Today: Fixing Leaks and taking "Possible Baths".
Beginning about
here, I started installing the fresh water gravity fill hose - a typical 1.25" RV flexible spiral hose. There was early confusion and workarounds, and continued frustration when I FINALLY did a "full tank" test. Previously I had only done a half tank.
Once the tank was full, I discovered leaks in the freshwater tank compartment - at both the gravity fill hose to tank connection, and at the pump's exit hose to the barb on the threaded connector to the copper line.
That was in addition to the galley sink trap minor leak, and the bathroom basin rim major leak.
I think I already spoke to the bathroom basin rim fix by removing the butyl putty used, and replacing with siliconized caulking. That worked - fixed!
I think I already spoke to the galley sink trap leak too, which if I didn't, I fiddled with it and re-secured, and that seems fixed now too.
Regarding the gravity fill hose, here's what I did.
Upon discovering the leak, I was just that disgusted again, you know, cheap faulty modern stuff! Grrrrrrrrrrrr. Online searches revealed I'm not the only one having problems with this type of hose. It was coming out!
A post or two after the link provided at the opening of this reply post, discussion goes into how I had modified (beyond repair) the barbed fitting at the gravity fill hatch, cutting off the 1.25" barb, then finding I had to modify the 1.5" barb to accommodate my 1.25" hose. Because of that modification, I pulled the hatch off the camper exterior wall. I'm Starting this thing over!
When I did, I discovered I had so successfully butyled (that's a term - serious) the hatch to the wall, that getting it off required gentle use of crowbar leverage and small amounts of explosives.
And that vent hose I had used? You know, the braided stuff to keep thin, weak walled hose from collapsing? Yeah I know, no suction on vent hoses, but there are bends, and the new Komfort Travel Trailer we have, has some sort of blockage in it's vent (probably sloppy install with plugging from excess caulk or tank flaps caused form incomplete drilling or removing drilled hole plugs, or something - but maybe from unseen kinks), so I used the braided. Which is very strong, and was no match for the weak plastic fitting on the hatch - Snap! Sheesh!
I took the modified and the broken hatch pieces over to the home center and found some vent hose, non-braided, still fairly thick walled, in the form of the clear 1/2" ID and 5/8" OD stuff, but no 1.25" stuff!
Next stop, RV Center for the replacement hatch. While there I asked about their choice of hose, and he showed me the same stuff I had. I described my difficulties and problems, including reported online failures, even WHEN using silicon sealer with the clamp.
He said, "I've done it this way for 20 years and that's how service shops do it and it won't leak if you do it right, and this is what to do". I thought, "Okay - you're the professional, I'm gonna try this one more time!"
So I took things home and followed his instructions.
I didn't buy new hose; what I had would easily be reused with his instructions. I did stop and buy a tube of silicon. I don't really think it matters what kind - he said the potability wasn't really an issue, and I tend to agree. I think once it cures you'll be fine too.
And at least in MY case, I like that new third arm I've grown since heavy use of the stuff, because I can now use two hands to hold things, while the third hand grips "whatever" tool.
Here's the secret (I think), based on my experience, and his instructions.
Put the silicon on fairly thick - I mean don't be scrimpy. But don't be stupid either!
Put it on the barbed (or solid) fitting, not on the inside of the hose. On the inside of the hose, installation will scoop it and maybe cause a plug, but at least gobs of silicon blocking maximum flow. Yeah, put it on the fitting, not the hose.
Then slide the hose onto the fitting, again trying not to scoop the surface clean, but just be controlled.
Then tighten the worm gear clamp. Not like Superman would. Not like the Pillsbury Dough Boy might. Just solid, and firm. You know what I mean. Feel the tightness, the snugness, but don't over-torque.
Then walk away! That's most important. Do something else, don't disturb the joint. Especially don't put the hatch back on the wall yet. Unless you've already done this before and you have the experience under your belt enough to put it back together and send the RV owner on his way.
In my case, I wanted to visually test it before attaching it to the camper wall, and that meant leaving it alone, or pulling the range. I chose to leave it alone. Like this.
Note the visible 1.5" part of the barb. The hose is on the smaller 1.25" barb. Originally I found the hose fit too loose, but - loose means "more able to gently slip on the hose" and with weak plastic fittings, that looseness is important. The silicon dries and cures in a sort of "fill". It fills the gap and seals nicely down near the clamped surface, forming a kind of hour-glass shape. You know how stiff and strong silicon is when dried! And silicon adheres very well to plastic surfaces, like the inside of the hose, and the outside of the barb.
Later cleanup (silicon removal during repair) is easy, if silicon is ONLY on plastic. Just don't get it on sheet-metal or wood or something. If you do, you'll need a crow bar and a small amount of explosives.
So the next day it felt strong, firm, and actually worked! It was sealed.
Here's the tank side.
The black mark is the end of the barb. I placed the clamp in the middle of the barbed hose. That gave me the best hour-glass shape I could imagine. It sealed well, and more importantly, felt very secure!
Check!
Here's another "Whoops!" The antifreeze pickup. This shows it correctly installed now.
Originally I installed it backwards. No - I didn't find a direction flow arrow on the fitting, you actually have to look inside of it at the valving. And apparently I hadn't.
See - the other day when I was testing, then draining, then winterizing, I discovered the pump wouldn't suck from the antifreeze jug. I thought it was having trouble because it wasn't primed, so I got a funnel and primed the hose. Then I ran the pump, still wouldn't work, but now I discovered antifreeze in the tube from the fitting to the tank! Oh No Sluggo! I HATE antifreeze in the tank!
After turning around the fitting, things worked fine. So I filled the tank again to dilute the antifreeze on the wrong side of the wall, and pumped things through - twice.
So this stuff is all working well and correctly now, final test, no leaks. In fact, on my most recent test, I pumped a full 40 gallons out through the grey water drain, a solid 30 minutes of pump operation, and system checks.
Clear hose on the vent, instead of the earlier braided. This is all part of my shake-down.
Then got the hatch back on.
I even ran the water heater and tested how long to get the hot water to the far faucet in the bath. On went the hot water into the basin, very soon it was hot and the combo of early cold and then hot gave a very nice temperature for a half basin of wash water.
A half basin of wash water is all you need for a Possible Bath, which is the "most frequent" bathing method of camping. You don't know what a Possible Bath is? Oh! Well allow me.
You start with a half basin of wash water.
Starting up top (face and neck and ears - or as my Dad used to say, "Go wash your faceanneckanears").
So you start at the top and wash down as far as possible.
Then with the dirty water, start at the bottom (feet) and wash up as far as possible.
Then, if the water is still clean enough, you wash possible.
Bingo!