Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 08, 2025 ...

HOW TO ACCESS WATER HEATER & PUMP PLUMBING

April 17, 2025, 06:51:18 pm

Recently my water pump failed to pressure system and when I connected to fill water tank, water was rushing out from under the heater on the outside of the coach.
There's a valve, under bathroom sink, that must be opened to fill tank, so I assume the plumbing is under there.  But how do I access?

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Re: HOW TO ACCESS WATER HEATER & PUMP PLUMBING ?

Reply #1 – April 17, 2025, 07:25:03 pm

My 1994 is accessed from the compartment in front of the passenger side rear tire... There may be a panel that has to be removed however mine is open to the water heater and pump. The water heater should have a louvered vent to the outside,. There is an expansion tank above my water pump...

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Re: HOW TO ACCESS WATER HEATER & PUMP PLUMBING ?

Reply #2 – April 17, 2025, 07:40:20 pm

Also, you need to dry up ANY water that has gotten on the basement floor.  If left, it will get into the basement structure and cause bulkhead issues.

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Re: HOW TO ACCESS WATER HEATER & PUMP PLUMBING ?

Reply #3 – April 18, 2025, 03:49:23 pm

To Brett's point, if you have one, use a yard leaf blower and leave it running pointed directly where you noticed water. Leave it running for a couple of hours at least.  I even used a space heater on low and the leaf blower to circulate the air thoroughly.
You need to get it dried out completely.

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Re: HOW TO ACCESS WATER HEATER & PUMP PLUMBING ?

Reply #4 – April 19, 2025, 11:25:55 am

It depends on which plumbing you need to access. On our coach the water heater can be accessed by opening the bay door where you had water running out. The pump and some of the plumbing associated with it is under the heater and readily accessed when the bay door is opened. There is also plumbing behind the heater that is very hard to access with the heater in place. I cut a hole through the wall between that area and the bay next to it to access the plumbing. I then put one of the access doors that are used in houses to access plumbing through walls in the hole I cut so I can get access any time I need it.

If you need to access the valve that you open to fill the tank, as well as some of the plumbing associated with the valve, you have to go through the cabinets in the bathroom. The valve can be accessed by removing everything from under the sink, but in ours there is also plumbing under the cabinet next to the sink. To access that, you have to remove the bottom of that cabinet through the cabinet door opening.

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Re: HOW TO ACCESS WATER HEATER & PUMP PLUMBING

Reply #5 – April 19, 2025, 08:16:19 pm

My 98 U270 may not be too different from your 99 295 if it has a conventional water heater. As you can see from my photo, which does not currently have an accumulator, there are many different connections that could be leaking. There are also two connections at the back of the hot water heater that you cannot see or reach very easily. I recommend you get a good, strong small flashlight and inspect these connections with a little pressure on the lines with someone ready to turn off the pump or faucet when you start yelling. The forward line from the bottom of the fresh water tank that feeds the water pump would be of interest to me. A leak there would show up with pump on or while filling the tank.

The 1/2" female connectors have been known to develop a crack with age in the plastic body. They also contain a rubber cone washer that needs replacement from time to time as well.

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Re: HOW TO ACCESS WATER HEATER & PUMP PLUMBING

Reply #6 – April 27, 2025, 08:23:30 pm

Thanks for the information. I've been very busy and haven't had time to get into the problem, but I will share photos and info once I dig into it.....

Thanks again.

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