Alde Drain Cock Leaking

mntrails

When I run the pump on my 2021 T@B 320S, I'm finding a persistent leak of fresh water coming from the Alde Drain Cock and out the drain tube under the trailer. It stops when there's no water being run even if the pump is left on.  I've tried opening it with the system pressurized by the pump hoping any grit or foreign matter might flush through but its still leaking after closing.
Does anyone know if you can take this valve apart and clean it or if its just as easy to replace it?  I referring to the floor mounted blue and yellow valve on the floor of the 320S and pictured below as the Safety valve and drain cock.
  
Its not an urgent problem as everything works and the leak is just a stream of drips, not a 'flow'.  But I'm curious if anyone else has a history with this? 

Tabaz

Has happened to several owners (including me).  Simply replace the Safety Valve/Drain Cock in Item "D" above.  Very easy to do.  No need to replace the drain tube leading out the bottom of the trailer.

Tampakayaker

Are you using a pressure regulator on your water hose?

mntrails

No water hose connected - this is pressure from the Shurflo pump only.  But yes, when I have connected to water to fill the tanks, I always use a 40 psi pressure limiter.  

Bayliss

@mntrails, another possibility is that the pressure setting on the SHURflo pump needs to be adjusted.  Here's a description and accompanying video on how to do that:

https://www.doityourselfrv.com/adjusting-pressure-switch-on-shurflo-water-pump/

If you determine that it is the Safety Valve, here's a discussion about replacing it:

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/151537#Comment_151537

mntrails

@Bayliss, thanks for the links.  In particular, the directions for the replacement of the valve is simple but was not obvious to me since I haven't worked with the sharkbite type fittngs before.

I've seen the Shurflo adjustment video before as my T@B's pump wouldn't shut off after bringing it home last spring and I had to adjust the pressure switch to shut off a bit sooner.  I'm pretty sure whatever is going on is related to the drain cock as it was also vibrating a couple times very loudly like the spring wasn't strong enough to keep the drain cock part in place. That went away after I opened and closed it several times under pressure.  Its quite a loud vibration, many times louder than the pump.

I contacted Warranty at NuCamp and they're sending a new valve/drain cock to me.  They got right back to me the same day - can't ask for more than that :-).
Thanks again for the tips.

mntrails

I installed the replacement drain cock - no more water coming out of the drain tube however one side of the drain cock insists on leaking.  Its the side with the blue hose in a 'U' bend  in the picture below.  I marked the pipe to ensure correct seating, I swapped O rings, I discussed the problem with 2 different RV mechanics.  Each thought the 'U' bend was putting side pressure on the fitting and causing it to leak. Unfortunately that blue pipe is an odd size (probably metric?) and neither of them could figure out a quick way to put in a 'U' with 2 90 degree fittings with the parts they had on hand.  One of them helped me re-trim the end flat and square - still no luck.  Its going back to the dealer tomorrow unfortunately (a 2-1/2 hour trip).  Hopefully they can get the right parts from NuCamp to fix it. 

Streamfinder

Does anyone know where (other than nuCamp) I could get this fitting?  I am having the same problem.  I haven't had much luck locating this part online.

mntrails

I have not been able to find any Alde parts easily other than through NuCamp and thus a dealer if you're out of warranty.  My leak was repaired - the technicians had to remove the blue hose, cut 1" off both ends so there were no scratches, mars, etc on it, and then reassemble it.  No leaking from either the drain cock or the hose now.  The blue plastic hose is a metric item, 9mm ID, 12mm OD.  I am trying to get another one now that mine is very short with a pretty sharp bend in it.  I haven't found any other source other than NuCamp yet.  I haven't tried calling Alde however.  Other threads on this forum indicate that is probably a frustrating and futile effort, i.e. leave a msg and no calls returned.

