Brittle frig condensation tube

Old Bear · 03-25-2014, 04:24 AM

New owner of a 2008 Cougar 278 RKS, original frig as far as I can tell. We are still exploring panels, learning as we go. Opened the outside panel to the rear of the frig yesterday and saw a piece of white flex tubing broken off and laying on the bottom or the area with a vented plug in the end. The part still sticking out from the top is so brittle, that anything over a light touch causes another section to snap off.

I'm guessing this is a condensation tube, and the plug in the end is to keep insects from nesting in the tube. I can't see far enough up the tube to see where it attaches to replace it. Will the frig have to be removed to do this? Anyone familiar with this model camper know what is required to do so, tips or tricks? As there are electric connections in this area, I'll assume that this is not one of those parts that can safely be ignored.

Festus2 · 03-25-2014, 06:00 AM

Old Bear -
You're right - the tube is a drain for the fridge - allowing water to exit the fridge to the outside. I have peeked up in that area as well and I think that the tube simply fits over a nipple or spout "somewhere up in there". I know it is hard to get at, let alone see what it attaches to.

These tubes do, over time, become brittle and need to be replaced. When you do figure out how to replace it, please share it with me and others who will probably be doing the same thing in the future. Just make sure that when you do replace it, that you leave the end with the perforated plug in it, just poking through the louvered vents so that any water drips outside the RV.

CUFFS054 · 03-25-2014, 06:22 AM

Yes please, if you get it figured out let us know. Mine is totally brittle and I try not to touch it for fear it will fall apart.

**hankpage** · 03-25-2014, 07:11 AM

Life expectancy of that tube is about 5 years. I took the only piece that was still whole to the hardware store and bought a foot of clear vinyl tubing with the same ID.
If you you use a flashlight and a mirror and stick your head in there just right

you can see it. But I found I got a pretty good idea by just feeling around. The old tube just crumbled off of the smaller metal tube that comes from the drip tray. It was fairly easy to slide the new tubing on. I left just enough slack so I don't pull on the new tube when removing the grill. The soft vinyl tube holds tight to the grill so it won't leak inside. It worked for me .... your mileage may vary. (Where have I heard that before

)

Jay Pat · 03-25-2014, 07:14 AM

My tip is the same (3 1/2 year old rig.
Check with the dealer and the parts guy said that the frig may have to be removed to get up in there..... Not, what I wanted to hear.
He said they replace with a clear tubing (looks like the same home depot carries).

I checked farther up the existing tube and it seemed to not be brittle.
Didn't see a 1/2 union to use to connect the old and a new piece (from home depot).

Watching this thread......
Pat

Edit: I see Hankpage has replied.

Trent McCain · 03-25-2014, 09:21 AM

I did the same on ours, didn't want to remove the fridge. Clear hose with a double barb, just removed the brittle section of hose. I did machine the barb down so I didn't have to "force" it into the plastic hose on the fridge. Secured it with hose clamps. I also secured the union to a bracket inside, so there wasn't any chance of removing the access cover and damaging the factory hose later. Might eventually need to replace it at the fridge, but for now it seems alright.

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Jay Pat · 03-25-2014, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trent McCain

I did the same on ours, didn't want to remove the fridge. Clear hose with a double barb, just removed the brittle section of hose. I did machine the barb down so I didn't have to "force" it into the plastic hose on the fridge. Secured it with hose clamps. I also secured the union to a bracket inside, so there wasn't any chance of removing the access cover and damaging the factory hose later. Might eventually need to replace it at the fridge, but for now it seems alright.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

Just did the same thing with my fridge.
Started at the end of the drain line and by squeezing, only had to cut off 4" of the old drain line.
Used a 1/2" brass connector to connect the old drain line to new clear 1/2" tubing. Both lines went on tight, on the brass connector. No need for hose clamps as they are tight.
As good as "new" for now.....

I did find where the original drain line connects to the fridge. It is reachable with my hand. could not pull off as there was a tie wrap holding it on.
Pat

**hankpage** · 03-25-2014, 01:03 PM

My camera would not fit but my phone did so quality may not be as good.

Clear tube coming through grill

Cable tied with some slack

Attached to barbed fitting on drip tray

It has been a while but for some reason I think that the barbed fitting pushes back into the fridge so connection can be made there. Getting old is not fun and I don't want to fix what ain't broke just to see if I'm right.

Andymon · 03-25-2014, 03:01 PM

I asked our local rv place about replacing the tube and he said it's easier to pull off the drip tray in the back of the fridge and install the tube onto the tray and then just feed it back through the hole and then you can get it from the outside.

**hankpage** · 03-25-2014, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andymon

I asked our local rv place about replacing the tube and he said it's easier to pull off the drip tray in the back of the fridge and install the tube onto the tray and then just feed it back through the hole and then you can get it from the outside.

That's what I thought I did ....

... Thanks for jogging the memory.

Old Bear · 03-27-2014, 04:45 AM

SOLVED! By you guys, information was spot-on. A little trial and error, I figured out that the little drip collector in the frig could be removed by twisting right and left while continually pulling. Once you have it out far enough to clear the indent in the back frig wall, progress is quicker. There is a plastic tie holding the old tube on, but it pulled through the hole with ease.

Once out, I snipped the plastic tie, I pulled the old tube off. The drip collector has a straight ridged tube about three inches long coming off the back. The ol' lady rummaged around in the garage and found some thick-walled clear tubing with 3/8" ID, about two and a half foot long. That was about a perfect length, lucky me! The thick wall was a little problem, in that it doesn't like to stretch. I held it in hot water for a bit, and was able to finally slip it about an inch onto the tube. I didn't bother with a plastic tie or anything, it isn't coming off! I then poked the end of the tubing through the hole, fed it all through, and wiggled the collector tray back into place. From the outside, I reached above the panel where the tubing had coiled up and pulled it down, making sure there were no kinks. I did have to take a knife and scrape out tubing from the inside so that the little insect block plug would fit. Last, I angled the tubing to the left side and poked it though the cover at the bottom, giving it a nice downward angle all the way.

Thanks for all the responses, I sure am glad I asked before trying to jerk that frig out! Repair made at $0.00, now THAT is my kind of repair costs!

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