I like our Excel but!!!!!

[Butch50]

Like I said in the subject line We really like our Excel and the layout but I'm sure getting tired of the water leaks. About the time I find and fix one I find another a few weeks later. OK maybe not that bad but it seems like it. I'm not talking roof or windows leaking but the fresh water and drain system. Excel needs to traing whom ever did our trailer to tighten connections better. First I had to have the convection oven removed and the shower handles tightened as they were loose and leaking water behind the shower. Then after getting that fixed I found we had a shower drain leak. I reached up as far as I could and it all felt tight so when I had the tech come out on something else I had him check that also. Will the nut that holds the strainer to the bottom of the shower was not even started. The connection that hooks the drain to the pipe was as tight as could be. So got that tightened and the shower drain stopped leaking. Next I noticed the floor of the basement wet and finally found that the lines running to the outside shower were not quite tight enough. Tightened them and no more leak. The shower surround started leaking about 3 months after we got it. It was in the front by the door. I removed the old caulking on the outside and redid it and left for a week back in Montana while it dried. It held for a while once we got back but then started to leak again. I then stripped out all of the old caulk on the inside and recaulked it all and again we left for MT for the week of thanksgiving. Came back and in about 3 weeks it started leaking again. When I had the tech come out on another item he recaulked it again. I don't trust it so we have installed a shower curtain on the inside of the shower and use that instead of trusting the caulking on it. Then one day I noticed on the other side of the basement that I had a wet spot, traced this down to the connection on the filter not tight. Fixed that, now I was just in the basement the other day and I noticed that it appears the water pump is leaking were there are 2 wires coming out/in of the bottom of it right below the water filter on the pump. I have tried looking at the Shurflo site and can not see what these wires are for. I'm trying to catch the water till I can get into the storage compartment to see where it is coming from but it is raining so hard here in Oregon that just trying to get into the basement I would be drenched.

Ok ok I know these rigs moving down the road and all but my unit came from the factory to the dealer and we picked it up and it has not moved since then. We are going to start next month traveling as our jobs in OR are finished and then I hate to see how many more leaks we'll have.

Hopefully I can get all of the fresh water leaks fixed and we can enjoy the unit totally instead of waiting to see where the next leak is going to crop up. I'm sorry for the long winded and negative post but it has just been a dark and glooming day in Oegon or at least I'll blame it on that.

[Butch50]

Like I said in the subject line We really like our Excel and the layout but I'm sure getting tired of the water leaks. About the time I find and fix one I find another a few weeks later. OK maybe not that bad but it seems like it. I'm not talking roof or windows leaking but the fresh water and drain system. Excel needs to traing whom ever did our trailer to tighten connections better. First I had to have the convection oven removed and the shower handles tightened as they were loose and leaking water behind the shower. Then after getting that fixed I found we had a shower drain leak. I reached up as far as I could and it all felt tight so when I had the tech come out on something else I had him check that also. Will the nut that holds the strainer to the bottom of the shower was not even started. The connection that hooks the drain to the pipe was as tight as could be. So got that tightened and the shower drain stopped leaking. Next I noticed the floor of the basement wet and finally found that the lines running to the outside shower were not quite tight enough. Tightened them and no more leak. The shower surround started leaking about 3 months after we got it. It was in the front by the door. I removed the old caulking on the outside and redid it and left for a week back in Montana while it dried. It held for a while once we got back but then started to leak again. I then stripped out all of the old caulk on the inside and recaulked it all and again we left for MT for the week of thanksgiving. Came back and in about 3 weeks it started leaking again. When I had the tech come out on another item he recaulked it again. I don't trust it so we have installed a shower curtain on the inside of the shower and use that instead of trusting the caulking on it. Then one day I noticed on the other side of the basement that I had a wet spot, traced this down to the connection on the filter not tight. Fixed that, now I was just in the basement the other day and I noticed that it appears the water pump is leaking were there are 2 wires coming out/in of the bottom of it right below the water filter on the pump. I have tried looking at the Shurflo site and can not see what these wires are for. I'm trying to catch the water till I can get into the storage compartment to see where it is coming from but it is raining so hard here in Oregon that just trying to get into the basement I would be drenched.

