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12-23-2014, 06:00 PM
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#1
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Saddlebrooke, AZ
Posts: 213
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Fresh Water Leak
I have had a small water leak which shows up in the water compartment that houses the water pump and the winterization and hot water heater by-pass. The bottom of the compartment is wet. I have had it looked out by my local dealer who replaced an elbow and said all fixed. Now we are on the road to AZ for 3 or 4 months and it is still leaking. I can not tell where it is leaking from. The hot water heater is right next to the compartment as well....UGH!!! So not sure what to do at this point. Do I need to wait until I return to get some warranty work done on it once again...I presume it will be near possible to get someone to look at it under warranty while on the road...
Jim
__________________
2009 WGO Tour 40TD
2012 Honda Fit Sport 5sp
Saddlebrooke, AZ
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12-23-2014, 07:17 PM
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#2
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 18
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I would contact your dealer and Winnebago to see if they can suggest a dealership near your destination in AZ or along your trip route that could be pressed into warrantee service since you are talking about a new coach.
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12-23-2014, 08:26 PM
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#3
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 486
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I would also contact Winnebago and ask where you can get warranty work done near your location. Try wrapping any suspected plumbing with toilet tissue. If it gets wet, you've found the leak. If it stays dry, try a new place.
__________________
Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
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12-24-2014, 01:45 AM
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#4
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: on a constant, around the country, trip!
Posts: 404
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I hate slow drips. Have had a couple over the years. Usually it is a hose clamp that is either loose, or positioned improperly. (or one of those quick-connect fittings that has not seated totally)
In my case, I dried out the water compartment, and used some tissue paper to spot where the leak was coming from. One was easy to see, the other took some contortions with a digital camera to get a picture of the drip.
None of the drips were terrible, but just very annoying. Dealer fixed two under warranty, I re-fixed both a couple years later, no repeats so far.
__________________
2010 Journey 39n - 2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk - this our 13th year living aboard, travelling and visiting the Pacific NW, summer 2023 
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12-24-2014, 05:53 AM
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#5
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 36
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I have been fighting the same leak for quite some time. Usually it is from the rats nest of hoses connecting to the automatic winterizing solenoid. To get to the leak you probably have to remove the water heater. I gave up on tightening fittings and finally replaced all of the pex connections. So far no more leaks.
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12-24-2014, 07:26 AM
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#6
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Coaldale, AB
Posts: 64
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We had the same leak in ours and it was the tank in the hot water heater. We replaced the hot water tank and the leak was gone.
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05 Itasca Sunova 29R
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12-24-2014, 09:30 AM
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#7
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 151
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FWIW I'd see if I could dry it with a heater or hair dryer set to blow warm air into the area. If I could I would spread some paper towels or tissue paper or about any kind of absorbent material under the piping. A drip will show up as a wet spot and then you will know at least the general area. A piece of paper towel or tissue run along the tubing will verify where it is coming from. That's two days in the shop or a few minutes of my time and a lot of time spent letting things happen while I do something else. From their if it's warranty I can point out the problem or if it's not I can fix it. Either way I save two days waiting for it to get diagnosed. YMMV.
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12-24-2014, 04:44 PM
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#8
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Saddlebrooke, AZ
Posts: 213
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Got my wet/dry vac into the compartment and sucked out about 2 cups of water...it seems like it is coming from behind the hot water heater...so I believe it is either the cold water feed or the tank itself...or maybe I am all wet...
__________________
2009 WGO Tour 40TD
2012 Honda Fit Sport 5sp
Saddlebrooke, AZ
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12-24-2014, 05:03 PM
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#9
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 486
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MutinyGuy
Got my wet/dry vac into the compartment and sucked out about 2 cups of water...it seems like it is coming from behind the hot water heater...so I believe it is either the cold water feed or the tank itself...or maybe I am all wet...
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Maybe the issue is that you are heating hot water.  Do you have access to the back of the water heater or will you have to remove it?
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Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
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12-24-2014, 05:15 PM
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#10
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 151
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Could also be a dripping pressure relief valve. They do fail as well as do their job.
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12-24-2014, 08:07 PM
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#11
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Apopka Fl.
Posts: 752
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Could be leaking at the supply line fitting. May just need snugging.
Jesse
__________________
You Only Live Once Travel!
2013 Winnebago Tour 42QD
Apopka FL.
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12-25-2014, 09:58 AM
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#12
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Saddlebrooke, AZ
Posts: 213
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jbmsr
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Yes that is my guess since I have covered all of the elbows/connections with paper towels and they are dry...it seems to be seeping from the next compartment where the hot water heater is located. Not sure how to access the rear connections. I don't see an access panel for the rear but there may be one. Otherwise the HWH will need to be pulled.
__________________
2009 WGO Tour 40TD
2012 Honda Fit Sport 5sp
Saddlebrooke, AZ
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12-25-2014, 10:58 AM
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#13
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Apopka Fl.
Posts: 752
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I would believe that there is an access panel maybe on the side that can be removed so the tank can be serviced. This unit had one held in place with 12 philips screws.
Jesse
__________________
You Only Live Once Travel!
2013 Winnebago Tour 42QD
Apopka FL.
