Community Forums

smasiello · 12-27-2013, 03:05 PM

hey iRV2ers,

I have a question that I am hoping you can help me with. I am pretty new to RVing as we bought our rig about a year and a half ago. I have 3 young kids, so we go out as often as we can, which turns out to be about once per month, even if just for an overnight trip to a local park.

Anyway, my issue is with my city water connection. It always drips. When I bought the RV it came with a cheapo blue plastic adapter to connect my drinking water hose to the city water connection. In my attempt to stop the leaks I bought one that I thought was better that has a small spring and a plastic, yellow connector at the end that connects to the hose. Still leaks. It's not a super fast leak, but enough of one where I feel a bit embarrassed that as I walk around the various RV parks and campgrounds that we have stayed at that I don't notice other RVs with this same issue. Plus, in the winter it makes an ice slick which is downright dangerous.

Can or should I replace the city water connector on the RV itself? Is there something still with the adapter that I am connecting to the drinking water hose? Anyone out there with this same experience have any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

Dutch Star David · 12-27-2013, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smasiello

hey iRV2ers,

I have a question that I am hoping you can help me with. I am pretty new to RVing as we bought our rig about a year and a half ago. I have 3 young kids, so we go out as often as we can, which turns out to be about once per month, even if just for an overnight trip to a local park.

Anyway, my issue is with my city water connection. It always drips. When I bought the RV it came with a cheapo blue plastic adapter to connect my drinking water hose to the city water connection. In my attempt to stop the leaks I bought one that I thought was better that has a small spring and a plastic, yellow connector at the end that connects to the hose. Still leaks. It's not a super fast leak, but enough of one where I feel a bit embarrassed that as I walk around the various RV parks and campgrounds that we have stayed at that I don't notice other RVs with this same issue. Plus, in the winter it makes an ice slick which is downright dangerous.

Can or should I replace the city water connector on the RV itself? Is there something still with the adapter that I am connecting to the drinking water hose? Anyone out there with this same experience have any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

Might be as simple as a missing or smashed gasket. I carry a couple of spares.

Hooligan · 12-27-2013, 05:37 PM

City water connection contains a check valve. The valve may have a bit of debris causing the leak, ( toggle the pin a few times) but more likely it is bad and can easily be replaced.

TXiceman · 12-27-2013, 05:44 PM

The check valve would not cause a leak to the ground. Is the city water connection fitted with a pressure regulator as part of the hose connection? Check the back side of it to see if the 4 screws need tightening.

Otherwise get a supply of water hose washers and change it if needed. I usually carry several.

Ken

Roosters 67 · 12-27-2013, 06:27 PM

On my fifth wheel I connect my potable water hose straight to the city water connection on the trailer, and I use my pressure regulator at the parks spigot. I also carry extra hose washers, never know when they will leak or go missing.

Spence

Hooligan · 12-27-2013, 08:26 PM

The city fill valve is normally below the tanks and will leak if the check valve does not seal. Water pump also pressurizes the system. It is not difficult or expensive to change, most RV stores will carry. If your fill valve has a screen, you may have to remove the screen to get to the check valve toggle....

Miljet · 12-27-2013, 09:02 PM

I fought the same problem for several years. Tried several different hoses and went through dozens of new washers. Nothing helped. Since my electrical connector is directly beneath the water connection (really dumb design), I finally bought one of those angle adaptors just to get the drip away from the electric. That was a year ago and I haven't had a leak since. I guess that the weight of the hose pulling down on the connector was causing it to leak.

smasiello · 12-27-2013, 10:07 PM

Great ideas. Thank you all. When I get back home from the current trip I'll take a look at all of these. I really want to get this problem licked. I'm anal retentive about this sort of thing and it is driving me nuts

Giant Jeff · 12-27-2013, 10:26 PM

Mine used to leak all the time too. I fiund that carrfully tighting it with pliers stopped it from leaking. That's assuming the female end coming from your Rv is metal.

MSHappyCampers · 12-28-2013, 09:21 AM

My freshwater input has a shutoff valve and I have trouble with it leaking around the lever, just haven't replaced it yet.

I have one of the Camco blue in-line water filters and they are notorious for leaking!

Other than that it's usually just a matter of replacing the washers on a regular basis. I discovered that the rubber washers seal much better than the plastic ones.

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

MattC · 12-28-2013, 10:49 AM

You were a tad unclear in your description of the leak.
Does it leak all the time that the system is pressurized by you pump?
Or
Does it leak when the city water hose is pressurized?

For the first, it is in the city water connection fitting and as another said, it is probably just some thing in the check valve. These are cheap to buy and usually easy to replace.

For the later, it is probably just the gasket. Get a handful at a big box and replace them any time you think of it.

No matter what gasket I use or what the first adapter is, mine still drips if I don't snug it up with a pair of pliers.

Matt

mel s · 12-28-2013, 11:23 AM

smasiello
IF your city water entry is one like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/320878279218?lpid=82,
or this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/390550202609?lpid=82,
and IF your leak is where the hose connects, you may have to replace the entire Shurflo City Water Inlet, since the "special hose washer", (which can be seen in the picture), is not available separately.
Mel
'96 Safari

Scarab0088 · 12-28-2013, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miljet

I fought the same problem for several years... finally bought one of those angle adaptors just to get the drip away from the electric. That was a year ago and I haven't had a leak since. I guess that the weight of the hose pulling down on the connector was causing it to leak.

My last TT and my current "A" have similar design shore water connections. Female end in an exterior recessed plate...seems like these things always leak a bit. Mine were not near the shore power, but it would leave streaks on the gelcoat.

For leaks on the RV end of the hose...the angled stub adapter mentioned above (in metal not plastic) was my second cure after new washers. I picked one in metal because the 3rd cure is to gently use pliers or channel locks to make everthing snug.

The final cure I am about to try is high quality metal quick connects so the washers do not take a beating on and off over and over.

And another thing I found was that I ALWAYS use a washer with a screen at the spigot, because I kept finding an amount of sand or similar small stones in the screen when we disconnected...so, the screen is between the spigot and pressure regulator. Don't know why there is stones in the water sometimes, but better safe than sorry.

Hmmm, reviewing my post - I must be a bit OCD about these type things, like the OP.

Safe travels

myredracer · 12-28-2013, 02:35 PM

I would also look at the male end of the hose and see if it is damaged and preventing a proper tight seal. The hose fittings are typically very thin metal and can easily be damaged. Have you tried another hose?

I very much doubt the inlet fitting requires replacement unless it's gotten corroded and pitted or has cracked. A new washer with screen may be all you need. The screens can get really gunked up with crud but that shouldn't cause a leak.

An inlet shouldn't leak under normal circumstances. Some of the inlets are all plastic while some are brass (except for the flange). I just bought a brass one to replace the all-plastic currently on our TT. It looks identical and is made by the same company. If yours is all plastic, perhaps the plastic has cracked somewhere? The brass ones will be more durable and withstand higher water pressure.

Dyers has a selection of them here: http://http://www.dyersonline.com/rv-plumbing/fresh-water-connection/water-fill-inlets.html