Wolf Creek 850 Water Leak!!!! Help

[anutami]

Well found my first issue since picking up my camper 2 weeks ago. I wanted to re-check the wiring under the bed step and noticed the bottom wood was discolored and looked saturated. I put my hand under fresh water tank and the insulation was saturated with water! I have yet to hook up to fresh water and only used the camper with the water pump. I have had the water pump on all day and it has not been cycling on and off. I looked at the top of the fresh water fill and there was moisture around the stainless band and tank. It appears the band is loose and while driving around the water sloshed out. I have only filled the tank 1 time and filled to the point of water overfilling the fill. Could the negative pressure have caused the problem on a stainless steel band?

My question is how do I get the moisture out of the basement of my camper?

My basement


Moisture under the fresh water tank


Water around the fill inlet


Removed and reinstalled fill


Thanks in advance
Nolan

[billyray50]

Due to many complaints I have read I would not consider Wolf creek 850. I would however consider Arctic Fox TCs. The Adventurer 86 fb I previously owned was a very well constructed 4 season TC and regret selling it too.

[kerry4951]

The most complaints that Ive seen regarding Northwood RVs are from the newer years. I would say mostly 2013-2014. Some detailed accounts have been posted on the Northwood Owners forum. The folks that post on that site are all Northwood owners (TC, 5th wheel and TT's). Prior to 2012 it was unusual to read about any QC issues. There is no doubt in my opinion since the economy got better that a lot of the experienced work force have moved on. My 2010 had absolutely no QC issues and I consider it the best RV that Ive owned to date.

[anutami]

joeshmoe wrote:

Damionsnwbrdr wrote:

I have a love hate with the Wolf Creek.

I hear that. For now, the love is stronger than the hate, so she stays. I just shake my head at the lack of quality and carelessness with the some of the assembly and constuction.

I have owned several truck campers and travel trailers and overall the WC 850 out shines them all. I guess that doesn't say much for the RV industry. I just wish they paid more attention to detail and didn't play the blame game.

Not sure if you looked this over but you may want to add to it for others making decisions on a new TC

Wolf Creek 850 complaints

[Padlin]

FWIW
I've had the filler hose blow off from the back pressure when filling the tank of my old TT, cost me a floor and 3 weeks work. As you found, those hose connections are not the best. Best I can come up with is watching the fill closer and making sure there is room for the pressure to escape from the main fill hole and/or fill it slower, the small blow hole on mine wasn't enough.

[joeshmoe]

Damionsnwbrdr wrote:

I have a love hate with the Wolf Creek.

I hear that. For now, the love is stronger than the hate, so she stays. I just shake my head at the lack of quality and carelessness with the some of the assembly and constuction.

[deltabravo]

anutami wrote:
...I scuffed up my hand pretty good trying to feel around. If you are looking down on the tank it should be in the drivers side front corner. .

Been there, done that, on my AF811

[anutami]

Damionsnwbrdr wrote:



I felt down around the hose, but never found its true source. I know I was close, probably with out the insulation in the way I could find it. How long did it take you to dry it out? I didn't want to rip the insulation out because of having to replace it.

How much do you think a dealer will charge to remove the bottom panel and fix it?

I have a love hate with the Wolf Creek. It has been good, kept me and my family warm, and when I bought it new, the price was right. But then there are little things. Like the fact the basement isn't truly heated. Or access to the space between the truck bed walls and the camper is nigh accessible. I guess I am back to using a portable water jug.

Any tips for winter boondocking would be great. I would like to have water and a shower for multi-day trips.

It took a couple days to dry it out, but that is with the insulation removed. Once the insulation gets wet it is pretty useless. Luckily the floor is plywood so no worries there. I bought a small roll of insulation from Home Depot for $5 and shoved it back in there.

Are you sure it is the outlet that is leaking? If you look at the bottom of your floor there should be a splice were the water tank is. You would have to remove the weather stripping on the front and sides, then remove the bottom splice area. You may be able to do it yourself, but the dealer should only charge a couple hours of labor so I would think around $200 to fix it.

[Damionsnwbrdr]

Here's my photo. I didn't have a flip flop ready, but that is where I keep my table short sticks so that's what I used. My laugh was in the shared misery. I use my camper for a lot of winter camping. I am a snowboard instructor on the weekends and Holidays. I'm going to miss a day of work for day 3 of cleaning this mess up.

I felt down around the hose, but never found its true source. I know I was close, probably with out the insulation in the way I could find it. How long did it take you to dry it out? I didn't want to rip the insulation out because of having to replace it.

How much do you think a dealer will charge to remove the bottom panel and fix it?

I have a love hate with the Wolf Creek. It has been good, kept me and my family warm, and when I bought it new, the price was right. But then there are little things. Like the fact the basement isn't truly heated. Or access to the space between the truck bed walls and the camper is nigh accessible. I guess I am back to using a portable water jug.

Any tips for winter boondocking would be great. I would like to have water and a shower for multi-day trips.

[TRIPLE8]

Hi, looking at the hose clamp before you took it off, it looks like it is around one of the ribs in the hose. Could easily be your leak right there.

[anutami]

Damionsnwbrdr wrote:
I laughed when I saw your picture of using the heater duct into the basement cause that is what I have right now. I too have a Wolf Creek 850.

Although my problem is I'm not sure if my fresh tank outlet froze and broke or is just lose and leaking.

How would I go about checking the fresh water tank outlet underneath the tank?

You didn't say anything about the flip flop holding the step up 🙂

Welcome and hope you love your WC 850 as much as I do mine. Sorry about your water issue. Did you just purchase your camper?

It is a real pain to check the outlet under the tank and I hope that is not your issue. You can barely wedge your had underneath the tank and feel for water. I scuffed up my hand pretty good trying to feel around. If you are looking down on the tank it should be in the drivers side front corner. You first have to carefully secure and button up the rats nest of wires to access the bottom of the camper (get a bunch of zip ties) then remove the saturated insulation. If you have a leak there you will have to remove the bottom panel of the camper and should have a dealer do it.

Any other questions please let me know and post pictures if you can.

Nolan

[Damionsnwbrdr]

I laughed when I saw your picture of using the heater duct into the basement cause that is what I have right now. I too have a Wolf Creek 850.

Although my problem is I'm not sure if my fresh tank outlet froze and broke or is just lose and leaking.

How would I go about checking the fresh water tank outlet underneath the tank?

[joeshmoe]

You're gonna need to take some time and go through that whole camper and fix little stuff like this. Really shouldn't have to quality check you own brand new camper, but apparently, we do.

I'm sure it's all good, but if you're like me, you want to know for yourself that it's all good.

[joeshmoe]

Long as you immediately get it dried I think you'll be okay. That water you see, I can almost guarantee ran its way down from the other end--the fill end--when you filled up. I just dealt with this myself the other day too. Second time it happened actually. They use those garbage inserts that the hose connects to. Apparently mine cracked and decided fill up with water around WH. I didn't realize that that was the problem the first time it leaked. Sanitizing the tank, fill, drain, fill, drain, fill, drain made it really bad this last time. nice little lake under there.

[anutami]

jimh425 wrote:
You could put a small heater in the basement, use a fan, or use desiccant. But, unless there is a lot, it should dry pretty fast, any way.

I have the furnace cranked with the fan blowing air in the basement :0 the insulation soaked up all the water.

Also notice my shoe propping up the step 🙂

[Artum_Snowbird]

Race to your dealer..