Couple questions after our 2nd outing...

[howie]

As I stated, this weekend was our 2nd trip in the new camper. I have a couple questions, hope y'all can help.

1 - the water pump.... We did not have water hook up on this trip. The tank pressurized fine and worked fine. However, 2-3 times over the course of the weekend while we were in bed, I heard the pump kick on for just a second or two, then cut off. No one was up, no water dripping, no nothing. When this happened in my old camper I discovered a small leak at a fitting. I looked where I could and found nothing. Is this normal? Or do you think it is a leak?

2 - Shower curtain....The wifey was gonna let my step-daughter take a shower in the camper. She started the shower for her, but stopped because the water was coming through the shower curtain. It would hit the curtain and then it would be like a mist coming through. I thought I would add a liner, but how in the heck do you get that curtain off?!?!? Looks like you have to take the track down then slide the curtain off. Then I'm not so certain that the "tabs" that slide in the track are removable from the curtain.

3 - Opened the front bunk end at the campsite and had A LOT of water lying on the canvas. We had some very heavy rain one night while my camper was not under my shed. Not sure if I closed it with a piece of fabric sticking out the top that I didn't see or if I have a leak. Everything was dry in the storage are beneath that front bunk. The platform that the mattress lays on was wet, but I think that had to seep through when I opened it. Obviously the water could not have laid on it while it was closed. It was wet where the canvas was touching the platform. These campers sit on dealers lots in the rain for who knows how long, I would think if there had been a leak I would see some staining or damage on the wood. I am thinking this was a bonehead mistake on me.

On a positive note, vinyl mattress covers seemed to solve the issue of condensation under the mattress!
And it was a great weekend!

[Heady]

#1 Water Pump -- Agreed, sounds like you might have a very small leak somewhere. Check all of your fittings, hot water heater, low point drains, outside shower, etc. I would turn it on, leave it for a few hours until you hear the pump turn on 1-2 seconds for the first time, then take a papertowel around all of the fittings you can get to until you find the wet spot.

#2 can't help

#3 leak -- Could be a piece of canvas closed into the seal (I have done this before) or could be a leak in the calking (I have experienced this too). Take a look at your roof to inspect the caulking, should be doing this a couple of times a year. You could also take the hose and simulate rain, but that takes a lot of water before you can confirm a leak or not.

[RoyBraddy]

Asumming you are camping off the power grid and using water from your fresh water tank. If not and you are at a camp ground connected to city water you should have the water pump turned off... Thats what I do at any rate...

Roy Ken

[eldermike]

This may not be common pratice but we never leave the pump switch on at night or when we leave the camper. We have been pulling campers and camping without city water for a very long time. When we have city water I turn it off at night and run off the pump as needed. You only need to return to your camper once with water coming out the door to put this pratice in place.

[clubhouse]

My water pump on both trailers has done exactly what you described. I have search high and low to figure out where the pressure is bring lost, I can't find it. When my pump bumps on I doubt it's even a whole second, maybe half a second about every 3-4 hours. I have given up, if it's that small of a leak I'll just let it leak -- in reality I think it's more likely that it has to do with expansion and contraction of water in the water heater tank and hot water lines. As that water cools a bit a bit of pressure is lost due to the contraction.

I'll be interested if someone can either refute or confirm my theory...Especially since two trailers have done the same thing and i can't find the leak anywhere.

[howie]

Heady, I am definitely going to look around some more, but my first inspection found nothing. I also had the same thoughts as clubhouse regarding expansion and contraction since we had highs in the mid 70's and lows in the low 40's at night.
Regarding the roof, I have inspected it even though it is a new camper. Didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I also had it sitting out during another rain before I sold my old camper and never spotted a leak. Another reason I am thinking it was a bonehead mistake on my part.
eldermike, I use to do the same thing with my old camper. It was a 1972 that I refurbished. Not sure why I didn't do the same with this one. Guess just a little over confident being that it is new. I think I will go back to turning the water off whenever we are away and at night from here on out.
clubhouse, sorry for the issue, but I am kind of glad that I am not alone in chasing this gremlin. And as mentioned, I had the same thoughts on expansion/contraction.
Roy, as stated in my post, we did not have water hook up (I haven't grasped the "city water" term...kinda hard to do so when we are nestled back in the National Forest camping) we did have electric hook up. When I do have water hook up, my pump is off.
Thanks for the replies. If I find anything I will report back.

[Threebutchers]

HOWIE

Question #1

Not normal... it could be as benign as a faulty check valve at the water pump (letting backflow into the water tank) or as serious as a hidden water leak. I accidentally left my system pressurized for over a month once. I nearly peeled the skin off my face from water spray when I loosened the drain plug....it should hold pressure. Until your confident it's not a harmful leak, I'd keep the pressure off when at all possible.

Question #2
Try treating the shower curtain with water repellent or Scotchguard.

Question #3
PASS....I don't know anything about hybrid bunk ends

HAPPY CAMPING....SIONARA

[nwminnesota]

I had opened up my tent end a few hours after it had rained there was a little water that got into the camper. It turned out that a little bit of water was sitting right on top of the seal and when I opened it that's when the water drained into the camper. I could hear it even driping in. This was on the front bunk.