Shower Turns on while driving down thr road.

[SmokeyT]

So had a surprise, shower turned on while driving and emptied fresh water mostly down the drain luckily. We use it for extra storage so got a few things wet. At any rate, we have found that knobs just rotate open by themselves. I will try to tighten knobs next stop, but where can I cut off water supply to just the shower in the Thor Freedom Elite 22 HEF? We currently just leave the pump off so water doesn't flow.

[16ACE27]

Why was the pump on while driving down the road? Just leave the pump off unless you need it while stopped.

The only way I can see the faucets turning on "by themselves" is by the hose jiggling up and down on the handle.

[SmokeyT]

That's the mystery... Don't know how it's turning on. They didn't cover the water pump being off while driving down the road in RV101, but that's what we figured out. Still looking on where to isolate the shower controls in case the pump gets turned on before the handles are confirmed off.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by SmokeyT

That's the mystery... Don't know how it's turning on. They didn't cover the water pump being off while driving down the road in RV101, but that's what we figured out. Still looking on where to isolate the shower controls in case the pump gets turned on before the handles are confirmed off.

No isolation valves for the shower.

There is a "flow stop" valve either on the shower head or the hose to reduce flow to a trickle when showering/soaping up so you conserve water.

[IrnBear]

It's a bit excessive to add shutoffs inline to the shower
But, find the water pump. I have the Hurricane 35M, otherwise I would guide you to the hoses that go to the shower.
Anyway, find the water pump. figure out what lines go to the shower, add shutoff valves inline. You will need the PEX tool and clamps.

In your mind it sounds like a easy idea
I would just go with pump off during driving

You might be able to replace the stems in the shower faucets, maybe the Orings are not that great.

Seeing how this a 22 tig, this issue should fall under the first year everything covered list. They won't do inline shutoff for you, but they should figure out the faucet issue.

Hope this helps,
I liked your 101 comment. To many jump to you are stupid and should know this answers.

I sometimes drive with water pump on, sometime not. Just falls in the did I remember to turn it off category.

IrnBear

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by SmokeyT

So had a surprise, shower turned on while driving and emptied fresh water mostly down the drain luckily.

This confuses me, where else did water from your shower go if not down the drain?

We use it for extra storage so got a few things wet.

Are you saying the gray tank overflowed and if so where? Maybe backed up in the shower and you had a few items on shower floor?


At any rate, we have found that knobs just rotate open by themselves. I will try to tighten knobs next stop,

The knob turn the valve, so tighten knob to the valve shouldn't change anything. If the valve can turn due to vibration it is not good. How old is your coach?

but where can I cut off water supply to just the shower in the Thor Freedom Elite 22 HEF? We currently just leave the pump off so water doesn't flow.

You make take the knob completely off on next drive; so it is not in the equation. See if you have a cartridge that may not be properly seated?

We actually leave water pump on while driving because I have other people that may go use restroom while I am driving. The water heater is off. I replaced our shower fixture when coach was brand new because I did not like the design. It would always zap you with cold water for a few seconds when you turn it back on from having cut it off in the middle of shower to conserve water. I had a lot of experts argue with me on another forum that it did not make a difference but it has been three years and that cold water zapping is gone. It was very annoying, we have single lever, easy to set our mix of hot & cold, and no more cold water zapping.

[SmokeyT]

Great ideas!

Originally Posted by IrnBear

It's a bit excessive to add shutoffs inline to the shower
But, find the water pump. I have the Hurricane 35M, otherwise I would guide you to the hoses that go to the shower.
Anyway, find the water pump. figure out what lines go to the shower, add shutoff valves inline. You will need the PEX tool and clamps.

That's a good idea, luckily we're on our way home and not on our way out. I may just put a cap on the wand for added safety and investigate further when I have all my tools at my disposal.

In your mind it sounds like a easy idea
I would just go with pump off during driving.

100%

You might be able to replace the stems in the shower faucets, maybe the Orings are not that great.

Seeing how this a 22 tig, this issue should fall under the first year everything covered list. They won't do inline shutoff for you, but they should figure out the faucet issue.

Hope this helps,
I liked your 101 comment. To many jump to you are stupid and should know this answers.

There is definitely a learning curve, our 2nd trip and no prior experience...
The first trip I learned about water pumps

I sometimes drive with water pump on, sometime not. Just falls in the did I remember to turn it off category.

Thanks for your Help!
IrnBear

[SmokeyT]

Lol. Well the stuff not in plastic totes got wet and the floor, probably spilled over from the stack. It's a 2022 coach and will look into warranty. I'll probably replace wand with a cap for added security and turning on the pump every time is a pain with several people. Another person suggested putting an inline valve where they all connect. We generally don't use the shower anyways.

Thanks for the thoughts!

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

We actually leave water pump on while driving because I have other people that may go use restroom while I am driving.

I'm not a Safety Sally.

I generally don't even wear a seatbelt.

But allowing people to wander the cabin while driving down the road is too high a risk for the time saving benefit of pulling over for a minute.

You don't even have to get in an accident for it to end bad.

