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I've met with another couple of Olivers on the road! One on my way to Elk Mountain Campground at Wind Cave, south of Hot Springs SD (Terry & Terri Hand, Hull #143) And then last week I met Kathy & Nancy who were locals from Abilene Kansas camping at West Rolling Hills Campground, on Milford Lake. Kathy couldn't quite remember her hull number; she thought it was 17xx but it was a 2022. It's always great to meet another Oliver on the road.

Well I just crawled under there to get a better understanding of the drain port. Ours is in the form of a plastic flanged bulkhead fitting that appears to extend about four inches up through the bottom hull just off the aft corner of the fridge compartment. It’s ID is about 3/4 inch and upon shining a light up inside, there is a fine mesh screen at the upper end and it appears to have a black fiberish filter material on top of the screen. There’s board dividing the fridge compartment from the galley drawer space, so no access to the drain from the outside fridge access panel. My guess is the mesh and what appears to be a filter material are there to prevent anything from getting into the freshwater tank through the drain. But this also would restrict the flow of water during the filling process. Sounds like there’s a few questions for Oliver service to better understand the principle of design and of course what to do if this filter/mesh becomes clogged over time.

Obviously, I haven't poked around enough in this amazing Forum space! Thanks Bill -- this is great.

Very nice recap of the current Oliver business and overall RV climate. As a returning customer after a 6-year absence which drove a detailed perusing of the forum, the time spent catching up has been enlightening. The perspective you get as a current customer, being up to date with Oliver products and its overall business model is like seeing the trees in all their variety as the forest kind of blends in. When it all seems new, but you come from a base of familiarity, prior experience, the changes in business, features, models, service, no service department, dealers, no dealers, industry rise/decline - it all is a really interesting and a worthwhile study. I can appreciate the tactical moves in the Oliver business model and must give them some kudos as they worked to adapt to changing trends in the industry. Dealer networks, expanded service opportunities, improved option content, less choice, new models, only to regroup - no dealer network, strategize the service business, add a new product, it all represents forward thinking and a management team that looks to the future. Change is hard, it's not always correct, but directionally Oliver stays the course. Given that, what has not changed is the Oliver strategy- take care of customers, build industry leading products, innovate. From my vantage point Oliver has incorporated changes in the option and build content that not only make sense but align with what I once asked - why not? It appears to me streamlining or right sizing of choice has cleaned up the build variation, and driven a little more standard process, less variation. Less demand should drive better builds, and improve quality - not only FTQ, but actual in the field customer satisfaction. Price, whoa, price, now that is a shock - but break it down, it is not out of line with the entirety of the general price increase across the economy. Doesn't appear to be less of an Oliver (less chips in the bag), perhaps quite the contrary. Yearly Oliver owners retreat - a "Rally" --still happening and fully supported by Oliver. Who does that? Now don't get me wrong - I have some issues Oliver could improve, but they are not asking, and they seem to catch on eventually anyways. As I type this post, my mind reminds me of the several issues we had on our prior unit, the many mods I made to improve some function or fix a design issue, tempered by the satisfaction enjoyed in many a remote outpost. It was true to me then - 7 years back, the Oliver was a great thing to have in the wilds of American backcountry travel, it was relatively trouble free, and the Oliver company never let me down when there was a problem. That continues to be true today. I can only look forward to that remaining the case and perhaps improving. I'll let you know next March...... RB As I edit- they also provide and support this forum. another feather to be added to the cap.

@John and Jodi I wasn't able to get quite the same angle, but here are my photos. I have the same material, but it's not twisted like yours. .... why do I struggle with photo uploads? I will try to fix these.... a few minutes.

High pressure could cause enough turbulence to splash water up to the overflow tube creating gurgling and an air lock. An air lock can effectively block the vent tube. It's not uncommon, even with large industrial tanks! It's also possible that floating debris blocked the overflow tube as the tank filled, then it floated away afterwards. This is intermittent and it's happened with hole-saw plugs that were left in the tank during fabrication. I've always instinctively filled the freshwater tank very slowly, just a crack of the valve. The overflow tube is no match for my hose pressure and volume, and the tank is not designed to be pressurized.

I removed the access panel on the dinette seat closest to the shower and looked down and right.

