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Topic: Possible ruptured hot water line to the kitchen sink. How to access and repair? (Read 579 times) previous topic - next topic

Possible ruptured hot water line to the kitchen sink. How to access and repair?

Looks like I have either a broken fitting or at least a very bad leak coming from the hot water line to the kitchen. Its leaking behind and under the central heater under the fridge. I can't see the actual leak but that's the general area it seems to be coming from . Looks like the only way I can access it is to take the heater out. Any ideas?  Thanks
Build 5477
99 3602 WTFE U270C

Re: Possible ruptured hot water line to the kitchen sink. How to access and repair?

Reply #1 –
I don't know your layout but my line runs from under the sink, past the propane furnace, and into an area under the bottom of a pantry that could also hold a washer/dryer.  I had to take off some side panels to get the floor out.  The bottom floor of the pantry will come out to give me access to the plumbing where it comes up from the manifold.  It you can find that area, the easiest thing to do would probably be to pull a new PEX line through and see if that fixes your problem.  I don't think there are any joints between the bottom of the pantry and the area under the sink.  In fact, my PEX is bent up into the sink cabinet so the only connections would probably be at the faucet and under the pantry floor.  Try to use the old PEX to pull the new.  You will need PEX connector tools and connectors.  You can get them at HD or Lowes.  They also make a pretty cheap tool for removing old connectors so you can re-use them.

I think removing the furnace would be tough because of all the ducts that you would have to disconnect or work around.

Hope this helps,

Rich
Rich and Peggy Bowman
2002 U270 3610 WTFS, build #5939--"Freedom"
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4xe
SMI AirForceOne brake system
PakCanoe 15

Re: Possible ruptured hot water line to the kitchen sink. How to access and repair?

Reply #2 –
I had to cut out the inside of the cabinet to access my plumbing and furnace.  If you make a clean cut up high across the entire panel, you can just screw it back up after you are done and it isn't noticeable unless someone is specifically looking for it.  It is fairly easy to take the floor of the cabinets up also with a smaller prybar. 

Now that my FT is 18 years old, I've had quite a few leaks in the plumbing as it ages.  The kitchen sink drains both were leaking as the grout they used around them dried up.  The swivel fittings on the sink started leaking in the bathroom.  It is well worth it to open everything up to see if there are any signs of leaks. 

I think the biggest gripe I have with Foretravel is that they made no access panels or easy means to ever do maintenance for these things after they built them.  So I had to make my own.
Robert
Build # 5304
1998 34' U270 Cummins 6CTA8.3

Re: Possible ruptured hot water line to the kitchen sink. How to access and repair?

Reply #3 –
A word of advice, be sure to tighten the plastic supply line nuts on located on the back of any of the shower valves used.  It seems the pulling and pushing of the control knob plus the hot and cold factor of the water will cause them to loosten and leak.
1988  40' Grand Villa Cat 3208t

Re: Possible ruptured hot water line to the kitchen sink. How to access and repair?

Reply #4 –
Pulling a new line sounds like the way to go. I'll see if I can get close to the manifold through the pantry . Fortunately we can get along without hot water in the kitchen for a while.
Build 5477
99 3602 WTFE U270C

Re: Possible ruptured hot water line to the kitchen sink. How to access and repair?

Reply #5 –
Be glad that you have a manifold and can isolate your leak.  We watched a very new and expensive coach, work on a toilet supply hose leak for 2 days, without success.  They canceled their stay to head for a dealer, after two days without water in the coach, the wife was one very unhappy camper.
Dave Cobb
Buckhorn Lake Resort The Club, #6202, Kerrville TX
check the map.  I do rent it out when I am traveling!
2001, U320, 36' #5887, in Kerrville, FT Club #17006, (7/23 to present)
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Summit, white
EX: 98 U295, 36' #5219, (mid door), (4/13-10/23)
EX: 93 U225, 36' (4/11 to 4/13)

Re: Possible ruptured hot water line to the kitchen sink. How to access and repair?

Reply #6 –
You're right about the manifold. We can live without hot water to the kitchen sink. Having the rest of the water supply operable is a real advantage.
Build 5477
99 3602 WTFE U270C
 

Re: Possible ruptured hot water line to the kitchen sink. How to access and repair?

Reply #7 –
The hot water line from the Manibloc kitchen sink feed goes over the top of the waste tanks and up through the floor above under the bathroom sink. The bottom of that cabinet is difficult to remove (I cut mine with a small circular saw and a multitool), but doable with persistence. This was after I removed all of the screws and realized it was not going to come out in one piece. I ended up cutting it into three pieces and when putting it back in madden it removable. There is a lot of "stuff" under that cabinet bottom that you may need to get to eventually... The kitchen sink hot water line then goes under the fridge/propane furnace area in-route to the sink. Besides removing the bottom of the bathroom vanity cabinet, you will likely have to remove the upper panel in the wet bay on the street side to feed a new hot water line in. Once you have access to those two areas, running the line shouldn't be too much problem. A lot of work in cramped positions using your hands at arms length (the longer arms, the better!), but new pex could be run.
Here is a link to a post I did about having to access the bottom of the vanity cabinet to address a leaky fill valve. Maybe that will help... Access to Water Fill Valve etc. 99' U270
Don
Quote from: goldbehen –
You're right about the manifold. We can live without hot water to the kitchen sink. Having the rest of the water supply operable is a real advantage.
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Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson