Leaking water hoses

[lamoz]

One of these hoses is leaking. They look like they attached via a metal pressure clip.. How do I replace them? I can un-screw the hose from the water heater but the "T" connectors appear to be permanent. Should I just cut the plastic at the leak and put a rubber hose connection instead. Looks like a b**ch to replace with same type hoses.

[D_E_Bishop]

You got it mobeewan, while it requires a set of channelocks they are great fittings. I think they are cheaper than SB and Apollo. Benchmark in Sun Valley should carry them and they can order them, they use same supplier as Simi RV.

[mobeewan]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
There is another fitting that is a little more effort to install but is very secure, you slip on a collar, push pipe over the barbed fitting and tighten the collar. I'll look it up in a few minutes, cuz I can't remember the name. I have both sharkbite and Apollo and I like the Apollo better. They are harder to find but really nice. Be back in a minute I hope.

I can't find the brand, my catalog is at home and I won't be there for a week. Try calling Steve at Simi RV store and ask him.

Flair-it?

My trailer came with them and nothing else. I bought several and have made my own mods using them. I love them for ease of use. Will be reworking the toilet inlet tubing and adding a shut off valve when I replace the dripping flush valve.

[mleekamp]

The different colored PEX lines (blue and red) are actually designed a bit different. I forget the specs, but if you look at them, the blue (cold water) has a certain temp and psi, and the red (hot) is higher for both psi and temp.

[Gjac]

Looks to me that the lower water fitting to your tank is leaking based on the pattern of water stain on the cardboard covering. I would try tightening that fitting first. I have had to tighten mine twice over the years.

[gatorcq]

PEX has been out since the mid 70's

[D_E_Bishop]

There is another fitting that is a little more effort to install but is very secure, you slip on a collar, push pipe over the barbed fitting and tighten the collar. I'll look it up in a few minutes, cuz I can't remember the name. I have both sharkbite and Apollo and I like the Apollo better. They are harder to find but really nice. Be back in a minute I hope.

I can't find the brand, my catalog is at home and I won't be there for a week. Try calling Steve at Simi RV store and ask him.

[camperforlife]

While shark bite fittings are great I don't think I would use them in an RV. They have a tendency to leak if the pipe is not perfectly stationary.

[lamoz]

John Wayne wrote:
Are you sure it it's not just one of the screw on fittings that's leaking and just needs to be tightened. Find what's leaking first.

Is leaking at one of the elbows. I took the picture after, when I turned the water pump on, it would leak with pressure. I did try to clamp the metal clips but it did not work. The area to work in there is so tight that I rather just fix the one hose for now.

[stro1965]

I was introduced to the wonderful world of Pex earlier this year when I broke one of my tank inlet valves and had to replace it. Once I had the proper tool it was a snap! I tried hose clamps first and that was a dismal failure.

[Pangaea_Ron]

Bumpyroad wrote:

Pangaea Ron wrote:
It looks like polybutylene pipe from the pre-early 90's which is no longer used for domestic water piping.

I would agree with mleekamp that you should replace the pipe and fittings with PEX. Some hardware stores will loan/rent you the equipment.

isn't that the grey stuff that was the subject of failures and law suits years ago? as stated, tear as much of it out as you can and replace with PEX.
bumpy

Yes.

[Bumpyroad]

Pangaea Ron wrote:
It looks like polybutylene pipe from the pre-early 90's which is no longer used for domestic water piping.

I would agree with mleekamp that you should replace the pipe and fittings with PEX. Some hardware stores will loan/rent you the equipment.

isn't that the grey stuff that was the subject of failures and law suits years ago? as stated, tear as much of it out as you can and replace with PEX.
bumpy

[crabbin_cabin]

John Wayne wrote:
Are you sure it it's not just one of the screw on fittings that's leaking and just needs to be tightened. Find what's leaking first.

A close look at his picture makes me wonder if the leak is actually from the water heater rather that one of the fittings? Again - just wondering! Water heaters have been known to develop leaks when old!

[John_Wayne]

Are you sure it it's not just one of the screw on fittings that's leaking and just needs to be tightened. Find what's leaking first.

[schlep1967]

You can get the pex in different colors for hot and cold. If you are replacing it all you might want to look at adding a hotwater heater bypass system to make winterizing easier. Basically you add a valve close to the hotwater heater on the line in and the line out. Then add a connector line with a valve in the middle of it between the line in and the line out. The 2 valves on the lines in and out will be closer to the hotwater heater than the connector line. During normal operation the connector line valve is closed and the other 2 are open. When you want to winterize you close off the 2 valves close to the hotwater heater and open the valve in the connector/bypass. This keeps the antifreeze out of the hotwater heater.