# Leaking waste water pipe



## Ciarraioch (Mar 25, 2009)

Hi, we have a 1998 Hymer 544 camp (5 berth, overhead bed and sink near entrance. The waste water has been leaking from the shower, but its not a crack in the floor. 

Forgive my lack of technical terms, but the strainer (metal grill in plughole) which was connected to the waste pipe by being screwed into a plastic stem on the pipe, has snapped off taking the stem with it. (Bad Irish roads caused it I think).

Now the waste pipe is loose enough for any shower water to leak out (sometimes onto the inner lino in the van). It looks like the pipe needs to be replaced but I can't figure out how to get access to it. 

Would anybody know if this is easily fixable or do I have to get a plumber or garage to sort it.

Any advice or direction would be much appreciated. Thanks!


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## MarineMick (Nov 9, 2006)

*Snapped off fitting*

I am not an expert in motorhome shower trays but I have fixed many in houses. If you cannot access underneath the next option is to lift the lino as close to outlet as possible and cut a hole to get your surgeons hand in the take the old one off. I would normally cut out the ply floor with a jigsaw at an angle so as not to catch anything else. The shape dosent's matter as the piece will go back down in the same place. I would but on some short battens to either side of the hole when you have finished repair and the jigsaw piece drops in and can be fixed with screws to the batten pieces. If you were never going to access it again I would gripfill the gap and smooth off with a paint scraper or the like. Of course if the waste is on the inside of the shower you will have to cut from below but using the same technique. It is not easy but if it were everybody would be doing it!


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## jeffo (Jan 15, 2009)

there should be an access panel nearby.jeffo


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## Ciarraioch (Mar 25, 2009)

*access panel question*

Hi, I realise this is probably a stupid question... I found access panel (and have replacement parts for pipes etc) - only thing is how do I take out the access panel - screws are unscrewed, but it looks like the panel still needs to be levered out in some way - is there a knack to doing this without causing any damage?


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## MarineMick (Nov 9, 2006)

*access panel*

The only neat way is to get a loan of glass suction cup from a glazier and suck it on and lift. If you cannot do that a wide wood chisel is the next option, it is easy to mark especially a panel that has any debris gone down around it over time will jam it. Access to compressed air to blow the joint to free it up might help. If the panel is covered by a mat I would not worry too much as you will not be looking at any damage you do later. It might be a necessary evil. Best of luck.


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