I am looking for a way to seal the air system from leaks. Currently our
compressor cycles on and off every hour. The system is poorly design,
BB used Mickey mouse quick connect tubes to save manufacturing time but
in the end the consumer must pay the price i.e new or rebuild the 12
volt compressor annually. Any suggesting is welcomed.
Hisham & Sue Amaral
97 WLWB 43' Wanderlodge
Snowbirds in Titusville FL.
dukeflyer@...
use the plastic tube and give no stress where the unions are. the
cheap plastic fittings with quick locks are way good. I think some
issue may be with ziptying too close to a union and distorting the
connection. I've cured leaks on trucks by just relaxing the tubing.
you may notice plastic airlines in big rigs have loops near unions or
are over lengthed and look alittl sloppy, kinda think this is a
necessary function. BB may have spent too much time making the
install neat and exact to length and fit.
GregoryO'Connor ofTim&Greg
94ptCa
--- In
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Hisham Amaral"
wrote:
>
> I am looking for a way to seal the air system from leaks. Currently
our
> compressor cycles on and off every hour. The system is poorly
design,
> BB used Mickey mouse quick connect tubes to save manufacturing time
but
> in the end the consumer must pay the price i.e new or rebuild the 12
> volt compressor annually. Any suggesting is welcomed.
>
> Hisham & Sue Amaral
> 97 WLWB 43' Wanderlodge
> Snowbirds in Titusville FL.
> dukeflyer@...
>
I have the same setup on my '99 LXi and after chasing a leak the system
holds for weeks at a time when not in use. The pressure does not drop
enough to cycle the compressor after all that time. I never had any
problems with any of the "push connect" fittings or the tubing but
found that the check valve that allows air from the 120VAC compressor
or the engine air into the toilet air supply was allowing air to escape
back into the axillary tank when the toilet air supply was at a higher
pressure than the axillary tank. A new brass check valve with a nylon
seat solved the problems.
Rich D. '99LXi43' CT (Titusville as of Jan 10th)
--- In
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Hisham Amaral"
wrote:
>
> I am looking for a way to seal the air system from leaks. Currently
our
> compressor cycles on and off every hour. The system is poorly design,
> BB used Mickey mouse quick connect tubes to save manufacturing time
but
> in the end the consumer must pay the price i.e new or rebuild the 12
> volt compressor annually. Any suggesting is welcomed.
>
> Hisham & Sue Amaral
> 97 WLWB 43' Wanderlodge
> Snowbirds in Titusville FL.
> dukeflyer@...
>
The connectors that BB used are actually an industry standard connector -- but they certainly seem very flimsy. You can get replacement connectors through Granger.
About all you can do is trace out the tubing and try to find the leaking connectors. Press in on the ring around the tube to release it from the connector. Then inspect the tube -- you may need to trim off about 1/4 inch -- and then make sure that the end is cut squarely and not pinched by the cutting. (Use a plastic tubing cutter, they pinch the tube less -- or use a very sharp razor or utility knife to make a square cut with a sawing motion to avoid pinching the tubing end.)
If the parts on the connector seem loose (I had a couple where the release ring had broken), then replace them.
Of course, you could, if you desire, replace the press-together connectors with some other kind that makes a stronger joint but the ones used are very widely used in RVs and other air pressure systems. However, they should not be used with the brake system!
On my coach, I had CCW switch the dump valves over from the main air system (I don't have an aux air compressor, only a Microphor 12v pancake compressor) to the Microphor compressor. Unfortunately, after the switch over, I discovered that there were air leaks in the dump valve system. As a temporary work around, I installed an on-off valve after the T connection where the tube goes to the dump valves. (So, I turn off the tube to the dump valves except when actually dumping the tanks.) When time allows, I'll search out the actual source of the leak and fix it -- but that tubing is behind panels in the utility connection bay and is not that easy to access.
I have a power switch in the bay with the compressor -- that I turn off when the coach is in storage. That stops the compressor from cycling needlessly.
Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42 (For Sale)
El Sobrante CA
"aeonix1@mac.com"
On Dec 23, 2008, at 8:22 AM, Hisham Amaral wrote:
I am looking for a way to seal the air system from leaks. Currently ourÂ
compressor cycles on and off every hour. The system is poorly design,Â
BB used Mickey mouse quick connect tubes to save manufacturing time butÂ
in the end the consumer must pay the price i.e new or rebuild the 12Â
volt compressor annually. Any suggesting is welcomed.
Hisham & Sue Amaral
97 WLWB 43' Wanderlodge
Thank you Greg, Rich and Pete for your input I found a few leaks this
afternoon, replaced the tubing and I still have a leak on the tube
going out of the tank. I was not able to complete the job today. but i
will get back at it tomorrow.
Happy Holidays to all,
Thank you,
Hisham & Sue Amaral
97 WLWB 43' Wanderlodge
Titusville, FL Snowbird.