stopping water to the outside shower

[peanutmydog]

i have a 2006 trailmanor 3023 and have a bad leak to the shower, the white pipe is very hard,is there a way i could cut the pipe and plug it up,,,two white pipes

[Bill]

As Shane mentioned in your other thread, there is no shutoff. You need to cut the caulk around the shower box, and then pull it out from the side of the trailer. This gives you access to the shower connections and valves. You can then either fix the leak, or cut the pipes and close them off with something like a Sharkbite fitting. Fixing the leak may be easiest, since it is probably just a loose connection that is easily tightened. This would also preserve the operation of the shower, which will be handy when you sell the TM.

Bill

[ShrimpBurrito]

You could also pull out the shower box as bill described, and instead of cutting the tubing to cap it with a Sharkbite, you could just screw in some male nylon plugs. Also very easy to undo. That's what I did with mine when it leaked on a trip. Frankly, those plugs are good to have on hand anyway for any of the supply lines. If a faucet nipple breaks, you can't use the water at all in the TM without that leaking, so removing the line and screwing in the plug is a temporary fix so you can at least use the rest of the water lines.

Available at a hardware or plumbing supply store, Amazon, etc.

Dave

[Bill]

... screw in some male nylon plugs

Having experienced a shower-pipe leak recently, I like this idea a lot. But I am having trouble finding a plug that says it is compatible with PEX tubing. Nylon seems softer than the PEX surface, so will a nylon plug screw into a PEX pipe, forming at least enough thread depth to hold pressure reliably?

ISTR that TM used to install PVC pipe rather than PEX. Is the surface of PVC softer than PEX?

Bill

[peanutmydog]

thanks for the information, but i found the problem,broken tee or cracked tee, went to home depot got some tee's crimps and a friend had a crimping tool, work on it in the morning.

[FlyboyTR]

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

You could also pull out the shower box as bill described, and instead of cutting the tubing to cap it with a Sharkbite, you could just screw in some male nylon plugs. Also very easy to undo. That's what I did with mine when it leaked on a trip. Frankly, those plugs are good to have on hand anyway for any of the supply lines. If a faucet nipple breaks, you can't use the water at all in the TM without that leaking, so removing the line and screwing in the plug is a temporary fix so you can at least use the rest of the water lines.

Available at a hardware or plumbing supply store, Amazon, etc.

Dave

Dave,
Thanks for posting this info. In our motorhome, I have cut-off valves on all water lines that feed various faucets, ice-maker, water heater, ,etc. So I have (for whatever absent minded reason...) never even considered a potential fixture failure in the TM. Being able to plug the supply line until better times prevail is a great idea. Thanks!

I have ordered these. Seemed to be the best option as they come with two seals, can be installed semi-tool-less (only using one tool on the swivel supply nut). Thanks again for the great suggestion.

https://amzn.to/3h1tEq2

Peanutmydog...glad you found and repaired your broken fitting!

[ShrimpBurrito]

Originally Posted by Bill

Having experienced a shower-pipe leak recently, I like this idea a lot. But I am having trouble finding a plug that says it is compatible with PEX tubing. Nylon seems softer than the PEX surface, so will a nylon plug screw into a PEX pipe, forming at least enough thread depth to hold pressure reliably?

ISTR that TM used to install PVC pipe rather than PEX. Is the surface of PVC softer than PEX?

Bill

The fresh water supply lines attach to all the faucets with female threaded nuts. As best I could tell, they are 1/2" NPT, and so that's what I have successfully used to plug them.

I've used these, which I can confirm work under pressure (and which appear similar to what FlyBoy ordered):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JZ2K8HX

...but I've also used a more freely available alternative, available at just about any hardware or plumbing store. And that solution is just using a 1/2" NPT PVC riser like this:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-1-...8081/100038935

...with a 1/2" NPT cap, like this:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Charlott...00HD/203811708

I've used both -- one in each of my TMs. Works like a champ, though it might be easier to get a good seal with the riser/cap assembly because the riser of hollow, and doesn't push up against the PEX inside the connection on the TM like the plugs do. But, both work, which is the only thing that matters, and since they would be infrequently (if ever) used, easier to use than installing a shutoff, the latter of which also introduces more places to leak.

Dave

[FlyboyTR]

Let me add another thought to this thread. IF...there is always an IF... If an internal fitting broke (not a fixture) but an inline Tee or elbow requiring the PEX tubing be cut and capped, you will want to use a Sharkbite Cap for that. It would basically just push onto the cut PEX pipe. That would solve a leaking problem until proper repairs could be made. This is a link. Basically the same price as HomeDepot but without the hassle of going to get it!

https://amzn.to/3ulSV1o

Remember, the plugs I previously mentioned would thread into one of the swivel fittings that attach the plumbing to the fixture. It seems we read a lot about the outside shower fixture freezing and cracking...these are usually found on the first camping trip. If it was ONLY the fixture that cracked, then these are the threaded plugs you could use.

https://amzn.to/3VCFPse

Always good to be prepared!


OH...while writing this a member messaged me about a potential specific problem. The question was...."If there was a leak on the hot water side of things, could the hot water be turned off...and only use cold water." I will share my answer since it is along what we're already discussing. At the back of the water heater (under the sink from inside) there are two water lines connected to the heater. Typically the bottom one is cold IN and the top line is hot OUT. Assuming the water is off and you drained the water heater (anode rode removal or by valve depending on the water heater OR used the proper drain line under the camper), then remove the cold water IN supply line at the back of the water heater and use one of the afore mentioned threaded plugs to cap off the swivel connector. This would stop cold water from entering the water heater and thereby completely take all the hot water plumbing off-line.

LOL...nothing more exciting than a cold shower on a frigid night!

[peanutmydog]

yes i done it just like that,repaired it all,exect no shower outside, i fix the water line and plug off the hot and cold water to the shower,,,don't need it anyway,,thanks for the information

[FlyboyTR]

Originally Posted by peanutmydog

yes i done it just like that,repaired it all,exect no shower outside, i fix the water line and plug off the hot and cold water to the shower,,,don't need it anyway,,thanks for the information

Great! Glad you got it worked out.