Dear Dave,
I just bought this RV in December. There have been multiple leaks under the sink in the kitchen and the bathroom. I have had it in for repairs multiple times at the dealership and they say they have fixed it, but I beg to differ. And in the overall grand scheme of things, it doesn’t leak continually.
Now under the kitchen sink it only leaks when I turn on the propane portion of my water heater. I have the electric part turned on all the time. I only turn on the propane portion of the water heater when I take a shower. It leaks every time. Any tips or advice, because I am done with the repair people. I feel they have exceeded their level of competency. And I know that is not a very Christian thing to say; it’s just how I feel at the moment. —Julie, 2024 Forest River Flagstaff
Dear Julie,
Water leaks are very difficult to track down, as you have experienced, as they typically are not leaking at the point you actually see the drips. Here is a screenshot of the video you sent.
Why use 120-volt power and LP for water heater?
This is a typical hot and cold “PEX” style pipe with a cinch clamp and female connector. The drip is coming from the cold water line dripping at the clamp and plastic connector. What is puzzling is why it only drips when the water heater is used on LP. According to the features on the website, your rig comes standard with a water heater that runs on 120-volt power using a heating element, or LP with a flame. I am not sure why you switch to LP mode when you take a shower. However, I assume that the temperature is not hot enough on 120-volt power? It could be that the heating element is weak or not working, and you are just getting lukewarm or ambient temperature water?
Verify temperature of hot water at a faucet
The first thing I would suggest is to verify the temperature of the hot water at a faucet when using 120-volt mode. Your water heater should have a thermostat or temperature sensor of 130 degrees. If you are not getting that temperature on 120 volt, you have an issue with the heating element. Next check temperature on the LP mode.
My guess is the LP mode is much hotter and that heat is making something expand such as a metal fitting at the water heater, a PEX pipe, or connection. If you can make the drip happen like in the video, follow the red PEX upstream and see where it connects. My guess is the leak is actually happening somewhere upstream and following or flowing down the pipe to the low point and looks like it is leaking at the crimp or connection. You should be able to feel it with your fingers or wrap some colored paper around the pipe and it will darken if there is moisture. I would look at the outgoing spout from the water heater for cracks or the connection there and any connection downstream.
What to do if leak is not upstream
If the leak is not upstream, feel the temperature of the drips to determine if it is warm or cold water, which will help isolate the pipe. If the leak is at the pipe and connection, I would check the tightness of the cinch clamp, as this can be a source for leaks if not given the correct pressure with a crimp tool during installation.
It could also be a crack in the plastic connector, or even the metal connector of the hose going to the faucet. You shouldn’t need pipe tape on this connection, but if the threads on either side are nicked slightly it might help. This is an easy DIY if you have a little plumbing experience and the proper pinch crimp tool. You can get one on Amazon here.
Do not purchase the cheap version at a home improvement store that does not have the ratchet feature, as it will not tighten and seal. You may need to cut off the old connection and purchase a new female fitting to reapply. These are standard fitting you can find at any home improvement store. If you do not want to purchase the tool and tackle it yourself, any certified plumber will have this tool and can do the job.
Update from Julie
When I post a response to a question, I send a rough draft in Word to the original poster and most of the time I do not get a response. However, tonight I did get this from Julie:
Hi Dave,
I was actually able to re-create the leak when I had a local repair guy come here and help me. I had taken it in to the RV dealer three times where I bought it and they were not able to fix it for me because they weren’t listening to what I was telling them.
At any rate, the RV repair guy basically told me exactly what you did—when it gets hotter, it expanded it where the leak was coming from right at the crimp. He cut the lines, put on new fixtures and new clamps, and I have not had a problem since.
I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have that leak stopped.
I’ll do the water heater test and see what my temperature is running. I’ve not checked that.
I turn on my LP in addition to my electric just to make my hot water for my shower last a little bit longer.
I greatly appreciate you getting back to me. Have a wonderful day. Thank you. —Julie
You might also enjoy this from Dave
RV’s underbelly filling up with water. How do I find the source?
Dear Dave,
We may have a leak in the kitchen’s gray tank as the underbelly fills with water and it stinks up the whole place. We empty the tank every two days (used to be four) as I wash a lot of fruit and veggies. Lately we just leave it open. We drilled a couple of holes in the underbelly, about where the middle jacks are (under the office/bunk house slide area), to let it drain faster. …
Read the rest of L. Beal’s question and Dave’s answer.
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
Read more from Dave here.
HAVE A QUESTION FOR DAVE?
Send your inquiries to him using the form below.
##RVDT2379
Thanks Dave. I always like reading your posts and insights on repiring RV issues.
I had one this week: Our hot water (using electric) was not hot. It had been but then stopped. It got hot on propane but not electric. I checked the element – ohms test – and it seemed okay. I checked power to the element and I had 120v then nothing, then 120v again. I scratched my head because the water was cold so it should have been heating. Long story short: the thermostat was going bad and allowing intermittent power to the element. New one for me….
We had a bad rocker switch causing the same scenario. I was wondering if a bad propane thermostat might cause a build up of pressure if it allows the water to over heat.
I would emphasize the OR in either electric or gas operation of the water heater. I never heard of using both simultaneously.
Never heard of using propane and electric simultaneously? You must be taking Navy showers.
I have used Shark Bite connections on PEX before where other ideas never worked…still working.
Thank you, Dave! 🙂 I appreciate getting a brief plumbing tutorial, thank you! We haven’t a hot water heater, per se, in our rig. Instead, we have a boiler (Oasis is the brand name) with both electric- and diesel-fired elements. When we are attached to shore power, we typically only use the electric elements (there are two). However, if it is chilly outside (~40° F or lower) and we are showering, then the boiler typically needs help from the diesel-fired element in order to get the water past “warm.” Perhaps Julie is finding a similar outcome with her hot-water heater. In any case, thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
Hey Dave that sure was great detective work! Even better is when you get a reply from the person that had the issue & got it fixed exactly as you had mentioned! No big surprise about the RV dealer not fixing it & the repair guy actually found 9it & fixed it. Best part about it getting repaired is was done in place where they were & didn’t have to deal with the ordeal of moving the RV,,,,, HAPPY ENDING 🙂
Snoopy