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12-26-2014, 08:56 AM
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#14
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 85
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Being hot water expands and contract the odds of the leak will probably be a connector on the water heater or the water heater itself. You will probably have to remove the water heater to get to the back side connections. Not a fun job. If its still under warranty your options in the Phoenix area is La Mesa RV, in Prescott there is Affinity RV. Even if you are going to try and fix yourself I would call and make a appointment as RV dealerships have "wait" times. If you fix it cancel your appointment.
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2014 Journey 34B
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12-26-2014, 06:40 PM
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#15
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 122
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If there is no access panel I would look into adding one if possible. Having to remove the water heater to see if the connections are leaking is just plain stupid engineering, but par for the course in RV land. Let us know what the final result is.
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12-27-2014, 08:49 AM
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#16
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Full-timer/volunteer w/SOWERS
Posts: 2,737
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MutinyGuy
I have had a small water leak which shows up in the water compartment that houses the water pump and the winterization and hot water heater by-pass. The bottom of the compartment is wet. I have had it looked out by my local dealer who replaced an elbow and said all fixed. Now we are on the road to AZ for 3 or 4 months and it is still leaking. I can not tell where it is leaking from. The hot water heater is right next to the compartment as well....UGH!!! So not sure what to do at this point. Do I need to wait until I return to get some warranty work done on it once again...I presume it will be near possible to get someone to look at it under warranty while on the road...
Jim
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Hi Jim. Have you identified the actual place or part that is leaking?
I had a leak in my pump compartment. I checked every fitting and could not find it. Then I checked the pump. The three screws on the face of the pump needed a bit of tweeking. No more leak!
Two other commonly missed leak potentials at the T&P valve on the water heater, it will drip if dirt is in the seal, and one of the couplings going into the water heater. These are known to crack from fatigue.
You need to take the time to trace the water leak to its source. Most of the time it is something you can fix yourself. The parts are found at HD, Lowe's of the local hardware store. Pex style fittings work fine.
I hope you find your leaks today and that the rest of your trip is full of fun.
Happy trails,
Rick Y
__________________
Rick & Melissa Young & Dawson (RIP), 2011 Meridian 40U, FL XCL, ISL 380HP/DEF, Al 3000 MH, 2014 Honda CR-V, SMI AF1, Blue Ox TruCenter & tow equip.,EEZTire TPMS.
Servants On Wheels Ever Ready. Best job we ever paid to do  . (full time volunteers)
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12-27-2014, 06:58 PM
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#17
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Saddlebrooke, AZ
Posts: 213
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jerichorick
Hi Jim. Have you identified the actual place or part that is leaking?
I had a leak in my pump compartment. I checked every fitting and could not find it. Then I checked the pump. The three screws on the face of the pump needed a bit of tweeking. No more leak!
Two other commonly missed leak potentials at the T&P valve on the water heater, it will drip if dirt is in the seal, and one of the couplings going into the water heater. These are known to crack from fatigue.
You need to take the time to trace the water leak to its source. Most of the time it is something you can fix yourself. The parts are found at HD, Lowe's of the local hardware store. Pex style fittings work fine.
I hope you find your leaks today and that the rest of your trip is full of fun.
Happy trails,
Rick Y
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The leak is definitely coming from the hot water heater...hoping it is just a fitting but the access to the rear of the HWH is tough to get at and since it is still under warranty I am not going to mess with it...I am just hoping it is not the tank itself...that would be a real drag for us as we would probably have to figure out where to stay until they get a replacement...we'll see in a few weeks.
__________________
2009 WGO Tour 40TD
2012 Honda Fit Sport 5sp
Saddlebrooke, AZ
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12-28-2014, 08:09 AM
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#18
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Full-timer/volunteer w/SOWERS
Posts: 2,737
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MutinyGuy
The leak is definitely coming from the hot water heater...hoping it is just a fitting but the access to the rear of the HWH is tough to get at and since it is still under warranty I am not going to mess with it...I am just hoping it is not the tank itself...that would be a real drag for us as we would probably have to figure out where to stay until they get a replacement...we'll see in a few weeks.
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Are you in WA now? If so, plan a trip to Henderson ( Henderson's Line-Up Brake & RV Inc.). The water heater is a easy swap out item for the experienced, but most likely it is a loose fitting. Because it is a vender product Henderson might be able to do the work under warranty. Call them and ask. We are heading there on the 5th for some work to be done on the jacks. They have a great reputation. Avoid the local dealers. I have had nothing but bad results from several in WA. I recently found out about Henderson here on irv2.
Keep us posted.
Rick Y 
__________________
Rick & Melissa Young & Dawson (RIP), 2011 Meridian 40U, FL XCL, ISL 380HP/DEF, Al 3000 MH, 2014 Honda CR-V, SMI AF1, Blue Ox TruCenter & tow equip.,EEZTire TPMS.
Servants On Wheels Ever Ready. Best job we ever paid to do . (full time volunteers)
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12-28-2014, 08:10 AM
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#19
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Coaldale, AB
Posts: 64
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It only took two hours to replace our hot water heater.
__________________
05 Itasca Sunova 29R
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12-28-2014, 08:41 AM
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#20
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Skiatook, OK
Posts: 1,467
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MutinyGuy, For future reference there is a access panel behind the water heater with about 6" to 8" clearness between the frame and the heater compartment wall.
I just looked at mine and there is a screw missing and the panel is not down tight in the lower left corner, so another fix to do when it warms up.
I would for sure let the a dealer take care of it.
__________________
Grant & Pat
2014 Adventurer 35P 
2021 Rapid Red 4dr Bronco OBX
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