am so proud of myself, Sunday morning I installed a new kitchen sink faucet in the fifth wheel. I've never installed a faucet before and just thought I'd at least make an attempt before I asked for help.
It was kind of difficult getting up under the kitchen sink. first problem is the cabinet door opening in approximately eighteen inches wide and I am, well let's just say a LOT wider than that.
I didn't have any real problem getting the old faucet out. The problem started when I slide my large upper body into this small opening and had to twist around to reach above my head to attach the new faucet. It took about twenty minutes to get everything fastened down before I could hook up all the water lines. OK, with that all done I had to somehow slide myself out of the rather small opening. Suddenly I felt like I had stuck my upper body in one of those Chinese finger traps. Yes, I slide in there fairly easy but it appears that sliding out was a different matter!
My back was really starting to hurt and so were my legs. My arms were numb from having them over my head in an awkward position for the past twenty or so minutes. Here I am, stuck under the kitchen sink and all alone. Dawn’s in the house doing something in the kitchen while coaching TV football. If I yell out she wouldn’t hear me. No, not a chance, when she’s coaching, the volume goes way up and I’m not just talking about the TV!
After a minute or so of resting my arms, I decided I would attempt to hook up the supply lines while I was under there. That only took a second. I than realized my legs were starting to quiver because of the twisted shape my body was in. I took a deep breath and slide my upper body out of the cabinet and when I thought I was free, I bumped my head on the cabinet facing. Luckily, I was moving slow so I didn’t hit it too hard!
I had to set there for a minute and let my muscles slowly untwist. I couldn’t believe I had it all connected.
As soon as I felt like I could stand, I was on my feet ready to turn on the water and see how well I had done.
I hooked up the hose and asked Dawn to assist me. I asked her to stand at the kitchen cabinet and watch for water leaking when I turned on the water. I slowly turned on the water and waited for her to yell out to turn off the water. I never heard her say anything. I walked back around to the door of the trailer as the water began to shoot out of the veggie sprayer into the living room. She quickly grabbed the veggie sprayer and aimed it towards the sink drain. The veggie sprayer would not shut off! I must have connected something wrong.
I looked under the sink and checked. It was all hooked up like the instructions stated. Dawn was steadily working with the veggie spray to get it to turn off when it occurred to me that the water lines were full of air too. The air in the lines might be causing the veggie spray to stay on. I asked Dawn to go into the bathroom and turn on the lavatory faucet and see if that helped relieve the air in the line. After a few seconds, the veggie sprayer stopped. I let the water to continue to run a few minutes. This allowed the air to pass through the lines. We tried the veggie sprayer again. It works, just like it is intended.
WOW! its working fine with no leaks!
Ckerr said
10:01 AM Oct 19, 2010
Great job Denise! The new faucet looks wonderful! I'm thinking about replacing our kitchen sink since we will be fulltiming in our current 5th wheel for a while. You've inspired me!
dewwood said
10:23 AM Oct 19, 2010
All I can say is "Awesome". I am sure it gave you a real sense of satisfaction.
Roz said
10:49 AM Oct 19, 2010
Now if you had videoed this, you could have a nice nest egg for a great ten year trip!!!
Gary said
12:14 PM Oct 19, 2010
Nicely done! Sometimes ya just need to get in there and do it to learn how to do it!
Howard said
04:18 PM Oct 19, 2010
Great job Denise!
I've had to do that myself and the access is really, really tight. You should be proud of yourself.
Cindy T said
07:17 AM Oct 20, 2010
Way to go!! You should be very proud!!
Cindy T
Kerri said
09:09 AM Oct 20, 2010
Way to go! It looks amazing!
mktobob said
12:29 PM Oct 20, 2010
Great job! I sure did appreciate your play-by-play description of the event. I volunteered to change out the kitchen plumbing in a friends older 5th wheel this Spring. I will start my diet soon. :)
Racerguy said
01:11 PM Oct 20, 2010
Denise, We're in South Carolina right now and I have one that needs changing.Just saying
Terry and Jo said
06:22 PM Oct 20, 2010
Racerguy wrote:
Denise, We're in South Carolina right now and I have one that needs changing.Just saying
Oh, George. That is REALLY cold!!!!
