John Welte
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Posts posted by John Welte
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1 hour ago, bhncb said:
Before attempting to stop the leak on your own, I would advise exhausting all attempts at getting the warranters to fulfill their obligations. By documenting the leak with your detector, you've already proven the fault is either with Trauma or Oliver's installation. Let them sort it out among themselves and recommend the appropriate course of action.
Most flair connection leaks are due to either over torquing, improper flair fabrication, or a damaged fitting. If you do get involved, first disassemble the connection and inspect the tubing flair for uniformity and if it had been seated squarely on the mating fitting. Then, use a magnifying glass to inspect the fitting surface for any defect that could cause a leak. Hairline scratches and minute dinges are notorious for this. When reassembling, backup the furnace fitting and torque the flair nut to whatever specification Truma provides, corrected for your crow foot adapter. Then, back it off a quarter turn and torque it again.
I wrote to Rodney Lomax as I feel like this should be addressed by a person knowledgeable on repairs of this type. Truma is new, but this problem is just with the flare fitting so those I am quite confident have been used for years. I will see what he says. Thanks for your comments.
John
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17 minutes ago, bhncb said:
Before attempting to stop the leak on your own, I would advise exhausting all attempts at getting the warranters to fulfill their obligations. By documenting the leak with your detector, you've already proven the fault is either with Trauma or Oliver's installation. Let them sort it out among themselves and recommend the appropriate course of action.
Most flair connection leaks are due to either over torquing, improper flair fabrication, or a damaged fitting. If you do get involved, first disassemble the connection and inspect the tubing flair for uniformity and if it had been seated squarely on the mating fitting. Then, use a magnifying glass to inspect the fitting surface for any defect that could cause a leak. Hairline scratches and minute dinges are notorious for this. When reassembling, backup the furnace fitting and torque the flair nut to whatever specification Truma provides, corrected for your crow foot adapter. Then, back it off a quarter turn and torque it again.
That's good advice too. That's exactly why I felt that I shouldn't be trying to fix this. Once I start working on it, Oliver won't have any idea where the fault lays. On the one hand it seems a simple fix now that I have the tools, but I didn't realize all the things that could go wrong with that fitting. The camper/trailer (depending on what part of the country you live in) has only been in my possession 22 days! Thanks very much for your comment. I have literally spent hours trying to figure out the best approach to this. Luckily I am not in a hurry to fix it as it's parked by the garage plugged into a 30 amp dedicated socket.
John
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1 hour ago, Rivernerd said:
It's not me! I was never licensed in Oregon, and am no longer licensed to practice law anywhere, having retired 5 years ago.
But, before you even consider retaining counsel, I recommend you contact Oliver's Sales and Operations Manager Rodney Lomax. His email address is: rlomax@olivertraveltrailers.com.
My impression, when I met with him personally about two weeks ago, was that he has a high level of integrity, and cares very much how Oliver is perceived by its customers. I recommend you offer the explanation found in my post above (that the gas line must have been connected to the Varioheat furnace by an Oliver tech during production, because only Oliver could have installed the gas line in the trailer) and politely ask him to intervene to get Oliver to cover the repair under warranty.
I will be quite surprised if he doesn't get the problem solved for you, by Oliver, not Truma.
Before contacting Mr. Lomax, I would buy the necessary wrenches (it looks to me like 3/8" drive 17mm and 19mm crowfoots will work in that tight space, attached to 3/8" ratchet extensions, and controlled by 3/8" ratchets). You may even be able to get an open-end wrench on one of them--you likely will not know until you try it. I would then hold the "bottom nut" with one wrench while tightening the flare nut with another wrench--carefully, a little bit at a time, until the leak stopped. This is the way brass flare nuts are commonly tightened.
If you are not comfortable with that approach, then take it to an RV service center, and ask Oliver to pay the bill.
"But, before you even consider retaining counsel, I recommend you contact Oliver's Sales and Operations Manager Rodney Lomax. His email address is: rlomax@olivertraveltrailers.com."
Ralph, I was kidding about finding a good attorney. I have been pleased with the quality and this is just a hiccup along the way. I believe your assessment of who was responsible for the leaky attachment falls in Oliver's hands for the reasons you mentioned. I did buy the Crowfoot wrenches from Harbor Freight and have the thin metric 19 mm wrench for the bottom nut. I believe you're right about the approach of how to tighten it also. When Truma service confirms how we both think it should be tightened I will proceed and let you know. Thanks for your comments. I appreciate you checking in.
John
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3 hours ago, Rivernerd said:
That fitting connecting the gas line to the Truma Varioheat could not have been installed by Truma. It must have been installed by Oliver when the Varioheat furnace was installed in the trailer, and the gas line, which was installed by Oliver during manufacture, was connected to the furnace. If the flare nut connecting the gas line to the furnace was not properly torqued, that failure was by Oliver.
Did Oliver service pass the buck to Truma in response to your service ticket?
