Water heater leak at PEX connection

Hi, group,
My problem is a leak at the hot water outlet on heater. I have replaced the rubber compression washer and can't seem to get the fitting to screw back on flush. I can hold tubing in place but when I release it the PEX tubing shifts a little and starts leaking again. Can I re-align the water heater to make it sit flushly?
Due to my husband's death in "05, I have not taken the camper on a trip. But I have a homeless friend I am letting stay in it temporarilly. I have considered by-passing the water heater as an option. My friend showers in my home. And when I do camp again, I prefer using the bathhouse- more room!

Any suggestions would be helpful.

1998 2720SL....

Newlegs

That is what our water heater did to us. Our '04 TM was new to us this June. We noticed a very moldy/musty smell under the sink cabinet when we fired up the water heater. I did not notice a leak but it was obvious that it was. Take a look at my previous post on the matter...
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=6061

I would highly encourage you to get some help getting the leak repaired if not able to yourself. Have you tried to tighten the fitting with a pair of slip joint pliers? As you can see the foam insulation around the tank will trap water from the leak against the steel tank and cause rust to form. Then result in a nasty smell when the heater is used, as ours did. My final solution was a new water heater and standard 1/2" male NPT to 1/2" pex fittings. I did not re-use the quick connect fittings since I was not able to prevent a leak with them. I did have on hand the 1/2" pex crimp tool to make the connections and made the job fairly easy.

I feel you would have a hard time re-aligning the tank to the fitting. I think adjusting the fitting/pex line to the tank would be better. Again, though this might require cutting the pex and re-plumbing the connections to the tank.

By-passing the tank would be possible. You would have to either plug the inlet connection to the tank or cut the inlet quick connector off and use a 1/2" pex plug, crimped on of course, to isolate it. Remember to remove the anode rod/drain plug outside and completely drain the tank though before winter gets here.

Is temporarily not using the TM water system at all an option? Does the '98 model have the 3 or 6 gal water heater?

Good luck!
Troy

[Bill]

Someone on this board solved a similar (but different) problem by putting a length of flexible steel-jacketed water line between the male and female parts of the leaky fitting. This took the stress off the fitting and allowed the parts to line up. I think the flexible line was the kind they use for plumbing in toilet tanks, when the supply pipe and the toilet inlet don't line up. Would it work here? Dunno, but it might be worth thinking about.

Bill

Will this work with the existing compression fitting on the end of the elbow that connects to the pex tubing? this sounds like a good option. Do they come with a male on one end and a female on the other. I currently do not have the water turned on to the unit- flood issue. A 2qt container of water for hand washing/tooth brushing, etc is making do for the time being. I just pulled the toilet and replaced the ez-valve, so I am willing to try anything. The local Camping World charges ~$115 an hour for labor and I would rather try to solve the problem myself. I am not your usual helpless female.LOL...

newlegs

I'm impressed. I took my toilet up and found it to be a major challenge. Getting it back down was the problem. The wedges were a nightmare.

I do not have the water turned on to the TM now. There is no odor and the drip/leak seems to not go back to the foam. rather it seems to go down the outside and drips down to the cold water inlet pipe and splash some when it drips/poors out. The more I try to tighten it leak gets worse and the threads "slip. I believe these fittings should only require hand snugging to work- when they are properly aligned.
I was thinking.. undo the heater from the outside skin, align and attach the water line and maybe place some spacer washers when I reconnect the heater to the outside. Any thoughts....
It is a 6gal tank per the lit I have.
PS: the PEX may be better for freezing temps but seems much more complicated to work on--Just my thoughts....
PSS: I drained all the lines, removed the hot water external drain nut and d/c waterpump from system when I winterized the system '05 after my husband passed and I didn't think I would be using th TM for awhile. I am unsure if I can back up, hook up etc, w/o someone to help--but I plan to try...
Winter in N. FL is not as extreme as some places but I try not to take chances.
I just would like to provide at least cold water to my friend who is staying in my "mobile motel"....

Well, Bob, I had a little previous experience with the toilet. We noticed it was leaking into the camper and bad odor. Found out the plastic slides had come loose and the toilet was not tight to the seal. My 6ft2 husband couldn't maneuver in the small area so my 5ft torso got on the floor and figured out the problem. There are some, small advantages to being short.....
When I just pulled the toilet to replace the ez valve, there was no locator disc under any of the legs, so I made my own in my shop to keep the thing in place. As a nurse, I have learned to be creative and make adaptations as required to get the job done...
Geting the thing back in was much less of a problem than I thought it would be- since I had to lift and place with no help- the advantaged being I think my small fingers to get in and adjust those nuts by hand, pretty much.

HI, Bob, What is a shower curtain Tuck?

Your idea seems to be working. I got a 20" flexible faucet connection line and a brass 1/2 inch double male coupler, teflon tape. Had to make a complete loop with the line in order to get a really flush connection. Luckily I opted for the longer line or I couldn't have lined it up well. Now I guess the real test might be when I fire up the hot water heater. That will increase the pressure in the tank and line, yes?? Thanks for the assistance.

[Bill]

Now I guess the real test might be when I fire up the hot water heater. That will increase the pressure in the tank and line, yes?

Maybe a little, but not very much. Any air, anywhere in the system, should take up the expansion very nicely. But the bottom line is, please let us know how it works out.

Bill