The Way Its Always Been Done

[howson]

I told a version of this story to my subordinates while I was in the Air Force at every opportunity. The point was to get them to think beyond the rut/paradigm of the way the Air Force did business. (Please don't misunderstand--the "Air Force Way" is not always bad, but if the answer to the "why do we do it that way" was anything remotely close to echoing this story, I challenged my Airmen to come up with a better, more efficient process!)

Please also know that this post is not meant to disrespect Grand Design (or Emily), but the recent discussion about why they will continue to use flexible hoses with pex fittings sounded a lot like "because that's the way we have always done it". Nothing in their post addressed fixing the problems clearly diagnosed and documented by @Rob. This is one example of many: https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...light=plumbing

Without further preamble...

THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE (copied from http://www.jeffbridges.com/because.html)

1. Start with a cage containing five apes. In the cage, hang a banana on a string and put stairs under it. Before long, an ape will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana.

2. As soon as the ape touches the stairs, spray all the apes with cold water. After a while, another ape makes an attempt with the same result - all the apes are sprayed with cold water.

3. Turn off the cold water. If, later, another ape tries to climb the stairs, the other apes will try to prevent it even though no water sprays at them.

4. Now, remove one ape from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new ape sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his horror, all of the apes attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

5. Next, remove another of the original five apes and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm.

6. Again, replace a third original ape with a new one. The new one makes it to the stairs and is attacked as well. Two of the four apes that beat him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are participating in the beating of the newest ape.

7. After replacing the fourth and fifth original apes, all the apes which have been sprayed with cold water have been replaced.

Nevertheless, no ape ever again approaches the stairs. Why not?

BECAUSE that's the way it's always been done around here.

[arhayes]

I replaced all of the hoses on my now 4 year old Momentum with PEX 2 years ago because it is obviously bad practice and I got tired of all the weeping at the connections. Of course I was out of warranty so I didn’t contact GD. However, I’ll never buy another rig plumbed like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheLexx]

I replaced all of the hoses on my now 4 year old Momentum with PEX 2 years ago because it is obviously bad practice and I got tired of all the weeping at the connections. Of course I was out of warranty so I didn’t contact GD. However, I’ll never buy another rig plumbed like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Was there any significant increase in shower pressure after the hose change? With 45-50 psi of water, there should theoretically be plenty of water pressure for a decently hard shower - not the weak dribble I now get.

[arhayes]

Pressure was never my issue. I’ve used a 55 psi restrictor on my hose input since day 1. I was having issues with weeping at the joints where they used pex clamps on hoses. This was especially evident when we had cool evenings down below 40f followed with days above 70f. My water leakage alarm was constantly alerting because it’d only take a single drop of water to see it off. Anyway, since the replacement I’ve not had another issue.

[Steven@147]

snip

BECAUSE that's the way it's always been done around here.[/I][/QUOTE]

Oh how I can relate to this. Brings back memories of the corporate world I worked in for 30 years. Or the reverse of this - change for change sake - not because its better - because its changed from the way we have always done it. Glad I am fully retired and out of the quagmire of all that kind of stuff.

More to the point of this forums subject matter - there are a lot of things I wished the the RV manufacturing world would do better, electrical, plumbing, stated weight ratings etc. It works for them for now. Once a person realizes what they have, they make it better. Great section in the mods part of the forum!

[minnow101]

I think one would be hard pressed to find another brand that doesn’t use that flex hose.

To add to members howson’s The Way Its Always Been Done, I would include, “That’s the way its always been done and thats the way everyone else does it too”.

[LV Naturist]

Along those same lines is the paradigm that we don't notice the obvious because we are programed to do what we're told. This relates in the sense that our observation skills become compromised. We don't change the way we do stuff because we don't see beyond what we're told to see. See the video below, but if you've seen it, don't give it away...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo

John

[Boomer58]

Howson and Steven - I love both of your analogies on this. I always liked the '' change just to change '' and then when it's all said and done you wind up with a flat tire instead of a rounder wheel.

[Retread68]

Harnessing the Power of Low Expectations.