Water Leak?

[jd1923]

22 minutes ago, Galileo said:

Last winter I mistakenly configured the valves to “Boondocking” when really wanted “winterize”. I wondered where a gallon of RV antifreeze went before I figured it out….

For me, I don’t change those valves often enough to want to motorize them - even if it is a royal pain in the butt to lift up the access panel, anti-condensation may, seat cushion, and 3” mattress topper (king bed) to get to the valves.

Gross, all that pink stuff in your FWT! Not easy to rinse without half filling and dumping it a few times. I only use air as a winterizing agent! 🤣

We travel with an extra 35-Gal FWT in our truck bed, using the Boondocking valves all the time! We can be off-grid for ten+ days when needed, given we can let a little gray water out in the back country.

Turning two switches sure beats lifting a 10” mattress! The third switch empties the FWT. The picture also shows the heater duct delete and the added air intake filter housing.

Edited March 2 by jd1923
Added pic

[Snackchaser]

39 minutes ago, Galileo said:

Just half yanking your chain…

I just ask because having to look at a diagram and then (properly!) position four valves has tripped me up before. 

Oh okay.  Thought you were messing with me because I have posted several automation projects.  Take a look at my post “Electric valve control... with a twist” where I installed motorized valves all connected to a single selector switch.  It takes the error out of valve line-ups and it was a fun project.  We don’t winterize, but we often use the boondocking position, and we usually drain and re-fill freshwater after every trip.  I just hated lifting our oversized mattress too!

I don’t think anyone has copied that modification yet because there were no comments about one of the 3-way valves being backwards.  I really should update that photo with the corrected valve orientation 🤔

[Galileo]

2 hours ago, Snackchaser said:

Oh okay.  Thought you were messing with me because I have posted several automation projects.  Take a look at my post “Electric valve control... with a twist” where I installed motorized valves all connected to a single selector switch.  It takes the error out of valve line-ups and it was a fun project.  We don’t winterize, but we often use the boondocking position, and we usually drain and re-fill freshwater after every trip.  I just hated lifting our oversized mattress too!

I don’t think anyone has copied that modification yet because there were no comments about one of the 3-way valves being backwards.  I really should update that photo with the corrected valve orientation 🤔

Damn!

You really DID automate it!

Very cool - definitely above my “desire” level.

I see you have the Levelmate Pro. We added one our second trip out. I don’t find that the circular bubble level on the top of the tongue jack to be very accurate or have enough resolution.  I like that IF I remember to plug mine into the USB power (I removed the battery entirely) that I can get leveled side-to-side without having to getting and out of the truck sux times. It tells me how low a given side is, I position the right number of stackable blocks, and drive onto them. I can verify it’s laterally level, shut down, chock and unhook.  Easy! (I even have the Levelmate app on my Apple Watch!)

[Geronimo John]

4 hours ago, jd1923 said:

More important to flow is the upgrade to the water pump! This Made-in-USA pump is 5 PSI higher and 0.4 GPM greater flow rate which is a positive yet conservative upgrade. 

Another quality JD install for sure.  I have attached the spec's (in my usual format) as a reminder for my DIY pump replacement down the road.  It compares the specs and cost of  your superior pump to the OEM OTT pump.  Both have US distribution and service.  Your version is a 6.5 amp vs OTT's 7.5 amp.  It also puts out .4 gallons per minute more.  My anticipation is that it would last a lot longer than the Sureflow.

If I were a young owner with a failing pump I would upgrade as you did.  Buy high quality, mess with it once, and expect it to last. 

But since many of us are still young in heart, but not so much in other ways, and unless frozen solid, these pumps tend to last far longer than us RoF's will be around, the one-for-one replacement path would get a few votes as well.    

JD:  You have several high quality, well thought out upgrades that I look forward to seeing in person down the road.  

DIY - Fresh Water Pump Replacement Options.docx

GJ

[jd1923]

2 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

Another quality JD install for sure.

Thank you GJ, and yes, please swing by Prescott when you travel the mainland this year!

I installed this pump Jan 2024 after earlier trying a Seaflo pump that did not work out to my expectations. I wrote up a mod post on this and the motorized valves installation here: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/9771-water-system-upgrade-for-better-water-flow-pressure

OK, so y'all are going to love this! This guy, me, installation guru guy, I can be dumb, and yes dumber than the next guy! 🤣

I FOUND THE LEAK! Why did it leak on Day 2 of our trip but not during Day 1? As Chris has told me often, when I loose something, "retrace your steps." I started thinking in this way. Then realized, I used the outdoor shower at the campsite to rinse something our first day out. I left the cold water valve on. The only thing holding the water from flowing out fully was the water control lever in the shower head.

I fixed this by merely closing the valve, OMG! I was hoping it would be easy to see and correct and it was. So, we're back to NO failures since we took possession of our Oliver, lucky number Hull 113 on June 7 2023. I'm knocking on WOOD now, three times, since saying this. That large block of WOOD, up top and center, often referred to as the NOGGIN!

 

Edited March 3 by jd1923
typo

[TimD]

We have had a significant water leak on our  current stay in central NJ.  After connecting to city water and finally sitting down after a long day we noticed a stream coming from the rear street side scupper.   After some investigation we discovered that a plastic PEX-to-female NPT fitting had cracked and broken clean off.  The fitting is located at the HW heater outlet and is subject to full (regulated) city water pressure.  Needless to say this was like spraying a small garden hose into the engineering space, not good.  We've succeeded in drying things out but we will add fans and dehumidifiers back at home.

A bit of a scramble later I'd replaced the failed part with a brass fitting sourced from a (fortunately) nearby and very posh Airstream dealer.  As it was 4:45 PM on Labor Day Saturday they were very quick to help me and see me out.  

IMO this part is a failure risk and should be proactively replaced.  We aren't sure why it failed other than fatigue. 

In the pic the NPT part of the broken fitting is not shown.

Hope this helps

Tim

 

[Galway Girl]

1 hour ago, TimD said:

IMO this part is a failure risk and should be proactively replaced.

Ours broke after a rough dirt road in the Yukon.  We happened to carry new brass shark bite fittings for that location.  Trimmed it up and we're all fixed up in 15 minutes.   I now carry an assortment of fittings and some short lengths of pex in the trailer.

[Mike and Carol]

1 hour ago, TimD said:

IMO this part is a failure risk and should be proactively replaced.  We aren't sure why it failed other than fatigue. 

In the pic the NPT part of the broken fitting is not shown.

I agree 100%.  I had the same part fail, not a clean break but it cracked resulting in a steady drip of water.  I also replaced the cracked part with a brass fitting.  It would have sheered off soon, just like yours did.  Mike

[ScubaRx]

On 3/2/2025 at 2:49 PM, Snackchaser said:

I don’t think anyone has copied that modification yet because there were no comments about one of the 3-way valves being backwards.  I really should update that photo with the corrected valve orientation 🤔

I did this modification to The Outlaw Oliver, Hull #050 in March of 2017 after spending a month in the desert near Quartzsite, AZ. I got real tired of having to manually move those valves.

Edited Tuesday at 03:23 AM by ScubaRx