Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Thor Forums > Thor Tech Forums > Maintenance and Repair
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 05-18-2021, 06:31 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Quantum WS 31
State: Indiana
Posts: 24
THOR #8403
Angry Tank flush water line leak

2017 Quantum WS31- The water line that goes from the hose connection to black tank has a leak in it. If you look at the diagram attached, the leak is where the yellow arrow points. This is up inside the wall of the RV behind the bathroom sink. It is NOT reachable.

Questions are, why is it designed this way and how do I fix it. It goes under the coach from drivers side to passenger side, then up thru the floor of the coach, behind the wall, comes back down thru the floor and turns and connects to the black tank for flushing. This is the craziest design and for the life of me, cannot figure out why it is designed this way.

Any help will be appreciated. TIA
Attached Files
File Type: pdf water layout.pdf (287.1 KB, 58 views)
File Type: pdf Leak.pdf (55.8 KB, 52 views)

__________________
TheQ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2021, 07:53 PM   #2
Site Team
 
16ACE27's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: ACE 27.1
State: Florida
Posts: 14,116
THOR #7035
The yellow arrow is pointing to your fresh water tank unless you're trying to point at the u-turn connection on the piping. Can you see where the piping enters the BW tank? Can you run a direct replacement line?
__________________
Ted & Melinda
2016 ACE 27.1
2016 Chevy Sonic Toad - Selling
2020 Chevy Colorado Z71 Trail Runner Toad
2024 Chevrolet Trax 2RS - Soon 2B TOAD
16ACE27 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2021, 08:06 PM   #3
Junior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Quantum WS 31
State: Indiana
Posts: 24
THOR #8403
Quote:
Originally Posted by 16ACE27 View Post
The yellow arrow is pointing to your fresh water tank unless you're trying to point at the u-turn connection on the piping. Can you see where the piping enters the BW tank? Can you run a direct replacement line?
Yes, the arrow is pointing to the U-turn on the pipe. The connection to the black tank is on the other side of the storage area and that would have to be removed to get to it. It is possible, just not easy!!
__________________
TheQ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2021, 02:14 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2013 ACE 30.1
State: Alberta
Posts: 1,410
THOR #2631
Well I don’t know your coach systems at all, but it looks like there may be a vacuum breaker installed at the top of that fresh water “U turn” line in the wall, that then feeds out to the black tank sprayer head. So I “assume” that you are detecting a water leak below that vacuum breaker somehow? Since my old ACE does not have the luxury of a black tank sprayer, I have often wondered if those lines (when equipped) would also need Winterization protection with pink antifreeze in Fall? I am sure Indiana gets cold enough in Winter.

Since most modern coaches would use pex water lines that are typically more forgiving of freezing situations, that might mean that the plastic vacuum breaker may have frozen with water left in it and is now leaking inside your wall........maybe? If so ask Thor to confirm that there is a vacuum breaker in the wall at the top of the U turn and if they can advise where it is located specifically. They may also advise you that there is a “top secret” access to the vacuum breaker somewhere.......and if not, then some exploratory surgery might be required by you to find its location; hopefully doing as little damage as possible. Before you do any damage, consider your repair alternatives......like a bigger mirror on the wall to cover the new opening to access your vacuum breaker. Good luck.
__________________
javelin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2021, 09:30 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Forest River Forester 235
State: Indiana
Posts: 4,883
THOR #6826
The vacuum breaker is a code requirement to prevent back flow of contaminated water into a fresh water source. It has to be higher than the black tank and that’s why it’s routed like it is. Unfortunately most times the device used is very poorly constructed and of cheap plastic. They fail easily all by themselves and they also can retain water and be damaged by freezing since most folks don’t think to blow out the flush line when winterizing- as mentioned above. They do make a much higher quality brass version but there is a better solution. Just abandon the thing altogether! In my case, after a soggy messy failure I was able to locate the PEX lines in the basement where they turned to go up to the vacuum breaker and where they came back to resume their pan to the tank. I cut the breaker loop out and just joined the lines together with a shark bite one way valve. There is ZERO risk of contaminating anything and the solution was cheap and easy. I recommend it.
__________________
Pete'sMH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2021, 01:15 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2013 ACE 30.1
State: Alberta
Posts: 1,410
THOR #2631
Since I have no black tank flush in my old ACE, I am not sure if this U turn riser piping topped with a vacuum breaker is an industry standard way of piping for the tank flush or not? Since we all know that coach manufacturing is done with “their cost and profit margins” in mind, I would have to ask why Thor would go to this added cost of labour and material plumbing the extra pex; coring holes for it; and possibly providing an access panel to it somehow etc., unless there was some regulatory safety reason for it all? I expect it would be much cheaper for them to just install a one way valve and be done with it also, but I don’t know why they did not do that; just wondering?
I suppose they are ensuring that the vacuum breaker is installed above the toilet level (in case of a black tank back up, it wont contaminate the fresh water side of the U turn piping coming back up from the black tank flush connection) and also assume that they want an actual fluid separation to form in the U turn pipe on both sides of the vacuum breaker, as it lets air into the top of the U turn pipe section. Fluid in the top of the U turn would then be able to drop down each side and allow a separation of fluid, so there is no way potential pathogens would get from one side to contaminate the other. I guess everyone has to consider their own risk/safety situation and repair accordingly. For me and my old ACE it is one less thing for me to be concerned about I guess. Sometimes the simpler the coach build is, the more I like it. Seems like the fewer the bells and whistles the more fun camping I get to have. Happy camping.
__________________
javelin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
blank tank, leak

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Thor Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.




All times are GMT. The time now is 09:11 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2