Rear Bumper Questions

[Tony and Rhonda]

Since we have a new to us older Oliver, I've been wading through the threads here. I found the thread about the gasket on the waste pipe in the rear bumper. I checked and it was loose. I've re-seated it but I found another issue. I have an electric line laying sort of loose in the rear bumper cavity.

The wires need to be terminated better but does anyone know what they were for?

I also found a propane connection in the rear bumper. Is this a standard feature?

Thanks, Tony

[jd1923]

3 minutes ago, Tony and Rhonda said:

The wires need to be terminated better but does anyone know what they were for?

I also found a propane connection in the rear bumper. Is this a standard feature?

I don't remember any wires in there. I can take a look today. I also do not believe we have that buckle on the waste pipe. Does yours disconnect there? Our hulls are close to the same vintage.

The rear LP quick connect in the bumper was an OTT OEM option. I never have used ours, preferring the front connect vs. lowering the bumper. Wish OTT mounted a rear port next to the bumper (near the boondocking water inlet) vs. inside with the dirty waste dump hose. It's not a sanitary area inside there!

[Tony and Rhonda]

Yes @jd1923 the flex hose attaches there. There's another identical buckle/latch on the other side. I had hoped to be able to leave the flex hose attached to the waste pipe but it extends too close to the bumper.

That does seem like an odd location for the propane. That's why I asked the question.

The "other" wire hidden by the Techflex sheath has a ring terminal attached. As you can see in the photo, the red wire (+?) is just cut off and wrapped in electrical tape.

[jd1923]

53 minutes ago, Tony and Rhonda said:

Yes @jd1923 the flex hose attaches there. There's another identical buckle/latch on the other side. I had hoped to be able to leave the flex hose attached to the waste pipe but it extends too close to the bumper.

I was curious and just took a look at our Oliver (pic1). No wires, no buckles, and I'm happy to see it's cleaner inside than out! 🤣 (I'm having a guy clean and polish the outside soon!)

Prior owner must have had some poop macerator pump wired in there, yuck! And who knows why they needed two cables and drilled two holes. Everybody should think of any alternative so not to drill into these hulls!

First thing i would do is to remove both wiring harnesses, then plug up the holes with plastic plugs or butyl. Go inside your lower rear opening, I call it the Oliver trunk! Take a look where the waste drain pump comes in and the wiring harness will be right there (just to the left of the pipe shown in pic2).

I would also get rid of the waste line extension, buckled onto your waste drain, to make room. We keep our RhinoFLEX hose always connected there, so not to crane my neck and sprain my wrist every time we're at the dump station. It's so easy just to pull the length of hose out. We keep a clear elbow fitting on the other end, so everything is ready, always connected.

Edited Saturday at 07:25 PM by jd1923

[Steve Morris]

That's the high quality and very expensive Waste Master sewer hose system that you have on there. I remember that someone adapted their trailer to use this system, so maybe that's your new trailer. I'd looked into it at the time, and have it on my long list or potential modifications.

https://drainmaster.com/rv/product/waste-master-20-sewer-hose-system

Edited Saturday at 10:11 PM by Steve Morris

[Tony and Rhonda]

@jd1923 I think there's just one hole in the Ollie hull. It's sealed with a rubber grommet around the wire. It looks like a second hole due to photo perspective. I think, I'll check again in the daylight tomorrow.

I'm thinking about pulling the wires but I'm also considering adding a light to the bumper area. Do any of you more experienced owners see a need for a light in that area?

Thanks to @Steve Morris for identifying the plumbing connector. Unfortunately I don't think I have the whole Waste Master system, at least not as pictured in Steve's post. My hoses are orange and I don't have the 90 degree with handle and valve on the end. I do have a couple sections of the orange hose and a clear 90 on one end. This is our first travel trailer (with indoor plumbing) so I could be wrong about the hoses. They accordion in and out very well and seem durable. I don't have any experience with other waste hoses to compare these to.

I'll have to look more closely but I don't think I can remove the DrainMaster piece with the latches. I'll check tomorrow (if it's not raining) but I think it's all glued up as one piece now. I wanted to attach the drain hose as @jd1923 suggested but, as configured, the pipe extends out to just short of the hinged bumper.

Thanks for your help and advice,

Tony

[jd1923]

10 hours ago, Tony and Rhonda said:

@jd1923 I think there's just one hole in the Ollie hull. It's sealed with a rubber grommet around the wire. It looks like a second hole due to photo perspective.

I see it now looking closer, just one hole. That's better and you should be able to find the wires in the interior easily. 

Cool that @Steve Morris recognized the Waste Master connection. Looks like a great setup but perhaps too big to keep inside the Oliver bumper.

