Broken Kitchen Faucet

Well somehow I accomplished breaking the faucet not even moving the camper. I am doing a lot of work so will take full credit.

Has anyone found an easy way to do this replacement? I do not have long arms and am big to boot.

[commodor47]

Dave,

Our faucet broke a few years ago. My wife was washing the dishes one evening, during our winter stay in AZ. She turned on the faucet and it blew off the base . . . and sent water everywhere! The base had a small hairline crack that eventually gave under repeated pressure and use. The problem stemmed from the night we experienced below freezing temperatures - before leaving home and heading to AZ. I remembered removing the faucet the next morning to check for possible damage and found a plug of solid ice in the base. I let it thaw, re-attached the faucet and turned on the water. The water flowed fine and there was no indication of any freeze damage. It just took a while to show up . . . and fail. I went to an RV dealer in Tucson and discovered you can't purchase just the faucet. I had to buy the entire setup. As the clerk said then, at least I have a complete replacement should I need other parts. It was easy to remove the new faucet and screw it onto my existing setup.

Dick

Wish I had lucked out like you. My faucet cracked at the base and it is a full replacement to fix.

I swapped out the original faucet to switch to a single lever so I could gain the sprayer.

It was a lot of work in cramped quarters, but I got it done.

During the first test there was a leak.

I took it to a local RV shop.

Got the new faucet installed today between rains.
I could NOT reach the connections from the front, my arms are too short and my shoulders and belly too big. Sooo- I removed the hot water tank and made the change from the outside, a snap! Two people would be best. Yes you remove the gas line, 2 water lines from the tank inside and the white box off the side of the cabinet and 3 wires off the switch and light under the sink. Then about 8 screws and carefully slide it out. I set it on an inverted garbage can while I was working, that way the 110 volt line stayed connected (but I tripped the breaker to be safe). Reversed the process and was done inside of 4 hours. A second person inside to help move the tank in and out would have easily shaved off an hour, more if they did inside connections while you were outside, I must have made 10 trips in and out of the camper.

Yes it was a lot of work but I could NOT have done the repair from the inside, no matter what. Gotta do what you gotta do.

[ShrimpBurrito]

Just for the benefit of anyone who has to do this in the future, I too was able to replace the entire faucet. I did not remove the water heater, and I have an SL model, which means there is a 20-gallon water tank under the sink as well. It wasn't easy, but it's possible. Removing the sink trap helps.

Dave

I could not have done the change in my 3023. The cabinet under the sink has 2 doors, each about 14 inches wide with a piece of the cabinet frame separating them and the depth of the cabinet is 3 to 4 inches deeper than my arms are long. Besides all of the drainage pipes, gas line for water heater and of course the water heater itself. I would have had to destroy the original framework of the cabinet by cutting out the center piece, and then cobbed it back together. For my arms and the fact I had much stuff in the way removing the heater was the easiest, fastest means possible. I could not have done it from the front but I am real glad your arms were long enough and the hole big enough for you to do it. I am sure that many people have long enough arms, big enough spaces to accomplish this.

[ShrimpBurrito]

Originally Posted by clown9644

I would have had to destroy the original framework of the cabinet by cutting out the center piece, and then cobbed it back together.

For future reference, that center piece can be quickly removed by simply removing a few screws that attach it to the top and bottom of the cabinet via L-brackets. I didn't do that, but it's easy to do.

Glad you got it fixed!

Dave

Not on mine Dave. They used the Corrugated Fastener and if you have ever tried to remove one of those you know you pretty much destroy the wood doing so. Screws would have been wonderful. Honest, I made my living installing, fixing and removing "stuff" and I know enough to look for the obvious. The obvious for my 3023 was the route I took for my conditions.

As with every project we should all know to look and look before proceeding to do the job with the least amount of effort and or damage to the surrounding area.