Please remember that Oliver Travel Trailers is a relatively small family owned business. They do not have much of a marketing department and all of the employees that I know wear multiple hats. There was a time when Oliver could sell every trailer they made with not much more marketing than "word of mouth". Of course HDRider is correct regarding listening to customers. I would argue that this is how our Olivers got solar, better and bigger batteries, better quality, induction stove tops, electric switch for the shower drain "backflow", simpler to use information systems for solar, awning style windows, compressor fridges, etc.. The recently rescinded attempt of increasing distribution via an external sales force (i.e. the dealer network) didn't produce the desired results but its genesis was two pronged - counter act the effect that the general RV industry decline had on sales plus Oliver owners asking for a better way of getting "service" on Ollies when it was not easy to travel long distances back to the "Mothership". Note that the only Owner's Rally that Scott Oliver has missed was due to his daughter getting married on the same weekend as the Owner's Rally. However, the head of the Sales department and the head of the Service department have always been in attendance and for a number (perhaps all of them but I don't know that for sure) of Owner's Rallies even the head of Production has been in attendance. In addition, Sales staff, the limited Marketing staff and other Oliver personnel have been in attendance - I've been told that this year there will be even more Oliver personnel available at the Rally. But, all of this does not really address monitoring the Forum more closely. I don't have an easy answer for this other than the ones mentioned above. However, I do know that Oliver Management has asked us (owners) to bring any complaints or suggestions to them before we "air" those on "social media" in order to give them a chance to clarify or rectify a situation or problem. I believe that not only is this a "fair" request but that Oliver has virtually always bent over backwards to reach a reasonable solution to "issues". Bill

Is this true Chris? When I rush to turn the water off, it appears to have the same volume of the hose filling it. Of course I'm not measuring GPM, but... OTT uses 1/2" PEX coming in with a restrictor to boot. The overflow is not PEX but a flex tube. Except for Bill's pic above, I have not see the top of the fresh water tank nor the overflow tube since we do not have inspection plates under the drawers. I just put a screen in the end of our overflow outlet, based on input from a recent post. Before adding the screen, I could fit my index finger inside the overflow to the full length of my finger. No way my finger fits inside 1/2" PEX (mechanics arthritis on every knuckle)! The overflow is likely a 3/4" ID tube. Back to @Rivernerd's issue => The tank held pressure long enough to use the kitchen faucet to release the pressure and relax the flooring. The overflow must have a significant flow restriction causing enough pressure to balloon the tank, somehow also allowing some water escaping.

topgun2 thanks for the offer. If we have any questions, we will post, them here

Toni - The Florida, the New England and the Texas rallies were organized by members/owners and all were mentioned here on the Forum. However, primarily due to attendance restrictions (which, in turn, was due to campground availability) each of these rallies had limited availability and "advertisement". It seems that the old saying - "build it and they will come" - certainly pertains to our rallies. While the Texas and and New England rallies have been held each year for the past few years, the Florida rally was only held when Foy and Mirna had the time to devote to it (note here that in addition to hosting the Florida rally Foy and Mirna graciously provided everyone in attendance with the main entree for one night's dinner - Since I've not been able to attend either of the other two rallies I do not know the details). I also know that Oliver has provided some "door prizes" and there have been other "sponsors" as well for each of these rallies. Generally, announcements of these regional rallies would be found in the "Events & Rallies" section of the Forum. Hope this helps. Bill Sorry - I forgot about the Mid-West Rally that is taking place May 19th-May 23, 2027.

@topgun2 I've read about (and would like to attend) the Texas Rally, but somehow I never heard of the Florida Rally. Is there a section of the forum (or the website) where these are featured? Since they seem largely organized by owners, I would think the forum is the better place (maybe I've just not discovered it yet).

Can you describe how you accessed that area for the photo? If I can, I will send a photo of my Spring 2022.... to see if it looks different.

Our 2023 has the same connection without the kink. Actually this is a nice trap design as the trap material is soft enough to prevent cracking if water is left in the trap during winter storage. It's a tough location to work in but should be able to be corrected. If the kink remains after removal try placing in boiling water for a few minutes to restore it to normal shape. Otherwise Oliver should be able to supply a new one.

