F-287 Plumbing Drain

[ApexAZ]

We got our new 2021 Fuel F-287 yesterday and I have noticed a small drip coming from the fresh tank low point drain. It's a slow drip that is coming from the foam sealant around the under belly and not the drain valve itself.

I know the dealer did some plumbing work before delivering, so it could be just some residual water from that, so I'm draining what's left of the fresh water tank and let it dry a bit until the dripping stops before refilling it again with water.

One question I have is that I only see a blue hose for the water line drainage. The tech from good sam I spoke to said there are usually (but not always) separate drain hoses for both the hot and the cold. I only see a blue hose, but no red anywhere else along the underbelly. Can anyone confirm if I should have both a blue and a red drainage hose protruding from the underbelly?

 

[danemayer]

The blue hose looks like it has a loose fitting cap that may have small holes, but no valve. If so, it's likely that it's the drain for refrigerator condensation. Those drain hoses usually go out the side where a traditional RV gas absorption refrigerator has vents.

On some models, there are no low-point drains (red/blue). In sub-freezing weather, the water below the coroplast will freeze and the ice can wick up into the tee, blocking the main water lines.

 

[ApexAZ]

OK, yes, the cap on the blue hose does seem to be perforated and it is right around the area where the fridge is located, so that must be what it is. So we just need to be mindful about that in freezing weather...? I don't know that we'll be camping in freezing weather, or storing it in freezing weather, so we should not have to really worry about that?

 

[danemayer]

OK, yes, the cap on the blue hose does seem to be perforated and it is right around the area where the fridge is located, so that must be what it is. So we just need to be mindful about that in freezing weather...? I don't know that we'll be camping in freezing weather, or storing it in freezing weather, so we should not have to really worry about that?

Refrigerator drain hoses are always exposed to outside air, and I don't recall any problems with freezing. The usual problem is related to the use of a corrugated hose that becomes brittle after a few years. PEX won't do that.

 

[ApexAZ]

Yes, I mean since there is no way to drain the hot and cold water lines, there could be a chance for those to freeze? Or would they completely empty into the grey water tank or something?

The reason I bring it up, is because the tech from Good Sam who helped me with the fresh water drain leak said it was odd there were no hot and cold line drains. He said the drain lines are so that you can fully drain the plumbing to prevent them from freezing and bursting.

So my question is, is it possible for there to be residual water throughout the hot and cold plumbing lines that we should concern ourselves with in freezing weather, seeing as they can't be drained directly?

 

[danemayer]

Yes, I mean since there is no way to drain the hot and cold water lines, there could be a chance for those to freeze? Or would they completely empty into the grey water tank or something?

The reason I bring it up, is because the tech from Good Sam who helped me with the fresh water drain leak said it was odd there were no hot and cold line drains. He said the drain lines are so that you can fully drain the plumbing to prevent them from freezing and bursting.

So my question is, is it possible for there to be residual water throughout the hot and cold plumbing lines that we should concern ourselves with in freezing weather, seeing as they can't be drained directly?

Low-point drains don't do the entire job of protecting the trailer from sub-freezing temps. Whether you have a rig that has them or not, you'll need to winterize using either compressed air to blow out the water, or RV antifreeze to displace it with something that won't freeze. See our owner-written Winterization Guide.

 

[ApexAZ]

Thank you!!!

 

[sengli]

As for your dripping, it could also be that if the rig was towed in the rain. Often the water slung off the tires will get into the coroplast under belly covering, and pool in a low spot. Our last three new RV's had this issue.

 

[ApexAZ]

That's good to know. I don't think it's that simple, unfortunately. The first thing we did was drain the rest of the water from the fresh tank and within an hour or two the leaking stopped. We're taking it out this weekend and will be filling it when we arrive, then watch it a bit before we run the pump to try and see if it's leaking from the tank itself.

 

[mesaurva]

Look towards the front of the camper right behind where the cable and satellite coax would screw in. That's where my hot and cold low points are