How do I fix this leak?

[episodic]

The fitting for the hot water under our sink is leaking slightly. I really don't want to pull the rv back to the dealer to fix it. Can someone explain how to do this?

[waiter21]

If the leak is between the stainless and the white plastic, you could try tightening them up a little.

If the leak is between the red PEX tubing and the white plastic, your screwed. That would require redoing the PEX fitting.

[caper]

The plumbing in your unit is not much different the the plumbing in your house. Do the same repairs to the fittings as you would do if you were home.

[episodic]

Originally Posted by waiter21

If the leak is between the stainless and the white plastic, you could try tightening them up a little.

If the leak is between the red PEX tubing and the white plastic, your screwed. That would require redoing the PEX fitting.

I think it is from the brass colored part where it connects to the white part. I tried turning the white part clockwise over the brass part.

The leak was super slow, so it'll be a while to see. If I get a wrench on the brass part, is that just to provide leverage for turning the white part?

Is there a washer in there?

If the pex has to be redone, can a standard plumber do that? Or do I have to call an RV guy?

[episodic]

[QUOTE=caper;1044100]The plumbing in your unit is not much different the the plumbing in your house. Do the same repairs to the fittings as you would do if you were home.[/QUOTE

I would normally call a plumber. I'm trying to learn but unsure of how things work.

[tinkerreknit]

It's a minor problem and you're on the right track. You can over-tighten pretty easily, so snug it up a little at a time and check for leaks often to note any change. If you think you are getting too tight with it, take it all apart and inspect for cracks in the fittings or tiny debris preventing a good seal. You shouldn't have to do this (and there is likely to be an uproar about it) but you could apply a little plumbing thread compound to the threads to seal a minor scratch in the threads.

[caper]

If the pex has to be redone, can a standard plumber do that? Or do I have to call an RV guy?

A plumber can do the job. You can also purchase Shark bite fittings that will repair pex fittings with out using clamps. They cast a bit more but are super easy to use. Just talk the the people in the plumbing department at your local hardware store. They will help you find the right product and also tell you how to use it.

[Timex]

[QUOTE=episodic;1044108]I think it is from the brass colored part where it connects to the white part. I tried turning the white part clockwise over the brass part.

The leak was super slow, so it'll be a while to see. If I get a wrench on the brass part, is that just to provide leverage for turning the white part?
QUOTE]

I would try to unscrew the white piece off the brass fitting and wrap some plumber's tape around the threads. The brass piece probably has the threaded end. One of them will have threads. Hold the brass with a wrench and tighten the white end with your hand(if possible). As you tighten things back on, remember that piece is plastic and will only go so tight. If you go too far, be sure kids aren't around as they will learn new words. That dreaded crack sound is the worst sound you'll ever hear.

[SilhouettePenny]

If you hear that crack, you're gonna need one of these from Lowe's...1st pic. Then a tube cutter...2nd pic. And a PEX crimper...3rd pic. Probably won't be the last PEX repair but I suspect most tubing is all 1/2" in your RV. Then you can relocate drain valves to help justify the tools expense.

[rsdata]

use Teflon tape to help seal the threads anytime that you have a leak... cheap to buy, not messy and easy to use
check youtube videos on how to apply

good luck

[PeterThePlumber]

Originally Posted by episodic

I think it is from the brass colored part where it connects to the white part. I tried turning the white part clockwise over the brass part.

The leak was super slow, so it'll be a while to see. If I get a wrench on the brass part, is that just to provide leverage for turning the white part?

Is there a washer in there?

If the pex has to be redone, can a standard plumber do that? Or do I have to call an RV guy?

If you are correct as to where the leak is coming from, you may have fixed it. Yes the wrench on the brass part; I'm guessing the brass part ion from the faucet supply; is to provide backup; "leverage"; to be able to tighten the white plastic part. Yes there should be a washer in there, most likely in the white plastic part. It is possible that it is a plastic on brass seal. Yes a plumber can do that, good luck getting one out! I would refer you to your RV dealer unless I knew you personally. But, as pointed out you can easily do pex repairs with sharkbite fittings or actual PEX tools. The other posters allready explained those to you, as well as pointing out to make sure the white fitting is not cracked. Good Luck!

[MilCop4523]

Originally Posted by rsdata

use Teflon tape to help seal the threads anytime that you have a leak... cheap to buy, not messy and easy to use
check youtube videos on how to apply

x2 the outside shower on our 5th wheel was only finger tight and when i pulled out the shower head it msut have come off. the water was still runnign inside the traier while i was outside cleaning the site and i noticed it. Shut the campground water off and immediately removed teh shower unit to find the line had come completely off. and there was no teflon tape around the threads

reattached with tape and no leaks seen.

as for the tightening... go lightly as you could strip or damage the ends even more.
and a plummer can do this or you could sometimes inquire at HD about their rent a tool to see if they have the same crimper for the ends and reset the lines fresh.
Not a big job. We have seen worse before.
genreally 100 miles from home in another country with no tools at our side

[Myrle]

Originally Posted by episodic

The fitting for the hot water under our sink is leaking slightly. I really don't want to pull the rv back to the dealer to fix it. Can someone explain how to do this?

Get you a small roll of Teflon tape at any hardware store take loose put at four turns around copper fittings. You have to careful on connections plastic to copper if you keep tightening them there a good possibility of cracking the plastic fitting. If this you have to replace that line or I have fixed them with JB Weld in the plastic line just make sure to get the.moisture out of the line.

[Det107]

What everyone said about tightening and tape,be careful not to over tighten. I believe this type of fitting has an O-ring for a gasket my unit dose.

[jz5w63]

Don't use any tape on the threads - that is trying to seal it via the threads and this is a compression seal fitting. Did you or anyone ever change or modify this piping? Because usually the pex with the white fitting goes right on the faucet not to a braided stainless line. I did modify mine with the stainless flex to new fittings on the pex because the damn pex white plastic fittings just would not seal. I actually cut the pex white fitting off and drove brass hose barb fittings into the end of the pex and hose clamped. This was a very tight push in of the barb fitting so I was able to compress the pex adequately with the hose clamp. Then I selected a stainless hose with the correct thread and integral rubber seal to seal on the threaded end of the hose barb. This avoided going to a pex crimper which will cost about $35 to $60. The other answer is Shark bite or Gator bite fittings for the cut end of the Pex. Make sure your Pex is indeed 1/2" which is a North American standard. (Unfortunately my US built Hunter sailboat has metric pex which is slightly bigger dia than the 1/2" and I had to special order a fitting from a boat shop which makes it about 3 or 4 times the cost of normal Home Depot Sharks or Gators). By the way it looks like the fittings you now have in place are not compatible as the brass one seals by threads and the white Pex one has a plastic cone inside which gets ripped ragged on the inside edge of the brass fitting. Tightening it up gingerly might work but chances are it will leak again. You either need all thread seal fittings that teflon tape will work on or compression fittings where the rubber gasket has a good surface to seal against. If you're not handy on plumbing, get a plumber! By the way what actually, was the source of my leak was the damn faucet itself within which the cup seals had come apart. I messed up my Pex plastic fittings by overtightening to try to stop the leak which was coming down around the hoses giving the appearance of a hose leak. Hence, I had to replace the Pex ends as well as the faucet. Those faucets are just really cheap plastic stuff and I replaced it with a Peerless all brass from Walmart that fit right in with no problem!