Community Forums

docthrock · 06-10-2013, 08:26 AM

My 1994 Sea Breeze wasn't winterized by the previous bankrupt owner. Soon as I powered up the water pump under pressure, I noticed a creek starting to flow along the isle from under the shower and forward along the floor.

I tried to remove the shower handle and work through the hole. I can't get at where the line is evidently cracked under there.

Do I have to remove the shower to make this repair? How big of a project is that, and am I likely to ruin it/other parts in the process? Need to pull the sink/basin too?

Thanks!

Matt

Gocoffeer · 06-10-2013, 08:49 AM

Matt....fishing new tubing thru the RV can be a task that will place a smile on your face. It is doable....but you will be pre assembling pieces and trying to figure out which assemblies are most beneficial. I ended up buying my PEX tubing and tools at a plumbing supply....and experimenting with certain lengths and segments until I replaced everything from the tank to the shower. I have plenty of splices.

mike9999 · 06-10-2013, 09:09 AM

Look around for access panels. On my 2001 dolphin I found a panel behind the sliding door to the bedroom that I could take off and get to the back of the shower. Not sure it would be big enough to replace the lines but it might be easier to take the plywood off the entire wall than to pull the whole shower out.

mike

TXiceman · 06-10-2013, 06:09 PM

One thing that freezes very easily is an anti-siphon valve where the shower hose connects. check this out first.

Ken

chboone · 06-11-2013, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike9999

Look around for access panels. On my 2001 dolphin I found a panel behind the sliding door to the bedroom that I could take off and get to the back of the shower. Not sure it would be big enough to replace the lines but it might be easier to take the plywood off the entire wall than to pull the whole shower out.

mike

You should be able to find access panel on the back side of the shower. If not, being very careful you can make your own.

Chuck

docthrock · 06-17-2013, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman

One thing that freezes very easily is an anti-siphon valve where the shower hose connects. check this out first.

Ken

You mean a valve up high where the hand held shower nozzle screws in? The leak is down low... it's dry up high.

I'll check and see if there's not an access panel in the bedroom wall, aft of the shower stall.

If that doesn't work, perhaps it's easier to take the sink/cabinet out and access behind to get to the leak? Perhaps I may need to get to both sides of the shower stall?

When you get a line break like this, is it usually all in one place, or am I likely to start replacing all the lines because of cracked elbows and such?

Thanks everyone for the help and taking the time to respond!

docthrock · 06-18-2013, 04:55 PM

There is not an access panel in the bedroom, but that wall sure is a perfect place to get behind the shower and work on some pipes.

I could use recommendations on where and how to make the cut and then put the wall back together (with a nifty access panel, preferably).

Anyone?

chboone · 06-18-2013, 11:55 PM

My Dolphin has an access panel that appears to have been installed at the factory. If I had to make an access opening, I would use the thinnest blade I could find. If you have a Dermal they have some very thin blades. Measure the area you need to cut for the access panel. Put some blue masking tape or any tape that will not lift the wood when it is removed, over the area where the cut lines will be. Lay out the cut lines on the masking tape. Set the blade so it will just penetrate the wood, the paneling is very thin you don't want to cut anything behind the wall. The best way the cover the opening is if you can find some paneling that would match yours. If that doesn't work you will need to reuse the piece that was cut out You should be able to find some material to match and trim the hole and the cut out piece. Just take it slow and you should be fine.

Chuck

sirpurrcival · 06-19-2013, 01:16 AM

If your unit is like mine, the water hoses underneath the shower facet should be accessible. My shower sits overtop of my gray water tank and I access from a panel in the bedroom which ends up covered by the sliding door when open (referenced in another post) I suspect your leak is most likely at the top end of the hot/cold feed that connects to the faucet. If you have a diverter on that faucet, you probably have no lines behind the enclosure, just underneath. I replaced both of my feed hoses because they were ridiculously short and under tremendous pressure when you had to connect them to the taps.

UtahSteve · 06-24-2013, 03:45 PM

I also have a 1994 Sea Breeze and I just went through this yesterday. First I tried removing the wheel well cover figuring I could get to the line from below as the shower is just above. Don't bother, the shower pan is glued to the other side so it won't be moving. There is a small trap door on the front right side that gives you access to the black pipe from the shower drain to the holding tank in here just in case you ever need it.

Next I removed the shower enclosure and tried to pull out shower from the inside, but discovered it is glued in too. Not a total loss as it gave me my next approach.

Finally I removed the cloth colapsing door leading to BR including the top rail. Removed the board the top rail was attached to. Removed the metal end cap from the end of the shower wall to expose the wood for the wall. I pulled off the end trim and paneling carefully (the paneling was glued and stapled on) and now have access to fix the stupid leaks. Don't put the paneling back on without a pressure test first, you don't want to do this again. Your hot and cold supplies going to the bathroom sink also pass under the shower from here and you can see the supply lines that cross under the floor to feed this side of the coach. If you need to replace them please note that there is not enough room to feed through an additional line so you need to attatch the new to the old to feed it through then cut it off clean afterwards so you can crimp and reattach.

Seeing as this was so much fun, and I still get to put the wheel well cover on and reassemble the shower enclosure tonight, I am going to be adding an access door when I put the paneling back on and am going to blow an extra $20 and replace the faucet just to be safe as it's just not worth it at this point. Good luck. If you want pics of the demo hit me up.

UtahSteve · 06-24-2013, 03:49 PM

Also, my outside shower faucet leaks and if anyone has any good ideas on how to reach the back side of it to disconnect the cold water side I am open to suggestions. I can reach the hot, but can only barely reach the cold and then don't have enough room/strength to disconnect it. Ugg this has been painful getting it ready again after two years of downtime for new roof, new engine and new transmission (long story).

TIA