Warning to all recent Escape owners!

[Fender]

Originally Posted by brroberts

My Sept ‘21 E19 has the white flex hoses only at the bath sink. Seems this is a trailer by trailer check as it appears ETI used what they had when your trailer went down the line.

Randy & Barb, since I've never been inside the bathroom of an Escape trailer I'm wondering if both ends of the PVC hose are accessible when used on the bathroom sink?
The photos we've seen of the hoses used indicate that they are only to be used in accessible locations. i.e. can easily be changed if needed.

[brroberts]

In my trailer they are accessible, but it looks like a bit of a hand squeeze. Likely it will be easiest to remove the faucet, but I’m not sure since I haven’t worked with those hoses yet. I asked for bath sink shutoffs. ETI did kitchen and toilet, but would not do the bath sink saying there was not room. It appears to me there is room, and someday, I have no idea when, I will retrofit shutoffs.

[Rossue]

I've been checking the OP's claim: "Ok, let's start with the basics - the way that water hose installation is installed is illegal in the US. The reason? Use of flexible PVC hose in hot water service is not allowed as it will burst due to thermal expansion." I found these two sources that say the braided nylon flex tubes are fine for hot water supply. One of the two links says they need to be inspected regularly because it is more prone to damage. Also should be shaded from direct sunlight.
https://www.thespruce.com/flex-lines...C%20and%20more.

https://patrickshotwater.com/blog/wh...er-flex-lines/

IIRC Reace when did his cross-country dash to fix it was for Gen2 21C's only and it was due to the fact that the supply line to the bathroom faucet was partially inaccessible. There were just a few that developed leaks- maybe one or two, yet he realized it could become a problem and literally went the extra mile. Now that supply line could have been different as well to what we are seeing in this situation- what appears to be a white colored braided nylon flex tube.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Rossue

I've been checking the OP's claim: "Ok, let's start with the basics - the way that water hose installation is installed is illegal in the US. The reason? Use of flexible PVC hose in hot water service is not allowed as it will burst due to thermal expansion." I found these two sources that say the braided nylon flex tubes are fine for hot water supply. One of the two links says they need to be inspected regularly because it is more prone to damage. Also should be shaded from direct sunlight.
https://www.thespruce.com/flex-lines...C%20and%20more.

https://patrickshotwater.com/blog/wh...er-flex-lines/

IIRC Reace when did his cross-country dash to fix it was for Gen2 21C's only and it was due to the fact that the supply line to the bathroom faucet was partially inaccessible. There were just a few that developed leaks- maybe one or two, yet he realized it could become a problem and literally went the extra mile. Now that supply line could have been different as well to what we are seeing in this situation- what appears to be a white colored braided nylon flex tube.

Well, neither of the sources you linked is authoritative. Flexible PVC can withstand temperatures from -10F to 125F. But put under pressure, that rating drops dramatically, as Tom explained. So it's not the right material for hot water in any application where it's under pressure.

Also, it wasn't just that the hose locations were inaccessible that Reace decided to repair them, but that they were also likely to leak because the wrong material had been used in the first place.

While it's true that some types of PVC are suitable for hot water, such as CPVC, it's clear from the photos that wasn't used here. What we see in the OP's photo is plain jane flex PVC, same type for the hot connection as well as the cold - and never suitable for hot water under pressure.

[chesaka]

I have a new 21NE. It appears to have braided white hose connecting to pex at the hot water tank and under the kitchen sink going to what I suspect is the outside shower. I do think we need someone at Escape to clarify what they are using and if it needs to be replaced.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Well, neither of the sources you linked is authoritative. Flexible PVC can withstand temperatures from -10F to 125F. But put under pressure, that rating drops dramatically, as Tom explained. So it's not the right material for hot water in any application where it's under pressure.

Also, it wasn't just that the hose locations were inaccessible that Reace decided to repair them, but that they were also likely to leak because the wrong material had been used in the first place.

While it's true that some types of PVC are suitable for hot water, such as CPVC, it's clear from the photos that wasn't used here. What we see in the OP's photo is plain jane flex PVC, same type for the hot connection as well as the cold - and never suitable for hot water under pressure.

Please define "plain jane" flex PVC. And where is it stated this product is "never suitable for hot water under pressure"? While I've never been a Fanboy of ETI, I don't like seeing accusations thrown out here as gospel. You said my links were not to any authoritative entity. Where are yours and the OP's? Heck the one sheet provided by the OP shows ratings for Schedule 40 & Schedule 80 PVC pipe- like the stuff you do sprinklers with. Not for braided nylon flex hose(that has a solid inner PVC core).

Here is a link to Ferguson with specs showing a temperature rating of 173 degrees and a Burst pressure of 450 PSI.
https://www.ferguson.com/product/jon...7?fromplp=true
Then if you go to their vendors website it shows the same and across all of their diameters. Is this the best product to use in an RV? Probably not, yet it is quite something else to state here that ETI is illegally installing these for trailers being exported to the United States.
https://api.ferguson.com/dar-step-se...UCT_ID=3706647 This link shows the UPC logo on the page.

Reace would have probably posted by now to clarify like he did back with the 21 bathroom hose fiasco. It sure would be nice if Karl would do the same, yet that seems unlikely.

[MichaelS78]

UGH I normally LOVE this forum but this is a prime example of when things go WRONG. This is probably why ETI no longer posts here.

We have multiple knowledgeable and respected people here making big accusations with only one (imo) backing his posting with credible evidence. That's Rossue. Where is the credible evidence that these are illegal in the U.S.? Where is the credible evidence that these will burst at the pressures and temperatures used in an escape? As Rossue stated, the link from op was for something different.

I'm not trying to defend or fanboy ETI. I'm not trying to say who's correct. Im saying as a forum user I'm dissapointed with the info provided and the tone it was delivered. I think this thread needs to be corrected, updated or removed as it's borderline scare mongering when it comes from respected sources. Had me really worried yesterday and it appears to be for no reason!

[cpaharley2008]

Thread closed, temporarily ....