First She Had to Take a Ride on a Boat | 1957

[tinman54]

Nice work Steve, the color from the curtains is great!
Doug

[pbearsailor]

I still hate plumbing, but it's almost over. Fill lines for the two tanks and the sink drain remain to be done with the water. The pics show the layout in the galley with a few ball valves instead of check valves. The low point is right at the water heater and using the heater bypass, I'm able to get away with a single drain line for the system.

Double flares have been keeping me busy for a week or so. I've been lying under the trailer on rain and mud soaked cardboard surrounded by the state animal of western Washington, the slug. I put in shutoff valves for each of the four gas appliances. The propane system is all hooked up now, but the tubing still needs to be secured to the frame. I'd never done the double flares before, so it was scary turning the gas on this afternoon after the last connection was made. Had a couple of joints that needed another pull on the wrench and one just plain crummy flare that evaded my quality control and had to be replaced. Even though we've had temporary gas lines run for the heater for 2 years, it was still pretty cool to fire up the stove for the first time.

And, despite the rain, polishing has begun. Weather looks good for the next few days, so I'm planning on getting some more compounding done.

cheers,
steve

[TouringDan]

Steve

For somebody that hates plumbing you have done a first class job.

The polished area at the rear looks great! A nice contrast with the blue sky.

Dan

[nmbosa]

Originally Posted by pbearsailor

Fill lines for the two tanks and the sink drain remain to be done with the water. cheers,
steve

We are seriously neck-and-neck Steve. I need to install the fill and vent for the fresh water tank after we get the dinette installed this weekend.

I also have have to run my vent lines for the gray tanks and black tank.

I may need to do some redesign on my fresh water plumbing this summer to make sure I can drain it properly for winterizing.

Norm

[utee94]

Beautiful work, Steve. I actually enjoyed the plumbing, and I am appreciating the heck out of the work you've done.

And the rest of the interior is beautiful. Keep it up, you're not far off now.

-Marcus

[pbearsailor]

Originally Posted by TouringDan

Steve

For somebody that hates plumbing you have done a first class job.

The polished area at the rear looks great! A nice contrast with the blue sky.

Dan

Thanks, Dan. We've had an unbelieveable 2 days in a row of sun with maybe two more coming. Going to be a lot of sunburn in the Pacific Northwest.

Originally Posted by nmbosa

We are seriously neck-and-neck Steve. I need to install the fill and vent for the fresh water tank after we get the dinette installed this weekend.

I also have have to run my vent lines for the gray tanks and black tank.

I may need to do some redesign on my fresh water plumbing this summer to make sure I can drain it properly for winterizing.

Norm

Yup, I forgot about the gray vent. Fitting is in, hole in the floor cut, but I still have to cut a scary hole in the top.

I got my fresh water fills out of the bargain bin at West Marine and I was happy to actually save some money, but they are 1 1/2" and the tank has 1 1/4" fittings, so I'll wind up spending the money I saved doing a silly reduction in the fill lines. Oh well.

Originally Posted by utee94

Beautiful work, Steve. I actually enjoyed the plumbing, and I am appreciating the heck out of the work you've done.

And the rest of the interior is beautiful. Keep it up, you're not far off now.

-Marcus

Thanks Marcus! Norm and I are both pretty close, but I'll bet he feels like I do: there are still about a thousand little things still to do.

Best thing about the gas plumbing is that tomorrow the fridge will be able to run on gas. The boat has a fridge, but no freezer, so it'll be nice having it. Being able to keep ice cream will be a luxury we haven't had for many years.

Polishing with the compounder and F7 continues. Still amazes me how easily that 50 year old aluminum shines.

cheers,
steve

[Prickly Pear]

Steve,

Looking at your work makes me more eager to get on with the retrieval of our 57 Caravanner from Anchorage this summer.

We plan to complete the trip by Aug 1 and then get on with the work. Your well documented work with be a great reference.

Jim

[pbearsailor]

Thanks Jim. I think we have a great model and a great year. They're pretty sweet trailers.

Stop by on your way back with yours. We're right on the border.

-steve

[Lance M]

Steve,
You have a very great thread documenting some fabulous quality. I'm about to start doing some pex plumbing today. Your posts on plumbing are very helpful. Thanks for sharing all your great work here.

[tinman54]

Originally Posted by pbearsailor

I still hate plumbing, but it's almost over. Fill lines for the two tanks and the sink drain remain to be done with the water. The pics show the layout in the galley with a few ball valves instead of check valves. The low point is right at the water heater and using the heater bypass, I'm able to get away with a single drain line for the system.

