectors down the 8 inches on the supply lines will make it much easier to replace the faucet in the future if that ever becomes necessary. But that will probably never happen, the Moen faucets in our house are 20 years old and still don’t leak.



May you have fair winds and following seas!



Richard

I completely agree with Richard's recommendation for using flex hoses, for the same reasons and a few more. The flex hoses are a whole lot easier to work with, and were easier even when I was younger. Our Play-Mor has a Delta single lever faucet in the galley, and a Moen in the biffy. Both are house-standard and work just fine. Better, even.