Elddis Majestic 105 2017 - water leak in large cupboard

[ABingley]

Hi 

we’ve just bought our first motorhome privately [Elddis Majestic 105 2017] and have found there’s water appearing every time we fill the water tank on the floor of the large cupboard.  I wipe it up, and it doesn’t come back, until we fill the water again.  We thought we were over filling but we’ve emptied it and then refilled with very little and the same thing happened again.

has anyone experienced this and can advise, we’ve had so many things not right since we bought it that we are feeling a little jaded with the whole thing - even mice droppings in one of the cupboards!!

thanks

A

[Geeco]

Not sure what you mean by large cupboard as two could fit that description. I will assume you mean  the bottom cupboard under the kitchen area. Is the filler for the water tank near the cupboard in question? If so my guess is that the hose from the filler down to the water tank is leaking, probably near the neck and it is running down into the cupboard. Suggest you have a good look around that area.  In my experience it is normal to have teething problems with a new or second hand vehicle when you first buy. The fun you will have will far out weigh the niggles you might experience. Cheers,

[Derek Uzzell]

Online images of 2017 Elddis Majestic 105 models suggest that its fresh-water tank is under-floor near the vehicle's rear-left corner, with the tank's filling-point in the motorhome's rear wall (filling-point arrowed in red in photo below)

 

If that's the case with Richard's Majestic 105, then the only 'cupboard' likely to get water into it when the tank is being filled seems to be the gas-bottle storage-locker (marked in green in photo).

The filling-point and under-floor tank will be some distance apart and I agree with Geeko's diagnosis that the leakage is probably coming from the connection between the filling-point and the tank, either at the filling-point itself or from the connecting hose somewhere along its route. 

It might be worth Richard contacting the (private) vendor of the motorhome to see if this issue was known about prior to the motorhome being sold and if there's a 'ploy' that can be used to prevent the leakage occurring (eg. putting a longish length of water-hose through the filling-point so that water emerges well down the hose that connects filling-point to tank).

This is a 2017 105's layout

But how easy it will be to inspect the rear of the filling-point and the hose leading downwards will depend on how bloody-minded Elddis has been when building the motorhome.

Incidentally, it's evident from online photos that the design of the 105 was altered from 2018, with the bathroom gaining a separate shower cubicle in the motorhome's rear-left corner. This cubicle replaced the tall high-set storage locker with the gas-bottle locker beneath. From 2018, the gas locker was moved forwards to the left of the habitation area's entrance door and the fresh-water filling-point was moved to the vehicle's right-hand side much closer to the cab. The photo below is of a 2018 105 with the filling-point arrowed.

(It's possible that Richard's 105 has the later arrangement, but only he can say if that's so.)

[Philip M]

I had a 2015 Elddis Accordo 105 until very recently which is essentially the same layout as yours. I didn't have any leaks from the water tank, but I did occasionally remove the inspection cap  from the tank to check all was well inside. The pump also sits just in front of the tank.

If you're handy with a screwdriver it's quite easy to remove the little plastic plugs and the screws that hold the bottom shelf and the upright panel that runs from the shelf to the floor which will give you access to the tank, the pump and the filler connection. I hope that helps.

[Philip M]

That is the long shelf at the bottom of the three shelves round to the left in the wardrobe, You'll need to remove that shelf and slide the shelves out above it. 

[Derek Uzzell]

Thanks for that advice based on ownership experience.

This 2018 forum thread related to finding the 'hidden' fresh-water pump of an Elddis 105.

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/topic/43385-water-pump-elddis-105/

It confirmed what you've said - that the fresh-water tank and the pump are reachable once the shelves in the wardrobe are removed - so it SHOULD be fairly straightforward to check the tank and filling-point connections and the state of the hose between them.

(I tried to find a photo of the inside of a pre-2018 105's wardrobe and/or of the storage locker above the gas-locker, but was unsuccessful. The impression I gained from the online comments I read was that the tank was under the chassis, though I did wonder if that were the case why the filling-point was so high up.) 