Oliver said it wasn't a warranty issue so won't cover it. I think your assessment is spot on. Truma will get back to me. Hopefully I can get the crowfoot wrenches from Harbor Freight today. I just need to know if I back off the bottom nut or just hold it in place while I turn that flange nut 1/4 turn until the leak stops. I think the latter on that bottom nut. A bit frustrating. If only I knew a good trial attorney! 😂🤣
John
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On 11/22/2022 at 6:21 AM, topgun2 said:
Welcome home!
Sure enough - your trip back West was an adventure but glad you made it without any trailer problems.
Hope that your tow vehicle ran well after the "operation" in Denver.
5 degrees is reasonably impressive. I assume that it was only one person in the Ollie overnight given the "no condensation"?
Happy early Thanksgiving!
Bill
Just me. My wife flew out from Denver as she needed to be back at work.
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On 11/25/2022 at 5:49 AM, Frank C said:
Note that there are some things that can trigger a false alarm on the propane monitor. A lot of aerosol sprays like air fresheners, hair spray, etc. will trigger it. Our propane alarm will trigger anytime I use Lysol spray anywhere in the camper. Did your alarm trigger shortly after you used any type of cleaner or spray in the camper?
No. I used a gas sniffer to locate the area and then confirmed the leaking fitting with soapy water. It's the gas fitting on the Truma Varioheat furnace. I am in the process of getting the best advice on how to tighten that brass fitting. I am waiting.on Truma now. It's a tight spot naturally.
John
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26 minutes ago, John E Davies said:
This is a great deal on a used lens….
John Davies
Spokane WA
Mildew in the optical system but not cloudy (yet). Such a deal.
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Congratulations from #1290 picked up on 11/7. Good name for your camper. Camper out east, trailer out west. I like the eastern term! We haven't come up with a name yet. Enjoy your adventures.
John
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1 hour ago, Rivernerd said:
I adopted John Davies' turnbuckle approach with our new Elite II picked up on November 10, 2022. After camping 12 nights at various places in 7 states, and towing more than 2000 miles, I am pleased with the setup. At one back-in campsite, the whale tail ended up angled relative to the hitch ball. When reattaching the whale tail, I further loosened the turnbuckle on the "long" side, which enabled me to get the whale tail onto the bottom of the ball mount. Then I snugged up both turnbuckles, completing the process with Robogrips. IMHO, this is an additional benefit of the turnbuckle system.
But, the turnbuckles don't fully replace the front chain extensions on our 2022 Elite II. They replace 10 of the necessary 23 additional links, so before leaving for Hohenwald, I bought two 15-link lengths of 3/8" chain to serve as chain extensions, to ensure that I had enough chain. And, yep, I now get to cut two links off of each chain, as they turned out to be surplus.
Thanks, John, for the idea!
After one experience of having the whale tail not in line and having a hard time hooking up, because you need to be at the same angle, now I just unhook when straight and hook up when straight again. I take the rubber shock cords used to secure the top of the the storage basket bin and hold up the chains. I only need to drive without the whale tail for a very short distance until I am in line with both truck and trailer. It works for me.
John
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On 11/22/2022 at 1:57 PM, SeaDawg said:
@John Welte, this may help
I tried it, though, on my phone a few minutes ago, and the website referenced wouldn't create a map. Maybe just on break for the holiday?
Give it a try, and let us know if it works for you.
Please do choose small or medium for the map size...
I couldn't get it to work either. I was going to add the states that I have gone to with the Ollie. I have been to many more, but I think the intent of the map in our signature is to highlight travels with the Ollie.
John
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2 minutes ago, Hokieman said:
There are access holes on the backside of the brakes that allow you to adjust the brake shoes. Inserting rubber plugs in the holes help prevent water and dirt from getting in. See snip from Dexter Manual. I haven’t had a chance to crawl under mine to look to see if I have them or not. If not, I’m going to order some.
Thanks. Would there be any reason to not have them covered? If no good reason, then it seems like a no brainer to cover the hole.
John
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On 11/22/2022 at 5:43 AM, Mike and Carol said:
Great news, John! The new Truma heater must be a great improvement over our old Suburban furnace. The learning process will be fun! Mike
Hi Mike, I spent a few hours in the trailer reading the main manual again. Tomorrow will tackle the optional features manual. Specifically, since I have it parked by the garage plugged into 30 amp service, I believe that I am supposed to run the lithium batteries to 75% soc or something like that while unplugged from the 30 amp service and with the solar panels turned off and then turn off the batteries. The manual will cover that unless you know the answer off the top of your head. I do have a propane leak that set off the LP/CO monitor so have a gas detector ordered. Once I find the leak I can fix that. My wife was less than thrilled that a new expensive camper has any problems less than two weeks into ownership.
John
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1 hour ago, CnC said:
Note X-Chocks and similar items need re-tightened as tires cool - sometimes more than once.
That's good to know. I don't have them though I thought about getting them. I am using the solid rubber chocks from Harbor Freight. I am happy with those.
