Leak When Blowing Out with Nautilus at 45 Degree Angles

[Deleted User]

Ok, this is complicated to describe, but I went out yesterday to blow out my brand new 400 after having dewinterized prematurely (for a trip that got cancelled due to surprise freeze) I had the Nautilus manual printed out and in my hand. I put the levers in the "Powerfill" positions to let the excess water drain out. Then I put the levers in the 45 degree angle positions.  I turned on the air compressor let it build up its internal pressure, the regulator pressure was at 0 psi, I attached the quick disconnect to the threaded piece that I had already screwed into the city water connection and raised the regulator pressure slowly to 30psi.  There was an immediate screaming sound right at the city water connection after about 30 seconds the water alarm I put in the plumbing compartment went off. UH OH! I have a leak!  This really caught me off guard because I had already drained the antifreeze and sanitized my lines and hooked up to my house water connection and examined the whole area and all the fittings for leaks....no leaks! So why is it leaking now when I hook up the air compressor but not when I had it hooked up to city water??  I was able to narrow down the leak to one blue line (pic attached) that runs left to right close to the water pump and under the mixer valve.  I can't quite tell exactly which elbow is leaking though.   In the photo the Nautilus is to the left. 

The freeze threat will pass by Wednesday so I'm planning to drain the antifreeze and hook back up to city water and see if the leak is still there....but why wouldn't it be if it leaks with the air compressor!  Using my water pressure regulator (mine doesn't have the built in one) the water pressure is probably at least 40psi, so why wasn't it leaking when i check it then?

Bad news is, if it does continue to leak on city water my camping season just came to a screeching halt since there is at least an 8 week wait on service!  I'm so bummed right now.  The dealer is almost four hours away from me.  Maybe I can find a regular plumber to come to my house to fix it. 

MTFLY

Regular plumber would be a good idea or someone who knows a plumber. But if you can pin point the leak you can buy a pex cutting tool and use shark bites to reconnect the lines. 

MTFLY

MTFLY

Protect those lines with R13 during soft freeze. 

MTFLY

Run heat with glycol pump set to continuous. Leave this area open. Turn water pump off and leave all water fixtures open to allow for expansion. Make sure waste tanks are drained. Everything you can think of will help prevent a line or connection from busting a leak small or large. Though I’d do like tabby shack if it gets too cold. That is so unfortunate and I’m so sorry that happened. Made me think twice about next couple of nights and take some added precaution. 

[Deleted User]

I've reached out to my usual plumber but I think he retired!!

SLJ

When I blew out my T@B lines in the fall I got over a gallon of additional water even though I had drained everything already. I have always left a faucet open at all times when blowing out the lines. I open a faucet, set the compressor to 30#, turn on the air and then go around and open another faucet or drain before closing the last. That way I'm sure there's never too much pressure.

Denny16

I think on the Nautilus with the valves at 45-degree setting, there is some blow by of air as the lines clear.  You might not actually have a leak.  Wait until the weather clears, drain and recharge the system on city water and recheck form the suspected leak.  Meanwhile, don’t Panic…
 Cheers 

[Deleted User]

Thanks SLJ, yea, that is normally what happens (on my old 400) but I was never able to build up pressure enough to blow out each faucet.  I might not have been waiting enough time in between for the compressor to build the pressure back up. I'm second guessing everything I did even though I've done this process like 15 times over the years. 

Denny, good to hear this and thanks for the reminder to not panic! I've been trying to maintain my coolness but I get a pit in my stomach each time I think about it!! Yea, the 45 degree angles are not a setting I use normally so maybe thats it. That would possibly expain why it didn't leak on city water when I checked it few weeks ago. 

The good news is its not leaking at all through the antifreeze process (and I checked it again this morning) so if there was a leak it would leak now too and I would see obvious pink! I assume antifreeze is passing through that same stretch of pipe.

The other good sign is I did scrutinize this whole area when I dewinterized last week and hooked up to my house water and tested everything.  There was no sign of leak then! I have some hope now that its just the 45degree setting that is the culprit. I will keep my eight weeks out service appointment to check it out plus something else might crop up by then.  I think I'm supposed to adjust brakes after 500 miles anyway. 

Thanks!! 

Denny16

And the lug nut torque…
Good luck
cheers

MarkAl

I have a 320S 2021 and have never been able to build up pressure with the valves set at 45 degrees. I don't know if it's good or not but I use the winterize position to blow out the lines then move the levers to 45 degrees.... It seems to work and 45 never allows pressure. Been doing this through 2 winters.

[Deleted User]

Thanks MarkAl this is very helpful.  I'm going to get it looked at in a couple of months but I might just stop doing the blow out step and just use the antifreeze alone.  I know the Nautilus has a lot of advantages but I still think I prefer the old set up where you could see the lines and make adjustments to everything from the outside compartment without having to go under the bed for everything.  

[Deleted User]

Anyone else getting alot of air "screaming" sounds at the city water connect when they try to blow out the lines through the Nautilius with knobs at 45 degree angles? Has anyone else found you can't get pressure to build up to the point your air compressor is able to auto shutoff? How about water leaks right behind Nautilius from the air pressure?  I couldn't feel any obvious air leak around the connection on the inside. 

Denny16

There was a post on the air blow by last year.  The air is not leaking out externally, but going through the plumbing and back into water tanks, and venting out, to blow out water line and pump to the tank?  If it is venting into the water tank to clear the intake water pipe, the tank is vented and pressure will not build up.
 Cheers 

[Deleted User]

Great news! I was able to dewinterize today and hook back up to city water and NO LEAKS! it's only an issue when I have the air compressor hooked up and levers in 45 degree angle for winterizing. I guess I can just skip that step in the future and just do the antifreeze. I will still get it looked at so I will keep my service appointment in two months.  

Sharon_is_SAM

@TabbyShack  Placing the valves at 45 degrees and blowing out the harness serves to clear water that has pooled specifically in the Nautilus harness.  Nautilus calls for that to be done.  Maybe antifreeze does not reach all the areas within the harness?