Replacing faucet

[trishy]

Can we replace the broken hand pump faucet in our 1989 Coleman (Newport) with a regular kitchen/bath faucet from Lowe's or Home Depot - the cheap $20 kind.  Any reason why this won't work?

We don't have holding tanks and will only connect to city water.  

TIA

Trishy

[AustinBoston]

There are a couple issues with doing this.

First and foremost is to make sure the faucet has a low enough profile so that nothing will collide with it when you take down.

Second, since you probably don't have a water heater, what to do with the hot water connection on the faucet?  If you just ignore it, the first time someone turns on both faucets at the same time, everything in the under-sink cabinet gets sprayed with water.  You can cap it off, you can plumb so that cold water goes to both faucets, or you can shut it off tight, remove the handle, and hope for the best...

Austin

[Ira_P]

It is not too much work to change the faucet. I changed ours and used a "wet Bar" faucet. It has a higher neck, but still wasn't too tall to be a problem when the top is flipped over.

Here is a picture http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2032884590101230164tiQiRb

Since the hole for the old pump style faucet was larger than the one needed for the new faucet, I cut a piece of a plastic cutting board and mounted that to the top and mounted the faucet to it.

For the plumbing, I added a water pump and have it connected to the "Cold Water" side of the new faucet, and connected the "City Water" line to the "Hot Water" side of the faucet.

It has worked well for us, though DW really wants me to add a hot water heater, maybe by next year.

[trishy]

Thanks guys for the info and Ira for the pix.  That certainly helps.

I guess we will just plug one knob since we only have city connections and no holding tank.

I hadn't thought about a taller faucet, but we'll see what works for closing up.  Looks like lots of people don't like the old hand pump style faucets.  

Happy Camping!

Trishy

[trishy]

Ira P,

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but what did you use to cut the new holes in the cutting board and how did you mount it to the counter and then mount the faucet to the cutting board?

My dh looked at your pix and wants to try this.  

TIA,

Trishy

[ptbrauch]

On a related note, I'm trying to find a hand-operated, diaphram faucet/pump to replace ours with but am not having much luck.  Any ideas on where to find one.

[Ira_P]

I used a hole saw to cut 2 holes in the plastic for the faucet water connection pipes.

I had to use a jig saw to cut the hole in the top of the counter a little larger to have it all fit. ( see attached drawing )

The plastic piece is screwed on from the under side with a few small screws, and caulked around the edges.

Try to get the faucet as close to the sink as possible, I found that if the trailer isn't perfectly level and low on the galley side, then the water hits the edge of the sink with the faucet I used.

The water lines in my trailer were a plastic line. I used a used a braided supply line form home depot and cut off the end that connects to the supply line. I slipped this over the plastic line and used a hose clamp. To keep the plastic line from crushing, I inserted a small brass insert from a compression fitting ( you should be able to find those as well at home depot/lowes/etc.. )

Sorry I don't have pictures from the actual install, but hopefully that will give you the general idea.

[trishy]

Wow!  Thanks Ira for the illustration and explaination!.  That helps alot!

Dh completed the job and indeed used his jig saw with some appropriate blades for cutting the acrylic cutting board.  However, he found that the faucet we bought ($26 from Lowes) was still going to be 1/2 inch too tall when we closed.

Here's what we did and I will upload pix when my teens can help me (sad isn't it?)  We used some strips of velcro to the underside of the cutting board that we mounted the faucet to, so when we're up, it sits on the counter regularly.  When we're ready to close we just pull the faucet and cutting board up off the velcro and fold it into the sink.  I love this so much better than the old faucet!

Pt, a few days ago there was a hand pump replacement faucet on ebay.  Other than that, I think camping world sells them.  

Trishy

[wavery]

Wow!  Thanks Ira for the illustration and explaination!.  That helps alot!

Dh completed the job and indeed used his jig saw with some appropriate blades for cutting the acrylic cutting board.  However, he found that the faucet we bought ($26 from Lowes) was still going to be 1/2 inch too tall when we closed.

Here's what we did and I will upload pix when my teens can help me (sad isn't it?)  We used some strips of velcro to the underside of the cutting board that we mounted the faucet to, so when we're up, it sits on the counter regularly.  When we're ready to close we just pull the faucet and cutting board up off the velcro and fold it into the sink.  I love this so much better than the old faucet!

Pt, a few days ago there was a hand pump replacement faucet on ebay.  Other than that, I think camping world sells them.  

Trishy

That may not be necessary. Most of the "Wet-Bar" type faucets have a spout that just unscrews from the base of the faucet:
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2032884590101230164tiQiRb
You may be able to get away with simply unscrewing the spout before you pop down..........now.......having said that.....remembering to do it could be another issue :p

[AustinBoston]

You may be able to get away with simply unscrewing the spout before you pop down..........now.......having said that.....remembering to do it could be another issue :p

What is it Larry has (or had) as a disclaimer...something about "my forgettery works better than my remembery" or something...can't remember...

CRUNCH...did you take off the spout?  :yikes: Dang...

Austin

[paulski617]

You can get them at RV shops.  Also, Google RV Pump Faucet and you get a number of hits.

[MoJoCamping]

It is not too much work to change the faucet. I changed ours and used a "wet Bar" faucet. It has a higher neck, but still wasn't too tall to be a problem when the top is flipped over.

Here is a picture http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2032884590101230164tiQiRb

Since the hole for the old pump style faucet was larger than the one needed for the new faucet, I cut a piece of a plastic cutting board and mounted that to the top and mounted the faucet to it.

For the plumbing, I added a water pump and have it connected to the "Cold Water" side of the new faucet, and connected the "City Water" line to the "Hot Water" side of the faucet.

It has worked well for us, though DW really wants me to add a hot water heater, maybe by next year.

do you know if you can just replace the faucet spout, and not the whole thing.  I have been trying to find a replacement but most have just one o-ring, and mine has two!  Do you think that matters as long as it fits?  Hate to buy it and have it leak.