[Philip M]

The tank sits on the floor of the Accordo and is situated in a narrow area about 12" to 14" wide between the gas locker to its right and the wall of the washroom on the left as you face the rear. Once the shelf and the upright below the shelf are removed, it's fairly easy to access.

[DavyS]

My 105 has a vent near the top of the filler tube. If the filler hose is angled poorly then water will flow out of this vent and into the motorhome. The solution is never to:

• overfill such that the water flows out of the vent
• use a short hose which can direct flow into the vent - use a long hose going down the filler tube

[Philip M]

That's interesting, mine was different. There wasn't a vent on the filler, it had an overflow pipe near the top of the tank which doubled as a vent. No matter how much you overfilled it it just gushed out of the overflow.

[Derek Uzzell]

That's interesting as I think you and DavyS both have/had a 2015 Elddis Accordo 105.

Water filling-points with a air-vent 'spigot' certainly exist (example below)

and,  if a vent-tube from the water-tank is not connected to the spigot, then there's every chance that the leakage DavyS highlights will occur.

[Philip M]

Perhaps Elddis changed their filling arrangements that year. The filler on mine which was black in colour certainly didn't have a vent and there was no tube on the inside other than the water hose from the filler to the tank.

I wonder if DavyS had an overflow on his tank. There doesn't seem much point in putting a vent at the filler and at the tank.

If ABingley removes the shelf covering the tank all will be revealed.

[Philip M]

My Accordo was a 2016 model, although it would have been made in 2015.

[Keithl]

1 hour ago, Derek Uzzell said:

That's interesting as I think you and DavyS both have/had a 2015 Elddis Accordo 105.

Water filling-points with a air-vent 'spigot' certainly exist (example below)

and,  if a vent-tube from the water-tank is not connected to the spigot, then there's every chance that the leakage DavyS highlights will occur.

My 2004 AutoTrail has that exact filling point with a vent connection but does not have anything connected  to it so I fitted a small blanking cap over the stub to prevent any water entering the locker where it is situated.

I wonder if @ABingley is using one of the adaptors that fit onto the inlet and that is forcing water in through just such a vent stub?

Keith.

[Derek Uzzell]

All online photos of pre-2018 Elddis 105 motor homes (Accordo, Majestic, etc.) show a black water filling-point.

It wouldn't surprise me if a 105 had been factory-fitted with a filling-point with a vent spigot and no vent-tube connected to it even when the water-tank has overflow-venting, nor that a previous clueless owner might have replaced an original 'no spigot' filling-point with a spigot version.

If a 105 water-tank has overflow-venting, there is no need for a vent tube connecting the tank to the filling-point. If that turns out to be the case with Richard's 105, the simple 'fix' would be to blank off the spigot as Keith has done.

[onecal]

Hi

Sometimes the water tank vent gets blocked and the "quickfix" by many was to retro fit a new vented filler in place of the old one 

Quite often forgetting to add on the tube to the vent spigot to the outside . 

Regards

[Keithl]

Here are photos of my water filler and the vent pipe can clearly be seen in both photos.

Note how the inner end is within the bayonet section of the cap so if the OP is using one of the aftermarket click on hose connections then this will almost certainly force water out of the open vent pipe!

Keith.

[Derek Uzzell]

Richard (ABingley) joined the Out&AboutLive forms last Saturday at 21:51 and last logged on about a minute later (22:43).

I think all realistic possibilities for the water leakage have now been covered, but, without feedback from Richard, we won't know whether forum-members' comments and advice have been worthwhile. 

