water mystery

[malimber]

Hello all...I have a 1990's Fleetwood Garland 165/5. Over the past few trips, there has been an expanaind mysterious water leak appearing in the carpet - the middle of the walkway between the beds adjacent to the water heater, in-line with the water inlet and the sink. I can feel no other water around the leak - it appears as an island leak!
Im baffled - but I know very little about caravans really. I cant find a water pipe layout plan - could there be a leak in a pipe between inlet and sink? If so why is the leak appearing from underneath (i.e. the leak goes upwards not downwards to the floor). There is no water around the floor of the heater or anywhere else.
I dont get it - where could it be coming from?
last trip it really was a significant amount of water - sopping wet, not just damp.
Any help REALLY appreciated.
thanks

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Is the leak coming from the ceiling, around a roof light?

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello all...I have a 1990's Fleetwood Garland 165/5. Over the past few trips, there has been an expanaind mysterious water leak appearing in the carpet - the middle of the walkway between the beds adjacent to the water heater, in-line with the water inlet and the sink. I can feel no other water around the leak - it appears as an island leak!
Im baffled - but I know very little about caravans really. I cant find a water pipe layout plan - could there be a leak in a pipe between inlet and sink? If so why is the leak appearing from underneath (i.e. the leak goes upwards not downwards to the floor). There is no water around the floor of the heater or anywhere else.
I dont get it - where could it be coming from?
last trip it really was a significant amount of water - sopping wet, not just damp.
Any help REALLY appreciated.
thanks

Hello Malimber
Very strange,
There are two problems with trying to sort this sort of leak over a forum, The first I think may be quite obvious, in so far that as non of us can see your problem its quite difficult to visualise, and secondly - and this is more difficult - the way caravans are constructed, the appearance and location of a leak may bear little indication as to where the leak actually is. Its rather like flat roof's where the water may get in at one edge, and travel horizontally quite a long way before it appears inside.

The consequences of leaks like this can be quite alarming. If it's been going on for some time, you will have almost certainly got wood rot starting in some of the timbers, and with caravans of the age of yours, that is generally bad news.

Because of that possibility it is important that you get the problem sorted quickly. I suggest you contact a mobile caravan engineer to come and look at the problem and to do some damp checks to find teh source and the extent of the problem.

If its only recent, curing to source and properly drying out the caravan may well prevent the caravan being seriously compromised.

This is one instance where using a mains powered dehumidifier will help to remove any excess moisture after the repairs have been carried out.

 

[malimber]

thank you for the help.
It isn't the roof light; it got wetter when the bed was made and no wet on the bed. I just had a good look under, and the wood underneath appears to be quite new (even got bits of masking tape hanging down!). In the van there are certainly no soft / springy bits; it is the firmest van floor I have ever encountered.
There is evidence of a prior issue. The pillar that is the start of the bathroom is swollen and split, but it feels dry now.
underneath the pipes all look good and no evidence of any wet. I took the back off the sink and that all looks dry too. In short, no evidence of any damp / wet anywhere at all aside from the patch in the middle of the floor. If this was a collection point of water I dont see how the carpet wouldnt have absorbed it before - thereby leaving a trail, rather than a path in the middle.
weird.

 

[SirRogerFFS]

As Woodlands Camper has suggested could it a roof vent where the leek is. It sounds as though it maybe as your explanation suggest in a walk way and patch getting bigger . Please let us know how you get on .
Sir Roger.

 

[malimber]

Hi
it cant be the rood light i dont think - when the bed is out the patch still grows and the bed covers the patch - so it cant come from above. Also it only gets wet when we use the van.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Do you have a dog that uses the space under the bed?

 

[malimber]

Hi, no,cant be the dog.... it really is proper sopping wet, like a bowl of water has been spilt on it.

 

[Burn]

A thought,can water pipes go through the floor of a van possibly in a hollow,i ask because on my last van a Bailey Ranger 500/5 i had a central kitchen opposite the bathroom,now the water heater and supply where on the same side as the bathroom and i traced the pipes to connect to the wash basin and shower but the kitchen supply never went around the front or back of the van inside or outside i presumed they went across the van possibly through a hollow area in the floor,if this is so maybe the same applies to your van and a pipe has been drilled or screwed through causing water to seep through,just a thought,good luck.

 

[malimber]

Good idea - I had thought something similar but wasnt sure if caravans were built like that. Do you know anywhere where you can get the plans for the caravan? I havent been able to find any

 

[Burn]

I dont know the layout of your van and i have never come across plans for services in vans but i think if you have have a good look around in your van and try to find all the water pipe directions you might be able to work it out or just do a random google for under floor water pipe in Fleetwood,you never know.

 

[Burn]

Just found an image of your van and it is and identical layout to my old Bailey,as i said have a good root around and see what conclusion you come to.

 

[malimber]

thanks. feeling 'through' the carpet there is no obvious cut where a pipe would go. How did it work in the Bailey? Was a recess cut for the pipe then covered over the top? Really hope I dont have to cut the carpet...

 

[Burn]

Or contact Fleetwood owners club.

 

[Jaydug]

What can you see if you look underneath the caravan? Any sign of water dripping from the floor?

 

[malimber]

no sign,looks all good. :-(

 

[Burn]

So if it`s dry underneath and not dripping surely must point to something under carpet,i never bothered looking or feeling on floor of my Bailey.

 

[Gagakev]

Hello all...I have a 1990's Fleetwood Garland 165/5. Over the past few trips, there has been an expanaind mysterious water leak appearing in the carpet - the middle of the walkway between the beds adjacent to the water heater, in-line with the water inlet and the sink. I can feel no other water around the leak - it appears as an island leak!
Im baffled - but I know very little about caravans really. I cant find a water pipe layout plan - could there be a leak in a pipe between inlet and sink? If so why is the leak appearing from underneath (i.e. the leak goes upwards not downwards to the floor). There is no water around the floor of the heater or anywhere else.
I dont get it - where could it be coming from?
last trip it really was a significant amount of water - sopping wet, not just damp.
Any help REALLY appreciated.
thanks

Think I would be looking for a leak around the water heater, inlet and sink, my thoughts only but if one of these has a leak it's possible the water will travel between the sandwiched floor, hit a barrier [ie timber strut] and form your water island you talk about.

 

[camel]

I had a similar problem with one of my vans when the carpet was getting wet, I had a very thin air line crack on the tap body under the sink after the van had been laid up over the winter, the water only dripped out when the tap was turned on, you could just about notice the water coming out on to the floor of the caravan by the fridge, are you checking for any leaks when you turn the taps on, in my case the water was dripping on to pipe work running along and dripping down under the work tops and on to the floor