Suffering shower faucet!

ScottG
ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,655
in Heating/Plumbing & Winterizing
Preseason inspections revealed a small leak at the shower faucet in my 2015 M@x S. When the water is on, a slight drip occurs where the flexible showerhead hose attaches to the faucet assembly (a connection made with a rather flimsy looking little plastic doohickey).

The drip comes from under the escutcheon plate. Removal of the escutcheon plate is not obvious, but I'm thinking it starts with removing the handles, and possibly some underlying retaining do-dads.

Before I set about breaking things, does anyone have any experience or advice regarding disassembly of the shower faucet?

  
2015 T@B Max S (320)
2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
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Comments

  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    I understand the term "do-dads" but not "escutcheon" :-)
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  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,655
    Yeah, I try to avoid fancy words, but in this case I couldn't come up with a better term for shiny-chromed-plastic-decorative-plate-thingy-that-hides-the-plumbing-guts-under-the-faucet-handles-including-something (a.k.a., a doohickey)-that-drips-when-it-shouldn't.

    I was just impressed I spelled "escutcheon" correctly on the first try!
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    Unscrew it and replace the shower wand
    with an Oxygenics shower wand. Longer hose, better quality, more adjustments. Mine leaked also, and I replaced it soon after I got the T@B last summer. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Verna said:
    Unscrew it and replace the shower wand
    with an Oxygenics shower wand. Longer hose, better quality, more adjustments. Mine leaked also, and I replaced it soon after I got the T@B last summer. 
    That was one my winter mode. They have water saving models, too.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    Yes, it is a water saving model that gives me one more day without dumping the gray water tank. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Got a link gals - So I can bookmark it.
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    I also understand "doohickey" :-)
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876

    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • ChanW
    ChanW Member Posts: 3,165
    Scott, there is a 'drain-back' hole in the fitting that's at the base of the hose. I think it's a white plastic piece, don't remember for sure. The hole is intended to allow the hose to empty out completely. Same thing?

    Otherwise, I had problems with the fittings on the back of the shower faucets. The wall pressed up against them and made them drip inside the wall. I had to put a spacer so that the access cover on the hole in the wall, for servicing the faucets, no longer pressed against the back of the fixture.
    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
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  • Ratkity
    Ratkity Member Posts: 3,770
    Just an FYI from a long time ago. When the faucets were on, the showerhead was "supposed" to drip to allow the person showering to know the faucets were still in the "on" position. Whether shower heads in RVs are designed that way now or not, I have no clue. It was something a tech pointed out to me in my old Coleman popup that I bought in the 90s. So When the shower is on, I don't worry about a drip when the switch to stop the water flow is in the "off" position and I still see it dripping. Just means there's still pressure going through the hose from the faucets.

    If this is happening after you shut off the water flow at the faucets, it's just a little residual pressure and it'll stop once all the water is out of the shower flexible line to the faucets. Nothing to be concerned about. If you don't like this type of feature of RV faucets (and it *is* a plastic one - albeit fairly tough), you can always go to a box store and get a regular shower head. Remember to take out the flow regular in the store-bought shower head. The water pressure is low enough without that in the way.
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    @Ratkity, my drip only stopped when the tank was empty. The new shower wand doesn't leak and drip. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,655
    Thanks for the tips. The drip is minor, and only happens when the water is "on" at the faucet. I've never even used the shower, so I can't say if this is a new issue, or something I've only just noticed.

    It's possible this is the back-drain hole Chan mentioned. It wasn't immediately obvious that the "doohickey" connecting the hose to the faucet simply unscrewed, but it wasn't high priority at the moment so I didn't try too hard. Further inspection is warranted.

    Either way, it seems I may not need to remove the escutcheon plate as previously thought. Regardless, I'm still curious how that would be done without damage to something.
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    Scott, the drain hole is on the bottom of the shower handle "doohickey" and is easy to see (for me). My wand was leaking from the shower head part and seemed to not be water efficient. The new one, even while using the "Navy Shower" principles, is a refreshing shower. I could only get 3 days of showers and other water use in the 19 gallon gray water tank, and now I can get get 4 showers and other water usage and the gray tank doesn't overflow onto the shower. That's enough reason to me to spend the money on a good water saving wand. 

