Tub leaking to outside

For those of you who may remember our seemingly neverending horror story of trying to get our trailmanor warranty issues by RV Brokers in Sacramento, it is hopefully coming to a close.

The reason I am posting in the plumbing forum is a new problem that I have just discovered. I am not sure if it is just started, or if it existed the whole time and I just found it.

When I put water into the tub, I get water leakage out of the bottom of the trailer. This happens even when the tank is empty. I put fresh water into the tub to flush out an already empty tank and still got leaking water. The water comes from a black mesh area, just behind the gray water tank near the 3" drain pipe.

I have read the previous posts on the nighmare of gray water/tub issues.

The trailer is still under warranty, so at least it should be fixed at the dealer or factory's expense. My questions to the forum are -

1. Since this is a warranty repair on a less than one year old trailer, should I accept a "repair job" like epoxy, or demand a new tub/tank or whatever is leaking?

2. If this needs a new tub/tank, will it have to go to the factory?

3. If this gets fixed at the dealer (I still have to deal with RV Brokers for the moment because they have the parts for the original problems) is there a way for me to do an inspection of the floor plywood, etc. to ensure there is no water damage? I don't trust them to do a complete repair.

4. Is there anything else I should be inspecting for damage?

5. What is the mesh area, and is this an area that would normally vent the overflow of a full tank?

[Bill]

When I put water into the tub, I get water leakage out of the bottom of the trailer.

Let me be sure I understand. When this happens, are you simply running water into the tub, and letting it flow out the drain? Or have you put a stopper in the drain, and the tub is holding couple inches (or more) of water?

My TM is closed up in the garage at the moment, so I can't look at it. But I'm betting that the drain fitting is simply a bit loose. It might be loose where it seals against the bottom of the tub, or it might be loose where it joins the drain pipe below it. Either way, simply tightening the fitting should stop the leak, although I'm not sure you (as a non-plumber) can tighten it yourself. And again if I am right, this is not a big deal.

As you have read, you really want to avoid replacing the tub and tank. And don't be so discouraged! This is probably a small problem, and certainly a manageable one.

Bill

vent the overflow of a full tank?

If all of the joints are watertight the gray water tank does not overflow. It backs up into the tub. There is a Check (cheater) Vent under the seat of the tub that is supposed to let air in for the tank to drain. It is not supposed to let air or water out because that could vent sewer gas into the TM.
However my TM piping was not watertight at the top of the tank. One night I shut the shower off at the head instead of the faucets. When I went outside in the morning there was a lot of water on the ground but no flood inside.
I just finished changing the tank after a blowout. The flange where the sink drain goes into the top of the tank was nor properly sealed. See my posts at http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=7840
Good news... When I put the new tank in I didn't get a good seal either. I don't have to worry about a flood next time I leave the faucets on.

The mesh as you call it is the tub drain into the gray tank. Sounds like you are having unusually poor luck.

Bill - This is putting water into the tub with the drain plug removed to allow th water to drain into the gray water tank.

[Bill]

Wanderer -

I'll try to get under my TM later today and confirm, but I think the black mesh you describe is the screen over the bathroom vent fan outlet. In other words, it covers a hole in the floor. If I am right (check back here to see any retractions), it means that water is flowing out of the tub drain and onto the floor, where enough of it finally pools that it finds an exit through the hole. That would mean that the tub drain fitting is disconnected (and at least partially misaligned) from the pipe below it.

The fix is probably to pull up the tub, and this is apparently possible now (as opposed to a few years ago, when it was not) according to the pictures and story posted here recently. And you're right, you should not have to do it (and probably don't want to do it) if the unit is still under warranty. My approach would be to make an appointment with the dealer, and specify that you want to be there when the work is done, both to see the problem and to see the solution.

As I recall, the floor under the tub is the aluminum skin, so not much water will have soaked into anyplace it shouldn't. And when the repair is done, you can run the vent fan to exhaust any remaining water vapor. So aside from the annoyance factor, I don't think it is a real horrible problem. But you do want it to be fixed, both to keep any more water from soaking into the structure, and because you want to keep the electric stuff (converter, etc) dry. The converter sits an inch or more above the floor, so I don't expect any water to gotten to it. In fact, you could pull the converter out of the wall if you are curious, and peer under the tub with a flashlight. If you decide to pull it, make sure that both shore power and the TM battery are disconnected, of course.

I say all this based on my knowledge of my own 2720. I'm not sure I know what model you have ...

Bill

You might also check the back side of the shower faucet. If it cracked from a freeze, it can leak from the area between the valves and the hose connection.