2016 key west water leak

gandmrv · Aug 19, 2015

Well I'll start off by saying, after 2 months in our new Key West, we love it! But that being said, we've discovered a very small water leak that has possibly been leaking for the entire 2 months. This morning my wife got something out of the bottom cabinet left if the refrigerator (residential w/ice &water). Her hand (fortunately) brushed the carpet in bottom of cabinet and she noticed it was wet! She. She called me at work, so I came home and started investigating the source. Since the frig is the only thing in the kitchen slide out that has water going to it I figured it was probably the source. Once I figured out how to get the frig out of it hole, I found the leak. It was the 1/4" tube fitting on the lower right corner. Whoever installed the refrigerator didn't get the fitting seated properly. I called my warranty and they were going to send a mobile rv tech, but he couldn't get to me for 3-4 days and I would have had to pay for service call fee of $200. So I fixed it myself.

We still love our Key West though!

Slympicins · Aug 20, 2015

I have read several rv manufacturers with the ice maker and door water with the residential refrigerator have the same issue. Most folks are removing the white plastic tube for a new braided steel line. Sounds like a great fix.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

Piperflyer · May 17, 2016

Where do you find the braided steel line to purchase

Slympicins said:
I have read several rv manufacturers with the ice maker and door water with the residential refrigerator have the same issue. Most folks are removing the white plastic tube for a new braided steel line. Sounds like a great fix.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

jbeletti · May 17, 2016

Piperflyer said:
Where do you find the braided steel line to purchase

I bought mine at Lowes - link.

I bought two 20 foot sections and used a union to splice them together. I have been lucky in and 12 years of Landmarks - have had no ice maker line leaks.

I was in my underbelly doing other stuff and decided to replace the 1/4" poly. I did splice the braided back into the poly in the cabinet next to my refer. Not pulling the refer out unless I really need to. Left enough braided line and poly that the refer can be pulled out fully. I'll change out that last 6 foot only when I have to.

Piperflyer · May 19, 2016

Slympicins said:
I have read several rv manufacturers with the ice maker and door water with the residential refrigerator have the same issue. Most folks are removing the white plastic tube for a new braided steel line. Sounds like a great fix.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

Is there an easy way to snake the braided cable from the valve to the refrigerator?
Can I just attach the braided hose to the tubing coming from the valve and pull the braided line from the frig connection thus snaking the new line from the valve to the frig or vice versa

jbeletti · May 19, 2016

Piperflyer said:
Is there an easy way to snake the braided cable from the valve to the refrigerator?
Can I just attach the braided hose to the tubing coming from the valve and pull the braided line from the frig connection thus snaking the new line from the valve to the frig or vice versa

No - it won't be that easy. Plus, the connector on the SS line may be bigger than the hole the 1/4" poly goes through now. Where is your ice maker line cut-off valve located?

Piperflyer · May 19, 2016

jbeletti said:
No - it won't be that easy. Plus, the connector on the SS line may be bigger than the hole the 1/4" poly goes through now. Where is your ice maker line cut-off valve located?

Line is under the sink in my Island, Can't believe heartland uses such cheap 1/4 water lines. I can't believe they don't know they are a problem....

jbeletti · May 19, 2016

Piperflyer said:
Line is under the sink in my Island, Can't believe heartland uses such cheap 1/4 water lines. I can't believe they don't know they are a problem....

Look at where the line comes out of the I-beam frame on the off door side (ODS). Note where that is in relation to where the line goes through the floor in the island cabinet. Note the center of these two points.

Self-drilling Tek screws and fender washers hold the coroplast to the bottom of the frame. Remove about 3 screws either direction of where the 1/4" poly comes out of the frame.

Inside the cabinet where the cut-off valve is for the ice maker line, turn it off, place a towel down, take the compression nut loose and remove the poly from the valve. Cut off the nut.

Pull about 6" of poly up into the cabinet if needed. Using electrical tape, securely tape the SS line to the poly. Push the spliced area down through the plumbing chase in the cabinet floor.

Using a couple pieces of short 2x4, wedge them between the coroplast and the frame where you removed the screws. Turn the 2x4s up on end to widen the gap. Put a flashlight in the gap to see the poly line and its path to the cabinet. Carefully pull on the poly line that is on the outside of the I-beam frame until you have the SS connector and all the slack outside the frame.