John
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4 hours ago, Rivernerd said:
I just ordered two sets of 4 rubber brake backing plate adjuster plugs from Amazon for a total of $13.50. Link below:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EP9U50/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Apparently, Oliver's choice to not provide these plugs with the Dexter drum brakes is not unique. I found reviews noting that other folks' RVs did not come with these either. It's a cheap and easy preventive measure.
What do they do and is there a picture of a before and after placement of these plugs?
John
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48 minutes ago, Rivernerd said:
During our recent trip from Idaho to Hohenwald, we found that gas prices dropped, generally, the further east we went. We paid $2.99 per gallon for 85 octane gas at one place, I believe, in Arkansas. Most places in Tennessee were a bit above $3 per gallon.
We found the reverse as we traveled back west. The closer to home we got, the higher the price. The highest price for gas we paid was in Idaho, over $4 per gallon for 85 octane regular.
That was exactly our experience too!
Hope your trip back went smoothly. I came back on I-84 through Wyoming. It was cold, but the roads were dry. Happy Thanksgiving to you!
John
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2 minutes ago, Mike and Carol said:
Diesel is $4.54 here in south Texas.
It's about a dollar or more here in Oregon
John
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On 11/20/2022 at 9:05 PM, Rivernerd said:
We spent last night in our new Elite II in Cortez, CO. The overnight low was 11 degrees F. We had condensation on the inside of the trailer in the morning. When outside temps get that low, just the vapor from people sleeping in the trailer can condense on the cold walls and windows. I do not believe it indicates a leak.
We found that running a dehumidifier helps collect the moisture and keep it off the walls and windows.
What brand of dehumidifier are you using?
John, #1290
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5 hours ago, Chukarhunter said:
Welcome home to Oregon!
Thanks. How do you get that map? I went through the same states.
John
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19 minutes ago, Hokieman said:
Not by design on my 2021 John, it’s a closed loop forced air furnace system. Lot’s of posts on this subject. Best to do some checking on your new one or else you’re at risk in a confined space when running LP appliances. That being said, I am delighted the cold weather performance was good for you, and that you are pleased with your trailer. Looking forward to hearing more.
Thanks for the message. I haven't read all the manuals yet, but what do you do when running your heater? Do you have a window open a bit to let air out. It's quite the learning curve and I thought I was prepared since I had looked at videos, read the forum and Oliver University. Well, not so much. I just got a 30 amp hook up by the garage where the trailer is parked.
John
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1 hour ago, Mike and Carol said:
Great news, John! The new Truma heater must be a great improvement over our old Suburban furnace. The learning process will be fun! Mike
Mike, it has variable speeds. I like it. Our furnace in our 2003 Coleman tent trailer was either full on or off. I doubt it would have kept me warm in sub zero Wyoming. It was easier to park beside the garage. Either you or Topgun said it would be easier as it's longer. Spot on. Much easier!
John
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Hi Y'all. Got a little Tennessee in me. #1290 towed great. Semis give a little nudge first to the trailer that is felt in the tv steering, but it's not a problem. I just give them more room. Winterization was done in Denver and was easy to do. I boondocked in Evanston, Wyoming in 5° and was comfortable. The furnace did run all night, but I had it set for 68°. I turned it down to 64° and the Truma furnace went into maintenance fan speed so it was able to handle a 60° difference. No condensation!! That surprised me. The walls were cool and windows dry. I didn't open any windows or vents. I assume there's some way for the air being pushed into the trailer to escape. Manual reading is next. My grade so far on Oliver trailers is A+. It has exceeded my expectations.
John
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7 hours ago, ScubaRx said:
Some profiles are different, and don't have "account settings"
left click on your avatar
left click on "Edit Profile"
Scroll to "Signature" and make your changes
left click on "save"
I fixed it. If you have time, can you check to see if it was done correctly. Thanks for the step by step directions. I did it on my phone so I couldn't left click.
John
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2 hours ago, Steve and Deb said:
Time to change that signature! 😀
I thought that I had. If it still shows up as what you posted, can you tell me how to change the signature.
Thanks, John
#1290
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9 hours ago, Patriot said:
All the very best for many safe miles and adventures! Welcome to the family!
Patriot 🇺🇸
Thanks. I am in Denver waiting to continue on to Oregon as soon as the weather improves. My wife flew back a couple days ago as she has to be back at work on Monday.
John
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#1290 is back in Beaverton, Oregon
in General Discussion
Posted
Thanks. I opened a ticket online. I like the paper trail too. It's a high quality camper so I am confident that I can get it fixed. I wrote to Rodney Lomax too at Rivernerd's suggestion and included comments by bhncb (something like that) where it was pointed out that these flare nuts can fail for a variety of reasons. Hopefully it will be authorized for service here. If I attempt to fix it and fail, OTT won't know where the fault was. My attempted repair, OTT, or a defective flange nut. As far as I know my camper was the first to get the Truma package.
John