10 hours ago, Tony and Rhonda said:

I don't think I can remove the DrainMaster piece with the latches.

It would not be easy, but a standard fitting could be put back in place.

10 hours ago, Tony and Rhonda said:

I'm thinking about pulling the wires but I'm also considering adding a light to the bumper area. Do any of you more experienced owners see a need for a light in that area?

Check out this. It's the same brand/model light as OTT installed for Porch lights and mount it rear-center at the same height as the porch lights. It will look OEM:

https://itcshopnow.com/products/assurance-exterior-flood-light?variant=50392962007319%2F

I'm thinking to add the new rear light on the switched circuit for the Side Porch Lights. Three lights on that switch.

@Snackchaser wrote up a post where he located the wiring, which will be a big help in where to start looking, given our older hulls may be different.

When I get to installing our rear light, I'll add a mod post. The rear light is a good mod.

Edited 17 hours ago by jd1923

[Tony and Rhonda]

I can see how a porch light to the rear of the trailer could be useful but I was actually asking about the utility of a light _in_ the rear bumper space so I could see the connections better.

[Ronbrink]

19 hours ago, Tony and Rhonda said:

The wires need to be terminated better but does anyone know what they were for?

Your Oliver may have been equipped with a macerator, but more likely an electric valve, in the past and the wires since abandoned.  Whether the power is found to be direct or switched, it could seemingly be used for a light if so desired. 
 

19 hours ago, Tony and Rhonda said:

There's another identical buckle/latch on the other side. I had hoped to be able to leave the flex hose attached to the waste pipe but it extends too close to the bumper.

The buckle/latch is more commonly referred to as a camlock coupler and looks exactly like the Drain Master coupler on the sewer hose system I installed on my OLEll. Drain Master also has a 12VDC Pro-Series Electronic Valve, so it is likely the previous owner kept the Drain Master setup and left you with the camlock coupler waste hose terminal and valve wiring harness. As to “another identical buckle/latch on the other side”, that’s a mystery! I can leave the sewer hose attached, but a tight fit with the bumper closed. Instead I leave a cap fitted with a smaller hose. Here are some pics of my setup:

Edited 14 hours ago by Ronbrink

[Tony and Rhonda]

@Ronbrink Once I had a brand name for the coupler, I searched the forums and found some of the old threads. I'm considering adding the clear length of hose that you did. I assume you bought another cap for the coupler and added the brass fitting. Do you remember what parts you used; fitting, hose, valve at the end?

The "another identical buckle/latch on the other side" is just the other cam latch on the coupler. Only one was visible in my photo.

Thanks, Tony

[Ronbrink]

5 minutes ago, Tony and Rhonda said:

I assume you bought another cap for the coupler and added the brass fitting.

You can buy an end cap with a garden hose connection, but it is centered. As a cost savings measure and better drainage, I drilled a hole at the bottom of the one that came with the DM system and fitted it with brass adapters. I can use this smaller silicone hose to drain gray water as needed, and it serves as a ‘sight tube’ to indicate a valve (black or gray) leak; the tube has a terminal valve.

[Tony and Rhonda]

Thanks, the sight tube is a good idea.

Tony

[jd1923]

3 hours ago, Tony and Rhonda said:

I can see how a porch light to the rear of the trailer could be useful but I was actually asking about the utility of a light _in_ the rear bumper space so I could see the connections better.

To dump tanks at night? And if you have the hose permanently connected, there's no need to see connections down there! I only go in there every few days and with eyes closed can pull out the business end of the dump hose! 🤣

It would be odd to have an electric valve down there when you have to manually open the black and gray valves anyway, the ones built into the Oliver. Some of us have changed the OEM waste valves with electric valves which seems more practical.

Looks like Ron's hose can fit inside attached and maybe yours was installed too far out? This is all too fancy for me and likely most of us. I want to be back there with that bumper open for 10 minutes max! 😎

Edited 11 hours ago by jd1923

[Ronbrink]

1 hour ago, jd1923 said:

I want to be back there with that bumper open for 10 minutes max! 😎

How can one possibly enjoy the experience in only 10 minutes max?

[Ronbrink]

2 hours ago, jd1923 said:

It would be odd to have an electric valve down there when you have to manually open the black and gray valves anyway, the ones built into the Oliver.

Many have put a manual valve between the dump outlet and the sewer hose as a precaution in the event of a much dreaded black tank leak by the factory installed valve(s). I had one for a while prior to installing the Drain Master, at which point it was then unnecessary being that system has a builtin valve at its terminus. Others, like yourself, go with the electric valves for convenience and much the same reason. 

[jd1923]

57 minutes ago, Ronbrink said:

How can one possibly enjoy the experience in only 10 minutes max?

I know, you anal retentive guys with the fancy poop accessories! 🤣