Major water leak...behind the shower

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dbs2071

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Joined
Nov 7, 2012
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5
Hi all...I have a 1992 Prowler BH trailer the has sprung a water leak in the worst area, right behind the shower.  My trailer is permanently placed in the desert so pulling it to a repair shop is not an option.  I only see two scenarios to repair it, either cut a hole in the side of the trailer, or, if it's even possible, cut a hole from below (a third option is tear out the shower so that really isn't an option). 

I was talking to someone that lives in the desert full time and he suggested re-piping the whole trailer with copper pipe from beneath the trailer and boring holes up through the floor where needed.  It sounds like a lot of work but it might be the best idea since I'm afraid the desert heat will continue to take its toll on the piping.

So any ideas on a repair method?
 
Actually, tearing out the shower may not be as difficult a task as you may have pictured.  That said, you may have to do a bit more troubleshooting in order for us to help.  You say the leak is in the wall between the outside of the trailer and the shower, but how do you know?  Can you hear it spraying or is it just some dripping or water seeping?  Could the leak be at the shower faucet, for example, and then running to the point where you actually see the water?  It would be unusual for a mfgr to run water lines in an outside wall.  Usually, water lines are run inside the normally heated area within the walls - commonly "tunnels" above the floor.  If actually located where you suspect, what is on either side of the shower?  There may be an access panel on the back side of the wall that might help you understand the problem further.  In my MH, there is a small access panel in the adjacent bedroom that yields access to the back of the shower faucet.  If I needed greater access (such as a split pipe, etc.), the entire wall panel could be removed to gain access to the piping lower down in the wall.
 
There is a small access panel in the bathroom that allows me to see under the shower floor.  I can see the water spraying and it is quite a lot.  And it is definitely  between the shower and the outside wall and runs along the floor.

There are no panels on the outside to reach where the leak is.  The leak is right between the panel for the outdoor shower and the access panel for the power cord.
 
Inside the TT, what is forward and along the side next to the shower?  It sounds as though there might be cabinetry since your power comes in along there.  If there are drawers or an access panel close to the floor, you might be able to gain access to the pipes in there.  If you are lucky, the pipes only feed the shower and probably the outside shower.  You may be able to cut those two lines and cap them off (temporarily) while you run new lines - which could wait for better weather.

Has it been cold there (below freezing)?  It sounds like the outside shower may not have been winterized and a joint froze and split back in there somewhere.  If that's what you eventually find, try routing new lines UNDER the shower, away from the outside wall.
 
I thought we had a leak behind our shower as well.  Turns out it was an old bottle of distilled water that we kept under the bath room sink.  Either the plastic cracked or it got punctured.  In any event it looked like water was coming from the shower.  Make sure you haven't had a similar problem before tearing out anything.  I almost began removing the cabinet before I realized what happened.  Good luck. 
 
Molaker said:
Inside the TT, what is forward and along the side next to the shower?  It sounds as though there might be cabinetry since your power comes in along there.  If there are drawers or an access panel close to the floor, you might be able to gain access to the pipes in there.  If you are lucky, the pipes only feed the shower and probably the outside shower.  You may be able to cut those two lines and cap them off (temporarily) while you run new lines - which could wait for better weather.

Has it been cold there (below freezing)?  It sounds like the outside shower may not have been winterized and a joint froze and split back in there somewhere.  If that's what you eventually find, try routing new lines UNDER the shower, away from the outside wall.

On the forward wall (faucet) there is a cabinet with access.  There was no leak there.  Behind the long wall of the shower (where the leak is) is the outside wall with no outside access.  There is one pipe (cold) that runs from the front of the trailer (outside spigot) the feeds first the kitchen sink, then the shower, goes to the back of the trailer and across to the bathroom sink then to the other back corner to the water heater then the toilet.  The hot pipe runs the same route back supplying the same and stopping at the kitchen sink.  No it doesn't really get that cold to freeze.
 
garyb1st said:
I thought we had a leak behind our shower as well.  Turns out it was an old bottle of distilled water that we kept under the bath room sink.  Either the plastic cracked or it got punctured.  In any event it looked like water was coming from the shower.  Make sure you haven't had a similar problem before tearing out anything.  I almost began removing the cabinet before I realized what happened.  Good luck.

I can see the water leak.
 
dbs2071 said:
On the forward wall (faucet) there is a cabinet with access.  There was no leak there.  Behind the long wall of the shower (where the leak is) is the outside wall with no outside access.  There is one pipe (cold) that runs from the front of the trailer (outside spigot) the feeds first the kitchen sink, then the shower, goes to the back of the trailer and across to the bathroom sink then to the other back corner to the water heater then the toilet.  The hot pipe runs the same route back supplying the same and stopping at the kitchen sink.  No it doesn't really get that cold to freeze.
Good grief, what a maze.  Cutting through the siding might be your best bet after all.
 
Molaker said:
Good grief, what a maze.  Cutting through the siding might be your best bet after all.

It doesn't run in a straight line front to back either.  It stops and goes around the furnace unit then back along the side wall of the trailer.
 

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