Ok ok I know these rigs moving down the road and all but my unit came from the factory to the dealer and we picked it up and it has not moved since then. We are going to start next month traveling as our jobs in OR are finished and then I hate to see how many more leaks we'll have.

Hopefully I can get all of the fresh water leaks fixed and we can enjoy the unit totally instead of waiting to see where the next leak is going to crop up. I'm sorry for the long winded and negative post but it has just been a dark and glooming day in Oegon or at least I'll blame it on that.

[d.duin]

And I thought I had problems! All I can do is wish you dryer and brighter days ahead.
Ace

[Bruce and Jenna]

Butch,

I had most of these problems myself when I picked up my trailer in July. Leaks, leaks, leaks. Including a missing washer in the drain between the two sink basins. Very frustrating indeed Also shower door, shower drain, fresh water T connection, outside shower fittings, maybe others I have forgotten.

You are correct. PI needs better QA in plumbing, rather than blame the dealer's final prep.

[Jim & Bona]

Us too!

Most of our new unit problems were Plumbing and leaks. Four items come to mind quickly. Although all were relatively easy fixes, better QA at the factory and dealer would have completely eliminated them. Blame some of it on me for not cycling EVERYTHING at the Pre-Delivery Inspection!

Listen up PI, Dealers, and Buyers.

Nonetheless, we still love our Excel and will be fulltiming in it before 3/30/08.

[D and J]

Wow, am I fealing lucky! So far, we have only had one leak problem with some of the fittings at the rear of our water heater.

[Workshop]

Butch,

Sorry to hear that you are having so many water problems. Know it can be troubling.

I looked at my shurflow this morning, the only wires I have are a red and black wire that exit the rear of the pump motor. The Black connects to a ground wire and the red goes to the front of the pump to the Switch (1) and upper housing. The switch, pressure switch, has that red connected to one side and a +12v red connected to the other. This is near the clear mesh filter.

If this is where its leaking, check the hose connection or see if the screws for the housing assy are loose. Hope its something simple and not an internal gasket/o-ring. Hope something helped.

[HB Phil]

I opted for the upgraded Shur Flo 5.7 gpm Extreme water pump. It, and the hard plastic water pipe that it is plumbed to, causes severe "water hammering." It transmits so much vibration that it loudly rattles the kitchen sink faucets at the rear of my unit.

Another member here accurately described the sound (she has the same Exel 30 RKE and pump), as a jack hammer sound. If a potential customer would ever hear this, this sound, alone, would totally belie the claim that Excels are high quality units!

I imagine Excel just installed the upgrades w/o any performance testing. When I asked about this at the dealer and at SC, they basically said, "That's just the way that pump sounds." Great water flow though!

Anyway, about the leaks... As I was going throughout the trailer installing foam pipe insulation over the pipes to deaden the rattling sound, I noticed that all of the fittings with male/female threaded screw-on couplings were not snug at all. This causes me to wonder whether the severe vibration causes them to loosen-up. I am concerned that the vibration will eventually cause other damage to the permanenet, clamped joints and fixtures that are not as easy to access and to repair.

My efforts have reduced the hard impact jack hammer noise of the hard plastic hoses hitting cabinets and walls, and each other, but the vibration is still there and it is still quite noisy. The pump came installed with a flex hose loop on the outlet side, but this did not fix things.

It appears that the pump, itself, doesn not mechanically vibrate, but produces very strong high frequency water pulses that seem to vibrate the plumbing as a whole.

Another kind of leak I have also noticed... Many of the interior slide frame/seals, the interior gasket/seal does not uniformly abut or seal agaisnt the interior wall, allowing cold air drafts during our last visit to the mountains.

The zero degree guarantee is valid. Nothing froze up, but it sure takes a lot of propane to keep things warm, and that's only in the mid-20's.

We haven't had the slides out in severe wind and rain and I am worried that we'll have water intrusion.

Overall, I am very pleased with the unit. Once I get the slides to "seat" and seal tight/properly, it will be very tight.

[Butch50]

Will I guess I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with water leaks but at the same time it kind of distrubs me.

I have the 5.7 Shurflo also but it doesn't get used that often but the times we have used it I have not noticed it being that loud. In fact I have to listen for it to make sure it is running. I checked the basement area this morning and with the little aluminum tray I made it appears that the small wet area is drying out and I really don't see any water in the tray so I will just have to keep an eye on it.

