Yikes! Bathroom Faucet Leaking

[roguebooks]

Our new Dura Faucet Bathroom Faucet/Shower Head is leaking right at the pivot. A slow but steady drip is keeping the countertop wet and also the floor. I am looking for a quick fix. Anybody have a solution? I have contacted Jason and asked for a DIY solution, or a new faucet, or an Oliver maintenance/warranty repair appointment. Trouble is, last week I ruptured my quadricep tendons on my left leg, had surgery, and now looking at a lengthy recovery period with a non-flexion leg brace. It appears to me the front cabinet insert would have to be removed just to get to the faucet. Then the caulking would have to be re-done after the repair is made. Any help would be appreciated. Has anyone else had this problem?

[topgun2]

Ouch! Can only hope that you were doing something really, really fun when you hurt that leg.

 

 

 

 

Tough spot to repair/slow down a leak. Assume that you are doing the obvious - shut off the water pump or city water unless you need to use the faucet. You might want to try self bonding tape ( https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=self+bonding+tape ) (available at Ace, Lowes, Home Depot, etc) wrapped really tight, but, I'm guessing that due to the location you will still get a leak.

Good luck!

Bill

[roguebooks]

The leak is certainly caused by a faulty shut-off seal. I was hoping there would be something I could tighten. My bet is the faucet will need to be replaced. We are living full-time in the RV now so we have to live with the slow drip. The quadriceps injury was due to my lifting a very heavy mattress over my head while moving it from storage unit into rented DIY U-Haul truck. Plan B has us returning to Melbourne tomorrow to rent a trailer and hire two men to load it for us. This plan will take at least two trips hut I am not able yet to drive a big U-Haul truck. The Tacoma I can handle.

[KountryKamper]

I would think you could change the valve cartridge out and stop the leak. I dont know the model of the bath faucet but its worth a call to Oliver.

[roguebooks]

valve cartridge

 

Wouldn't that mean having to get inside the cabinet? I can't see how I could change anything the way the faucet sits.

Jason will let me know tomorrow. I emailed him.

[roguebooks]

I finally found a pdf file online that shows all the pieces. It appears the little half blue/half red vinyl button on the handle pries off and you can take the assembly apart to replace the "Ceramic Disc Cartridge". The Dura faucet is guaranteed to not leak so they will send out a new replacement Ceramic Disc Cartridge under warranty. I just might get out of trouble here yet. Thanks. Link below (scroll down page to installation sheet at bottom).

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XV3F4L8/?coliid=IY8NTI5H3BA1Z&colid=8J5Y57AUK30T&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

[KountryKamper]

I just looked at ours and everything should be able to be done from the top. I would find out from Jason what the model number is (please let is know when he tells you) and download the instructions from the internet. The little hot/cold emblem (blue & red) should be a plug that is removable concealing a set screw to allow the handle to be removed. That should allow access to the cartridge. It should be a simple repair but I would download the instructions first.

[KountryKamper]

You found it while I was typing. :-)

[roguebooks]

Here is a very good youtube video showing how to easily replace the valve cartridge. I will certainly post the Dura faucet model number and valve cartridge part number when Jason lets me know. Thanks again.

 

[Townesw]

I wonder if you might remove the cartridge and see if there is a small piece of something keeping it from sealing. When you reassemble snug that brass ring up a little tighter. I haven’t had any experience with the ceramic cartridges but I have fixed a leaky Delta ball and socket type faucet this way.

[roguebooks]

I am leaving for three days and when I return I will definitely try that idea out. In the meantime, I will shut the water supply off to the trailer until I get back.

[roguebooks]

I did try the above suggestion, and it did work for a couple days and then back to the steady stream of water. Long story short I got a replacement cartridge and wrote about it on my travel blog.

https://cloudssoswiftrv.tumblr.com/post/174398003394/dura-rv-faucetshower

[Corcomi]

Yikes! So much headaches for such a small thing. Glad you were able to get it fixed

[roguebooks]

The worse part was the unknown. I have never been much of a plumber. I suppose you need to be a lot of things when you own an RV. DURA company was good after I proved I was legit. Jason tried to solve it on his end with DURA and then just sent an entire new faucet (which I will use if and when this one gives out permanently). The good news is I received the replacement part and ordered another one on Amazon for backup. It is NO FUN having a leaking faucet when you are living in your RV full-time.

