Nautilus Schematic ??

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Thank you all for this advice. No leaks yet but I want to be ready as a 4 month trip is coming up. Purchased the tools, some PEX tubing and a bunch of fittings. Hope I won’t need them. Also installed 3 water alarms.

Same thing I have done. I have crimpers, cut off tool, and six each of tees, elbows, straights, then a couple 4' lengths of blue and red pex.

[RickLight]

I've found a worm gear clamp works as a backup to a pex clamp. Neither is ideal on flex but the combo is good enough, so far!

[KDutchover]

I've found a worm gear clamp works as a backup to a pex clamp. Neither is ideal on flex but the combo is good enough, so far!

Using a hair dryer to heat the flex hose before using a clamp has worked for my friend and I.

[dfowens]

Thank you all for this advice. No leaks yet but I want to be ready as a 4 month trip is coming up. Purchased the tools, some PEX tubing and a bunch of fittings. Hope I won’t need them. Also installed 3 water alarms.

I am interested in the water alarm idea! Please provide more details! What devices do you use, etc.

[ACDW-Ottawa]

Does anyone have a "complete" diagram of the nautilus system?

I just developed the dreaded flex-to-pex leak. As you guessed it when I finished fixing the ONE leak, I turned the water back on and now have 7 or so more to fix that were not there originally. It's really really tough to get in that space. :-(

Thanks,

I haven't had any issues with soft hose on the PEX connectors. I have worked with all kinds of PEX and I suggest you try some simple things before anything else. Make sure the PEX cinch tool is calibrated properly to make a tight fitting. Make sure the pinch clamp is located over the ridges on the PEX fitting to ensure no leaks. You can try 2 cinch rings on the same fitting, if necessary.

Note: Do not use Push to fit fittings like shark bite on flexible hose because they only work on rigid pipe.

[FlyStar]

I am interested in the water alarm idea! Please provide more details! What devices do you use, etc.

I use this one:

Instapark Water Leakage Detection Alarm and Sensor, Low Battery Alert Pack of 3 https://a.co/d/hruJcUe

[Steven@147]

I use this one:

Instapark Water Leakage Detection Alarm and Sensor, Low Battery Alert Pack of 3 https://a.co/d/hruJcUe

We use those as well. One behind the nautilus panel ,one under kitchen sink, 3rd one is a spare.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

@FlyStar @Stephen@147
Did you test those alarms to see how much water sets them off? Is there something like a resistive pad on the bottom that needs to get wet?

[Steven@147]

@FlyStar @Stephen@147
Did you test those alarms to see how much water sets them off? Is there something like a resistive pad on the bottom that needs to get wet?

Water Leak Alarms

As you see in the picture, the probe snaps onto the little platform with double sided foam tape to mount it where you want it. The probe acts like a switch, there are metal strips inside the probe all the way to the tip of the probe, water on the probe between the metal strips makes the switch and turns on the alarm. The depth of the probe mounting foam and platform is a little over 1/8 inch thick together so it would not take much water to touch the probe and short the contacts together. the sensor will also beep if the 9v battery gets low.

However all that said, it most likely will not detect a very slow drip and the leak would have to be dripping for a long time to get enough water (1/8 inch deep) to set off the alarm, unless it was dripping right on the probe. Now the basement wall panel that covers the side of the nautilus panel, I cut that panel into two pieces, hinged it and made a door thats about 24 inches wide. I don't have to pull the whole basement wall to inspect behind the nautilus panel, just open the door and check for slow drips.

[MoonShadow_1911]

As you see in the picture, the probe snaps onto the little platform with double sided foam tape to mount it where you want it. The probe acts like a switch, there are metal strips inside the probe, water on the probe between the metal strips makes the switch and turns on the alarm. The depth of the probe mounting foam and platform is a little over 1/8 inch thick together so it would not take much water to touch the probe and short the contacts together. the sensor will also beep if the 9v battery gets low.

This is exactly what I use. The alarm is LOUD! When I had the leak from the back of my Nautilus panel at three flex hose connections, it was screaming. The floor wasn't flooded, thankfully but, where I put the sensor plate, it detected that minute amount of water. I slide the sensor plate under the bottom of the Nautilus panel so the sensor is as close to the floor as possible. You do have to open it and pull the battery to get it to shut off quickly, or remove the sensor and dry it out. I elected to remove the battery. Also, since the wet bay is under the bedroom slide, I have a funny feeling that the alarm will wake us up if it ever goes off in the middle of the night.

As an aside, I heard the alarm, with lots of street noise, when we stopped at the RV park we are staying in currently. I walked by the wet bay for, heard the alarm and wondered what the sound was. I opened the door (big mistake without hearing protection! I jest, but it's LOUD!) and checked the floor just outside of the panel and it was dry. My immediate first thought was the dreaded flex hose leak and when I opened the door I made to access the back of the Nautilus panel, sure enough, there was some water down there. I pulled the battery, went in and signed in, parked, went to Home Depot and bought over $200 of PEX fittings, clamps, the tools, and 10' of tubing. Replaced the Tee and threaded connectors that the flex hose was leaking at then spent most of my time getting the crimp rings on to the flex hose ends that were to long to replace that night.

I did replace the short pieces of flex hose with the ridged PEX, but I think that clamping the flex hose to the brass barbed fittings is a good temporary fix until I have the time to replace all of the flex hose with the ridged PEX.