Water found under bed in storage compartment after dewinterizing

kerilynvj

Hello! I dewinterized my brand new 400 boondock after purchasing her in December. We just set out on the first trip and we arrived 6 hours later to find water in our storage compartment under the bed area. The sleeping bags were wet - but no water is coming from anywhere after I hooked up to city water. Any ideas? I must have screwed up something?

Binghi

What procedure did you use to de-winterize?

RMo

Maybe turn on the water pump and see if it leaks.  It may have frozen and cracked.

[Deleted User]

To test the water pump you will need to put some water in the fresh water holding tank. If it is cracked (shouldn't be if it was winterized so don't think the worst right off) you will be able to see water coming out of it.  Check the little clear plastic filter cup on the water pump. I know my dealer didn't winterize mine correctly and that cup on mine was still full of clear water and no antifreeze. I called them about it and he said they blow it out first and that doesn't clear the water out of the cup but even if it froze it wouldn't hurt it.  I don't understand that reasoning, but it wasn't cracked and that will never happen now that I own it.

kerilynvj

Thank you for the feedback! I just checked under the seat next to the alde system and it looks like it was wet - but no longer wet. Could it be I blew out the system incorrectly? It was winterized from the dealer. I had a 320s and sold it for the 400. Of course everything is different and trying to get used to all the new upgrades. Right now I’m hooked up to city water and nothing is leaking...

[Deleted User]

Take a look at my post from earlier today.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/15123/leak-when-blowing-out-with-nautilus-at-45-degree-angles#latest

[Deleted User]

Also check all the fittings on the back of the Nautilius. Make sure everything is hand tight. 

kerilynvj

Thank you! Will do once it is light out. I guess I feel better that nothing is leaking right now hooked up. I have to drive on again tomorrow and was planning on filling the tanks so I’m a little nervous...There is so much more with the 2022 400 than was on my 2020 320. I have so much to learn. Why are there no really good pictures in the manual this year?!

[Deleted User]

I hate that feeling you are feeling right now.  Here is the Nautilus manual in case it will help. Just come back to the forum and ask any questions you have.  I'm sure we will figure this out. 

kerilynvj

Thank you so much for your help! I printed the manuals before I left just to be on the safe side and sitting with my night light reading as much as I can.

kerilynvj

And what the heck is the little switch above the refrigerator with a green light when turned on?!!!! I can’t find anything in the manual. 

[Deleted User]

Hahahaha....the one question every new 400 owner asks....I even just started telling my friends in advance what the button is because I knew they were going to ask me!  It allows the fridge to work off the battery. It's there so you don't accidentally run the battery down with the fridge. The only time you will run the fridge on battery is while you are in transit.  The green light must be on so your fridge can get power from battery.  

kerilynvj

You are absolutely the best and I can now rest!

[Deleted User]

Forgot to also say,  when on battery during travel I put the fridge on only 2 bars because your tow vehicle won't be adding much to the battery at all but your solar panel will contribute. 

kerilynvj

I need to inhale all your wisdom right now! I was so versed on the 320 and now feel like a newbee all over again. This is what is now leaking as we are driving and tanks are half full.

Denny16

I If water is leaking back out the City Water filler connection, you may have a bad check valve?

Cheers 

[Deleted User]

Maybe its just sloshing out? Is there a check valve? I don't remember seeing anything like that.

Where you able to find where the leak was from last night?

kerilynvj

The initial leak I could never find. We got to our location and the sleeping bags in the storage under bed were wet. This leak in the picture is around the city intake and it leaked the entire 8 hour drive so there must be a crack.

[Deleted User]

Check the fitting on the back side of the city water connection and make sure it's hand tight....check all of them while you are under the bed. 

There have been numerous posts about water issues on the 2022 400s and I think they were all caused by loose fittings....easy fix!

[Deleted User]

Sorry....I see I already said to check the fittings above. 

kerilynvj

So when you say to tighten the fittings, do you mean remove the box under the bed that surrounds the nautilus system? I can’t see another way.

