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  1. #1
    Site Sponsor CloseToRetirement's Avatar
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    Plastic PEX fitting failure

    Awoke to the water pump running every 90 seconds very early Saturday morning. Shut off the water pump as we are dry camping, depressurized the system then went back to bed. Saturday morning I cleared a path to the wall panel in the basement storage and looked through my window to see the water heater platform very wet. Pulled the panel and found more water than I wanted to see on the floor, not flooded but very wet.

    Had the DW start the pump and see the leaks are coming from the hot water inlet and outlet fittings, both of which are PEX plastic. Reached over to the cold line to check tightness to find it was adequately tight. Upon checking the hot water outlet the fitting broke off in my hand. Now scrambling for the small storage box I set aside, just in case, and let the top of the hot water tank drain. Had the DW pull the pressure relief valve on the exterior to help remove any remaining pressure.

    After a few minutes of draining, jumped out and drained the hot water tank completely. Now the planning starts...

    I already replaced the hot water outlet flex hose with PEX, at that time PEX-B, and the cold water inlet side was still flex hose. Since I carry 6 ft of PEX-A, both blue and red, in the coach, I decided to replace the plastic PEX elbows with brass and the hot and cold lines with PEX-A (l like the flexibility of A over B). Pulled the two lines out and cut new to size then back in with the original brass that came off the Kantleak valve and new brass on the hot water tank side.

    My plumbing re-do is scheduled for the week after Labor Day, but clearly the plastic just could not hold out. I know my new plan will still include replacing the two new lines put in this weekend but at least I can recycle the fittings.

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    ...and remembered I moved my water sensor close to the filter system installed a couple of weeks ago. Another story for the next time. Time to get a few more water sensors!

    Lyle
    Barb, Lyle and the 3 four-legged kids
    2015 Solitude 369RL #3521
    2018 Ford F350 DRW


    “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

  2. #2
    Big Traveler
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    If your water heater tank is aluminum you'll want to replace those brass fittings with plastic or risk possibly losing the water heater to corrosion. A more flexible type hose might be warranted to take the stress off the fittings.
    Jim & Georgianne
    N. California
    2016 Reflection 29RS
    2008 Ford F-250 Super Duty PSD
    B&W Companion hitch
    Rubber turtle with no name

  3. #3
    Site Sponsor Richter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CloseToRetirement View Post
    ...and remembered I moved my water sensor close to the filter system installed a couple of weeks ago. Another story for the next time. Time to get a few more water sensors!

    Lyle
    I bought a set of five. One is behind the basement wall, a second is under the filter system that I installed, near the water control system. The third is under the kitchen sink and the fourth is under the bathroom sink. I think I have the most likely spots covered. Number five is a spare, in case I have one that stops working.
    Tom and Janice (known as Tom in PGH on the “other” forum)

    First came the 18' Comfort bumper-pull, was great for 20 years.
    Now a 2019 Reflection 303RLS, second air, double glass, table and chairs
    2019 F350 Lariat (Diesel) 4x4 Crewcab with lots of goodies
    Andersen aluminum with the puck system holding it all together
    Cranberry Twp. PA, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh

  4. #4
    Site Sponsor CloseToRetirement's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by J&G garage View Post
    If your water heater tank is aluminum you'll want to replace those brass fittings with plastic or risk possibly losing the water heater to corrosion. A more flexible type hose might be warranted to take the stress off the fittings.
    There us a nylon short nipple coming out of the tank. I have a Suburban HW tank so it's a steel tank using the sacrificial anode rod not an aluminum Atwood tank. Nonetheless, the nylon nipple protects the tank from my brass fitting. After 36 hours on the new brass fitting, the tank remains leak free.
    Barb, Lyle and the 3 four-legged kids
    2015 Solitude 369RL #3521
    2018 Ford F350 DRW


    “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

  5. #5
    Big Traveler
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    Didn't know if you had an Atwood or not. Good that your fix it working.
    Jim & Georgianne
    N. California
    2016 Reflection 29RS
    2008 Ford F-250 Super Duty PSD
    B&W Companion hitch
    Rubber turtle with no name

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