[onecal]

Hi

Yes I am afraid Derek it does look like that, but we live in hope 

Hopefully it may help others that may have a vented filler fitted (as quite often as a quickfix) and not have a vent tube fitted to the spigot to the outside, (I see as in Keithl photo it has a plastic cover plug still on) most don't come with the plug fitted from the manufactor or are knocked off in selling the product  

Regards

[laimeduck]

The obvious short term solution the this is to block the small hole (the outside of the vent pipe) at the inside top of the last photo. A bit of gaffer tape should do it and still allow the cap to function.

What a stupid fitting that is without a pipe attached. The converter should be shot!

[Derek Uzzell]

None of the online images/adverts relating to a water filling-point with a spigot/stub to which a vent-tube can be fitted show any sort of 'blanking cap'. The reason Keith's photo shows a cap on the spigot of his Auto-Trail's filling-point is (as he says in his posting) that he fitted the cap himself.

There's no doubt that, unless the spigot is blocked or has connected to it a vent-tube that leads to the water tank, water leakage is very likely to happen, but there is no firm evidence that an 'open' spigot is the cause of the leak on Richard's 105 or that his motorhome has that design of filling-point. The leak could just as easily be due to a loose jubilee-clip at either end of the main water hose that connects the filling-point to the water tank, or a split in the hose, or a crack in the filling-point or the tank.

If Richard removes the shelves above the water tank as described above, it should then be a simple enough task to identify the source of the leak. But, until he has done that and reported back to the forum, it's just speculation as to the cause.

[Keithl]

2 hours ago, onecal said:

Hopefully it may help others that may have a vented filler fitted (as quite often as a quickfix) and not have a vent tube fitted to the spigot to the outside, (I see as in Keithl photo it has a plastic cover plug still on) most don't come with the plug fitted from the manufactor or are knocked off in selling the product 

The filler did not have a plug on when I bought the MH so I added it.

[onecal]

Hi 

Some come with plugs and many many don't as they get knocked off and lost or discarded .I am not so sure it would be much good anyway if it was used with some of the filler adapaters. Unless cliped on I would say the pressure would just blow it off if the connection was in  anyway a loose fitting or worn I have seen fuel filter line caps been used  Many filling with water adapters have noticed water coming from the bottom of their motorhome thinking they had a leak only to find it was coming out of the vent pipe on filling,  Vent tube was fitted correctly and not incorrectly fitted as vented into the insde wall of the Motorhome.

  Its good practice to fit a tube to the outside of the bottom of the motorhome from the vent spigot water filler for an air vent and drainage for any excess water on fill ups and provide a good vent to the tank to prevent a vacuum in the tank when using same  

Regards

Edited Monday at 16:21 by onecal

[ColinM50]

Derek said "I think all realistic possibilities for the water leakage have now been covered|", no they haven't

Different Eldiss model, (196) but very similar problem.

Filled up water on a campsite in France and water came pouring out of every orifice. And later found that the hot water boiler wouldn't work. Turned out where the water came in to the m/h the 11/2 inch hose going down to the tank hadn't been tightened properly/at all and when I'd pushed the hosepipe in to fill up, I'd pushed the connecting pipe off the fill pipe. Upshot was Eldiss were their normal helpful selves (not🤐) and I took it to a company in RIngwood who fitted a new boiler for only £1,000.😲

So worth checking if the hose to filler is actually OK

[Keithl]

16 minutes ago, ColinM50 said:

...and when I'd pushed the hosepipe in to fill up, I'd pushed the connecting pipe off the fill pipe...

...who fitted a new boiler for only £1,000.😲

Colin, I don't see the connection (pun intended!)

The hose was pushed off the fill pipe and you had a new boiler fitted to fix it?

[ABingley]

thankyou for replying

We think it’s the hose leaking and the cap is black on our Elddis, it’s the floor of the cupboard that has a hanging rail in on the Elddis majestic - we are going to take it to a registered motor home mechanic to see if he can get in to where the hose is hopefully it’s not to expensive to repair.  Will let everyone know what we find and feedback on this forum.

thankyou so much for taking the time to all reply.