Leak under bathroom sink basin:

Fakrwee · 10-06-2008, 07:51 AM

I traced a leak under the bathroom sink to either the check valve or the breaker vacuum. It's on page 5 of my plumbing diagram. When I shut off my external water supply and used the water pump the drip stopped. I have a water pressure regulator and it reads water pressure between 32-45 psi when in use. Can this be pressure related, or just a part breaking down?

My other question is, can I just use the water pump for the rest of my trip and not do anything till I get home? Or should I order the part over night and get it fixed because something else may break?

Excuse my lack of plumbing knowledge; I should know a lot more at my age but I think the 70's affected my grey matter

. All help will be appreciated.

Thanks
Tom

Fakrwee · 10-06-2008, 07:51 AM

I traced a leak under the bathroom sink to either the check valve or the breaker vacuum. It's on page 5 of my plumbing diagram. When I shut off my external water supply and used the water pump the drip stopped. I have a water pressure regulator and it reads water pressure between 32-45 psi when in use. Can this be pressure related, or just a part breaking down?

My other question is, can I just use the water pump for the rest of my trip and not do anything till I get home? Or should I order the part over night and get it fixed because something else may break?

Excuse my lack of plumbing knowledge; I should know a lot more at my age but I think the 70's affected my grey matter

. All help will be appreciated.

Thanks
Tom

bobpie · 10-06-2008, 08:07 AM

you'll have to put water in your fresh water tank in order to use the water pump. That should work fine, no emergency at this time. Wait till you get home and fix the leak. Don't let it ruin your time. Have fun!

AFChap · 10-06-2008, 08:19 AM

No way the vacuum breaker could be leaking liquid unless your waste tank is overflowing. It could easily be dripping from something above there, and make you think it is the breaker. Whatever it is, it could be both pressure related AND a part breaking down (no longer able to handle the pressure). But even a check valve going bad won't normally leak outside the system. You most likely have a loose or broken connection on one of the fresh water lines under the sink.

As bobpie indicated, you can run water into the fresh tank and use the water pump for as long as you want. Since it doesn't leak when using the pump, that is an easy work-around for now.

And if it does start to leak when using the pump (you would hear the pump running when it should not be), all you have to do is turn the pump on when needed, and then immediately turn it off when you are through running water to keep the pressure out of the water lines.

livingaboard · 10-06-2008, 02:42 PM

I would disregard any vacuum break on this.

Your problem is going to be the supply lines or faucet assembly.

I would also imagine that it does leak on pump pressure as well, but not as much.

See if you can get a mirror and light under there to help determine where exactly the leak is coming from. I would guess it is just a loose fitting

Also check your pressure regulator to make sure the pressure is ok.

Fakrwee · 10-06-2008, 02:59 PM

Thanks to all. I've been using the water pump and nothing is leaking. I leave the pump on all the time and it doesn't cycle. I've taken Bobpies advice and not worrying about it till I get home.

Paul, I noticed the leak after I overfilled the fresh water and it started to overflow. Does that have anything to do with it?

Thanks
Tom
.

AFChap · 10-06-2008, 04:25 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I noticed the leak after I overfilled the fresh water and it started to overflow. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No. The freshwater tank overflow should be totally underneath the coach. The bathroom sink on a Winnebago is normally plumbed to the black tank ...so if the black tank is overflowing (normally only if you are running a tank rinse system ...don't ask how I know...) it theoretically could come out the vacuum breaker ...but if the breaker if functioning as it should the overflow would come out the sink or the commode, whichever is open at the time...

I have to ask about your username ... is "Fakrwee" related to the name of a mythical indian tribe???

wagonmaster2 · 10-06-2008, 08:21 PM

Don't know what kind of sink and vanity top you have, but I also thought I had a leak under the sink and it ended up being the caulking where the sink is connected underneath the vanity top. There was a gap in the caulking which let splashed water while anyone was washing hands or face get outside the sink and run down under the counter. This all looked like a faucet leak. Adding more caulking (using a mirror to be sure all places were batched) eliminated any water under the counter.
Wagonmaster2
2004 Meridian 36G

Fakrwee · 10-07-2008, 05:26 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by AFChap:
I have to ask about your username ... is "Fakrwee" related to the name of a mythical indian tribe??? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, from upstate NY, and we'll leave it at that.

Thanks Wagonmaster, but ever since I shut off city water and use only the water pump it has not leaked again.