Alternative plumbing plan

[truckasaurus]

During the planning stages of my total rebuild I'd assumed that the hot and cold lines must run around the coach at a low level then up to their respective fixture, shower, basin and sink. But I wanted to ask if it's ever OK to run the lines from street side up and over then down the other side to the fixture?

For example if I have the PrecisionTemp showermate water heater and Shurflo water pump installed just ahead of the street side wheel well can I run the output lines up the wall, across the ceiling and down to the shower and basin faucet? I was thinking I could use PEX clad in pipe insulation sleeves and embed it between the skins.

Just wanted to see if this was doable or should I go with the initial concept?

[dieseleagle]

The supply side is pressurized so you can run it as you suggest. However, even wrapped in pipe insulation there won't be the protection against wintertime freezing that would be the case if the lines were run inside the thermal envelope, like in the cabinet bases. If no wintertime use is contemplated then that doesn't matter.

[2airishuman]

hi trucks'

seems like this is asking for trouble.

since the SHELL moves so much, high pipes will shake more=more potential for leaks.

one could wrap/protect/cover the pex, but...

plumbing repairs will be a pia.

the extra height will stress the water pump more (albeit slightly)

and the potential for AIR in the line goes up.

still anything IS possible.

my newer unit has ALL the plumbing along the street side, EVERYTHING...

except for the water pump which is at the curbside wheel well.

the 2 water lines run JUST UNDER the sub-floor for this,

along with ONE furnace flex tube, which also goes just to that wheel well.

cheers
2air'

[markdoane]

It sure make a lot of sense, it sound like the run would be shorter than running around the end of the trailer.

I would just be sure to use sturdy grommets through all the holes in longitudinals, and not have any joints or fittings inside the wall where they are not easily accessible. .

[truckasaurus]

Ah, yes getting air bubbles out might be a little tricky...

[truckasaurus]

Oh and for sure no joints in the walls.

[mello mike]

I'm with 2Air on this. Maintenance will be extremely difficult if you ever had a problem. And with you routing it overhead, you will have a problem eventually.

I've never seen water routed in this manner and if you did, you'd be asking for trouble.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

I think this is very doable. The reason everything is inside the trailer is that when you are lazy and do not winterize, the pipes can be easily replaced. If one breaks inside the wall you are in for a heap of work to make it right. My only concern is the sweating of the pipes. You live in Alberta, where your summer is a whole month long. When it is winter the hot pipes will sweat and when it is that month of summer the cold ones will sweat. That moisture would not be a good thing. If it were me, I would run them low along the floor so when I procrastinate and wait a few days to long to clear the water out of the lines and that Alberta Clipper drops down to Maryland, I will not have a bunch of fittings to replace.

[truckasaurus]

It's good to have so many voices of reason for sure. I thought I could avoid such long runs of pipe and save having to box pipes in along the floor in one place. I guess tried and tested will triumph this time. Thanks for all the replies :-)

[pageclot]

Why not (other than, you know, aesthetics) attach the piping to the inner skin, visible, and string it like you suggested, up and over? Blue for cold, and red for hot. It'll look pretty.

Exposed mechanical systems have a beauty of their own. Look at the Pompidou centre in Paris.