Newbie plumbing question

[ERWIN O]

Just got back from a 500 mile maiden Thanksgiving voyage. Besides my drivers side lower mirror falling off everything went pretty well. I was able to reach out and grab it as it was dangling on the heater wires. I was doing 60 mph on the highway so I had to tear it from the heater wires. Source for new adhesive heat pack for mirror???

Real problem. Woke up this morning and saw a lot of water under the bus. Traced it back to the compartment with the hot and cold water drains. They are right next to the Aquahot. Lifted the valve cover and found the hot valve top had cracked at the threaded ring and worked its way out of the valve. Thus the leaking water under the bus.

Are theses valves intended to drain the pressurized hot and cold loops after the the holding tank? Let’s say to winterize the system. I drained the holding tank in the past from the large valve under bed.

My real question is. To stop the leak until I find a replacement valve. I assume as long as I don’t turn the pump on there will be no more water coming out of that broken valve.

Is this correct?

Thanks
Erwin

[jcs707]

Originally Posted by ERWIN O

Just got back from a 500 mile maiden Thanksgiving voyage. Besides my drivers side lower mirror falling off everything went pretty well. I was able to reach out and grab it as it was dangling on the heater wires. I was doing 60 mph on the highway so I had to tear it from the heater wires. Source for new adhesive heat pack for mirror???

Real problem. Woke up this morning and saw a lot of water under the bus. Traced it back to the compartment with the hot and cold water drains. They are right next to the Aquahot. Lifted the valve cover and found the hot valve top had cracked at the threaded ring and worked its way out of the valve. Thus the leaking water under the bus.

Are theses valves intended to drain the pressurized hot and cold loops after the the holding tank? Let’s say to winterize the system. I drained the holding tank in the past from the large valve under bed.

My real question is. To stop the leak until I find a replacement valve. I assume as long as I don’t turn the pump on there will be no more water coming out of that broken valve.

Is this correct?

Thanks
Erwin

yes and yes. These are the hot and cold low point drains on the pressurized side of the system. You may also have another low point drain on the curb side - my 95 WB42 did.

Couple of drawings that might help you visualize the system - not guaranteed to match your bus - but will probably be close.

https://www.wanderlodgeownersgroup.c...ad.php?t=24334

[ERWIN O]

Thanks Clint
Your drawing is very complete and easy to follow. There are quite a few of these same valves under kitchen sink. Would probably be a good idea to carry a few extras on the road.


Thanks
Erwin

[ERWIN O]

Anyone have a current source for these plastic stop valves?

Thanks
Erwin

[Alever]

Erwin, If you can get the valve back in place and hold it down with a couple zip ties the oring seal should keep the water from leaking past till you can get a good fix. You may have to get some Polybutlene to PEX adaptors to go from the original type plastic pipe to the newer PEX pipe and install PEX valves.

[BrianS]

Those gray pipes are polybutylene, which is no longer sold, as it was found to frequently fail, and causing big water leaks. Not news to you!
My 97 used CPVC piping in that area, pex in others. Pex would be the best to use to replace that, but the CPVC works fine on mine, and is easy to put in. Just don't let the water in it freeze, that CPVC will crack easy if that happens.

[jwood]

Originally Posted by ERWIN O

Anyone have a current source for these plastic stop valves?

Thanks
Erwin

Those fittings are still available at most hardware stores. I've gotten a couple from Ace for our BMC.

[ERWIN O]

Found some Sharkbite fittings that convert the old polybutylene to Pex. Cut the polybutylene and continued on with the sharkbite valves and fittings and Pex. Worked out pretty well. Thanks to all.

Erwin