[topgun2]

Roguebooks -

 

Over the years I've done a bunch of plumbing repairs but have never been very happy with the process. With plumbing, sometimes you have to really put pressure on whatever it is you are putting together in order to get rid of a leak. Other times just hand tight is the order of the day. One minute the leak appears to be fixed and the next minute it is back again. Water can be frustrating!

Good job on getting the problem fixed and for the nice write-up on how you did it.

Bill

[Raspy]

I had a leak in the older style faucet with separate hot and cold handles. I was able to go to Home Depot with the cartridge and match it up with some careful looking. The ceramic inserts were the same on several faucets, but the cartridges were different, so I got a couple of them and will just re-build mine. To get us by until that time, I cut a small piece of electrical tape into a circle and stuuck it in the valve. That stopped it temporarily, but might not work on the single handled model.

 

I don't like that there is no access to the plumbing in the bathroom. The whole trailer must be shut off to make a repair. I'm also concerned about the flex hose disappearing into the abyss with no access.

 

Best thing would be to come up with a way to get in there easily, like hinges on the door, or something. And then install valves on the lines for servicing.

[Gofigure1149]

I discovered a bathroom leak in our 2017 Legacy II. I had to open the cabinet by carefully using a razor blade and breaking the caulk seal. I found whoever did the plumbing didn't use a long enough drain pipe from the faucet and there was not even a connection. So I had to modify a drain line extension to tightly connect the drain plumbing. The installer had to have known. Must have been the end of a day. Everything else in the plumbing compartmemt looked solid.

[Overland]

I don’t like that there is no access to the plumbing in the bathroom. The whole trailer must be shut off to make a repair. I’m also concerned about the flex hose disappearing into the abyss with no access.

Best thing would be to come up with a way to get in there easily, like hinges on the door, or something. And then install valves on the lines for servicing.

 

I had Oliver install an access port in the closet that opens to the plumbing right under the faucet. It's small, and you'd need to perfect a few yoga positions to work in there, but the connections are right at the opening so I think I could make a repair if needed.

[Raspy]

"I had Oliver install an access port in the closet that opens to the plumbing right under the faucet. It’s small, and you’d need to perfect a few yoga positions to work in there, but the connections are right at the opening so I think I could make a repair if needed."

 

That's what I need. Trying to fix mine while on the road would be a pain. What size access port did they install? Would a larger one work? Could one be installed without disturbing any of the plumbing or wiring?

[Overland]

They put in the same size port that they use everywhere else inside. 6" maybe? You're limited by the depth of the vanity but without checking I'd say you could probably go a few inches larger without problem. They put mine in after construction when I took it in for service so it can definitely be installed later. No wiring, but the plumbing will be just a few inches away. You might ask Jason if they if they drilled the hole with the faucet in place or if they removed it.

[ScubaRx]

While a lavatory inspection port in the closet is a good idea, the notion of doing any meaningful work through it seems a bit of a stretch to me.

 

The front of the bathroom vanity is easily removed and allows sufficient room to install or remove just about anything.

 

I’ve had ours out a bunch of times for many of my various modifications, mostly to facilitate running wiring.

[roguebooks]

@ScubaRx, is there a particular caulking product you have found to be the best and also most conducive to the removal of your panel a "bunch of times"?

[ScubaRx]

@scubarx, is there a particular caulking product you have found to be the best and also most conducive to the removal of your panel a “bunch of times”?

 

In the past I’ve used everything from 3M-4000 to nothing at all. I need to remove it again soon for something new I’m gonna try. Based on the fact that the factory is now using some sort of silicone caulk (it’s my understanding),

I will probably use that this time. The 4000 stuff is awfully expensive since it generally hardens before I need it again.

 

I also have an idea about making a permanent gasket that I plan to experiment with while I have the insert out. If it works I’ll post the particulars.

[Mainiac]

How would it be to replace the 'what ever it is' with a marine hatch? What ever I try to put behind the existing bars do not fit, or get wet. I can't imagine I would replace the existing unit more than once, maybe twice...

[Overland]

I tried to get Oliver to give me a hatch like you're talking about in place of the shower caddy, but they forgot and had the hole cut before I caught it. So they gave me the porthole in the closet instead, which I think is fine. If I need to do major surgery, I'll remove the caddy like Steve says; but the porthole is good enough to check for leaks or tighten the connections. We never use the caddy so it's a bit of an eyesore for me, so perhaps someday I'll swap it out for something else. Biggest issue with those hatches is that they're darned expensive.

 

I'm interested to see what Steve has in mind for his gasket.