At least offer some cookies.
Terry
Racerguy said
07:33 PM Oct 20, 2010
Terry and Jo wrote:
Racerguy wrote:
Denise, We're in South Carolina right now and I have one that needs changing.Just saying
Oh, George. That is REALLY cold!!!!
At least offer some cookies.
Terry
Homade cookies at that.
jagco said
10:00 PM Oct 20, 2010
Very nice job. I have changed the kitchen faucet in our double wide mobile home, which is about the equivalent of a big RV parked next to a big RV. Anyway, it's built of pretty much the same stuff as some RV's, so it can travel down the highway, and I know exactly what you mean about feeling stuck in the cabinet under the sink. I am not really that big of a guy, but I just could not figure out how to get back out. Fortunately, Georgia (DW) was right there in case I needed something. I actually had her grab my feet and drag me out!! That is one job I will NEVER do again myself. Yours looks great, and you should feel proud of your accomplishment :)
Jeff
Denise said
01:56 PM Oct 21, 2010
I think it might have been homemade cookies that helped in me getting stuck in the first place.
I didn't have any real problem getting the old faucet out. The problem started when I slide my large upper body into this small opening and had to twist around to reach above my head to attach the new faucet. It took about twenty minutes to get everything fastened down before I could hook up all the water lines. OK, with that all done I had to somehow slide myself out of the rather small opening. Suddenly I felt like I had stuck my upper body in one of those Chinese finger traps. Yes, I slide in there fairly easy but it appears that sliding out was a different matter!
My back was really starting to hurt and so were my legs. My arms were numb from having them over my head in an awkward position for the past twenty or so minutes. Here I am, stuck under the kitchen sink and all alone. Dawn’s in the house doing something in the kitchen while coaching TV football. If I yell out she wouldn’t hear me. No, not a chance, when she’s coaching, the volume goes way up and I’m not just talking about the TV!
After a minute or so of resting my arms, I decided I would attempt to hook up the supply lines while I was under there. That only took a second. I than realized my legs were starting to quiver because of the twisted shape my body was in. I took a deep breath and slide my upper body out of the cabinet and when I thought I was free, I bumped my head on the cabinet facing. Luckily, I was moving slow so I didn’t hit it too hard!
I had to set there for a minute and let my muscles slowly untwist. I couldn’t believe I had it all connected.
As soon as I felt like I could stand, I was on my feet ready to turn on the water and see how well I had done.
I hooked up the hose and asked Dawn to assist me. I asked her to stand at the kitchen cabinet and watch for water leaking when I turned on the water. I slowly turned on the water and waited for her to yell out to turn off the water. I never heard her say anything. I walked back around to the door of the trailer as the water began to shoot out of the veggie sprayer into the living room. She quickly grabbed the veggie sprayer and aimed it towards the sink drain. The veggie sprayer would not shut off! I must have connected something wrong.
I looked under the sink and checked. It was all hooked up like the instructions stated. Dawn was steadily working with the veggie spray to get it to turn off when it occurred to me that the water lines were full of air too. The air in the lines might be causing the veggie spray to stay on. I asked Dawn to go into the bathroom and turn on the lavatory faucet and see if that helped relieve the air in the line. After a few seconds, the veggie sprayer stopped. I let the water to continue to run a few minutes. This allowed the air to pass through the lines. We tried the veggie sprayer again. It works, just like it is intended.
WOW! its working fine with no leaks!
I've had to do that myself and the access is really, really tight. You should be proud of yourself.
Cindy T
We're in South Carolina right now and I have one that needs changing.Just saying
Oh, George. That is REALLY cold!!!!
At least offer some cookies.
Terry
Thanks but, No Thanks