donthompson Posted June 4, 2016 Posted June 4, 2016 Here's the content of an email that I sent Jason a few minutes ago. If any of my fellow Ollie owners know the answer to my question, please respond! "I parked my Ollie in my driveway yesterday afernoon: Filled fresh water tank to about 45%. Turned on water heater. Turned on water pump and it cycled on and then off as it should. I failed open the backflow preventer in the bathroom—I had closed it while towing. This morning, I noticed that the water pump was running constantly. I turned it off. About 4 hours later, I stepped into the bathroom and found that their was about 2”-3” of standing clean water in the bathroom. It wasn’t deep enough to overflow into the camper, but I sure got my foot wet! I opened the backflow preventer valve and the water drained. My fresh tank says 19%. If I turn on the water pump, it stays on, so I turned it off again. Any advice? I’m leaving Tuesday a.m. for Colorado and Utah, so if I have an issue that needs to be addressed by a repair shop, I need to know ASAP. Don 2020 Kimberley Kruiser T3 2019 Ram 2500 Diesel States I visited with my Ollie (Sold October, 2019)
DavePhelps Posted June 4, 2016 Posted June 4, 2016 Don, Did you check the water supply hose and fittings to the toilet? If there was a leak there, the water pump would just keep pumping water, and that water would end up on the floor. That's the only source of water inside the bathroom cabin that I can think of. All leaks elsewhere would end up between the hulls. My best guess.... Dave 2015 Oliver Elite, Hull 107 1998 Ford E-250, 5.4 liter
donthompson Posted June 4, 2016 Author Posted June 4, 2016 Dave, great idea--I'll check that now! Don 2020 Kimberley Kruiser T3 2019 Ram 2500 Diesel States I visited with my Ollie (Sold October, 2019)
Moderator+ ScubaRx Posted June 4, 2016 Moderator+ Posted June 4, 2016 My first guess is that either the hot or cold tap in the bathroom lavatory is slightly open allowing water to run into the sink and down the drain. The water meets the closed blade valve in the drain system and backs up thru the drain and into the shower pan. The pump is still running due to the water level in the tank being too low and it has lost its prime. Other than that it could be elves or Elvis... Steve, Tali and our dog Rocky plus our beloved dogs Storm, Lucy, Maggie and Reacher (all waiting at the Rainbow Bridge) 2008 Legacy Elite I - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #026 | 2014 Legacy Elite II - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #050 | 2022 Silverado High Country 3500HD SRW Diesel 4x4
DavePhelps Posted June 4, 2016 Posted June 4, 2016 Steve and Tali, yea, that's another good idea. Don't know if the sink drain connects into the shower drain uphill of the backflow shutoff or not, but it would be good to check out. Also, one more possibility to check out is that perhaps the toilet water shutoff (part of the foot pump function, not the external shutoff behind the toilet) is not closing fully. Was your toilet bowl full of water? If that valve doesn't close properly, it would overflow the toilet and onto the floor.... Don't we all love plumbing? Dave 2015 Oliver Elite, Hull 107 1998 Ford E-250, 5.4 liter
donthompson Posted June 4, 2016 Author Posted June 4, 2016 Steve, you led me in the right direction. Tap in bathroom is dripping but when I turn them on, no water flows. I filled the fresh water tank and the pump works ok now. Toilet flushes, water flows in galley. Now I have to figure out how to get to the connections in the bathroom to see what's loose! Getting owners' manual out! Thanks, Don PS we met at the factory. You were there after a long trip out west and I was having them work on the front camera after a week-long shake-down cruise along the Trace. Don 2020 Kimberley Kruiser T3 2019 Ram 2500 Diesel States I visited with my Ollie (Sold October, 2019)
donthompson Posted June 4, 2016 Author Posted June 4, 2016 Problem solved! My 21 year-old son just returned home from 4 years at Swarthmore College, one of the best liberal arts colleges in the country. I showed him the camper. He was in the bathroom and I recall that he pulled out the hose to see where it hooks up to the shower holder. Just now, I checked the hose and he apparently turned off the water by closing the valve on the head but left the taps wide open!! That's why it was dripping. It must have dripped all day and night. I thinks I'm all set! Thanks to you all for the advice. Don 2020 Kimberley Kruiser T3 2019 Ram 2500 Diesel States I visited with my Ollie (Sold October, 2019)
DavePhelps Posted June 4, 2016 Posted June 4, 2016 Don, remember that the water has to be in the drain to come out the drain! Leaky supply lines would not end up in the drain but between the hulls, or on the floor, unless I'm missing something here. This is kind of a mystery... hmm. It would take a long time for a slow drip in the sink to fill your shower floor, longer than 4 hours unless it was more than a drip. Keep running your sink faucet, there could be a bunch of air in the hot/cold lines that got in there when you lost prime. Can you hook up to city water? Easier to listen for leaks without the water pump making noise. Dave 2015 Oliver Elite, Hull 107 1998 Ford E-250, 5.4 liter
DavePhelps Posted June 4, 2016 Posted June 4, 2016 LOL! It's always some crazy simple thing like that! Glad you solved that mystery. Now on to the next one ;^) Dave 2015 Oliver Elite, Hull 107 1998 Ford E-250, 5.4 liter
Moderators topgun2 Posted June 5, 2016 Moderators Posted June 5, 2016 Sorry I missed this one! You guys were right on it and got the problem solved quickly - nice work and great trouble shooting. Just one more reason to own an Oliver in my opinion. Bill 2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist" Near Asheville, NC
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