[Deleted User]

No, just hand turn each of the black plastic "nuts" that attach each water line to the back of the nautilus. There are 10-15 of them.  I will look for a pic and post.  You get to this under the bed of the bed wood panel. If the leak is coming from the city water connection maybe the black fitting on the back is loose.....Hopefully. 

kerilynvj

Gotcha! I know what you are talking about. They all seemed tight to me. I will get the line checked when I return. Waiting to hear from warranty.

[Deleted User]

Good luck and please let us know when it gets figured out. It's always helpful to others along the way.  

BobMc

Dripping quick Disconnect fitting: We have had two kinds of leaks from Nautilus panel on 2021 400BD. One leak was from loose water connection nuts on back of panel, as discussed above. The other, more insidious, came from the quick disconnect fitting dripping when the sprayer hose was plugged in and the outdoor water faucets were on (but sprayer was not operating). The bottom of the outside nautilus compartment is NOT an integral tub, part of the unit, but rather us the trailer floor, theoretically sealed with silicone caulk (but not really). Water dripped onto bottom of outside Nautilus compartment and flowed in, and across beneath the bed area. We confirmed this source by strategically placed sheets of toilet paper as water telltales, and found the rear side of the Nautilus compartment was not properly sealed against the floor. 

Binghi

A similar Nautilus panel leak happened in my 2021 BD 400 last year. Check out my post from 8/21/2021:

“Watch out for allowing water to accumulate in the base of the Nautilus compartment. I accidentally left a slow drip on my city water connection and rather than going down the compartment’s drain hole, the water slipped through the Nautilus base somewhere and leaked onto the floor of the trailer at the rear. Under the bed, into the outside storage compartment. The Nautilus compartment sits on top of the floor, so leaks spread. I’m going to add caulk along the base of the compartment, and make darn sure from now on that my connections are drip-free.”

kerilynvj

Thank you all for the great ideas and comments! I was super lucky to find an RV place that would look at the problem as an emergency. They were awesome and had it done in a day! The black connector on the right of the pump, next to the little white cap above the blue hose, needed to be replaced and crimped. All is back to normal and we are ready for summer! If anyone needs an RV repair in Denver, go to the RV Guy! They were so nice and did an amazing job.🤗

Snoblett

Hi all, I’m going to add to what @Binghi discussed above.  I had water seeping in under the bed from the nautilus compartment.  I did some trouble shooting and discovered that the floor of the nautilus is NOT well sealed, especially at the low point drains.

Today I tested this by first verifying everything was dry in the cabin under the bed.  Then I used the outdoor shower and a sprayed some water into the tub of the nautilus.  This replicates the concept of a slow drip from the hose with a city water hookup.  Water is entering in or around these discs that surround the low point drains.  I went inside and noticed that water was immediately being absorbed into the base of the wood housing surrounding the nautilus along the floor.

We plan to caulk the snot out of these points.  I’m surprised NuCamp didn’t address this.  I plan to email them video/photos and solutions so that new owners don’t experience unnecessary leakage, rot and mold.

Binghi

Excellent test, @Snoblett! I will caulk those drains in addition to the edges of the Nautilus floor.

Sharon_is_SAM

Good that they changed the location of the low point drains to the driver side frame.

CampsiteGal

Glad I found these comments - I have a 2022 Tab 400 and had some issues with water spray that became wetness under the bed.  The water spray seemed to be a hose that leaked at the fitting but also the city water inlet is pushed so far into the nautilus system that it takes the entire metal end of the hose to be able to tighten the hose into the inlet.  I am afraid I won't be able to get a tight fit in the near future.  (the black tank flush inlet isn't like that).  I will go under the driver side of the bed and tighten fittings found there...and then caulk around the edge of the floor where it meets the nautilus panel.  The low points have been moved behind the driver side wheel so that wasn't the issue.