Edit: @Steve and MA was quicker on the keyboard than me but I will leave additional thoughts below. I've always monitored the fresh overflow and fill rate closely when filling and flushing the fresh tank. I make sure my fill rate is very slow as the overflow is nowhere near large enough to accommodate a high fill rate. As soon as water starts sputtering out the overflow I shut the supply off. If I want to flush the system for and extended period, I reduce the flow to a fast trickle and monitor while working around the trailer. The holding tanks are not pressure rated, and even at a relatively low supply pressure such as 25psi, a fill rate say 10% faster than the overflow rate would slowly "inflate" the holding tank. It all depends on the overflow capacity to keep up the the fill rate. A strong stream at the overflow in my mind indicates a pressurized system and needs to be shut down immediately. Related to jd's comment above, I just happened to purchase a smart phone borescope earlier this morning on Amazon for other reasons, but realize it will be perfect for inspecting various concealed and hard to reach spaces on the Oliver. This may be just the tool for @Rivernerd to purchase for his evaluation, and keep onboard for future inspection needs. https://a.co/d/00rWQwkn

That begs a question. What's the internal diameter of the overflow tube? If it's equal to, or larger than, the shoreline hose and the plumbing leading to the tank, wouldn't they have the same flow rate?

Nice design actually for maintenance, should be easy to remove and clean out compared to rigid pipe

Yes. New from the factory in 2022.

Finished off the SiO2C6 coating! Took one 250 ml bottle exactly for two coats over the whole trailer, including two Seafoam storage boxes (tops), two awnings and various metal bits like the doorstep. Except for the solar panel, mainly I want to get that bug catcher front edge but will do the top too. But I bought the 30' new trailer kit which has two bottles. What to do with the unopened second bottle? Once a bottle is opened it needs to be used within a month or so Option One: Inside I'm considering doing the inside too, at least strategic parts of it. The bathroom is a prime candidate to make shower cleanup easy. The countertops too, they're a thick gelcoat I believe which picks up fine scratches. I'll do a small test and see how well that works out. The floor rounded edges along the aisle is a prime candidate, those take a lot of wear. I've been waxing them but that doesn't really do a lot honestly. Checking with an AI opinion, Gemini is saying 'yes you can but generally not recommended'. Main reason being the solvent fumes (I have 3M cartridge chemical respirators and we have the ceiling fan), and basically its overkill, which is reasonable. Presently I'm using DuraGloss two step - base marine wax with a quick clean touch up, which works OK but not like a silicon coat. Option Two: Refresh coat Other option is to save the bottle (storage temp is important) until the next year or year and a half, and apply a refresh top coat. I think I'll do this Procedure (notes to my future self) Use that unused bottle of Glidecoat nano wash (deep chemical wash) Check the surface, rough spots (previous coating glitches) and scratches Use leftover SONAX EX-04-06 with foam pad, 4500 RPM, three passes crosshatch Two towel wipe off 3'x3' sections Alcohol/GC Surface wipe two towel Apply coating in a cross hatch pattern, let flash 30-60 seconds Two towel leveling (wipe off cross hatch, second towel in a circular method) Also do the missed parts Underbody (why not I've got plenty to use up?) Solar Truma plastic covers Front door, door step aluminum and other exposed aluminum Rear bumper metal

Reading through this thread, something that hasn't been mentioned as a possible cause is the flow rate of the water filling the tank. Though a water pressure regulator will inherently slow the water flow due to its restrictive internal passages, it's meant to restrict pressure (PSI) not rate (GPM). If water can enter the tank faster than the overflow tube can purge the excess, then the flexible plastic tank would have to expand until it had enough back pressure for the regulator to stop the flow. The point being that a regulator may be of little benefit when filling the fresh tank.

I spent a lifetime in full spectrum manufacturing. The "Voice of the Customer" was a big deal to us. It meant everything to us. We would have given anything to have something like this forum to hear what our customers were saying about our products. I promise you our CEO would read it, and I'd bet dollars to donuts it might be a topic at some of the meetings. Listening to your customers and acting on their feedback is the foundation of customer success. That’s why a Voice of the Customer program is critical for delivering value and driving durable growth. https://www.gainsight.com/essential-guide/voice-of-the-customer/

Can we assume that you purchased this Ollie "new"? I've never seen that kind of installation. Bill

I failed to mention - If you stay in Lambert's campground and eat at the restaurant be sure to mention this to your server and you will receive a 10% discount on your meal. Bill

It might not hurt to send a letter (or even an email) to Jason Essary kindly asking for his help in rectifying your issue. Good luck. Bill

Whenever we’re in Branson we visit the Keeter Center. Great food, nice gift shop. Students wait tables as a part of their tuition and it is always a good experience. Mike