Denny16

You need to go through a dealer a d order the parts for the Alde from nüCamp.
Your other option is to order Alde parts from the UK, but shipping will add to the cost.
cheers

Tabaz

I just found a source for the blue hose.  It is 15/32" OD (Outer Diameter).  Could not find it on Amazon or locally.  Here is the link:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/PE-Plastic-Tubing-23-64-Inch-ID-x-15-32-Inch-OD-6-6-Feet-Length-Blue/333816185

Mine has not arrived, so order with caution.

mntrails

@Tabaz, that does 'look' like the right stuff. Running through the numbers yields the following:

ID = 23/64" = 0.3594" -> Measured = 0.351" to 0.362" (it varies)  -> 9mm = 0.354"
OD = 15/32" = 0.4687" -> Measured = 0.466" to 0.476 (it varies) -> 12mm = 0.472

I measured from a stub that was cut off and a bit out-of-round from the cutting pressure, plus you can push the numbers around a few thousandths based on the pressure on the micrometer screw.  Given that the 'O' ring in the quick connect fitting is intended to seal everything and has a lot of flex, there's a good chance this will work. The techs I talked to were just guessing that it was metric anyway.  Perhaps it really is 15/32" OD and 23/64" ID.

Tabaz

First photo shows the actual Alde fitting that goes into the unit as the cold water feed.  It is stamped with the word "truma" so no question its metric.

This is a stub of the actual Alde tubing in a drill template:

Here is a section of hose bought at a local RV supply shop.  It is ever so slightly too large such that it would not seat into the "O" ring within the plastic elbow:

Notice the template above shows 11.91mm for the 15.32" hole.
My Walmart tubing won't arrive until May 26th.  Hoping it will work.

Tabaz

BTW, the white tubing is too small for the 1/2" hole and too large for the 31/64" hole.  So must be somewhere between 12.3 and 12.7 mm.  Still too large for the Alde fitting.

ScottG

My understanding of pipe sizes (both copper and pex) are that the numbers are nominal measurements of inside diameter--i.e., not necessarily exactly what you will measure with a caliper or micrometer.  This can confound efforts to shop based actual measurements. 

I always thought the smaller pex coming from the Alde was 3/8". A reducing fitting (which for a long time I mistakenly thought was a check valve) allows the 3/8" to attach to the more standard 1/2" used everywhere else.

Whether or not the American sizes correlate with European sizes is unclear to me. That certainly could add a wrinkle if Aldes are shipped from Europe with metric pipe stubs and fittings.

@Pintoplumber, you username and and previous comments elsewhere suggest you might actually be a plumber. Any insights on this? 

Pintoplumber

Yup, started plumbing in 1971. Our dad was a plumber. 3 out of us 4 boys became plumbers. We had 4 boys, none of them were interested in becoming a plumber. Too many stories at the kitchen table.

The smaller tubing is 3/8”. I had to make 1 repair on our 3/8” line and I used a 1/2”x3/8” sharkbite coupling. I would stick with genuine sharkbite fittings. If it won’t go in, sometimes the wall thickness interferes with the stiffener inside the fitting. On occasion I’ve pulled that out with a needle nose pliers.

ScottG

Thank you, @Pintoplumber!

mntrails

I now have replacement hose in hand.  I was unexpectedly able to get a piece from NuCamp, and I received the Walmart hose cited above.  Here's a couple pictures of both side by side (OEM on the left, Walmart on the right). The summary is that they measure out to be the same for all key dimensions within tolerances of a few thousandths of an inch.  The NuCamp (Alde) hose is a bit darker blue and the Walmart hose 'might' be a little more elliptical at least at the existing cut end, but otherwise they seem to be the same.  I tested both in the faulty draincock I've removed to see how they mated with the 'O' ring.  Both seated all the way in the same. From all I can tell, either should work.

My repaired and slightly shorter hose just made it through a long trip without a leak so for the time being, I'm sticking with it.  But at least I now have plenty of hose to install should it start leaking again.

Tabaz

I just received my Walmart hose and noticed it is a tad bit thinner than the factory one.  OD is identical.  Seems to seat firmly into the 'O' ring within the fitting.  Will connect and test tonight.

fstop32

@mntrails, you might try a hose clamp like the one pictured.  You can screw it down over the blue hose close to the drain cock, that way any tension or vibration can be absorbed by the clamp instead of the drain cock.

fstop32

Ooo, just remembered a better idea...a PEX Turn-out!  Designed for stabilizing a curve in a PEX pipe and holding the tension of the bend so it doesn't transmit to the connection, and it screws right to the floor.
    

Denny16

That is a grand find, thanks for posting this info.
cheers