Cut any tie-wraps holding the poly to the flex-guard - all the way to the point of entry into the floor of the slide room.

Using a second 20' section of SS line, replace the poly that goes up into the cabinet and take it all the way to the water solenoid on the refer.

Leave 6 feet of SS line behind the refer or in the cabinet next to it.

Work all the slack SS line back out of the slide and under it. Use Teflon tape and a union to join the two 20' SS sections together. Wrap something around the SS line where it enters the frame to guard against abrasion.

I worked all my slack into the underbelly. I didn't have much. I also used a step drill to put a new hole in the frame for the SS line as my poly came out way too far forward on the frame.

Piperflyer · May 19, 2016

jbeletti said:
Look at where the line comes out of the I-beam frame on the off door side (ODS). Note where that is in relation to where the line goes through the floor in the island cabinet. Note the center of these two points.

Self-drilling Tek screws and fender washers hold the coroplast to the bottom of the frame. Remove about 3 screws either direction of where the 1/4" poly comes out of the frame.

Inside the cabinet where the cut-off valve is for the ice maker line, turn it off, place a towel down, take the compression nut loose and remove the poly from the valve. Cut off the nut.

Pull about 6" of poly up into the cabinet if needed. Using electrical tape, securely tape the SS line to the poly. Push the spliced area down through the plumbing chase in the cabinet floor.

Using a couple pieces of short 2x4, wedge them between the coroplast and the frame where you removed the screws. Turn the 2x4s up on end to widen the gap. Put a flashlight in the gap to see the poly line and its path to the cabinet. Carefully pull on the poly line that is on the outside of the I-beam frame until you have the SS connector and all the slack outside the frame.

Cut any tie-wraps holding the poly to the flex-guard - all the way to the point of entry into the floor of the slide room.

Using a second 20' section of SS line, replace the poly that goes up into the cabinet and take it all the way to the water solenoid on the refer.

Leave 6 feet of SS line behind the refer or in the cabinet next to it.

Work all the slack SS line back out of the slide and under it. Use Teflon tape and a union to join the two 20' SS sections together. Wrap something around the SS line where it enters the frame to guard against abrasion.

I worked all my slack into the underbelly. I didn't have much. I also used a step drill to put a new hole in the frame for the SS line as my poly came out way too far forward on the frame.

Seeing the RV is still under warranty, I will get in contact with an RV Repair Company once I get to a camp ground for a long stay. I don't want to go through all of that hassle doing it myself.

TikiDawg · May 23, 2016

gandmrv said:
Well I'll start off by saying, after 2 months in our new Key West, we love it! But that being said, we've discovered a very small water leak that has possibly been leaking for the entire 2 months. This morning my wife got something out of the bottom cabinet left if the refrigerator (residential w/ice &water). Her hand (fortunately) brushed the carpet in bottom of cabinet and she noticed it was wet! She. She called me at work, so I came home and started investigating the source. Since the frig is the only thing in the kitchen slide out that has water going to it I figured it was probably the source. Once I figured out how to get the frig out of it hole, I found the leak. It was the 1/4" tube fitting on the lower right corner. Whoever installed the refrigerator didn't get the fitting seated properly. I called my warranty and they were going to send a mobile rv tech, but he couldn't get to me for 3-4 days and I would have had to pay for service call fee of $200. So I fixed it myself.

We still love our Key West though!

gandmrv,

It appears we may have the same issue with our 2016 Key West. Can you explain in more detail how you got the frig out of the hole? Thanks.

mlpeloquin · May 23, 2016

Piperflyer said:
Line is under the sink in my Island, Can't believe heartland uses such cheap 1/4 water lines. I can't believe they don't know they are a problem....

The same designers use the same cheep 1/4" plastic lines in million dollar plus homes!

2016 key west water leak

gandmrv

Member

Slympicins

Member

Piperflyer

Well-known member

jbeletti

Well-known member

Piperflyer

Well-known member

jbeletti

Well-known member

Piperflyer

Well-known member

jbeletti

Well-known member

Piperflyer

Well-known member

TikiDawg

Well-known member

mlpeloquin

Well-known member

Similar threads