Water dripping from furnace

[MRA]

It's been triple digit temps here in NV and we have been running the AC 7x24.
Condensate is dripping from the AC between the curbside tyres right where you would expect it to, so I don't expect that the condensate tube is plugged.

However, we also have water dripping out of the furnace cabinet (not the furnace exhaust tube, but the floor of the cabinet).
The interior of Astra is nice and dry.
We are also on city water - which is unusual for us, but the Truckee river water here in Verdi is delicious so we are using it. I do have a pressure limiting valve on the hose bib, and there is not enough flow through the system to get the instant hot water heater to start, so I don't expect excess pressure having caused a leak.


You can see the size of the wet spot and where the water is accumulating in the attached photos.


Thoughts?

[BikeCamper]

You say that condensate water from the a/c is dripping “between the curbside tyres right where you would expect it to…” But the a/c drain should be routed to the street side wheel well, not curb side.

The photos you show look like the typical puddle from the street side a/c drain. Maybe my eyesight is too poor, but I didn’t see water in the furnace photos.

It seems highly improbable that the furnace has anything to do with the water you are seeing, as the thread title implies.

What model Airstream is this? Where does excess fridge condensate drain?

[nelsonh]

Originally Posted by BikeCamper

You say that condensate water from the a/c is dripping “between the curbside tyres right where you would expect it to…” But the a/c drain should be routed to the street side wheel well, not curb side.

The photos you show look like the typical puddle from the street side a/c drain. Maybe my eyesight is too poor, but I didn’t see water in the furnace photos.

It seems highly improbable that the furnace has anything to do with the water you are seeing, as the thread title implies.

What model Airstream is this? Where does excess fridge condensate drain?

FWIW the AC drain on his trailer is indeed on the curb side, same as mine, and the furnace is on opposite (street) side. Not sure of the interior layout, but in my 23' model, all of the kitchen sink plumbing is pretty much right above the furnace, so something in that area sure could be the source of a leak.


I would probably dry out the inside of the furnace cabinet real good and then monitor it. I would probably also carefully inspect under the kitchen sink/faucet and inside the furnace compartment from inside the trailer with a flashlight looking for any water/wetness that could be making its way into the furnace compartment. Again, this is if your kitchen plumbing is near the furnace like mine is. Good luck and please report back with any developments, curious to see a resolution to this!

[BikeCamper]

Originally Posted by nelsonh

FWIW the AC drain on his trailer is indeed on the curb side, same as mine, and the furnace is on opposite (street) side. Not sure of the interior layout, but in my 23' model, all of the kitchen sink plumbing is pretty much right above the furnace, so something in that area sure could be the source of a leak.


I would probably dry out the inside of the furnace cabinet real good and then monitor it. I would probably also carefully inspect under the kitchen sink/faucet and inside the furnace compartment from inside the trailer with a flashlight looking for any water/wetness that could be making its way into the furnace compartment. Again, this is if your kitchen plumbing is near the furnace like mine is. Good luck and please report back with any developments, curious to see a resolution to this!

I stand corrected, thanks.

Wow why in the world did Airstream do that? It must make a muddy mess on the campside of the trailer.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Ok, choice B "City water is unusual for us":

If the reverse flow / built in pressure limiter on the trailer is damaged (it might be ....) you could be getting a leak there. Simple answer would be to fill the fresh water tank from the local supply. Then disconnect the fresh water input. Come back in a day and see if you still have the drip drip drip into the puddle.

Bob

[nelsonh]

I just realized that both the OP MRA and myself are both mistaken on the furnace part.... the appliance in question (and shown in his photo) is the tankless water heater, not the furnace. (Duh).


So obviously this changes the situation a bit, since there is of course a fair amount of plumbing with this immediate area that could be the source of a leak. But my approach would be the same... dry it out and monitor, and look inside all of your access points inside the rig for any discernible water or wetness.

[Slvr_Lining]

I know that the OP said they have a pressure limiter at the city water source but, given the location of the leak I still question whether or not the pressure is too high. Often times, the pressure release valve at the water heater is the first indicator of excessive water pressure. I’d disconnect the city water and run off the tank/pump and see if it continues to leak. Secondly, there is a little “trap door” that is used to decalcify the WH. With city water and pump off, turn off the WH, open hot and cold faucets to release pressure, pull the WH pressure release valve, unlatch the “trap door” and relatch it… return to normal operating mode.

Just guessing… but these are some steps I’d try. Good luck!!

[MRA]

The photos are from the patio side. the aircon is dripping nicely on the street side. I typed that message on my phone whilst frustrated so forgive me.


We are now several hundred miles away and not attached to city water any more. Will see if it continues.


re: instant hot water heater - I have never been able to get any hot water out of that thing no matter what I did. On pump, On city water, on city water with the pump running. Nada. No hot water at all. So if it is the cause of the leak, then it would possibly explain it.



There is no water inside the camper where it's not supposed to be. Nowhere at all.

[BikeCamper]

Originally Posted by MRA

The photos are from the patio side. the aircon is dripping nicely on the street side. I typed that message on my phone whilst frustrated so forgive me.


We are now several hundred miles away and not attached to city water any more. Will see if it continues.


re: instant hot water heater - I have never been able to get any hot water out of that thing no matter what I did. On pump, On city water, on city water with the pump running. Nada. No hot water at all. So if it is the cause of the leak, then it would possibly explain it.



There is no water inside the camper where it's not supposed to be. Nowhere at all.

Regarding the hot water heater, is there no flow from your spigots, or does the “hot” water flow cold?

[MRA]

Found the leak source.

[MRA]

Problem is getting worse - When the pump is on it sprays a good 2 meters (with the door open) and I lose about 250ml in 20 seconds - Is there any way to cut off water to the water heater?

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by MRA

Problem is getting worse - When the pump is on it sprays a good 2 meters (with the door open) and I lose about 250ml in 20 seconds - Is there any way to cut off water to the water heater?

Hi

The same valves you use for winterizing should cut off the water heater. Just do the process like you do each fall.

Bob

[MRA]

i live in California so never winterize - will look up what you people in the frozen places do, but from what I understand that includes draining all water; and I will still need water.

[nelsonh]

FWIW... as far as I know and can tell, this rig doesn't have any sort of factory installed water heater bypass valves (I have the same model year AS with same model Girard tankless water heater). The factory installed winterization valve in this trailer doesn't bypass the WH, it only diverts the water input source to a clear tube that serves to suck antifreeze out of a jug to fill the entire plumbing system including the water heater itself.


So this looks like a pretty tricky situation with that leak being located where it is. I'm certainly no expert in this arena, but based on what I know about how the water heater is plumbed, I don't see a fix other than shutting down the entire water system to repair it.... It's a little hard to tell the exact source of the leak from your photo, but the brass fitting with the 3 wires is the flow sensor so that appears to be the culprit.

[MRA]

Originally Posted by nelsonh

… the brass fitting with the 3 wires is the flow sensor so that appears to be the culprit.

Which would also explain why we have never had hot water (don’t shower in the rig so never a priority to fix) AND the E7 and E8 errors now showing on the display