Double flares have been keeping me busy for a week or so. I've been lying under the trailer on rain and mud soaked cardboard surrounded by the state animal of western Washington, the slug. I put in shutoff valves for each of the four gas appliances. The propane system is all hooked up now, but the tubing still needs to be secured to the frame. I'd never done the double flares before, so it was scary turning the gas on this afternoon after the last connection was made. Had a couple of joints that needed another pull on the wrench and one just plain crummy flare that evaded my quality control and had to be replaced. Even though we've had temporary gas lines run for the heater for 2 years, it was still pretty cool to fire up the stove for the first time.

And, despite the rain, polishing has begun. Weather looks good for the next few days, so I'm planning on getting some more compounding done.

cheers,
steve

All of your plumbing and gas lines look great. At work here we run miles of copper gas lines every year and have never heard of double flairs? but it all looks good.
The shine is coming along good also! Better keep your trailer locked up, it's a real eye catcher

[pbearsailor]

Thanks, Top. Nice work you're doing too. You'll like the PEX.

Doug, as far as I can tell, RVIA code calls for double flares on the copper but I'll bet more trailers are using single flares. I used forged nuts as well and they seem much stronger than the normal flare nut.

-steve

[tinman54]

Originally Posted by pbearsailor

I used forged nuts as well and they seem much stronger than the normal flare nut.

-steve

The heavy forged nuts are all that should be used, I have replaced a lot of the light duty ones that have cracked. Not sure why they even make those?

Looks Like you will be on the road soon.
Stop by if you are ever coming through Wisconsin.
Keep cruis'n
Doug

[pbearsailor]

Not much actual work today, but a big step forward. Yesterday I moved the trailer near a faucet and filled our fresh tanks. Today, the water pump and water heater got their electrical hookups done. Note to self: always make sure that you've hooked up the wires to the circuit breaker panel before you wonder why the pump doesn't work.

No leaks at all in the PEX. There's a drip at the water heater drain that needs attention and one at the strainer basket in the sink. Easy fixes. I will never like plumbing, but the PEX with the copper crimps and brass fittings works really well.

So we've now got heat, a cold fridge, hot and cold water, and a stove all functional.

-steve

[utee94]

Originally Posted by pbearsailor

Not much actual work today, but a big step forward. Yesterday I moved the trailer near a faucet and filled our fresh tanks. Today, the water pump and water heater got their electrical hookups done. Note to self: always make sure that you've hooked up the wires to the circuit breaker panel before you wonder why the pump doesn't work.

No leaks at all in the PEX. There's a drip at the water heater drain that needs attention and one at the strainer basket in the sink. Easy fixes. I will never like plumbing, but the PEX with the copper crimps and brass fittings works really well.

So we've now got heat, a cold fridge, hot and cold water, and a stove all functional.

-steve

Awesome, Steve. I love the "running water shot." For me it's right up there with the "standing on the ground through your trailer's frame" shot. Both are satisfying in their own way, though I probably have to give the edge to running water because it generally means we're closer to camping.

Keep it up!

-Marcus

[pbearsailor]

Thanks, Marcus! Yeah, the problem with the standing in the frame shot is that you aren't really sure at that point that you're actually going to finish. At least when the water's running you can be pretty sure the finish is coming.

-steve

[nmbosa]

Originally Posted by utee94

I love the "running water shot." For me it's right up there with the "standing on the ground through your trailer's frame" shot.

Dang it! I forgot that shot during the brief period I had the plumbing finished. I'll have to remember that tomorow when I reconnect the toilet.

Seriously though Steve. Everything is looking great on your trailer and I can't wait to see it in person. We should try and meet sometime this summer.

Norm

[Lance M]

The running water shot is awesome! It marks a big accomplishment!

http://www.airforums.com/forums/atta...5&d=1306372284

[Phrunes]

I was recently workin on my "other" project... Aka the house and drove a nail thru a pressure line. It was a stub right at concrete level and I was dreading the whole sweating of copper, no room to work and coupling affair. Needless to say, I hoofed it over to Lowes and picked up a couple of Gatorbite fittings and some Pex. I kept my fingers crossed and dove into the job. No lie!... 5 minutes later and everything was right with the world. I LOVE those GatorBite fittings! Made me feel like a hero.

[utee94]

Originally Posted by nmbosa

Dang it! I forgot that shot during the brief period I had the plumbing finished. I'll have to remember that tomorow when I reconnect the toilet.

Ha! Isn't that the way of it?

Right now I have my water heater bypassed, since it sustained some freeze damage here in Austin over the winter. The gas valve and pilot assembly were just about shot anyway, so I've purchased a new water heater but have yet to install it. Not going to happen before my beach trip this weekend, either.

But I figure, with temps around 100, we won't really need the hot water anyway.

[pbearsailor]

Originally Posted by utee94

But I figure, with temps around 100, we won't really need the hot water anyway.

241 days in a row below 70 degrees here.

-steve