How to track down water leak in NL camper
I have seen evidence of water under the cabinets for a but now. I thought it was from my propane box so I resealed it as well as all surrounding penetrations. Last weekend I noticed some water dripp...
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If the problem returns and you go back to leak testing, pressure (as measured whether the pump cycles) isn't always a good indicator. Before I had replumbed my outside shower and was only blowing out the lines, enough water was left in the outside shower valves that it froze and cracked the plastic, which then leaked inside under my sink.
If you decide to go the dye approach remember that amount of fluorescense is dependent on the pathlength in liquid, the type, the concentration of the chemical and the UV source.
You can test if the fluorscent approach will be sensitive enough before putting it in your water system, by placing a drop or two of your proposed solution on a plate and using your UV light source.
Instead of adding it to your water tank, replace the inlet tubing on your pump so it will fit into a gallon jug or pail. Make up the fluorescent solution. Bypass the water heater (avoids having to rinse it out and you can test it later if you don't identify the leak origin the first time). Pump it into your system.
Common food grade items that are fluorescent are:
Quinine water, aka Tonic Water; blue emission; 25 to 65 ppm (parts per million w /v grocery store 2L bottles
Riboflavin, aka vitamin B2; green emission); solubility in water 80 - 100 milligrames per liter; grind number of pills depending on dose per pill. If the pills have lots of inert filler, filter before use. We used pure riblflavin at work.
Alternately, you could just make up a 50 ppm solution of hydrogen peroxide and sanitize your water system. They make test strips (0-50 ppm and 0-100 ppm) that are easy to use by touching these to a drop of water to verify its presence or absence and whether it was from your water system or rain. After rinsing out your water system you can use the low range test strips 0-5 ppm to show the hydrogen peroxide level is reduced to a safe level. We used this at work on a USP water system.
Same approach with 5 ppm bleach and test strips could be used. We usually run with bleach at 1 ppm in our water all the time, which the test strips can detect.
3% hydrogen peroxide = 30,000 ppm
Bleach is typically 5% - 6%, actual concentration can be found on the label under active ingredient.
If you decide to go the dye approach remember that amount of fluorescense is dependent on the pathlength in liquid, the type, the concentration of the chemical and the UV source.
You can test if the fluorscent approach will be sensitive enough before putting it in your water system, by placing a drop or two of your proposed solution on a plate and using your UV light source.
Instead of adding it to your water tank, replace the inlet tubing on your pump so it will fit into a gallon jug or pail. Make up the fluorescent solution. Bypass the water heater (avoids having to rinse it out and you can test it later if you don't identify the leak origin the first time). Pump it into your system.
Common food grade items that are fluorescent are:
Quinine water, aka Tonic Water; blue emission; 25 to 65 ppm (parts per million w /v grocery store 2L bottles
Riboflavin, aka vitamin B2; green emission); solubility in water 80 - 100 milligrames per liter; grind number of pills depending on dose per pill. If the pills have lots of inert filler, filter before use. We used pure riblflavin at work.
Alternately, you could just make up a 50 ppm solution of hydrogen peroxide and sanitize your water system. They make test strips (0-50 ppm and 0-100 ppm) that are easy to use by touching these to a drop of water to verify its presence or absence and whether it was from your water system or rain. After rinsing out your water system you can use the low range test strips 0-5 ppm to show the hydrogen peroxide level is reduced to a safe level. We used this at work on a USP water system.
Same approach with 5 ppm bleach and test strips could be used. We usually run with bleach at 1 ppm in our water all the time, which the test strips can detect.
3% hydrogen peroxide = 30,000 ppm
Bleach is typically 5% - 6%, actual concentration can be found on the label under active ingredient.
