Leaks all over water supply lines

[MikeMikeMike]

Water spraying from toilet supply line, dripping from shower and bathroom faucets, and dripping from underneath sink. I initially thought pressure regulator could be broken, but water from sink is leaking from the drain line. First time I connected my 2009 19’ International to city water. Any ideas what is wrong? Thanks.

[SteveSueMac]

First on city water - but have you been using FW tank without problems?? I’m wondering if it was improperly winterized at some point which could possibly have split some pipes and cracked some joints/fixtures. I suppose it’s also possible you’re getting too much pressure from the city water and that’s overwhelmed your system. If I’m right (and I hope I’m not) you’re going to need to replace some lines and fixtures.

Hopefully others will chime in soon with more helpful insights.... good luck!

[MikeMikeMike]

Thanks for the input! The person I bought it from had the tanks empty. I haven’t even tried to fill the FW tank yet, will give that a shot.

[Camper Crazy]

Mike, what a sorry sight for you. Leaks like that sound like you have some work ahead of you. I just want to say that if your trailer was stored where it could freeze, improper winterizing could have caused your issue. It is not enough to just drain the tanks. We do get some pretty cold conditions in Alberta, and one year we just didn't have enough antifreeze in our pump; had to replace it that following spring. Luckily that was all. Hoping for the best for you.
CC

[MikeMikeMike]

Thanks CC, looks like I’ll have to take it in somewhere. Ran the pump and water immediately started leaking again.

[SteveSueMac]

Yup. What I meant by my question about the FW tank was wether you were ONLY experiencing the leaks from city - meaning the pressure was too high. But either way - bad winterizing or pressure blow out - both sources would create the need for repairs. Sorry! But once sorted you’ll have great in camping and be sure to follow the winterization procedure to the letter - you’ll be good!

[Silvr_Bullet]

Originally Posted by MikeMikeMike

Thanks CC, looks like I’ll have to take it in somewhere. Ran the pump and water immediately started leaking again.

A good plumber can fix your problems. Sorry for your problem.

[drbrick]

That is terrible - I would agree with above, looks like the AS was not winterized correctly. basically you may have to completely replumb the entire unit. A very sad situation.

[SeeMore]

Re-plumb the entire unit - likely not. Each leak location you mentioned holds water that expands when frozen and cracks parts. Replace those parts and check pressurization again using water from your tank and the pump.

Using the pump method allows you to quickly stop the pressure if a leak is located. If it holds pressure (the pump does not cycle after reaching pressure with all taps closed) you are good to go.

[OTRA15]

Joining the chorus for a "failed winterization" as the likely culprit here.

Many of the pipes/joints you need to inspect visually may be hidden inside walls, inside exterior storage spaces and under the floor.

Start by looking everywhere you can see plumbing . . . under cabinets . . . behind removable doors . . . and so forth. Check your owner's manual for a plumbing schematic, and the pump location. You will need to remove the inline filter just before the pump, and make sure there is no debris there, as well as inspect for leaks.

Fix any leaks you can see, and keep looking for more.

I would have a serious conversation with the person who sold you this trailer.



Good luck,

Peter

PS -- Welcome to the forum, and sorry for your baptism by fire! Please add your AS info to your ID by going to the User CP [control panel -- link at top left in blue menu bar above], so that everyone can help in a more refined fashion. Each model/length AS can have quirks for pump location and accessibility, etc..

PS2 -- There is a Sticky Topic on winterizing which will give you the lay of the land FYI:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f458...rize-7222.html
Winterizing forum: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f458/

[Bill M.]

Do you mean dripping through the faucet and shower or from the line or fittings to them? You might just need a couple of cartridges. The toilet supply line is a common leak. Sink drains leaks are common. Maybe everything dried out from non use. The trailer has a pressure regulator. You should use another on the hose. If it was over pressure I would expect a burst rather than drips. We have had serious leaks fixed by a mobile RV repair service. They are easier for me to deal with than the RV service centers.

If you could learn to do minor plumbing repairs on this trailer your self it would be worth it in the long run. The PEX and Sharkbite fittings and pipe are easy. Access is tough but it is all in the coach and not in the walls. Some is under the floor. I put a shutoff valve in the toilet supply line the last time I worked on that. Might be a good place for you to start plumbing.

[tbashin]

I would address each leak individually. Since it’s the first time on city water, hopefully the pressure regulator is working. I always use an inline regulator for double security. A few repairs followed by proper maintenance should quickly get you back up and running (water that is).

[waninae39]

you don't mention the age of the AS.

if its old, start replacing the older tubing with PEX. this can be done easily over time, section by section.
dont use the plastic slicers or corner , use the brass ones.

once done , you'll have a worry free system that is more winter safe than rubber of copper. Note, you still have to winterize properly

[MikeMikeMike]

Thanks everyone. Turned out there were a few sections of plumbing that had cracks that had to be replaced. It must have been due to not winterizing properly.

[OTRA15]

Thanks for the update, happy trails!