We have our slides out and it has been windy and raining in Southern Oregon the last number of weeks and so far we are staying dry on the inside. This I'm very happy with.

Thanks for everybodies response.

[Workshop]

Luck or not, the 2001 unit that we purchased in July has had a few bumps here and there but can say we have a unit that we have been pleased with. In purchasing a used unit you have to expect to have things happen but so far they came with the unit when it was purchased. I looked the unit over closely, found a few problem areas, so I knew what to expect and felt it was a great buy. The prior owner did a pretty good job maintaining it. Don't have the owners name, but was purchased at Harbold's Garage & Trailer in Dover, Pa in Aug 2000.

Wish we had a maintenance "History" to fall back on but just have to start from July. So I check my areas when I hear fellow forum members is having a problem or concern, in a way your history could be mine.

So far no interior plumbing problems. Have had and working on the leak areas where the roof/wall trim meet, have the roof and the gutter trim stripped and resealed so don't expect them to be a problem in the near future. Just need to inspect and seal the other areas as weather permits or problems noticed. Only area that I will have to look at seriously will be between the entry door and sofa/dinette slide, appears it had a leak/repair there before, where the slide header and wall studs meet. Believe caused by the awning screws and poor seal between the trim/gutter and wall there they all meet.

The only slide seal thats not tight is on that same slide. The slide is out of aligment at the rear of the coach and sticks out bout a half inch. Selling dealer fixed a weak area where the slide ram and wall meet. Was fine initally, but as things go, will have to take it apart and do the repair myself and figure out the alignment of the slide. As we have covers on the slides, its not a concern at the moment. Yes, have inspected the floor and wall areas, they appear to be solid and well sealed.

HB Phil,

All our plumbing is in the middle of the unit with a mid-kitchen and bath, so haven't had this problem. Here is Shurflo's site and they have an Accumulator tank option. Don't know if it will solve all your problems but they do mentions water hammer is the description. The tank should help with the cycling problem or at least extent it out and maybe cushion the water pressure when the valve is turned off.

[HB Phil]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Workshop:

HB Phil,

All our plumbing is in the middle of the unit with a mid-kitchen and bath, so haven't had this problem. Here is Shurflo's site and they have an Accumulator tank option. Don't know if it will solve all your problems but they do mentions water hammer is the description. The tank should help with the cycling problem or at least extent it out and maybe cushion the water pressure when the valve is turned off. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for your suggestions.

My slides close tight. It's mainly when they are extended that, if you reach up into the top interior edge you can feel a 1/4-to-1/2 gap between the interior wall and the padded gasket along the top inside edge of the slide. I beleive this can be adjusted to mnake it seat better. The gasket material up there feels very thick/substantial and would make a very good seal if it would seat properly.

The water pump, itself, is quiet. It's the stiff plastic pipe/tubing that chatters when it contacts bulkheads and cabinets, and other pipes, that makes the most noise. My next step may be to clamp the pipes to wooden frame parts.

The pump doesn't cycle improperly and it delivers a very good, steady stream at the faucets. I know what you mean by using the accululator as a cushion. The "smart sensor" technology is supposed to eliminate the need for an accumulator tank and I can hear the pump slow and speed up as the demand changes when opening and closing the faucts. Anyway, there's no more room for an accumulator tank in my utility section.

[ExcelRVGuy]

Butch...

I've printed this thread and I will get to the bottom of this.

Bryan

[camperguy]

We too have had water leaks that I noticed within the first year of ownership. The frustrating thing was when I contacted the dealer I purchased the trailer from new, he said that water leaks are not covered under the two year warranty.
My Shurflo pump also sounds like a jack hammer, I've never owned a trailer with such a loud pump. I installed the Shurflo accumulator tank, but it doesn't help at all for noise. However, I really like the accumulator tank because then I don't have to listen to the pump as often.

[Butch50]

Bryan,

Thank you for your post, I think for future owners it would be a very good idea. As you can see I'm not the only one that has experienced problems in this area. Again Bryan, thanks for taking your time on a Sunday to read and respond. Your response to this is one of the reasons I'm still proud to be an owner of an Excel.