couch/dinette bench - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

phoneguy1212 · 07-06-2014, 05:05 PM

I just hooked up water to test the city connection and all worked fine at sink, shower and toilet. Then I noticed water on the floor coming from under the couch. My unit has a dinette with couches that lay down like a jack knife couch. one on each side and when both are down they come together for a king size bed. I raised the couch to look for the leak and naturally can't tell. Really difficult to hold the couch up and still have hands free to feel around.

My question is, Can a person take that couch out to do the work and put the couch back without doing permanent damage?

Question two. The water lines are some sort of smooth plastic tubing and looks like crimp connectors. Can I just replace with pex?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jerry

charlie b · 07-06-2014, 06:00 PM

Hi Jerry,
I don't know what your couch is like but what other choice do you have? If you are careful I know you can do it. That's the difference between rip and tear and disassemble.

I would guess that if you know what Pex is you can fix the leak. It may just be one hole where you can just replace that section. if it is in the lowest spot probably a crack from freezing, and probably more than one leak. If Pex won't work the plastic line is available at mobile home dealers or camper supply places and isn't real expensive. I hope you are lucky and only find one bad section. It might even be a loose connection.

They make a fitting to screw on the water connector that you can blow out the line which is also good for finding leaks without the water damage.

Good luck and report back when you find it.

renoites · 07-06-2014, 07:37 PM

the jack knife couch can be removed. There are screws in a bracket near the center of sides. remove and lift. sounds like you have 2 side by side....same method.
The jack knife action usually has a stop in the center position which allows one side to stand up without holding.
have help since it can be unwieldy and hard to handle(moves on more than one plane).
your piping is "quest" pipe. it is grey. pex fittings can work and most can be found that do not need to have a crimp tool. all HD and Lowes have the fittings and pipe.

sam · 07-06-2014, 08:09 PM

I would have someone fold the couch over...hold it up while you find the leak. As usual our forum members have given you some really good trouble shooting suggestions. Take the couch out only if you must. It is a real pain,but can be done with no damage.

phoneguy1212 · 07-06-2014, 08:34 PM

Thanks for the quick replies. Charlie maybe great mind think alike. I was already thinking of taking an end off an old hose and sticking a pipe nipple in it for my air compressor to find the leaks. Those crimp type connectors don't look like they can be re-crimped so if there's just a little meat left might be able to just put a small hose clamp on it. The lines are right up against the wall and it would be so much easier to take the couch out instead of trying to squeeze my 250 fat behind between upper and lower part of the couch. I can't quite believe how heavy that couch is with inner springs and all. I'll go at it slowly Thanks

charlie b · 07-06-2014, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phoneguy1212

I was already thinking of taking an end off an old hose and sticking a pipe nipple in it for my air compressor

I bought a 3/4 pipe to male hose adapter and a plug for the 3/4 pipe thread thread and drilled and tapped it to hold a male quick connect air fitting so I could plug my compressor to it to blow down the lines. I set the regulator to 60 PSI. Makes winterizing easy20140705fitting.jpg
You can buy them at the camper store with a tire valve end, but I couldn't locate a locking tire chuck.

RichR · 07-06-2014, 09:18 PM

I have read that 30 pounds pressure should be the maximum. But I'm only believing what I saw on the Internet because it is always right.

charlie b · 07-06-2014, 09:41 PM

Rich, That tubing should hold way over a hundred psi. At 60 psi the lines clear well enough that I haven't had to add anti freeze to the fresh water lines in my 79 Coachmen do drop inn that I have set up for quests.
When I worked in Schenley, Pa lowest point on a municipal water system, you could blow a hose up in a minute. water pressure you wouldn't believe.
Our well runs at 45 PSI and the city system in town varies from 50 on top of the hill to 65 down town so when you tap into some supplies you probably get more than 30 PSI.

RichR · 07-07-2014, 07:59 AM

I would guess that maybe the 30 psi is the blowout fitting manufacturer's figure to prevent liability. I call it the "The stupid people factor." I think the water pressure regulators for RV's are set to something like 50 psi.

Rolff · 07-07-2014, 04:17 PM

Is your pump under there? I thought I had a leak and it was a crack in a little filer basket on the pump. although with city water the pump wouldn't have pressure. I also had a leak because the line drain valve was unscrewed enough for it to leak.
$2.50 at walmart.
Item
When winterizing I use a pressure regulator the plug and my 12V compressor. The regulators a made for 40-50 PSI so the pipes must be rated higher than that.