Unexpected Faucet Upgrade

Our new RV bathroom faucet replacement after installation.

Unexpected repairs are a part of RVing. Sometimes these repairs are minor in nature, like this RV bathroom faucet replacement, and other times they are major. Those major unexpected repairs can be the deciding factor for many whether or not they continue the lifestyle. I know when we faced the broken trailing arm issue years ago, we had to think long and hard about it.

Watch for Warning Signs

If you are not mechanically inclined or able to handle minor repairs yourself, RV repairs can often be costly. Small problems can lead to bigger things. So pay attention and spot anything unusual…these are the warning signs…we recently noticed two such warnings that led us to the discovery of a issue that could be costly had it gone undetected.

The other day as I was walking along the outside of the coach I noticed some unexplained water running down the rear wheel. I gave it little thought at first, thinking it was simply water running off the roof from the air conditioner. Except it wasn’t running down the side of the coach but coming from inside the wheel well. Later, Shari felt a wet spot on the bedroom floor carpet and asked me if I had spilled something or had dried off after my shower there. Neither applied. That and the outside dripping got me to looking to trace the source.

After checking under the bathroom vanity, where the water heater is, I discovered water dripping down the cold water supply line that connected to the faucet. I turned the water supply off (in this case it was the pump) immediately! Then we tackled soaking up  the water in the carpet. The leak wasn’t coming from the faucet itself. The connections were tight, but there was still water present along the line, well below the faucet, from the residual pressure still in the line. Opening up the faucet stopped the leaking.

Fix or Replace?

I made the decision to remove the faucet. After disconnecting the supply lines from the coach, I pulled the faucet by removing the retaining clip. The faucet pulled up and away from its mounting hole trailing the supply lines. This wasn’t as bad as some other RV faucets I have removed. I could reach under the cabinet and do it by feel and I had the necessary tools, too.

The water supply lines that connect the faucet to the main water lines.

Inspecting the bathroom faucet, it had clearly suffered from years of hard water exposure. The cold water supply line had a kink in it, which is probably why it failed after 15 years of service. The vibration and changing water pressure finally found the weakest point and it cracked.

A quick search on the internet located the exact make and model of faucet. I found a parts breakdown as well as a source. Although I could have replaced the bad supply line, the faucet was well worn and the cost to overhaul it wasn’t cheap.  Yes, it would have been cheaper than replacing it with exactly the same model, but I didn’t have time to wait on parts or for ordering an exact RV bathroom faucet replacement. So, a trip to the local home improvement center and I found the same make and model number, but in the newer version at an affordable price.

Our new RV bathroom faucet replacement.

The new faucet is ready to be installed.

New Faucet Installation

The new faucet didn’t come with supply lines, so a I picked up two new replacements and went back home to the coach. I assembled everything first, because once it’s installed the difficulty to attach stuff increases due to the nature of the location.

Installation was straight forward from there. Set the faucet in place and secure the retaining clip under the counter to hold it firmly in place. Then connect the hot and cold water supply lines to the main water lines. Switch on the water pump and let the pressure build. Be sure to open the faucet to let the air in the lines escape. Once water is flowing, shut it off and check for any leaks underneath.

The old faucet next to the new sleeker one.

The new faucet is smoother to operate, puts out a nice stream and seems to use less water too. I hope the replacing of the kitchen faucet goes as well. It’s been on the To-Do List for some time now. Might as well tackle it soon!

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Gerald Voigt

Gerald's interests are wide and varied. His work career started in the United States Air Force and since then has worked in logistics management, retail & service management as well as manufacturing. He's an author, photographer, pilot, radio show host and marketing consultant who enjoys RVing which allows him greater freedom to explore, meet new acquaintances and serve his clients.