Checking for water system leaks in a Northern Lite

[Scott_Central_O]

I've got a 2018 Northern Lite 9-6 Sportsman. On a recent trip I noticed the water pump started short cycling every minute or 2 when no water was running...just a half second chirp. My first thought was that there was a leak in the fresh water system that was slowly depressurizing the lines when the pump was on. I checked the compartment below the seat where the pump is located and don't see any signs of moisture either on the pump, visible pipes/valves, or on the wooden basement floor immediately below the pump. Beyond that, how do I locate a leak on the parts of the system that aren't visible from the bench seat opening?

Thank you,
Scott

[K_Mac]

On a '13 NL 10-2 cd se to access the wet bath faucet (duh only came w/ wet) you have to remove outside shower housing,(per Keith) then reinstall after repairs/exploring. Might be the same an '18, good luck, and let us know what you find.

[Wardster]

Scott Central Oregon wrote:
There are no visible access to the plumbing in the wet bath/outside shower. If there's a leak there I don't know how one would see it let alone repair it. The bath is a 2 piece plastic insert, no small task to remove.

You can see most of the plumbing in/around the outdoor shower/bath by simply shining a flashlight inside through the access door to the pump/valves. If something is leaking, then I would have the dealer handle it under warranty. If it was out of warranty, then you can access the outdoor shower plumbing by removing the medicine cabinet in the wet bath.

[MTBob]

I'll second what Photomike said.
I have had water leaks in the past: I have had dirt in the pump diaphram. Take the pump head off the motor and clean the diaphram. You'll want to pull the pump to do that. Once you get the motor/pump assembly out, cleaning the pump is easy. You should have a filter screen on the intake side of your water pump to stop grit from lodging in the diaphram. Clean that screen periodically.
I also replaced the cheap little plastic isolation valves near the pump with brass ball valves (using shark bite fittings).
I accessed all my cabin plumbing by removing the stove and sink. Neither is hard to get out. Plumbing under the bathroom sink is another matter, that's impossible to get to. Some folks cut a hole in the fiberglass under the wash basin sink and install a round marine hatch (roates to open/lock) to gain access to the fittings.
Also, if you don't have one, (aftere fixing any leaks) adding a capacity tank to your water system will further reduce your water pump cycling.
BTW: I was skeptical about using Sharkbite fittings in the camper plumbing - but after 4 years and a bunch of rough miles, none of have leaked. They are certainly better than the plastic compression fittings that came with the camper.

[Photomike]

Scott Central Oregon wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
I found few times that check valves on pumps deteriorate with years and they can leak the water back to the tank.
Good idea to buy rebuild kit every few years.

That wouldn't apply to my 6 mos old camper tho.

The short cycling began after a boondocking trip up 10 miles of rough road. I would have thought that plumbing fittings would be sufficiently robust to tolerate a rough ride but perhaps not.

Actually it very well could be the pumps valve. If you had some debris in the tank (likely with new as well as old)and the bouncing around on the road shook it up then you turned on the pump it could be in the valve now causing this. What I would do is turn on the pump and run it full out for a minute or two then see if it stop the random pumping, sometimes this is enough to clear the issue. Remove the strainer on the tap to see if there is any debris in there will help to tell you if this could be an issue.

To look into hard to see areas I use a mirror on a stick and use my cell phone to take pictures of areas that I cannot see into. Only issue with water leaks is that you need to have the water there to see, a little leak will dry up VERY fast and sometimes not even show on walls and shelves as it runs back down the pipe and dries.

[mbloof]

The less obvious place is the two drain valves on the rear drivers side. I found my hot water valve dripping a very small little bit which caused the pump cycling.

[ardvark]

If you check valve is stuck open or defective, when you tie to a hose you will gradually fill the fresh water tank as the pressure from the hose will push back through the pump the same way it would if it were bleeding back. Have had that happened on rigs, but really rare.

Someone suggested early on in this thread to try air pressure and I often resorted to that when I was checking out a rig and couldn't find the leak. Sometimes you can hear what you can't see.

I was just looking at the Northern Lite owner's manual and see that it shows Flair-It fittings rather than clinch bands. That means a load of connections that are hard to tighten.

[Kayteg1]

Scott Central Oregon wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
I found few times that check valves on pumps deteriorate with years and they can leak the water back to the tank.
Good idea to buy rebuild kit every few years.

That wouldn't apply to my 6 mos old camper tho.

The short cycling began after a boondocking trip up 10 miles of rough road. I would have thought that plumbing fittings would be sufficiently robust to tolerate a rough ride but perhaps not.

It might if you have chunk of "factory dirt" stuck to check valve.
I like Sherlock Holmes idea of getting final conclusion.
When you check everything and the unlike is the only possibility left = the unlike has to be the truth.

[Scott_Central_O]

snowcrustracer wrote:
On my Northern Lite all of the plumbing is accessible behind the drawers and cabinets. The out side shower is off a T behind a access port that is in the wall of the dry bath. Not sure if that port is also in the wet bath?

There are no visible access to the plumbing in the wet bath/outside shower. If there's a leak there I don't know how one would see it let alone repair it. The bath is a 2 piece plastic insert, no small task to remove.

I was able to access the fittings at the kitchen sink by removing the drawer beneath....no visible moisture. I'll call Northern Lite tomorrow for suggestions on how to inspect the wet bath plumbing.

[ardvark]

Given the onset, I would focus on those fitting that are twist tighten rather than pinch clamp. Pinch bands are very robust and seldom leak.

[Scott_Central_O]

Kayteg1 wrote:
I found few times that check valves on pumps deteriorate with years and they can leak the water back to the tank.
Good idea to buy rebuild kit every few years.

That wouldn't apply to my 6 mos old camper tho.

The short cycling began after a boondocking trip up 10 miles of rough road. I would have thought that plumbing fittings would be sufficiently robust to tolerate a rough ride but perhaps not.

[Kayteg1]

I found few times that check valves on pumps deteriorate with years and they can leak the water back to the tank.
Good idea to buy rebuild kit every few years.

[ardvark]

Water heater pressure relief valve (the one you see when you drop the water heater door on the outside) is weak and releasing a little. It happens. It will also do it if there is a calcium buildup.

Or on the inlet side (not the pressurized side) of the pump the hose is just loose enough so it emits a little air into the system. That is a common one folks often miss.

[snowcrustracer]

On my Northern Lite all of the plumbing is accessible behind the drawers and cabinets. The out side shower is off a T behind a access port that is in the wall of the dry bath. Not sure if that port is also in the wet bath?

[path1]

Several ways to confirm leak. I use air. I installed brass "tank plug" in both sides cold and hot. I air up to 50 psi and if no leaks no loss of psi. If you lose psi then to game of where leak is sometimes the hard part. Common leak places are connections...water heater back of shower or faucets etc