Community Forums

JJH3rd · 07-02-2014, 06:22 PM

I have just replaced the water pump in our 05 Dolphin because freezing water cracked it.

It appears that this is the start of my problems.

* When I connect to city water and run it straight into the system I get multiple leaks (I hear them and water accumulates on top of the gray water tank).
* there is no water pressure at the sink H/C faucet.
* there IS water pressure at the filtered water faucet
* I see 3 copper tubes coming off a galvanized pipe and going up into the area behind the cabinets
* the copper pipe at the end of the galvanized pipe seems to go to the sink.
* there are two copper pipe coming out of the galvanized pipe that go up into the cabinet area.

I haven't found where the "water hose" coming from the manifold panel connects to the galvanized pipe.

I haven't found where the cold water supply goes to the shower/sink/toilet.

Dose anyone have a more detailed plumbing diagram than the one that describes the distribution panel?

I'm about to start putting caps where the copper pipe go up into the coach to see which ones supply water where.

As usual, we are planing to leave for a long trim Monday, but that will have to wait if I cannot get this water problem solved.

Thanks in advance for your words of wisdom.

speed racer · 07-02-2014, 08:06 PM

I beleive you will find that the copper pipes are for propane that goes to your refrigerator and your furnace. all of your water lines are plastic. I don't know the layout of your MH but if the sink is on the passengers side you should look unde the lower drawers or the furnace area on the inside. My 5355 has 4 drawers in the hall and in that area is where the washer goes if you have one so remove the lower drawer and look in there.

JJH3rd · 07-02-2014, 09:20 PM

Thank you speed racer!!!!

YES, the copper is for LP! doh.....

But I now have to track down the cold water distribution system.

JJH3rd · 07-03-2014, 07:39 PM

PEX

After spending a restless night (did I mention that we are planning to leave on a month long trip next Monday, the 7th of July) trying to figure out how to locate where any cracked pipes ARE and how to get to them and how to repair it or them.

The duct work, electrical wiring (both 12V & 120V) and hot & cold water lines are run under the floor with cable ties securing them to the steel frame, wedged between the gray & black water tanks and the floor.

I couldn't think af ANY way to get to any part of the water lines.

So I gave up.

Our home has a water manifold with individual water lines running from a valve at the manifold to each specific faucet.

I decided to replicate this idea.

I found various plumbing diagrams for the 04, 05 & 06 Dolphin (thanks be to you wonderful folks who captured and posted these diagrams

) and decided to by-pass the works and re-pipe the whole system (hot & cold) if necessary. Then I discovered PEX and Sharkbite products

. I made a spread sheet based on what the local big orange box store had on hand and headed out to spend money.

Before I did anything, I had to know if there were any cracks in the hot water lines. I had already extracted the manifold panel so I took the time to label each line (hose as found behind your washing machine) with a black sharpie with arrows showing water flow direction. I disconnected the cold water supply from the small pex(?) water distribution line and put a plug on it (the water hose attached to the manifold). I then set the valve to fill the hot water tank from city water and went into the MH and opened the hot water at the sink, lavatory & shower. When the air was forced from lines, shut them and waited for any leaks to show up.

WOO WOO - NO LEAKS IN THE HOT WATER SIDE

I then spent the rest of the day figuring how to run the cold water line to the kitchen for the sink (sink & spray wand & filtered water tap). If the cook doesn't have water at the sink - nobody will be happy!

I ended up putting piece of 3/4 CPVC as close to the underside of the floor as I could and against the outside wall of the wheel well for the duallys and ran the PEX water line inside it so that it will have some protection from road stuff), then snaked the line across the "basement" near the underside of the floor.

Tomorrow I plan to bring that line up through the floor near where the gray/waste water pipe leaves the cabinet.

Next will be the lavatory and spray wand for the commode, then the shower.

More to come.

JJ

GREGORYJ · 07-04-2014, 09:38 PM

JJH3rd · 07-06-2014, 05:44 PM

GregoryJ

Thanks for the images. They were a great help. I started working on replacing the cold water lines Thursday and just finished - satisfied with the job & no leaks - Sunday afternoon. You know that to really get a task down pat, it takes doing it 3 times - well I dodn't want to have to do this again ever.

If I had the local RV repair center do the job, I estimate I would have gotten a bill for close to $3000. The parts & tools cost me about $300 and now I KNOW where the cold water line goes.

Thanks again for the images. They were essential.

JJ