Hot water heater broken fitting

JoeLifestyle

This morning my wife says “I just heard something pop under the sink,” then water flooded all over the floor! Suburban hot water heater blew a fitting. Brass fitting broke at the elbow. Can’t believe it happened on a 6 month old coach!
See picture here:

Look at the part still attached to the water heater – it has 2 nuts. The inner nut is sealed. The outer nut is larger. Is the inner nut part of the water heater?
Thanks, Joe

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Posted: 2:54 PM – Sep 07, 2016

Runtrails

I think it is NOT part of the water heater. Looks to me like the entire thing unscrews from the water heater. But I don’t think you need to do that. I think you can unscrew the outer nut, take it and the part that broke off down to Lowes, HD, etc. and get a new fitting.

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Posted: 6:10 PM – Sep 07, 2016

JohnD222

Looks like a compression 90 degree flex fitting where the nut was not tightened properly or the gasket was not properly seated before the nut was tightened.

Yuk, what a mess. Be sure to drop the typar fabric panel underneath and remove the fiberglass insulation. You will probably need to cut out a section of the typar fabric at the cross beams, then use good wide tape to put it back together after everything is dry. And run a fan pointed under the sink area for days.

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Posted: 10:19 AM – Sep 08, 2016

JoeLifestyle

The water heater is in the slide, so the underbelly and insulation didn’t get wet. The bottom of the slide is solid, so not much I can do. Minor plywood damage on 1 exposed edge. I picked up stronger fittings and will replace both hot and cold.

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Posted: 10:38 AM – Sep 08, 2016

JohnD222

There is a quick way to tell if the underbelly insulation is wet. Gently press your hand upward on the black typar fabric between the aluminum retainer strips. Is it heavy=wet. Not sure what heavy means? Try a different panel. Same upward resistance, both wet or both dry. Try a 3rd, but holding tank section has none.

If it was me, I would not bring that slide back in for quite some time. I would also figure out where rollers are if it is that type of slide. Figure out where the hot water heater is. With a short razor knife cut as big of a square/rectangke out of the black underbelly fabric of the slide where it, and good wide tape that will put it back in place when dry, will not be rubbed by the rollers. Also, stay a good 1.5 inch plus away from the geared rack so future tape has good wide area that to can roll with pressure roller. The purpose of the cut hole is to allow the water out, physically, and then by evaporation. That fabric is a moisture barrier.

If you are in and will stay in Arizona not so much of a worry, but it does not take much for that water to start mold and mildew. Once started it is very difficult to get rid of.

My 2 cents.

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Posted: 11:27 AM – Sep 08, 2016

JoeLifestyle

Makes sense. The same area has the winterizing valve and overflow valve. Would be good if the whole area had a zipper panel. Doesn’t look easy to cut. I may cut a small hole and duct in some warm air.

B.W.Gentry
Owner/Admin
2007 Carri-Lite XTRM5
Breckenridge, TX

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