First 'on the road" breakdown...and other stuff
Posted 12-26-2018 at 08:34 PM by MEWright
We left Austin for the coast this morning with 1/8th tank of fuel. Waiting for the cheapest diesel I could find I put myself in a position to buy the most expensive.. 
Also the pumps machines were down so you had to go inside. While waiting to pay with the other 5 truckers, a few other "truckers" came in bitching loudly about the pump blocking RV driver ME,,,, I spun around and told them very loudly that I was in line to pay just like the other 5 truck drivers at the pumps and they could wait their turn and I would pull out when I was done just like the other trucks... They were stunned to say the least. I guess they expected something else..
Got $100 at the truck stop that shows 2 prices cash and credit. Cash to them means actual cash. Who carries that stuff???? Anyway $2.95 for credit per gallon
...when our average is closer to 2.79.
Went 20 miles further and found diesel for ---Wait for it=== Wait for it--- 2.43 per gallon.. Stopped and topped off. Will stop there on the way home also..
Finish the trip to the coast and get set up with no issues other than we did notice the driver side mirror moving around allot. It appeared that it would fall off. . Raining the whole way done with crazy wind and jiggly side mirror. Overall not bad though, took it slow and enjoyed the drive.
Get all set up gear down and out and I start looking at the mirror. We have 3 set screws holding the mirror in place. All 3 were loose. Once I figure out how to access them, I get them snugged up and that issue is resolved, for now.
Wife and I decide to run into POC (Port Oconner) and get a burger. We brought a ton of food but forgot to bring anything thawed for the first dinner..
Get back after about 1.5 hours and take the dogs out for a walk. I go past the rear of the coach and hear the propane HWH running wide open
. No one home, no water running, OH CRAP.... WTH..Run inside and check everything. Nothing inside running, no leaks, no water anywhere to be seen. OOHH CCRRAAAPPPP... Run outside to check and the drivers side of the coach was a lake, water pouring out of the wet bay.
Shut off the water at the valve, shut off the propane, grabbed some tools and started looking for the leak.
Water was pouring out behind the HWH bypass valve. Took off the cover plate, hit the pump switch (SO Happy there are 4 water pump switches on this coach, with 1 of them in the wet bay), water pours out of the actual brass valve. OOOHH CRAP.. Its split in half. Shut it all off again, take the valve out go inside to sort it out.
There was a tiny silver lining. Fleetwood designed the coach wet bay with a plastic basins, 1 under the water and 1 under the black and grey drain valves to help prevent cross contamination with 2 large cutouts for the water and drain lines to run through. Plastic lined walls and ceiling of the wet bay means that all the water ran out the basins and does not appear to have done any "damage".
BTW its 830p in a town of about 1200 people. Not a real RV mecca for parts.
Stared at the valve a few minutes after finding it on Amazon for $64. I realized I could possibly install it with 1 side dead and at least have water for the toilet and sinks tonight.
HOORRAAYY, it worked
. Temporary solution for a major problem. At least now we have water for the remainder of the trip, 5 more days. Hopefully I can track a replacement valve down in Corpus Christi but its not trip - mission critical. If I find it, I fix it, if i dont find it I will order on Amazon and have it when I get home
.
I will add a spare HWH bypass valve, 1/2" PEX crimp tool, some stainless PEX crimp rings, some 1/2" PEX (some short pieces) and some assorted PVC fittings including some caps. A small bags of assorted fittings and parts and I can at the very least bypass anything and make it through. This repairs is about $75 in parts and 30 min in labor. Not worth going to shop and paying hundreds, not to mention the down time of having it in the shop.
Hopefully this is our only SNAFU......
Also the pumps machines were down so you had to go inside. While waiting to pay with the other 5 truckers, a few other "truckers" came in bitching loudly about the pump blocking RV driver ME,,,, I spun around and told them very loudly that I was in line to pay just like the other 5 truck drivers at the pumps and they could wait their turn and I would pull out when I was done just like the other trucks... They were stunned to say the least. I guess they expected something else..
Got $100 at the truck stop that shows 2 prices cash and credit. Cash to them means actual cash. Who carries that stuff???? Anyway $2.95 for credit per gallon
...when our average is closer to 2.79. Went 20 miles further and found diesel for ---Wait for it=== Wait for it--- 2.43 per gallon.. Stopped and topped off. Will stop there on the way home also..
Finish the trip to the coast and get set up with no issues other than we did notice the driver side mirror moving around allot. It appeared that it would fall off. . Raining the whole way done with crazy wind and jiggly side mirror. Overall not bad though, took it slow and enjoyed the drive.
Get all set up gear down and out and I start looking at the mirror. We have 3 set screws holding the mirror in place. All 3 were loose. Once I figure out how to access them, I get them snugged up and that issue is resolved, for now.
Wife and I decide to run into POC (Port Oconner) and get a burger. We brought a ton of food but forgot to bring anything thawed for the first dinner
..Get back after about 1.5 hours and take the dogs out for a walk. I go past the rear of the coach and hear the propane HWH running wide open
. No one home, no water running, OH CRAP.... WTH..Run inside and check everything. Nothing inside running, no leaks, no water anywhere to be seen. OOHH CCRRAAAPPPP... Run outside to check and the drivers side of the coach was a lake, water pouring out of the wet bay. Shut off the water at the valve, shut off the propane, grabbed some tools and started looking for the leak.
Water was pouring out behind the HWH bypass valve. Took off the cover plate, hit the pump switch (SO Happy there are 4 water pump switches on this coach, with 1 of them in the wet bay), water pours out of the actual brass valve. OOOHH CRAP
.. Its split in half. Shut it all off again, take the valve out go inside to sort it out. There was a tiny silver lining. Fleetwood designed the coach wet bay with a plastic basins, 1 under the water and 1 under the black and grey drain valves to help prevent cross contamination with 2 large cutouts for the water and drain lines to run through. Plastic lined walls and ceiling of the wet bay means that all the water ran out the basins and does not appear to have done any "damage".
BTW its 830p in a town of about 1200 people. Not a real RV mecca for parts.
Stared at the valve a few minutes after finding it on Amazon for $64. I realized I could possibly install it with 1 side dead and at least have water for the toilet and sinks tonight.
HOORRAAYY, it worked
. Temporary solution for a major problem. At least now we have water for the remainder of the trip, 5 more days. Hopefully I can track a replacement valve down in Corpus Christi but its not trip - mission critical. If I find it, I fix it, if i dont find it I will order on Amazon and have it when I get home. I will add a spare HWH bypass valve, 1/2" PEX crimp tool, some stainless PEX crimp rings, some 1/2" PEX (some short pieces) and some assorted PVC fittings including some caps. A small bags of assorted fittings and parts and I can at the very least bypass anything and make it through. This repairs is about $75 in parts and 30 min in labor. Not worth going to shop and paying hundreds, not to mention the down time of having it in the shop.
Hopefully this is our only SNAFU......
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