Water problem - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

durangoken · 07-07-2019, 04:49 PM

Hello,
I recently purchased a 1998 Hi-Lo after looking for a long time. I
only camped once in early winter and did not use water. I went to check everything out today and put the hose in from my house to check plumbing and water came gushing from drain pipe below the bathroom sink. I then tried to fill fresh tank and use pump and same thing happened. I have read the manual but can not come up with why would fresh water come up through drain pipe? When I pour water down all drains it goes into grey tank and I can can drain the tank fine. The vent is open and clear. All tank valves are closed. Kitchen sink works fine. Trailer is not level but I can't imagine that would cause this situation to happen. Any ideas out there are welcome.
Baffled in Durango

JackandJanet · 07-10-2019, 11:27 AM

Hello and welcome, Ken!

I suspect you have a supply line drain valve open below the bathroom sink. My HiLo has two such valves, in the hot and cold water lines and they are located about halfway to the bathroom sink. Yours may be further along.

Check along the supply lines for a valve - the "nandles" on mine have to be pointed UP to close off the drain. They WILL be accessible, but you may have to work to find them. They may be "hidden" behind the line if they are like mine, but they will be above where you saw water coming out.

- Jack

durangoken · 07-10-2019, 12:45 PM

Jack and Janet,
Thank you for your suggestions. I believe they will be very handy when we start getting into the waterline to the bathroom sink. Will keep you posted.
Mona

durangoken · 07-29-2019, 06:43 PM

Jack,
Well as it turns out, there is not a problem with the drain pipe but there was a small vertical crack in my hot water line that was exactly right behind the drain pipe. It only looked like it was coming from the drain pipe. We have to fix that crack and were wondering if we can fix it with a patch and not have to go all the way through to where it meets the shower line? I turned off the hot water supply and at least stopped the leak so we can go camping. Someone mentioned that some HiLo's have an outdoor shower. Does yours have an outdoor shower?
Mona

JackandJanet · 07-29-2019, 06:52 PM

Mona, sorry to hear you have a crack in the pipe. My trailer DOES NOT have an outdoor shower.

I think you should be able to patch the pipe. Is the pipe PVC? If so, there are PVC pipe repair parts available and you would use PVC pipe glue. Home Depot, Lowes, and Ace Hardware should be able to help you out. If it's the more modern PEX pipe (a flexible, slightly translucent pipe, there MAY be repair kits for that. I would not expect PEX to crack though, and am almost willing to bet your pipe is PVC (white, rigid pipe).

- Jack

durangoken · 07-29-2019, 06:57 PM

Jack,
Pipe is PVC not pex. I bought a kit so am doing to try that repair before I start replacing piping. Thanks

retiredcamper47 · 07-29-2019, 07:35 PM

If you can readily get to the section of the cracked water line, cut that section out. You can use pvc pipe cutters (Home Depot, Lowes, Harbor Freight, etc) to do this neatly. Replace section with new piece of water line using Sharkbite fittings. I get them at Home Depot. No muss, no fuss, and it is an instant repair.
Hope this helps.

Bob

JIM L · 07-30-2019, 09:46 AM

Just to clarify the above posts on the ridgid water lines in the HiLos. The drinking water lines are CPVC not PVC. Pvc is used for the drain lines. The pipe and fittings are not interchangable. The outside diameter of the two pipes are different so you cannot innerchange them. There are cans of glue just for CPVC and cans just for PVC and there is a glue that will work on both. Use the correct one. If you cannot cutout the bad section they make a clamp seal repair that screws together. Get back here if you need more info.