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Topic: House Water Leak.... (Read 545 times) previous topic - next topic

House Water Leak....

We are having a problem with a leak under the water expansion tank on our '93 U280. I'm adding pictures of where we think the water is coming from. We had to shut off the city water and the water pump itself.

We know we will have to drain the fresh water tank before attempting to replace any hoses, etc. The water pump itself works fine - it's a bit noisy, but that hasn't changed since we bought it 1 1/2 years ago.

Any other advice is very welcome!
#18849
Rodney & Candace Stowers and Riddick the HuskyLab
1993 GV WE 36' U280 SBID, Build: 4218
Cummins Turbo Diesel 300hp C8.3L, Allison MT 647
Toad: 2017 Chevy Cruze, 6-speed Manual
Everyday is Friday!

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #1 –
Pics for reference.
#18849
Rodney & Candace Stowers and Riddick the HuskyLab
1993 GV WE 36' U280 SBID, Build: 4218
Cummins Turbo Diesel 300hp C8.3L, Allison MT 647
Toad: 2017 Chevy Cruze, 6-speed Manual
Everyday is Friday!

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #2 –
Another pic for reference.
#18849
Rodney & Candace Stowers and Riddick the HuskyLab
1993 GV WE 36' U280 SBID, Build: 4218
Cummins Turbo Diesel 300hp C8.3L, Allison MT 647
Toad: 2017 Chevy Cruze, 6-speed Manual
Everyday is Friday!

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #3 –
Rodney,

I would sure think about upgrading the piping on at least the discharge side of the pump. The joint where the flex hose and the white PEX tubing are connected looks like just a slip fit of the 2 pieces of tubing and is secured with a clamp. That joint needs a proper connector to help prevent a blow out. The joint on the suction side of the pump you don't have the pressure and could last a long time like that but if you are there might as well add the same connector there as on the discharge side.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #4 –
Quote from: stowers6 –
Pics for reference.
Plus 1 on what Pamela and Mike said, plus I'd secure that water pump in place so that it isn't bounding around.  Gotta love the traps left by previous owners.  THIS fitting, if leaking, well, when you replace it the pipe end needs to be clean and square with no burrs or sharp edges to damage the o-ring internal to the push fitting.  So no hacksaw.  I'd replace that reënforced vinyl tubing with Pex, and if needed there is a converter from that obsolete-standard gray polybutylene tubing to Pex.  With some searching you can find the gray acetyl fittings under the Qest and Qicktite names.  My anti virus yells at me when I go to this web site, but I've been purchasing my fittings from them as I do my best to put off the day of reckoning, that day when I will finally replace all of the polybutylene plumbing with Pex.

POLYBUTYLENE repair fittings
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #5 –
And, critically, you really need to keep that area DRY.

You can already see some rust jacking on the aft wall at floor level.  Certainly check the rear bulkhead in case this is a long-time leak that has damaged the rear bulkhead.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #6 –

Plus 2 on Pam & Mike.  Photo below of the same area in our '93 U280.  I moved the pressure tank to another location to allow more working room in the water pump area.  Photos below show my modified setup:

1.  Fresh water supply goes through a SharkBite 1/4 turn brass valve, into a flex hose section, through a screen/filter, into the water pump, out of pump into another flex hose, through another brass valve, into the coach cold water supply pipe.

2.  Hot and cold water drain pipes pass through plastic 1/4 turn push-fit valves, then join together into one pipe, which goes to a "T" fitting that points down through the floor.

3.  Fresh water tank drain passes through a plastic 1/4 turn push-fit valve, then to the same downward pointing "T" fitting.

Note:  I have had zero problems when transitioning from the OEM gray polybutylene pipe to either white PVC pipe or PEX tubing using SharkBite push-on fittings.  NO leaks in 10 years we've owned our coach.

Amazon.com: SHURFLO 94-591-01 Pump Silencing Kit - 36" : Automotive


As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #7 –
If you have any interest in relocating your water pressure tank, the post below may be of interest.  The pressure tank can be connected to the cold water pipes pretty much anywhere you have available space.  I put ours under the bathroom sink.  Under the kitchen sink would also work.  Be sure to allow for access so you can periodically check the air pressure in the tank.

With all pressure relieved from the coach water system (water pump off, shore water connection closed, open several cold water taps) the air pressure (pre-charge) in the accumulator should be set about 2-3 PSI BELOW (less than) the water pump "cut on" pressure.  If you attempt to check the air pressure in the tank, and water comes out the Schrader valve, the tank bladder/diaphragm has failed and you will need a new tank.

