[Dmatz]

They sell tapered hose plugs at west marine for use in pluging through hull hoses while making repairs or changing parts. If you had to replace them they would be help full. On my bus the used ball valves in place if the gate or globe valves that sounds like they are using. You could get Ball valves female thread and male thread hose adapters 2 hose clamps in opposite directions on each end, should be good for the next 100,000 miles.

Good question about the life of the hoses used in this application. I have never heard of anyone needed to replace the hoses for an aquahot. From any service center or on the blogs. It would be a very difficult and timely process if one had to do this. Engine coolant hoses do not last forever. They are vertically not installed with replacement in mind.

[qcj]

As many turns that has to be done to cut these valves off they must be gate valves and I have not seen a gate valve yet that after a few years that wouldn't leak when you cut it off. I have rent property and changing out a hot water heater that has a gate valve when you cut off it still leaks a little. I use ball ball valves now that 1/4 turn cuts them off. So if these valves are gate valves when you cut them off they can still leak at the stem. I don't know weather of not a ball valve could take the heat. A hot water heater it is for the cold water supply and here it is over 200. These valves are 15 + years old and my best guess is to replace them. Need to find out who makes them or how to repair them.

[rheavn]

OK Who is going to call Newell tomorrow? I'm sure they have dealt with this problem.

[77newell]

I just replaced the coolant booster pump on my 93 coach. During that process I used plastic pliers designed for pinching hoses and they worked just fine, I probably lost a total of 1 cup antifreeze.

If you need to change the shutoff valves you could do the following; Close all the shutoff valves and disconnect the hoses. Then hook a temporary hose up the the lowest one and drain cool coolant into the plastic 5 gallon flexible water carriers campers use. Drain until no more fluid comes out and you have the fluid low enough.

Based upon everything noted in this thread about the valves I strongly suspect that the valve stem has a disk that when the valve is fully open rises to the bottom of packing in the valve bonnet and creates a seal. This is unlike the usual packing around a valve stem that crushes in against the stem to create a seal; this kind of seal works in all positions but will never seal as tight as with the disk type seal. If I am correct, always questionable, then the valves we have on our coaches will almost always leak when they are in any position other than fully open and with no pressure in the line including from back pressure from the valve on the other end of the line being open. If there is a leak when the valve is "open", the first step is to assure that it is turned tight against the packing.

[qcj]

Steve, I plan to call Newell in the morning. Will post what the say. I'm home now and have no leaks. So what is one to do. Hate to be 1000 miles from home and it starts to leak again and can't stop it. I have my coach raised now and will get under it tomorrow and have a closer look.

[qcj]

I just finished talking to Mike Ellis at Newell and he said if turning the handles on and then back off didn't stop the leak to tighten the nuts on the valve stem. That should stop it. There is a plastic washer in there and can be replaced but is a difficult job. I ask him how long the hoses should last. He said they had a 82 that still had the original hoses on it and they were still OK. If there was no dry rot they should last a long time.
Steve I ask him about the gauge on the back of the Hydaulic pressure controller. He said that it was there so one could be able to tell what the pressure is (well of course). Should be about 2000 lbs. If it starts to leak plug it. I don't have one, so I guess it has already been plugged. I do have a leak somewhere on the top of it and have not found it yet. The steel connections will never rust.

[rheavn]

When you talked with Mike did he happen to mention if Newell sells the replacement valves or know where to get them? Or what are they using now?

Thanks for the info on the hydraulic gauge.

[qcj]

Steve, I talked to Chuck in parts and they do sell the cut off valves. The part # is MC15248 and they are $60.39 each. They do not use these any more but now use ball valves.

[rheavn]

Plumbing has never been my strong suit, but do you think a valve like this would work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cooling-Depot-84...0569672414

or like this?

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail...&ppt=C0108

[folivier]

Depends on the actual size of the valve opening. That kinda looks like a needle valve which are usually smaller than the hose sizes. It would work but may have a restricted flow. I think Newell is on the right path about using ball valves. If I have to change mine it will be ball valves.