Water Leak - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Donna162 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Water Leak

FD5 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Is it wet when you are hooked up to city water?
Is it wet after a rain?
Is it wet after using the shower?

You can check for a water leak by shutting everything off, disconnect the city water and pressurize with the pump, turn the pump off and check by turning the pump on 24 hours later, if you have a leak in your water system the pump will rebuild the pressure. If it does not then you may have a roof leak or condensation problem.
Our HR had a leak, slow drip on the water line that hooks up on the outside shower. I had to remove the drawers in bathroom and crawl through the drawer opening to get to it.
Hope this may help.

Stay Safe

Donna162 · RV-Dreams Family Member

It started getting the most wet today. Not hooked up to the city water all night and not until around noon after it warmed up. It's been getting below freezing here at night so we unhook the city water. This morning we took no showers, did not wash clothes, and it hasn't rained since Monday. It also did this after we first got it in warm weather, no rain, was using the air conditioner. However, it also did it while we were in MS just recently not using the AC and it was not colder than 40.

We do use the pump at night and until we hook up the city water. The pump does seem to rebuild the pressure. If we leave the pump switch on for an extended time, it will come on to rebuild the pressure every hour or so. Don't know if that's normal or not.

Not sure we can get to anything from under the bathroom sink. Is there a panel to remove or something? We don't have drawers. We have a door and a clothes hamper.

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

If your pump is going on 'every hour or so" when you have all the faucets closed, then you have a small leak in the system somewhere, probably near where your getting water on the floor.

Racerguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

You definatly have a small leak in your system as Fred said.When I bought my 1st 5th wheel the pump did that and I thought it was NORMAL. Floor in bedroom was getting wet and ended being water migrating from a leak in the line to the shower. I would say trace all you water lines til you find it before it becomes a BIG leak. Mine was a cracked nut on the fitting.

FD5 · RV-Dreams Family Member

You do have a leak in the water pressure system as the pump rebuilding pressure indicates this which is a good thing. The pressure system is easier to repair then the drain pipes under the floor. If the water is on the floor this would indicate to me the connection on the faucet of the shower or sink or any connection above the linoleum close to the leak location. I would start at the connections above the floor level closest to the water on the floor and work out from there. The linoleum floor covering is usually laid on the entire floor then carpeting is placed on top of the linoleum when carpet is used. If the faucets are on an interior wall, look on the opposite side of the faucet and there should be a small panel that is screwed on. This is the access panel for the plumbing. Check each of the lines you can reach with toilet paper, the paper should not get any water on them when you wipe the hot and cold water supply pipes. These are the lines that come up through the floor and connect to the faucets. Hope this will help.

Stay Safe

-- Edited by FD5 at 10:57, 2008-12-06

Donna162 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gosh, I had to keep going on about this but it sure would be nice if we could fix this and not have to take it in. Think you're right about the leak because we left the pump off all day today and it's drying out. The leak is at the bottom of the steps going to the bedroom. The shower is at the top of the steps on the left right above where the leak is. However, we can't find any way to get to where the pump or water lines are. No access panel near the shower or bathroom sink. We can see the water lines for the sink go into the floor from the faucet; can't get to where the shower lines go to the floor at all. Do you think the only way to get to them is by taking the undercarriage off? We tried to take the stairs out but they don't seem to want to come out without possibly tearing something up.

macattack · RV-Dreams Family Member

Donna, Look on the other side of the wall behind the shower faucet,there should be a piece of wall paneling screwed to the wall. Take off that paneling and you should be able to get to the back side of the shower faucet.I would check to see if the caps are broken or are loose. A lot of times the caps are overtightened and are cracked,if they are, all you need to do is go to an rv place and get a new compression nut,slip it on and tighten it up being careful not to overtighten it. I always keep an extra nut or two on hand just for that reason.

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Donna, if this drys out for a week and then comes back you do not have pressure leak. I would not think it would be a drain leak either for these are constants in you plumbing. I would keep a notebook on what you do that is different each day until you come upon the leak again and see what occured different that day. For instance did you use the spray clean out on your black tank that day? Did you go a long time on a gray water tank without dumping...Did it rain that day or the day before?
Check in your basement and see if your wall on the backside comes off. On most 5th wheels when removed exposses the area under your floor past the steps to the bedroom. If you can remove that you should be able to locate any water lines close to that area.
You might have a drain line backup on full gray water tanks if you have been boondocking. This would just happen Occasionally. If you find that non of the above applys then you might have a gravity leak from above. Water has been known to trap above until it runs over and will stop as soon as it emptys...this will Reoccur when it fills once more.
I assume you do not have any pets? I had a leak one time in a home that turned out to be a favorite potty place for a dog....

Speedy.

Donna162 · RV-Dreams Family Member

OK, you guys have given us some things to look at. We're going to cancel the appointment to get it looked at for now. We're leaving for warmer weather in two days so maybe we can crawl around in the basement some more and check things out a little better. By the way, it has dried out again. Will look at what we've done the next time that might compare to this time. Thanks for all your help.....after we get to Texas I might be back again to ask some more questions and I'll let you know what we find.

Judy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dont let this go to long as if it doesn't dry out very fast mildew can set in expecially in a humid climate.
southwestjudy

RanCar · RV-Dreams Community Member

Hi Donna, we have a Dodge class B and a small Sunline. The water pumps don't run unless we're using water. I agree with the others. You must have a slow leak somewhere.

We're going to sell the class B as it's too small for us.