RV faucets are lighter than household ones and take more vibration, so they fail sooner: the cartridge starts weeping, the spout swivel gets stiff, the plastic supply nuts crack, or the whole thing wobbles because the mounting nut backed off on a corrugated road. Replacement is a one-hour job with basic tools. The only tricky part is the fittings, because RVs use a few connection types and the faucet you buy may not match.
Which faucet fits
- Black Series HQ indoor kitchen. The factory fits a dual-outlet faucet with a separate filtered-water spout. The Indoor Kitchen Faucet, dual outlet ($198.00) is the OEM replacement and keeps the filter line. If the sink or drain strainer needs attention at the same time, do it in the same session.
- Black Series HQ outdoor kitchen. The Outdoor Kitchen Faucet ($65.00) with the QC blue hose ($9.50) and outside kitchen PP hose ($28.00). The outdoor kitchen faucet upgrade guide covers the slide-out specifics.
- Generic US-built RV. A fold-down galley faucet like the Dometic 3313070.001 fold-down galley faucet ($126.99), which ships with 12 in hot and cold hoses.
- Bathroom. The Bathroom Faucet for HQ12 & HQ17 ($198.00) or the wash basin faucet ($68.00) follow the same procedure.
- Whole-set refresh. The Modern Gunmetal Kitchen & Bathroom Essentials Set ($297.00) replaces faucets and fittings in one finish; see the gunmetal bathroom upgrade article.
Check three things before ordering: the hole count and spacing in the sink or counter (single-hole is the norm on Black Series), the supply connection (1/2 in NPS female on most RV faucets versus 3/8 in compression on household ones), and the spout height if there is an overhead cabinet.
Tools and parts
- Basin wrench (the one tool that makes this job easy)
- Adjustable wrench and channel-lock pliers
- Bucket and towels
- Thread sealant tape (PTFE) for tapered threads only
- Replacement supply lines if the old ones are plastic or more than a few years old
- A water line fitting ($25.00) or tee fitting ($15.00) if you are also adding a filter branch
Step 1: Depressurize the system
Turn off the water pump at the panel and disconnect city water. Open the faucet on both hot and cold until flow stops. If the RV has a water heater, you do not need to drain it, but keep the hot side open so pressure cannot build. Put the bucket under the sink.
Step 2: Disconnect the supply lines
Unscrew the hot and cold supply nuts at the faucet tails. Plastic nuts crack easily; use pliers gently and expect to replace them. Note which line is hot (usually red, usually left when viewed from the front). If the Black Series dual-outlet faucet is fitted, there is a third line from the filter housing; label it.
Step 3: Remove the mounting nut and faucet
Reach up behind the sink with the basin wrench and back off the mounting nut or the two mounting bolts. Lift the faucet out from above. Scrape off the old gasket or sealant and clean the counter; any grit under the new base is a leak path.
Step 4: Fit the new faucet
Set the new gasket or a thin bead of silicone under the base. Drop the faucet through the hole, align it square to the sink from above, and have someone hold it while you run the mounting nut up from below. Snug, then a quarter turn; overtightening cracks a composite counter.
Step 5: Connect the supplies
Connect hot to hot and cold to cold. For RV 1/2 in NPS swivel nuts, hand-tight plus a quarter turn with a wrench; the seal is the internal washer, not thread tape. For any tapered (NPT) connection, wrap PTFE three turns clockwise. If the old supply lines are cloudy plastic, replace them now; a braided stainless hose with the right adapters lasts far longer.
Reconnect the filter line on a dual-outlet faucet. If you are adding filtration, a countertop or under-sink filter ($58.00–$230.00) tees into the cold line here.
Step 6: Test under pressure
Close the faucet. Turn the pump on and listen for it to build pressure and stop. Check every joint under the sink with a dry paper towel. Open the faucet, run both sides, then close it and watch the pump; if it keeps cycling after the faucet is closed, there is a drip somewhere, and the water pump cycling guide walks through finding it. Then test on city water, which runs at higher pressure than the pump.
Winter note
If you are doing this in the fall, finish by blowing out the lines with a blowout adapter ($12.00) and running antifreeze through the new faucet. Faucet cartridges are the first thing to crack in a freeze.
Shop this
- Indoor Kitchen Faucet, Dual Outlet (Black Series) — $198.00
- Outdoor Kitchen Faucet — $65.00
- Dometic 3313070.001 Fold-Down Galley Faucet — $126.99
- Water Line Fitting — $25.00
- Water (collection)