Repairing A Cracked RV Nautilus P4 Water Control
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- Our Grand Design camper survived the March '21 storm in Texas with just one broken water pipe. Evidenced by the over two month wait time before someone could repair it, we weren't the only ones with this problem.
I'm not a plumber, nor a professional videographer given the blurry video segments, but we decided to attempt to fix the broken line. Using comments from Grand Design Facebook groups and some great support from users on a Grand Design Owner's community site, we learned about using Pex pipe and connectors, how the Nautilus manifold works and came out of this we a much cheaper solution and one afternoon of repairing.
If you are a novice with PVC or can follow simple directions, you should be able to make these repairs to your camper's Nautilus control panel.
BnBmolders provided excellent installation directions for the Nautilus P4 Water panel: www.bandbmolder...
(A man named Rob Farrow shared a great pdf that was incredibly educational and useful for learning about PEX pipe and connectors. You have to join the community to download the PDF in this thread. Download it quickly before you get the unexpected 'permanent ban' for no reason, like I did. gdrvowners.com... .)
Even though we have a Class B (2024 Travato 59K), it has a similar water management system. I’m very happy to see your fix just to learn more about this new van and get more info about the “innards” of it! I wish I had that much room to work! 😁 Very informative and interesting to see the “backside of the Nautilus”! Thanks for sharing! 🍻😁🤙
RV Locks and More is now selling parts for the Nautilus Systems as well as other items made by B&B Molders.
"Ah, your left". Classic. Thank you for sharing this. I have the Nautilus P 1. I believe a valve broke inside the manifold because when I turn the green lever, it is loose. I can see rotation, but I am still not getting water to my fixtures. Anyway, you gave me the courage and knowledge I need to disassemble the manifold and see what is inside. I am 2 weeks into a 2 month trip and of course, we need this system to work! Thanks again.
Glad you found it at least somewhat helpful. I’m traveling with Pex repair parts from now on. Good luck!
I watched your video and had to laugh (laugh with you, not at you). I just finished 2 days of replacing the soft hoses with PEX A pipe on my Grand Design 378MBS. You were so calm and collected in your video. I was not so calm and collected doing my repairs. That System is so complicated and un needed. The soft hoses are a joke and the company should be sued for negligence due to all the leaks caused by the faulty connections. I used PEX A because it is more flexible than PEX B and you can make it form with a heat gun. I wish you the best and thanks for your video. I hope you never have to fix anything on that Nautilus again.
I can't believe that I found your video. I have a brand-new 5th wheel with the exact same leak! Thank you for making this. Working with the manufacturer now, shared your video link with them.
Thanks Steve! I won’t use the tools often, but buying those and fixing myself was cheaper and a lot faster than dealer. (They are so backed up these days.)
We had an extremely cold snap here in the south that lasted for about a week. My Tee fitting had a very small crack in it as well, same exact place. I didnt change the entire manifold. I took it apart, changed the $2.00 Tee fitting, and put it back together. The Tee screws into both of those individual "manifolds" to connect them. I have a Travato, so its no easy feat to get my hands in there. Your rig is allot bigger and easily accessible when compared to a Travato. Took me a couple of hours of disassembly/assembly to actually work on it. About a 5 minute repair once you pull that out and get it in front of you.
Maybe others will read this and find that you only need to change the Tee fitting and not have to purchase an entire Nautilus panel for this repair.
Where did you get your T fitting? I would like to do the same thing.
