Tank fills while in storage

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Wybdgrl

It's my understanding that you only use the water pump when you are using your fresh water tank not when you are hooked up to the water at the site. So, we wouldn't need to either use the pump or turn it on/off since we weren't pulling water from our fresh water tank - right? Or am I totally confused??

Turbo - thanks, we'll look it up online. We don't have a handle to flush - just the foot pedal.

Water pump could have been inadvertently turned on and not noticed if on city water. Sorry to say, but that's the only way to get a bowl full of water when disconnected from city water. The foot valve will relieve the pressure also.

[DaveSchwartz]

Was there a change in temperature between when you first parked it and when you checked it?

Although the pressure may have been released and the pump may have been off, the system would still have been full of water if it hadn't been drained through some low point. Water is an incompressible fluid and expands due to temperature rise so the system would have gotten pressurized from that. The toilet fill valve may have been the 'pressure relief' valve of least resistance.

[Wybdgrl]

No, there really wasn't any major temperature change. We'd camped about an hour from here and then returned home for storage. The temps were between upper 60s & maybe low 90s for both locations.

I guess what you both are saying is that the water had to be somewhere in the lines even though we'd flushed the water with the faucets opened until no more water came through. Dave - does that mean we should also drain water from the low point each time? We'd done that when we winterized but don't normally do that between trips.

Nobody has responded to the possibility of water coming from the water heater. Is it possible that water from the water heater drained back out into the lines and that's what filled the bowl? Could that explain it? That would mean we have two leaks, though, right? Ugh!!

Haha - when I started this thread I guess I was hoping for a quick & easy answer.

[fonzie]

Can you post model of your vibe: fifth wheel or travel trailer. There is no check valve in water heater cold intake which is at bottom of water heater. Where is your water located in relationship with your toilet: on same floor level or if fifth wheel on upper level?

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Wybdgrl

It's my understanding that you only use the water pump when you are using your fresh water tank not when you are hooked up to the water at the site. So, we wouldn't need to either use the pump or turn it on/off since we weren't pulling water from our fresh water tank - right? Or am I totally confused??

Turbo - thanks, we'll look it up online. We don't have a handle to flush - just the foot pedal.

Sorry foot flush is what I meant.

[Wybdgrl]

We have a Vibe 6502 travel trailer.

[OldCoot]

Extremely doubtful the water from the water heater would flow into the toilet valve which is higher than the hot water line.

[fonzie]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Extremely doubtful the water from the water heater would flow into the toilet valve which is higher than the hot water line.

X2

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Extremely doubtful the water from the water heater would flow into the toilet valve which is higher than the hot water line.

My toilet valve is at the base of my toilet. But even still, it's only slightly lower than the hot water line (that's off of the top of the water heater, right?).

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by ependydad

My toilet valve is at the base of my toilet. But even still, it's only slightly lower than the hot water line (that's off of the top of the water heater, right?).

Not arguing about your setup. The likelihood of a water heater having had the pressure relieved and then thru' some unknown force, drains into a toilet is highly unlikely if not impossible. Try doing the same on your unit, turn off all water supplies, including the water pump, open all the faucets until no water flows, including flushing the toilets, close all faucets again and then go back and flush either toilet and see how much water will flow into the bowl. Ans: Maybe a half cup, if any. What is being explained as a problem is next to impossible unless the water pump was inadvertently left on or turned on by accident AND the fill valve on the toilet is defective.

[ependydad]

Coot, I don't disagree or agree (honestly don't have an opinion either way). Just wanted to share the tiny bit of knowledge that I have on this one- the toilet valve can be located lower than the water heater's hot water line.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Coot, I don't disagree or agree (honestly don't have an opinion either way). Just wanted to share the tiny bit of knowledge that I have on this one- the toilet valve can be located lower than the water heater's hot water line.

Picture please.

[fonzie]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Picture please.

Here we go again, probably will need a laser level to make sure...

[TURBS]

Actually thinking about it.
My flagstaff travel trailer could have been close to even "same" height.

With that being said.
In a Sabre 5th wheel the tank is mounted in the basement and with a rear 1/2 bath toilet would in fact be lower then the wh.

The basement floor is higher than the main level rear bathroom foot valve.

Timmy.
Yours would be this way ? No?

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Picture please.

Dometic 300-series toilet. About 6" off of the floor. It's the water valve- is replaced one on both toilets now due to botched winterizations.

In my case, the water heater is lower than the front toilet as a whole. As turbo indicated, our rear toilet is on the same level as the water heater and in a travel trailer (which the OP has) where everything is on the same level, it could be a few inches lower than the water heater.

Again, semantics as I am not saying this is or isn't the person's problem.

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Coot, I don't disagree or agree (honestly don't have an opinion either way). Just wanted to share the tiny bit of knowledge that I have on this one- the toilet valve can be located lower than the water heater's hot water line.

It could be lower than the hot water line, but the hot water line doesn't feed the toilet. For this to happen it would have to feed back through the hot water inlet and I think there is a check valve there.

Edit: unless the winterizing valves were open

[Wybdgrl]

Thanks for all the suggestions/advice. We'll check the valves both at the toilet and in the water heater (just in case). I'm planning on going to check on it tonight after work and, hopefully, won't find any more water in the bowl.

Thanks again - I knew this was the place for ideas!!

[caper]

Was the vent in the bathroom left open? Did you have rain while in storage? Water could have entered through the vent and filled the bowl.

[Wybdgrl]

If you mean the fan vent in the bathroom, no it wasn't left open. But, yes, we did get a lot of rain. Are you saying there is a toilet vent that goes directly into the bowl??

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by caper

Was the vent in the bathroom left open? Did you have rain while in storage? Water could have entered through the vent and filled the bowl.

The whole camper would have been flooded to get that much water in the bowl.