Fresh water tank fill hose elbow broke in half right at tank... Help?

kdubinwa · May 13, 2018

After filling my fresh water tank to sanitize I noticed water leaking from under my chloroplast and by the time I started dropping it to take a look the plastic elbow fitting between the fresh water tank and the gravity fresh water fill hose just split in two in the middle of the elbow. Tank is draining now and I'll need to drag out all the soaked insulation and drop/cut more chloroplast in the morning to get at the fitting. I'm hoping I will find that the fitting is some ordinary 1/2" NPT x 3/8 barb fitting? Anyone replaced plastic fittings with brass or is that not an appropriate option for the fresh water tank inlet? Are there special sealants for the pipe thread or just teflon tape or paste?

The pic below is one I found on the forum from another OP. It shows the white elbow connecting the fresh water tank and the grey PVC fill hose. In my case it looks like I might be able to unscrew the fitting out of the tank (assuming it is not cemented in) and replace. Thoughts?

Thanks

Kurt
2015 Bighorn 3160E

kdubinwa · May 14, 2018

Got the fitting off. Looks like 1/2" mpt to a 90 degree pex cinch elbow. Didn't know pex cinch clamps were used on flex tubing?

For20hunter · May 14, 2018

I haven’t heard of that happening before but I would definitely replace it with brass to prevent any future breaks or cracks.

Rod

rhodies1 · May 14, 2018

kdubinwa said:
After filling my fresh water tank to sanitize I noticed water leaking from under my chloroplast and by the time I started dropping it to take a look the plastic elbow fitting between the fresh water tank and the gravity fresh water fill hose just split in two in the middle of the elbow. Tank is draining now and I'll need to drag out all the soaked insulation and drop/cut more chloroplast in the morning to get at the fitting. I'm hoping I will find that the fitting is some ordinary 1/2" NPT x 3/8 barb fitting? Anyone replaced plastic fittings with brass or is that not an appropriate option for the fresh water tank inlet? Are there special sealants for the pipe thread or just teflon tape or paste?

The pic below is one I found on the forum from another OP. It shows the white elbow connecting the fresh water tank and the grey PVC fill hose. In my case it looks like I might be able to unscrew the fitting out of the tank (assuming it is not cemented in) and replace. Thoughts?

Thanks

Kurt
2015 Bighorn 3160E

I had the same thing happen to myself while dry camping,picked up a new fitting at the hardware store and replaced,I decided to put plastic back because of the following.These tanks are not secured in their position tightly and move around a little,I was concerned that if the tank moves to much it may tear the brass fitting out of the tank screwing up the threads versus just breaking the plastic fitting.
I used Teflon tape and no issue.

RoadJunkie · May 14, 2018

kdubinwa said:
Didn't know pex cinch clamps were used on flex tubing?

,

I discovered one of the non PEX, hose-type clamps, in my basement utility area last week which I was also a bit surprised to see. When I thought about it, I shrugged it off as being a better choice than a hose clamp.

danemayer · May 14, 2018

Your picture shows a reinforced flexible hose and a pex line connecting to the fresh tank. One goes to the pump and the other may be the fresh tank drain line. This is a little different from what I've seen before as the tank drain has been teed into the line between tank and pump. If the reinforced flexible hose is the drain line, that sounds like an improvement that would avoid the winter problem where ice wicks up from the drain into the tee, blocking water flow to the pump.

Do you have a 4-way Anderson Valve in the UDC? If so, that means you shouldn't also have a gravity fill to the fresh tank. Rather the tubing between fresh tank and pump is routed through the 4-way valve. The tank is filled by the pressurized water from the campground spigot.

Since you're in there working, have you determined where each tube goes?

kdubinwa · May 15, 2018

The fitting that broke connected the tank to the tank drain line. That line starts out as a flex hose and then transitions to a 1/2 pex down pipe to the drain valve. I have decided to replace the 90 degree elbow with a plastic pex adaptor 1/2 MPT to 1/2 pex barb because I'm also worried about metal threads into a plastic female tank fitting.

Fresh water tank fill hose elbow broke in half right at tank... Help?

kdubinwa

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For20hunter

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