Plumbing in The Slides

[StanN.]

Our Quantum Class C has the kitchen sink in the slide out. My neighbor noticed water running out under the length of the slide.
I found the flex drain hose had pulled loose on one of the connections. Upon inspection it is easy to see why it pulled loose. The flex hose has barbed fittings on both ends which the factory connected using a slip joint nut to the PVC fitting. This is not a secure fitting and the factory knows it. They used nylon ties around the hard piped fitting and the flex hose in an attempt to keep the pipe from separating. They were not successful. It has been repaired and will not pull apart now while letting the slide in and out.

[Bob Denman]

It's been pretty well agreed-upon; that plumbing in a slide is a recipe for disaster.
Glad that you were able to get it sealed and secured.

[Pete'sMH]

Yep. Check it often as it’s likely to leak again. Personally, I won’t buy another coach with plumbing in a slide. Lesson learned - or maybe just bad luck in my case. And FWIW my experience as with a Winnebago Vista and perhaps Thor does a better job.

[Thirty.Deuce]

Originally Posted by StanN.

It has been repaired and will not pull apart now while letting the slide in and out.

What did you do differently to better secure the joint??

[Lt Keefer]

I have had no issues with the plumbing in the slide of my 29M, knock on wood.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Thirty.Deuce

What did you do differently to better secure the joint??

Look at his picture.

[Judge]

My 2020 Magnitude has bascially the same plumbing. It leaked during the PDI. The dealer fixed it..... but it started leaking again when I got the coach home.

I fixed it properly and permanently.... like a lot of things on the coach. I fabricated a bracket that kept the fitting from being pulled apart versus relying just on it being secured from hand-tightening.

[CHS]

Originally Posted by StanN.

Our Quantum Class C has the kitchen sink in the slide out. My neighbor noticed water running out under the length of the slide.
I found the flex drain hose had pulled loose on one of the connections. Upon inspection it is easy to see why it pulled loose. The flex hose has barbed fittings on both ends which the factory connected using a slip joint nut to the PVC fitting. This is not a secure fitting and the factory knows it. They used nylon ties around the hard piped fitting and the flex hose in an attempt to keep the pipe from separating. They were not successful. Attachment 29619 It has been repaired and will not pull apart now while letting the slide in and out.

I recently had the tailpiece nut under the kitchen sink crack so I replaced that and added a rubber coupling (like yours) to the horizontal pipe after the trap. That way any vibrations will not transfer to the fitting in the future. I also removed the straps holding the pipe in position and extended the slide to make sure there was not any stress on it, then reattached the pipe straps.
I also had a cracked nut under the shower pan drain. since it is completely solvent welding to the grey tank, I installed a rubber fitting connecting the tailpiece to the trap so that too will absorb any vibrations.

[StanN.]

Originally Posted by Thirty.Deuce

What did you do differently to better secure the joint??

The flex pipe Thor used was never meant to be connected with standard plumbing connections using slip joint nuts. It has ribbed plastic ends designed for use with rolled irrigation pipe. No matter how tight the nut was you could easily pull the hose out of the fitting. Needless to say in the cramped quarters with everything else that is running through that area it caught on something and pulled loose allowing sink water to drain inside the slide. I used a short piece of pvc pipe to make the connection with the compression nut then the rubber adaptor with hose clamps to secure the pvc to the ribbed fitting on the flex hose. You can yank on that all day long and it’s not coming loose.

[Scubawise]

great job ..i guess we all need to audit our plumbing everywhere!!

[Thirty.Deuce]

Originally Posted by StanN.

I used a short piece of pvc pipe to make the connection with the compression nut then the rubber adaptor with hose clamps to secure the pvc to the ribbed fitting on the flex hose. You can yank on that all day long and it’s not coming loose.

Thanks! I gotta fix mine too & the solution Thor provided was nonsense. You sourced the parts at the local Lowe's or equivalent?

[StanN.]

Originally Posted by Thirty.Deuce

Thanks! I gotta fix mine too & the solution Thor provided was nonsense. You sourced the parts at the local Lowe's or equivalent?

Yes sir, Lowe’s to the rescue. It cost around $17.

[Pete'sMH]

I’m glad you’re confident in your repair. I did a similar repair on mine (though it is SOB) and that particular repair never leaked again. Alas, the stress of flexing all the time has to go somewhere and mine broke the tailpiece and later kinked the line. It’s always something!

[telcoman]

Why do they do that. Slides are problems waiting to happen as it is without putting plumbing and in some cases, gas lines in them. After 2 RV's with slides and 2 sets of issues, I bought one without a slide. Much happier. I don't go camping to stay inside, anyway.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by telcoman

Why do they do that. Slides are problems waiting to happen as it is without putting plumbing and in some cases, gas lines in them. After 2 RV's with slides and 2 sets of issues, I bought one without a slide. Much happier. I don't go camping to stay inside, anyway.

I couldn’t go THAT far, but I did make sure I didn’t buy another coach with plumbing (or much of anything more complicated than sofas, beds, dinettes and closets) in the slide. So far so good. If it was just me though I might go slide less.

[Bob Denman]

Our Outlaw had the kitchen sink in the slide. Fortunately; it never leaked.
Our Wayfarer has the refrigerator in the front slide. (The rear slide has the bed...)
Other than worrying about pinched propane lines; no problems!

[Laco]

On a Tiffin bus we had for twelve years, the kitchen sink, stove with its propane lines and Microwave with its wiring were all on a large slide. Never had a problem with any of it in twelve years, so it can be done so it is less likely to cause problems.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Laco

On a Tiffin bus we had for twelve years, the kitchen sink, stove with its propane lines and Microwave with its wiring were all on a large slide. Never had a problem with any of it in twelve years, so it can be done so it is less likely to cause problems.

I've noticed that Tiffin's Class A beauties aren't shy about having plumbing in the slides.
If it's done right:

[Chance]

Originally Posted by telcoman

Why do they do that. Slides are problems waiting to happen as it is without putting plumbing and in some cases, gas lines in them. After 2 RV's with slides and 2 sets of issues, I bought one without a slide. Much happier. I don't go camping to stay inside, anyway.

Simple answer is that they build RVs that way because people buy them, and since their main goal is to make money, they have to compete with other companies that will make them.

I personally feel very similar to you, in large part because we travel a lot versus stay stationary for long periods, we don’t need much space, and if I want more space, I’d rather drive a longer motorhome with a different floorplan arrangement that provides what I want/need versus adding a slide or two. It’s strictly a personal preference because I don’t want to have issues of any kind when I’m out in the middle of nowhere. For me, slides when retracted also create a visual clutter inside motorhome that I can’t ignore as much as I’ve tried.

It’s amusing that designers often push limits until they go too far, like when a few tried placing toilets in slides.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Chance

It’s amusing that designers often push limits until they go too far, like when a few tried placing toilets in slides.

Now that would be an amusement ride worth waiting in line for!