GMCforum
For enthusiast of the Classic GMC Motorhome built from 1973 to 1978. A web-based mirror of the GMCnet mailing list.

Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Repairing water line, diverter to shower head
Repairing water line, diverter to shower head [message #149540] Sun, 13 November 2011 08:09 Go to next message
4runneradam is currently offline  4runneradam   United States
Messages: 13
Registered: October 2011
Location: Cincinnati Ohio
Karma: 0
Junior Member
How hard is this going to be? I'm guessing its burst due to freezing. It pours out all over the water heater when I turn on the diverter.

How involved is this? Any shortcuts? Do I need to remove the water heater? Looking at the plumbing diagram it appears to run behind the water heater.

'73 Sequoia 260

I also have a burst water line along the city water feed where it goes into the T right behind the living system breaker. I think I can cut the T out, and put on some threaded fittings and re-install.


73 Sequoia 260

[Updated on: Sun, 13 November 2011 08:10]

Report message to a moderator

Re: Repairing water line, diverter to shower head [message #149550 is a reply to message #149540] Sun, 13 November 2011 10:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dennis S is currently offline  Dennis S   United States
Messages: 3046
Registered: November 2005
Karma: 2
Senior Member
4runneradam wrote on Sun, 13 November 2011 08:09

How hard is this going to be? I'm guessing its burst due to freezing. It pours out all over the water heater when I turn on the diverter.

How involved is this? Any shortcuts? Do I need to remove the water heater? Looking at the plumbing diagram it appears to run behind the water heater.

'73 Sequoia 260

I also have a burst water line along the city water feed where it goes into the T right behind the living system breaker. I think I can cut the T out, and put on some threaded fittings and re-install.


In my 73 the line behind the power supply had a hole from rubbing on the converter. I removed the city water fill option -- may or may not restore -- mine is a 23 ft so if I replace tne city fill I may move to the other side of the coach.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=37668&title=0076&cat=4620


As for the shower -- I have not replaced the line but have looked it over. Just a copper line from the underside of the faucet. No need to remove the water heater to access. The center line in this photo.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=37690&title=0226&cat=4620

Dennis


Dennis S
73 Painted Desert 230
Memphis TN Metro

[Updated on: Sun, 13 November 2011 11:31]

Report message to a moderator

Re: Repairing water line, diverter to shower head [message #149559 is a reply to message #149550] Sun, 13 November 2011 12:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
4runneradam is currently offline  4runneradam   United States
Messages: 13
Registered: October 2011
Location: Cincinnati Ohio
Karma: 0
Junior Member
My city water line is busted just a few inches away from the T fitting which is right up against the outside wall. Maybe I could stick a sheet of metal behind it and solder it in place. But maybe I need to replace the T as well since the burst is so close to it.


And the shower line is leaking from up above the water heater. I turn on the water and it pours down onto the water heater, no leaks anywhere visable.


73 Sequoia 260
Re: Repairing water line, diverter to shower head [message #149561 is a reply to message #149540] Sun, 13 November 2011 12:09 Go to previous messageGo to next message
mike miller   United States
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
Senior Member
4runneradam wrote on Sun, 13 November 2011 06:09

...
'73 Sequoia 260

I also have a burst water line along the city water feed where it goes into the T right behind the living system breaker. I think I can cut the T out, and put on some threaded fittings and re-install.


Something of note for when working on early ('73/'74) water systems. These have copper pipes. The pipes expand if frozen with water in them and unlike the plastic pipes of newer coaches, it does not contract back when thawed out. While they will rarely burst the pipes with the first freeze, each freeze expands the pipe a little more... weakening it. Eventually the pipe will split.

When repairing this "expanded" copper tubing, you'll find that none of the new fittings... fit. You'll have to replace the tubing. If repairing one split section, replace the whole section from threaded fitting to threaded fitting.

If you have the interior out, I would replace the whole system with PEX or something like it.


Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo' http://m000035.blogspot.com
Re: [GMCnet] Repairing water line, diverter to shower head [message #149571 is a reply to message #149561] Sun, 13 November 2011 13:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Russell Mehlenbacher is currently offline  Russell Mehlenbacher   United States
Messages: 128
Registered: June 2010
Karma: 1
Senior Member
On Sun, Nov 13, 2011 at 1:09 PM, Mike Miller wrote:

>
>
>
> Something of note for when working on early ('73/'74) water systems.
> These have copper pipes. The pipes expand if frozen with water in them
> and unlike the plastic pipes of newer coaches, it does not contract back
> when thawed out. While they will rarely burst the pipes with the first
> freeze, each freeze expands the pipe a little more... weakening it.
> Eventually the pipe will split.
>
> When repairing this "expanded" copper tubing, you'll find that none of the
> new fittings... fit. You'll have to replace the tubing. If repairing one
> split section, replace the whole section from threaded fitting to threaded
> fitting.
>
> If you have the interior out, I would replace the whole system with PEX or
> something like it.
> --
>
I would like to second that caution... I started trying to repair a few
splits on my '74, and ended up replacing everything except the first 2
feet. Especially after you fix the first leak, you discover that there is
another, and another, and another. Been there, done that.

Russ

--
Russ & Linda Mehlenbacher
Rochester Hills, MI
'74 X-Sequoia
'76 Eleganza
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist



Russ & Linda Mehlenbacher
Rochester Hills, Michigan
'76 Eleganza
'74 Sequoia
Re: Repairing water line, diverter to shower head [message #149572 is a reply to message #149540] Sun, 13 November 2011 13:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jgates is currently offline  jgates   United States
Messages: 9
Registered: July 2007
Location: Enumclaw, WA
Karma: 0
Junior Member
I had the same issue and replaced the line. The back of the showerhead was accessible by roving the light fixture; there is a big opening there. If I were doing it again, I'd sure consider putting in a shower hot-cold valve or mixing valve below the showerhead and forgeting the diverter.

John Gates
Enumclaw, WA
'73 Sequoia
Re: Repairing water line, diverter to shower head [message #149680 is a reply to message #149559] Tue, 15 November 2011 06:17 Go to previous message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
Senior Member
Replace it with a piece of hose. It should be fairly easy to do that way.

Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
Previous Topic: [GMCnet] Building a "new" GMC
Next Topic: Fresh water pump
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Mon Nov 18 22:27:38 CST 2024

Total time taken to generate the page: 0.01431 seconds