Home » Guides » How to Remove RV Water Line Clamps?
How to Remove RV Water Line Clamps?
August 14, 2022
Water supply is essential for us. We need fresh water for countless tasks in our everyday life, from personal hygiene to cleaning the house. However, we only notice how important it is when we run out of it, like when the system is going through maintenance tasks, and we have to collect water.
In an RV, our water supply is limited from the beginning; we have to rely on its built-in tanks. As a result, the situation becomes even more challenging when our RV has a problem with that supply. This article is going to help you deal with water line clamps, which is a common problem in an RV.
Those items are essential in the RV’s system for water supply. In general, they are rings that you can find in multiple sizes. You can attach them to polyethylene or PEX pipes to secure them in the water distribution system. PEX is the most common material used in RV pipes these days. The main reason is that they have achieved a satisfactory balance between flexibility and affordability.
Types of Water Line Connection
When you install a water system in an RV, it is important to properly connect the pipes because of what was mentioned in the paragraph above: preventing leaks. There are two main procedures for that: using stainless steel clamp rings (clamping) or copper crimp rings (crimping). Let’s take a look.
Stainless Steel Clamp Ring
This is the favorite option when it comes to PEX pipes because it offers higher protection against corrosion. Stainless steel clamp rings are easy to slip in and out of the pipes. Besides, even only one clamping tool is enough because you can adapt it to work with clamps and pipes of multiple sizes.
Copper Crimp Ring
The crimping procedure is interesting for PEX pipes because it provides full compression over the barbs on the fitting. Besides that, they prevent issues such as expansion or corrosion. On the other hand, the installation process is more complicated because you need one tool for each pipe size.
When to Remove RV Water Line Clamps
Basically, they are a key point to inspect when you notice a problem in your RV’s water distribution. For example, leaks are a rather common problem caused mostly by neglected maintenance. If that happens to you, you will need a clamping tool to remove the pipe clamps. While there are multiple sizes for pipes and clamps, the good news is that the same clamping tool can work on any of them.
How to Remove RV Water Line Clamps
steps
Now, it is time to get down to the actual procedure. All you need to do is follow these simple steps:
Access Your Pipes
You need to get access to the piping system before anything else. In general, you can find the water pipes underneath the RV’s floor; they are obviously close to the water tanks. In this regard, all you have to do is remove the floor panel to get access to the section underneath it where the pipes are.
Clean Your Pipes
While that task may seem obvious, it is very helpful. If you have a source of running water, cleaning your pipes will be fast and easy. It is important to run hot and cold water by them alternatively to clean on the inside. That task is also a good indicator of how much water pressure your system has.
Turn Off Your Water Supply
Another step whose importance is underrated. Once the pipes are clean, you have to turn off the supply system to proceed. Another important part of this step is to drain the region where you will be working, so there is no depressurized water in the pipes. That will make the whole task easier.
Remove Your RV Water Line Clamps
Take a pipe cutter to cut out a portion of the pipe; it must be far enough from the fitting. That will help you remove the barbs faster later. After that, you have to pull down the metal knob on your ratchet tool to set it to cutting mode. Once the tool is placed on the clamp ring, you will be able to trim it. That will allow you to slide the water line clamp off of the pipe, which is the main goal here.
There is another way to do that task. You could proceed by loosening the clamp’s covers using a screwdriver of the flathead type – the flatter the head, the more effective it will be. You will need to carefully twist in between the clamp’s lock. Once you make the clamps loose, you can simply slip them off the pipe. Do not misplace any clamps because you will need to reconnect them later.
Remove Your Pipe From the Barb
You need to be careful while removing the pipe from the barb. That can be done by gently rotating the pipe back and forth up to the point where it becomes loose. If all you need is to remove the clamps on the RV’s water line, you are done. If you want to do something else, please keep reading.
Reattach Your New Water Line Clamps
If you need to do the opposite procedure, you can simply follow the steps in the opposite order. If the ends of the pipes are clean, you can simply slip the new water line clamp onto the pipe; use the clamping tool to secure it in place. If you do everything right, the clamp will fit flush onto the pipe.
Inspect Your Water Line Plumbing
Now, you have reinstalled everything where it was. The final step is to inspect the whole water line in order to verify the condition of the plumbing. Here, it is important to check whether the pipes are connected without any gaps in between because that could be a source of leaks in the future.
The type of clamp you use will depend on the size and type of water line you are using. If you are using a small diameter water line, you can use a worm gear clamp. If you are using a larger diameter water line, you should use a T-bolt clamp.
You should check the clamps periodically to make sure they are tight and not leaking. If you have a worm gear clamp, it is a good idea to check it every few months. If you have a T-bolt clamp, you can check it every six months or so.
If your RV water line is leaking at the clamp, you will need to remove the clamp and then reattach it using a new clamp. Be sure to check all of the other clamps on your RV to make sure they are tight and not leaking.
Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by travel. I inherited this passion from my parents. Since my college years and to this day, I have had a passion for traveling in a motorhome. I am here to share my experiences with you.