    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Verna said:
    Scott, the drain hole is on the bottom of the shower handle "doohickey" and is easy to see (for me). My wand was leaking from the shower head part and seemed to not be water efficient. The new one, even while using the "Navy Shower" principles, is a refreshing shower. I could only get 3 days of showers and other water use in the 19 gallon gray water tank, and now I can get get 4 showers and other water usage and the gray tank doesn't overflow onto the shower. That's enough reason to me to spend the money on a good water saving wand. 

    How big is your freshwater tank, @Verna ? I have only taken a couple of showers with the new one. If I could squeeze 3 out of it, I would be thrilled.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    Freshwater is 11 gallons, Jenn. But, I didn't say I was getting 4 showers out of one 11 gallon fresh water tank. I can put gray water from 4 showers and other uses in my gray water tank.

    I add about 4 gallons of fresh water (give or take) every day to the fresh water tank. Easy because my water jugs are 4 gallons. The 4 gallons is for the sink, toilet, showers and cooking. I can be very conservative and use less than two gallons a day by using the Ace Hardware spray bottle for my shower ;)
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Verna said:
    Freshwater is 11 gallons, Jenn. But, I didn't say I was getting 4 showers out of one 11 gallon fresh water tank. I can put gray water from 4 showers and other uses in my gray water tank.

    I add about 4 gallons of fresh water (give or take) every day to the fresh water tank. Easy because my water jugs are 4 gallons. The 4 gallons is for the sink, toilet, showers and cooking. I can be very conservative and use less than two gallons a day by using the Ace Hardware spray bottle for my shower ;)
    Ok, I can usually get 2 showers from my 5 gallon tank. The spray bottle needs to be added to my shopping list. Between washing dishes and the extra "shower", seems like money well spent. I don't drink, cook, or flush with T@b water, generally.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    I only cook with it if the water is to be boiled. I always keep at least 2 cases of bottled water with me. Sunny drinks the bottled water, too. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    I picked up a couple of 5 gallon portable grey tanks. My plans is, in general to spend 2 weeks at a spot, dump, and move to a new location. In theory, I should be able to pull it off with extra water, grey tanks + WAG bags. I may have to adjust.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    I am curious why you wouldn't flush with T@B water. I seem to recall a few people mentioning that they don't.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Photomom said:
    I am curious why you wouldn't flush with T@B water. I seem to recall a few people mentioning that they don't.
    Water conservation. A 5 gallon freshwater tank doesn't last long.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Still missing something - if you have a container of water to put in the toilet, why wouldn't you just put it in the freshwater tank? Does flushing the toilet use more water than it takes to flush by pouring water in? (if that makes sense.)
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    Photomom said:
    Still missing something - if you have a container of water to put in the toilet, why wouldn't you just put it in the freshwater tank? Does flushing the toilet use more water than it takes to flush by pouring water in? (if that makes sense.)
    Photomom, Jenn only has a 5 gallon freshwater tank, not the 11 gallon. She has to figure out how to do things a bit differently. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Photomom said:
    Still missing something - if you have a container of water to put in the toilet, why wouldn't you just put it in the freshwater tank? Does flushing the toilet use more water than it takes to flush by pouring water in? (if that makes sense.)
    If I use separate water, I know just about how many showers I can take before I need to refill it. I don't want to be caught with shampoo in my hair and an empty freshwater tank.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    jkjenn said:
    If I use separate water, I know just about how many showers I can take before I need to refill it. I don't want to be caught with shampoo in my hair and an empty freshwater tank.
    Keep water in the Ace Hardware spray bottle. Good for those shampoo rinsing emergencies. 

    The sprayer is about $10, I think. It saves so much water when rinsing dishes. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Man you girls use a lot of water - We used to have to shave/bathe with just a helmet full in the service and I can clean my after dinner, non-stick pots/pans with just 2-cups :-)
    But, I haven't found running out of water to be a problem since it's usually available somewhere reasonably close. I don't carry nearly as much water as I used to.
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    I'm getting better. I just got my T&B last summer. Practice, practice. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Verna said:
    I'm getting better. I just got my T&B last summer. Practice, practice. 
    It's true. You learn little tricks here and there.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    Verna - where did you pick up the hand sprayer idea? 
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    There is already a hand sprayer in the shower, but mine leaked and was not efficient on the water usage. Jenn mentioned the Oxygenics name brand and I bought one at Camping World. It's great!
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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