Water issues in 2014 23FB

[schkube]

Today we picked up our 2014 23FB from our dealer after a few recall fixes, as well as a warranty repair on the dinette table, had been completed over the past couple weeks. We ordered and purchased the trailer new from the dealer in January 2014. We traveled about 10,000 miles last year, for about 60 nights of camping. Other than a pinched brake cable, our first year issues were minor (and mostly recall related.)

Today, our plan was to take advantage of the start of Spring and get our first camp of the year in. Since the trailer was winterized from our dealer, I checked all bypasses and then connected city water. At that point I noticed that one low point valve on a tank near the front of the trailer was flowing, but more of a problem was that water flowing externally next to the tank from above. After cutting off the water, I checked inside the trailer and water was flowing out from below the wardrobe next to the fridge. While we were using city water and not our tanks, I assume this is where the pump is located on our 23FB?

While we started wiping up the water by the wardrobe (the water had also made it under the bed) I felt noticeable bowing and softness of the floor below the laminate at the location directly next to the wardrobe.

That said, other than a bad winterizing, is there anything else we need the dealer to check that might have caused this issue? Additionally, as we were still close to our dealer, we dropped the trailer off this evening, any ideas on what we should expect as far as investigating and correcting the issue?

Thanks!
Tom

[Landrum]

You are correct in that the water pump is located under the bottom shelf in the wardrobe. In our "old" 2011 23fb the floor of the wardrobe was removable in order to access the pump. I believe you can also see the fresh water fill tube heading down to the water tank as well as the city water connection. I could be wrong about that. Sounds like the problem may not be the pump though if it was leaking with city water connected. Could be the pipe on the back of the city water connection has come loose. Perhaps it has been slowly leaking which could explain the soft floor??

Good luck. Maybe our paths will cross sometime around Arkansas.


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[RVDreamer]

Hard to tell but it sounds like your water lines were not connected to the pump.
When they winterized they most likely disconnected the lines and flushed with anti-freeze. They probably forgot to reconnect the lines. Then when you connected the city water it just ran onto the floor.
I would doubt that any real damage occurred. It happened too soon to cause wood rot or water damage. Probably just needs to be mopped up and dried out.
The lines should be reconnected and you'll be ready to go.
The softness you felt might be the channel that runs under the floor between the closet and the breaker box. I feel the channel there under my feet when I probe around in that area too. The channel carries wiring and such under flooring, there is no plywood there and it feels a little soft.
I would not think it is saturated plywood because you only had water on for a few minutes before you noticed the water running out. Correct?
I don't know if you know it but you can open those compartments below the closet. They have hinges and latches just like other cabinets, they just don't have handles on the exterior. Just grab the edge of one and pull it open. You can then see the waterlines and the pump.

[schkube]

Thank you so much for the great responses and things to check. I wish I had done a more thorough investigation; however, we were bit pressed for time as we were about 1 hour away from the dealer (and they were closing in slightly more than an hour.) Additionally, the dealer is about 2.5 hours from home, so we wanted to take advantage while in proxmity. Plus between my wife, our 3-year old and 2 dogs -- we needed to act!

I agree there is no way with the very short time I had run water that any softness could have occurred today. The effected area was on the floor below the TV mount and both my wife and I discussed that we would have noticed the bump/ridge under the flooring prior to that.

I did ask the dealer prior to winterizing in October, and I did not get the sense they would disconnect from the pump. Rather that they would push the water out of the the lines and fill traps with anti-freeze. In fact, I was surprised they did not remove our inline filter (it was still connected) underneath the sink with the bypass pipe segment.

That said, I really hope this is a "chalk one up to inexperience" when we hear back from the dealer.

Again, thank you so much!

Tom

[RVDreamer]

Normally when you introduce the anti-freeze into the water line you have to disconnect the water line at the pump. There is then a fitting that goes on the pump and has an intake line that goes in the anti-freeze. You turn on the pump and it fills the lines with antifreeze drawing it from the intake line.
They may have not reconnected the line or it may have been connected improperly. Once water pressure was re-established it just popped the line off the pump and ran onto the floor.
I have no idea what the softness was that you were feeling, I was just guessing. But it would have taken more than a few minutes of water exposure to saturate the plywood enough to make it soft.
Are you sure they didn't remove the inline filter and then reinstalled it when they supposedly prepared the trailer for you to take away?
Because you can never get all the water out of that filter and if it was frozen it will be ruined and needs replacement.

[schkube]

That makes sense on the flow for pumping the anti-freeze through the system, and was my DIY intent had we not needed to drop it off in October (and figured we would have the dealer do it.) I was under the assumption, from a quick discussion at the time, they were going the compressed air and anti-freeze in the traps route -- which could easily be a misconception originated by me.

As far as the inline filter, I don't believe they had replaced that anticipating our return today. Our trailer was there for a few weeks and we had freezing temps up until last week. We had not definitively set a pick-up date with them and had arrived (unannounced) today to pick it up. They very well could have done the "switcheroo" after flushing with antifreeze at the time of winterizing, but that would assume the lines were dry and not filled with antifreeze?

Of course had we had running water, I would have quickly known the answer to that with the taste coming out of the tap.

Thank you again for all the insights!
Tom

[Landrum]

Originally Posted by RVDreamer

They may have not reconnected the line or it may have been connected improperly. Once water pressure was re-established it just popped the line off the pump and ran onto the floor.

Now I'm curious. The OP stated he connected city water and discovered the leak which would imply the pump is not on. Wouldn't that mean water would have to be coming from somewhere other than the inlet side of the pump (which is where you make the connection to "suck" antifreeze into the water lines)?


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[RVDreamer]

In my trailer it doesn't matter which end is open. If either end is open and I hook up city water it will come spewing out of the line because the line is open. It is just a loop and once it is open it will leak.

[eheffa]

Originally Posted by schkube

That said, other than a bad winterizing, is there anything else we need the dealer to check that might have caused this issue? Additionally, as we were still close to our dealer, we dropped the trailer off this evening, any ideas on what we should expect as far as investigating and correcting the issue?

Thanks!
Tom

Not to alarm you but you should investigate the soft floor. You may have rain/snow/water leaking from the outside and penetrating the floors.

Get a moisture meter or if you can pull up some of the lino to check, you need to make sure you don't have wet floors. (If you're still on warranty, maybe they can do this for you.)

You might want to look at this thread - not pretty but you should be informed.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f396...eak-56099.html

-evan

[EarlM]

When I winterize after i drain waterheate and bypass and remove water filter and by pass the water filter I made a tank and demand pump and I pump RV antifreeze thru everything no need to unhook anything

Earl

[schkube]

Heard back from the dealer and they confirmed the issue was due to a disconnected pump from winterizing. Chalk one up to our inexperience and not checking that.

As far as the issue with the bowed/soft flooring, they examined the area in question and did not detect any softness or bowing at this time. Obviously something we'll keep an eye on, but at this point it sounded like a temporary issue.

Thanks to all again!

[KJRitchie]

Was that the Airstream dealer in Little Rock?

Kelvin

[schkube]

Reliable RV in Springfield. Marginally closer for us than Little Rock.