Water Pump Accumulator Tank



1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie –
Note:  I have had zero problems when transitioning from the OEM gray polybutylene pipe to either white PVC pipe or PEX tubing using SharkBite push-on fittings.  NO leaks in 10 years we've owned our coach.
To make sure I wasn't (due to my personal ignorance) posting a misleading statement, I went to the Prime Source Of All Knowledge: GOOGLE.  Found the video below, which seems to back up my claim:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pwBLq6ortQ


1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #9 –
Thank you all!
The city water pressure was fluctuating up to 175 psi and we didn't know the water pressure regulator had cracked from freezing temps the past month. The hose blew off and water was leaking. We figured it all out thanks to your help.

Whew.
#18849
Rodney & Candace Stowers and Riddick the HuskyLab
1993 GV WE 36' U280 SBID, Build: 4218
Cummins Turbo Diesel 300hp C8.3L, Allison MT 647
Toad: 2017 Chevy Cruze, 6-speed Manual
Everyday is Friday!

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #10 –
All of the upgrades mentioned by Mike, Chuck and Toolmaker are spot on.  ASAP also.    And as Brett mentioned,  clean, DRY and tight is the mantra on all things Foretravel.

  Also, doesn't your coach come with a pressure regulator??  I removed ours because a hose gasket failed and leaked behind the wet bay wall.  NO MORE.  Now have an external regulator that I keep an eye on. 

  Ps. Shark Bite fittings seem to hold up well. Spendy but I'm trusting a few of them.
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Bob & Sue –
All of the upgrades mentioned by Mike, Chuck and Toolmaker are spot on.  ASAP also.    And as Brett mentioned,  clean, DRY and tight is the mantra on all things Foretravel.

  Also, doesn't your coach come with a pressure regulator??  I removed ours because a hose gasket failed and leaked behind the wet bay wall.  NO MORE.  Now have an external regulator that I keep an eye on. 

  Ps. Shark Bite fittings seem to hold up well. Spendy but I'm trusting a few of them.

We are the 4th owners of this coach, so, no, it did not come with a pressure regulator. It looks like there were some changes made to the wet bay wall, so the PO probably removed it because it failed.

We have a new external water pressure regulator, and bought an extra one, so no more issues. Everything has been dry, no leaks,  since we bought it almost two years ago.

Also, we had the bulkhead inspected before we bought it, and it had already been fixed and rebolted.

Thanks all!
#18849
Rodney & Candace Stowers and Riddick the HuskyLab
1993 GV WE 36' U280 SBID, Build: 4218
Cummins Turbo Diesel 300hp C8.3L, Allison MT 647
Toad: 2017 Chevy Cruze, 6-speed Manual
Everyday is Friday!

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #12 –
Also nice to have an inline water pressure gauge along with a house type of Watts domed adjustable pressure regulator. Those small round brass RV regulators are mostly restrictors and should be discarded.

Not to mention all pressure from water pump and adding a gravity feed, with no city water hose connected all the time.
 

Re: House Water Leak....

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Bob & Sue –
All of the upgrades mentioned by Mike, Chuck and Toolmaker are spot on.  ASAP also.    And as Brett mentioned,  clean, DRY and tight is the mantra on all things Foretravel.

  Also, doesn't your coach come with a pressure regulator??  I removed ours because a hose gasket failed and leaked behind the wet bay wall.  NO MORE.  Now have an external regulator that I keep an eye on. 

  Ps. Shark Bite fittings seem to hold up well. Spendy but I'm trusting a few of them.

We are the 4th owners of this coach, so, no, it did not come with a pressure regulator. It looks like there were some changes made to the wet bay wall, so the PO probably removed it because it failed.

We have a new external water pressure regulator, and bought an extra one, so no more issues. Everything has been dry, no leaks,  since we bought it almost two years ago.

Also, we had the bulkhead inspected before we bought it, and it had already been fixed and rebolted.

Thanks all!
#18849
Rodney & Candace Stowers and Riddick the HuskyLab
1993 GV WE 36' U280 SBID, Build: 4218
Cummins Turbo Diesel 300hp C8.3L, Allison MT 647
Toad: 2017 Chevy Cruze, 6-speed Manual
Everyday is Friday!