First Plumbing Leak

[FishAR]

Went to flush the black tank today and water poured out. Ran and shut off the hose, waited for the sanicon to quit pumping and shut it off, then ran inside to look for water. No water on the floor in bathroom or anywhere above the water bay.

The only other place to look is behind the hydro hot furnace fan, so I pulled the louvered cover off. There it was. Pulled the drawer above it out to get a better look. I'm sure all of you know what I found.

Stupid backflow preventer leaking. And it's stuck back there where I can barely touch it. Actually tied to the back of the plywood under the drawer near the outside wall. Luckily it drained through the hole the pipes go through down into the water bay.

 

I have yet to own a travel trailer, fifth wheel or any rv that I have not had this leak. And they usually put the thing where you have a hard time accessing it. It's the dumbest thing ever.

 

I've replaced these before but on my last unit before this, the Montana 5th wheel, I think I got a little smarter and just plumbed around it. Cut the pipes and tied them together. Then I put a screw in backflow preventer valve where the hose to the tank flush goes. Then screw the hose into that when I use it. I'm glad I know this solution because I can't even touch this one, much less take it off.

So I've got a fan in there blowing in this compartment now to dry it out. The only question now is if I tie the pipes together in that compartment or go ahead and take the cover off the water bay and tie them together back there, getting them completely outside of the interior of the coach. I guess I'll decide that when I see how hard it is to get the water bay apart.

 

Anyway, thanks for giving me a place to rant...