Protecting under sink plumbing pipes

PNWtabber

I'm new to my T@B (2018 320S) and still working on sorting how to pack and best utilize the available storage.  I am a bit nervous about the exposed pipes in the cabinets under the sink.  I am concerned about items in the cabinet bumping against those pipes and causing problems/damage.  Would it be reasonable to put some foam pipe insulation on those pipes to protect them from bumps on the road?  Or are they more durable than I am giving them credit for?  I've seen photos of cabinets where people have put cookware and other items up against those pipes.  Seems risky?

dragonsdofly

@PNWtabber, the pipes are durable. We have 44,000 to 45,000 miles on our 2017. I have my pots and pans in the bottom cupboard, under the sink and utensils, dishes, silverware, mugs and cups in the cabinet directly under the sink, which contains the j-trap. We have done highway, expressway, local, rural and forest service roads and trails while on our adventures and haven't had any problems. The pots and pans bang against the drain lines and even bump the water supply lines. Everything has been sound. No leaks of any kind and the soft plumbing hasn't caused damage to any item I have placed in there. I would not allow large knives to bounce around loosely there, but, so far, all else is ok. I can say that storage is at a premium and insulation takes up space. Others may have a different opinion or experience, but there have been little to no complaints regarding the delicate condition of t@b plumbing in these cabinets posted on the forum in the years of my membership. Good luck. Enjoy, and happy t@bbing!

Tampakayaker

PNWtabber said:

I'm new to my T@B (2018 320S) and still working on sorting how to pack and best utilize the available storage.  I am a bit nervous about the exposed pipes in the cabinets under the sink.  I am concerned about items in the cabinet bumping against those pipes and causing problems/damage.  Would it be reasonable to put some foam pipe insulation on those pipes to protect them from bumps on the road?  Or are they more durable than I am giving them credit for?  I've seen photos of cabinets where people have put cookware and other items up against those pipes.  Seems risky?

There is a mod where you replace the j shaped trap with a straight pipe with a flap in it that acts as a trap. 

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/113357#Comment_113357

You can see how you can eliminate a lot of the piping that is in the way.

dragonsdofly

@Tampakayaker, that valve is a hepV-O. It does save an enormous amount of space in the under sink cabinet with the j-trap. But doesn't answer the OP's initial concern about how delicate/dicey the under cabinet original plumbing is. But, thanks for the reminder that this mod can be done. And, thanks again to @Dalehelman for posting about it.

DesertDweller

While the pipes may be robust, the plastic faucet in my T@B, or more specifically the connections for the supply lines, were not so robust.  They started leaking after about a year or so.  A post on this forum mentioned that frequent hitting of the supply lines with pots, pans, etc, could cause the faucet to leak under the cabinet.  This is what happened to me.  As I was getting ready for a trip and filled the fresh water tank while still at home, I noticed water in the cabinet under the sink.  The dripping was not from the supply line per se, but from inside the faucet housing.  I eventually replaced the OEM faucet with a different type acquired from a big box hardware store.  

Tampakayaker

dragonsdofly said:

@Tampakayaker, that valve is a hepV-O. It does save an enormous amount of space in the under sink cabinet with the j-trap. But doesn't answer the OP's initial concern about how delicate/dicey the under cabinet original plumbing is. But, thanks for the reminder that this mod can be done. And, thanks again to @Dalehelman for posting about it.

I just mentioned that because the mod eliminates most of the exposed piping (that darn j-trap).  If a pot/pan was going to knock something loose it would probably be that trap.

PNWtabber

I appreciate the reminder of the plumbing modification.  I am not launching into any modifications right away, so, yes, just wondering if I should be protecting those pipes.  Thanks!

4ncar

I put my pots & pans on the lowest under sink shelf. Cups, cleaning supplies and my outdoor wash tubs go in the shelf under the sink. Prior to the above mentioned mod, I had no issues or worry of damaging the P-trap. Now with mod in place, gobs of room AND now worries.