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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper
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    Angry Leaks everywhere - Nautilus P1 and Plumbing System rebuild started

    During an early October week long camping trip to beautiful Bryce Canyon in Utah I encountered the famous Grand Design soft hose leaks. I had 12 PEX fittings that were leaking at the clamp connection to the 1/2" ID soft hose. Nine (9) were on the Nautilus P1 panel, one on the cold water side of the water heater and both fittings behind the shower valves. I spent a full day and a half chasing down leaks and building patch fittings out of Flair-it fittings. Needless to say I was less than happy. I have started the process to rebuild the Nautilus P1 panel the way that the manufacturer (B and B Molders) specified with PEX and replacing as much of the soft hose in the rest of the fifth wheel as possible. My progress on the P1 panel is shown below. I am waiting for the temperatures in Gilbert, AZ to drop a little more before I start removing the remaining soft hose.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Nautilus-P1-Installation.pdf 
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    Last edited by Kevin2282; 10-22-2020 at 10:02 AM.
    Kevin and Jennifer
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  2. #2
    Site Sponsor
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    As an owner of a Kantleak water panel(the predecessor to the Nautilus), been there and from time to time still doing it. Looking at tge rear of either of these panels makes it Abundantly clear neither system builders ever heard the acronym KISS.
    Nice job by the way!
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  3. #3
    Paid my dues 😁 FT4NOW's Avatar
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    Good start. I went a completely different direction and ditched the entire panel and started over. I had a valve break internally and replacing one is a mess, not to mention you have to order replacements through a dealer around $100 per valve. If you search the forum for 'good bye Nautilus' you can see what I did.

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  4. #4
    Long Hauler geotex1's Avatar
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    Great stuff! Our unit has less of the vinyl, but I've been progressively replacing what there is of it. The "emergency" repair was replumbing the twin sinks in the bathroom from faucet all the way back to the wet bay. Nothing like unloading your basement at the campground for a day's worth of contortions and cursing!
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  5. #5
    Big Traveler
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    I ripped it all out and went pex, bypass the plastic crap panel and everything.

    My last trip the plastic hot water heater check valve disintegrated and I had a nice surprise. Ripped out the water heater to change both the inlet and what was left of the outlet valve to brass.
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  6. #6
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aridon View Post
    I ripped it all out and went pex, bypass the plastic crap panel and everything.

    My last trip the plastic hot water heater check valve disintegrated and I had a nice surprise. Ripped out the water heater to change both the inlet and what was left of the outlet valve to brass.
    I may end up going that route, but I wanted to try plumbing the P1 panel the correct way first before I completely start from scratch.
    Kevin and Jennifer
    2016 RAM 3500 Laramie Mega Cab CTD Aisin 4x4 SRW
    2019 Reflection 28BH (Built 2/2019)
    - 78" Theater Seat, Second AC, Dual Pane Windows
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  7. #7
    Site Team Redapple63's Avatar
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    I have had mine a bit over a year now with no plumbing issues.
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kevin2282 View Post
    I may end up going that route, but I wanted to try plumbing the P1 panel the correct way first before I completely start from scratch.
    Kevin - there are some great technical threads over at the other GD site with a lot of detail on some successful panel re-dos. Might be worth a look.

    PS site is free
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  9. #9
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by Redapple63 View Post
    I have had mine a bit over a year now with no plumbing issues.
    You might want to check all of your soft hose connections to the PEX fittings. I could easily twist almost all of mine with my bare hands. Very few were tight enough to hold the 50 psi of water pressure that I had on the trailer. All of the PEX pipe to PEX fittings were fine. It as all of the 1/2" ID soft hose connections that were leaking. The 17.5 PEX pinch clamps just can't compress enough to get tight seal. I will post more pictures when I get the replumb done.
    Kevin and Jennifer
    2016 RAM 3500 Laramie Mega Cab CTD Aisin 4x4 SRW
    2019 Reflection 28BH (Built 2/2019)
    - 78" Theater Seat, Second AC, Dual Pane Windows
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    Blue Ox Super Ride BXR7200 with a Demco Factory Prep Bracket 6099

  10. #10
    Big Traveler boyscout's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FT4NOW View Post
    Good start. I went a completely different direction and ditched the entire panel and started over. I had a valve break internally and replacing one is a mess, not to mention you have to order replacements through a dealer around $100 per valve. If you search the forum for 'good bye Nautilus' you can see what I did.
    I've just searched with the Advanced Search facility at upper right as well as using Google to search this site. Results are two posts telling people to look for "Goodbye Nautilus" but not any post describing / illustrating what you did.

    I remember your post - any chance it can be found another way?

    EDIT: Found it! It's good bye (two words) as you said and not goodbye as I thought.

    https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...autilus-system
    Last edited by boyscout; 11-25-2020 at 11:39 AM.
    Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

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