I'd have just replace the T that was broken... even if I couldn't have bought the original I'd either make one, or plastic weld the existing. I'm too cheap to spend this kind of dough on some fancy knobs... I have the P-1 system (which costs even more than the p4) and my issue is different, it's got a clog somewhere in the system and I'm having to take it all apart just to try and find out where the heck the clog is. They disconnect the water fixing leaks in this RV park every week and every time they turn it back on all kinds of crap comes through the lines... My other issue is this mismatch of soft tubing and hard tubing because everything fits so loose in the flexible stuff, and I cannot get the 1/2" pex crimps over the flexible tubes. Just ordered some 5/8 ones to give those a shot, as well as some old-fashioned gear type of hose clamps in case those don't get tight enough. My lesson is, always use a water filter from now on, and always have a variety of clamps and fittings on hand as well as a pex crimper. Out in BFE where it's very difficult to get these types of parts without driving 2 hours. Glad you got it going anyway.
Fighting this battle right now, same fitting leaking as yours at the beginning of the season. Used anti freeze and pretty sure it didn't freeze, looks like it may have had a slow leak since new. Was tool limited and water appears to be shooting out of that fitting not the manifold. Had storms coming in last night so going to tackle it again today
Man, sorry to hear that! It was definitely easier with the right tools.
Thanks! I’m facing a leaking fitting (not freeze damage). Had a good experience with Crestview also in Buda.
Good luck! Its not a bad design, but a lot of plastic.
Thanks for such a clear, well made video. This is really helpful. BTW: My crack is in the same place however, I was able to find the 1/2" male tee at a marine supply house so I didn't have to buy the whole panel for just the manifold.
Thanks for this comment! I have a crack in the same place as well. I can't believe these expensive campers have such horrible cheap plastic fittings for the Nautilus systems. Would you mind telling me what type of fitting you used to replace it? I was thinking of trying to replace mine with some shark bite tees and elbows if they are compatible. That would save so much time instead of buying a new P4 system and plumbing it back up.
My nautilus in the rear looks like a snake orgy. You can't even get a hand in there to loosen the connections and who ever built the connecting lines made some a little long or short so the connections aren't directly so the seals leak.
Ha! Yes, it is a mess. I've since seen some industrious people replacing all flexible hose with rigid PEX and lots of 90 degree angles. Looked beautiful once done.
Thank you for the video. New sub here, best of luck on your Chanel, I will stay tuned.
Thanks! Planning on more video, once I get the RV back from insurance repair. (5 months in shop waiting for parts.)
I cannot believe no one has advised you that you could of just spent $15 for the tee that is the culprit. Not $400 for the whole kit. Ouch
Thanks for the video. Nice that you were able to replace that part of the nautilus and fix the leak. I am really curious if you were able to find the exact leak/crack on that piece? Just curious as that is how my brain is wired LOL. Wondering if there would be any repairing it so you would have a back-up, such as with an epoxy.
Great educational video.
Hi. Was wondering where you purchased your Nautilus. I’m needing to purchase one.
Great video. Wondered if I can ask some advice. Our dealer was not much help with these systems. I have a 2020 GD 240RL. P-4 panel. In southern Ca so never had needed to winterize, but I want to add fresh water treatment to keep tank clean. Switch valves to sanitize and no suction. On inspection the soft pex lines have collapsed under vacuum from pump. I replaced the two collapsed hoses but now pump will not prime. I pulled off inlet from pump, attached a test line and pump is working well. On city water all fixtures work. Tank fill works on city water. (Yes the tank has water in it). Any suggestions appreciated on what to try next
Seems like someone would make that entire piping system out of brass
Thank you. Just bought a trailer with the Natalus system and we have a major leak right where you have yours
Hope this helps you repair your system. Good luck!
Took back to dealer as warranty
How fast were you able to get your P4 delivered? I placed an order with the manufacturers distributor and haven't heard from them.
We have the same problem as you. Been without water for 2 weeks. Ugh!
Thanks for the great video and advice on using brass fittings instead of plastic.
What a cluster fk! Why in the Hell would you need this mess in a travel trailer? Why can’t it be 3 valves an 2 lines hot an cold to water tank? Simple to use an under stand! The chances of this happening again is almost certain! An the system is only 500.00 just for parts!
The Nautilus P-1 system is 500. $. The 4 I guess is half that much?