I have been preparing "The General" for a trip to Texas over the last couple of weeks.

I decided it was time to change the hoses that run back to the domestic hot water tank.
After all they are almost as old as I am...

First of all, it was fun taking the old ones out.
They kept breaking as I tried to wiggle them out from under the Frig cabinet and the bathroom sink.
I ended up with about 10 pieces.

I decided that there had to be a better way than to have 25 feet of hose with TWO joints. One of which was inaccessible under the Frig cabinet.

Hose isn't cheap either when you go to buy 50 feet of it!

I thought about replacing the long straight run under the coach with copper pipe. But a 10 foot piece was $12 times 2 pipes! Not cheap either.

I scratched by head and decided to try EMT conduit. 1/2 inch EMT was about the right size for 5/8 hose to slip onto. So I bought 2 10ft pieces and a conduit bender and headed home.

Keep in mind I have 3 coaches to rehose. My Dad's and 'The General' and another coach that I saved from the scrap yard. (It is good shape save the dead engine. Engines are easy work for me.)

I went to work measuring and bending.

I ended up with a pipe from the hose joint just under the door up to the clamp that holds the hoses to the firewall behind the right side of the engine. (I will try to post pics, first time to try...)

This reduced the hose clamp count by 4. Four fewer places to leak!

I have written down the bending scheme and can make more!
When I come to the GMC events, I can bring my bender and pick up some EMT conduit at the local store and bend them right there!!

Rick Michelhaugh

...1 - The cooling system should be pretty well corrosion protected, so the EMT should last as long as you need it. ...

Hmmm...
Might PEX be suitable ??

Steve W
1973 23'
Southern California

Matt Colie wrote on Wed, 15 October 2014 09:05

...1 - The cooling system should be pretty well corrosion protected, so the EMT should last as long as you need it. ...

I still wonder about that. Supposedly (I guess) the inside will be protected by the anti-rust magic of the engine antifreeze, but what keeps the outside from corroding? EMT has little (no?) inherent rust protection, inner or outer layer.

Would like to be able to fast forward a decade or so and check it instead of waiting to see how it holds up.

A,
I think that your concern is completely valid. EMT is cad/zin plated, but not very thick. I would never use it under any vehicle as I live where they routinely spread liberal amount of fender solvent (aka road salt) on all the by-ways, but only in fall, winter and most of the spring.

Matt

I think it will take longer for the EMT to rust than it will for the rubber to rot.

So far so good on the connections.

But not so good for the transmission.

We got to College Station, TX and a rattly noise from the torque convertor area started.
We got towed to AAMCO and they are going to pull the Trans and see what is making the noise.

Noise when idling in Park, the diminishes in drive. It still goes forward and back just fine. My guess is the flexplate or torque convertor bolts or something inside the torque convertor.


Rick M.

8 6 5 - 4 5 6 -one-one-one-eight

Would it be any problems with air in the lines to the water heater?

And has anyone added a heater to the line? I have been thinking of adding a heater in the rear so I will get some heat to the door area.
Or what about a heater to the bedroom?