Peter

[vintageguy]

After a long day of driving, on the recent shakedown cruise of our new-to-us, 2014 Bambi 19 Sport, we finally arrived at our campsite and began to set up the camper. When I opened the bathroom door I found a good-sized puddle of what I hoped was water in the bathroom. I assured my wife I hadn’t missed the mark as I dabbed up the fluid with paper towels. After carefully smelling the paper towels, I knew the leak was nothing more than water (we have pets and kids). That offered small relief because leaks of any kind can quickly damage a camper. I then spent about 15 minutes trying to find the source of the leak around the toilet. I didn’t see anything obvious, so I incorrectly theorized the leak was most likely from a bad gasket at the base of the toilet. We decided to stop using the toilet until I fixed the issue. This was unfortunate for me, being a male of retirement age. I take more bathroom breaks than I used too and having this handy (albeit expensive) tow-behind, Port-A-Potty made life a little easier while traveling. When we arrived at the next stop, we found the puddle returned. While my wife cleaned up the water, I shut off the 12-volt, water pressure pump and then drained the fresh water holding tank. We were exhausted and hit the sack. In the morning I found there was no puddle. Knowing I’d need water for our next stop, I put water back in the tank but left the pump off. When we arrived at our next destination that evening, there was no water puddle. I felt safe in drawing the conclusion the water pressure pump had something to do with the puddle. So in the morning we did the breakfast dishes and headed out for a few hours, neglecting to turn off the pump. When we returned for dinner, we had an eveb larger puddle in the middle of the floor, running towards the door. This time it seemed to originate from under the closet, rather than the bathroom floor. That was good news, sort of, because at least the toilet was leaking and I don’t think anybody enjoys removing and repairing toilets.
I cleaned up the water, shut the pump off, and went to bed thinking about the leak. I had already repaired damage to two other campers due to water leaks and I wasn’t about to have this happen on the newest camper I’d ever own. In the morning, even though we weren’t using the shower, toilet or either of the faucets, I noticed the water pump would momentarily kick on and off every few minutes. That’s a definite sign of either a water leak or air in the water lines going to the pressure switch. But, I then started to see the puddle reappear under the closet. I pulled everything out of the closet and the nearby kitchen cabinet and found the four screws securing the false base of the cabinet. Pulling out the base, I was given pretty decent access to the pump and water lines running to and from the pump, as well as those going to the kitchen sink and toilet. When I shined my light into the cubby, I noticed there was a puddle of water under the pressure pump running under the closet wall. I had finally discovered the source of the leak.
I sopped up the water and placed dry paper towels under the pump and plumbing lines. I turned the pump on and ran the sink faucet for a minute or so. When I shined my light back into the cubby under the closet, I could see the paper towels were damp again. I began checking all the connections (there are a lot). The biggest leak was coming from a clear, filter cap that runs directly into the pump. This is a screw-on cap and it was pretty loose. I tightened it and ran the faucet again. This time, I felt under each of the plastic lines running to the pump. I found two plastic, screw-on elbows running to water lines were also loose. I tightened each of these by hand as they are not meant to be tightened with a tool. I dried all the water out, put paper towels under the lines and again ran the water, this time for about 3 minutes. The pump did not cycle after shutting off the water. That was a good sign. I took a break for about an hour and came back to find no water drips and better yet, no puddles. I was so relieved!
I’m sure these kinds of water leaks are common on the newer Airstream model using this more modern, plastic plumbing. While the lines can be secured to not have leaks, it really comes down to the individual doing the securing. If it was done in such a way that a fitting could jostle around and back off a quarter of a turn, you’ll eventually have a leak. If the securing clamp was close to the fitting it would keep it from moving. The water lines on my Bambi were rubbing against each other and clamps were in the middle of the hoses where it’s easy to fit them in place, but not the best place to put the clamp because it allows for a lot of movement around the joints and fittings. There is no way the Airstream installer considered this when installing the lines in my camper.
Even though it sounds like a long, drawn out process, it was really wasn’t too painful finding the leaks and resolving the issue. Had I taken it to the RV service center we saw on the way and left it in one of their bays (like we almost did), that truly would have been a pain in the butt and very expensive as well. Their technician would have done everything I did, with the time clock running. Plus, we would have lost at least a day of our trip – something we couldn’t afford to do.
So, if you see a leak, do a little digging to figure out where it is coming from. Don’t be afraid to remove a few screws and take out the cabinet base. That’s what they’re screwed in and not glued in – there has to be access to plumbing. Also understand that your leak may not be caused by dripping plumbing. It could be caused by a cracked skylight, a loose door or poor window seal. It could also come from bad caulking around the shower pan or, heaven forbid, an old guy with bad aim. But you’ll be doing yourself a favor if you can narrow down the source of the leak quickly before it has a chance to damage your camper. Determine if the leak exists when you have the pressure pump on or off. See if the leak shows up when you have a water hose (street line) connected to the camper. Does the pump kick on even though none of the water outlets (faucets, shower and toilet) are not in use? Performing a few simple tests and making some simple observations may help you determine the cause of the problem. And if you can find the problem, either you or someone else can probably fix it faster and with less expense.