Doing 65 and one of today's idiot drivers cuts you off and you have to hit the brakes hard while someone is returning from the bathroom - they could easily keep going right into the windshield.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

I'm not a Safety Sally.

I generally don't even wear a seatbelt.

But allowing people to wander the cabin while driving down the road is too high a risk for the time saving benefit of pulling over for a minute.

You don't even have to get in an accident for it to end bad.

Doing 65 and one of today's idiot drivers cuts you off and you have to hit the brakes hard while someone is returning from the bathroom - they could easily keep going right into the windshield.

Yup we know, and we started off that way. But reality is that they do move around akin to being on airplane when everything around seem safe. i.e. it is not always at high speed. There are times, where my wife may have noticed traffic has backed up, or on stretch of highway where it is straight. It is actually driving around the city streets where she will not get up, because of all of the twisting, turning stopping etc.

Now with that said, they do wear seatbelts. For us the risk is akin to being on the boat with no seat belts on, it is very easy to get thrown from the boat if you are standing not holding on. I have to drive accordingly knowing who all is in the boat or RV and travel conditions.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

Yup we know, and we started off that way. But reality is that they do move around akin to being on airplane when everything around seem safe. i.e. it is not always at high speed. There are times, where my wife may have noticed traffic has backed up, or on stretch of highway where it is straight. It is actually driving around the city streets where she will not get up, because of all of the twisting, turning stopping etc.

Now with that said, they do wear seatbelts. For us the risk is akin to being on the boat with no seat belts on, it is very easy to get thrown from the boat if you are standing not holding on. I have to drive accordingly knowing who all is in the boat or RV and travel conditions.

Boats and airplanes don't have brakes and drivers with unknown intentions five feet away from you.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Boats and airplanes don't have brakes and drivers with unknown intentions five feet away from you.

To be clear, I don't disagree with your statements about safety. In fact I appreciate, because it is the kind of guy I am. But I am just a realist, stating what we actually do. I don't want to be on the winning side of this discussion because it may cause someone else to get hurt. But, I think my wife will tell you she feel safer in RV getting a drink out of fridge, than getting up on a Plane, and safer on Plane than getting up on a Boat. I don't fly planes, but well seasoned with boats. Throwing the throttle back or putting both engines in reverse thrust suddenly serves every purpose of brakes (but worse because you never get a true stop unless anchored / moored) The greatest danger and most injuries for a boater is when docking and water sport with inflatables or skiers. It is common for an assistant to get up to help skier or moor the lines and even more common to have other boats around in close proximity. A sudden move may force the boat with heavy forwards or reverse thrust. Of course it is all minimized by skill of the driver and the assistant. Some people will get on a train (light rail) and stand, others will get on the same train and grab a rail or support.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

To be clear, I don't disagree with your statements about safety. In fact I appreciate, because it is the kind of guy I am. But I am just a realist, stating what we actually do. I don't want to be on the winning side of this discussion because it may cause someone else to get hurt. But, I think my wife will tell you she feel safer in RV getting a drink out of fridge, than getting up on a Plane, and safer on Plane than getting up on a Boat. I don't fly planes, but well seasoned with boats. Throwing the throttle back or putting both engines in reverse thrust suddenly serves every purpose of brakes (but worse because you never get a true stop unless anchored / moored) The greatest danger and most injuries for a boater is when docking and water sport with inflatables or skiers. It is common for an assistant to get up to help skier or moor the lines and even more common to have other boats around in close proximity. A sudden move may force the boat with heavy forwards or reverse thrust. Of course it is all minimized by skill of the driver and the assistant. Some people will get on a train (light rail) and stand, others will get on the same train and grab a rail or support.

Sorry, we're not talking about boats here, of which I am very much aware as I have been sailing and motorboating for over 55 years.

I just hope nobody get seriously hurt when you get your "wake-up call" in your RV. Just imagine how you will feel if someone, especially your wife, takes a tumble as you're moving in the RV. You can try to justify until that time comes, then your mind will definitely be changed.

[IrnBear]

Originally Posted by SmokeyT

Great ideas!

That would actually be your best and easiest fix. Cut the hose going to the shower head and put an inline shutoff valve. Bamm, problem fixed :-)

IrnBear

[Judge]

Originally Posted by SmokeyT

That's the mystery... Don't know how it's turning on. They didn't cover the water pump being off while driving down the road in RV101, but that's what we figured out. Still looking on where to isolate the shower controls in case the pump gets turned on before the handles are confirmed off.

Well let me cover something else for you…… it should be common sense but…..

In addition to turning on the fresh water pump only when needed, you should never have the pump on….. or you should never have the city water on….. when you are away from the coach.

Thor’s plumbing ain’t the best plus things can…. and do fail…. like a toilet water valve failing and the toilet can start filling and overflowing.

I shut off the water in my house if I am gone more than 24 hours for the same reason.

The other day we came home from the grocery store and there was water all over the kitchen floor. The plastic water valve / relay for the ice maker and water dispenser cracked on our 15-month old $2800 refrigerator.

The lesson…. Stuff Happens.

[Chateau_Nomad]

If your shower valves are "opening by themselves", why not directly address the problem - don't use a band-aid fix. Honestly... you could replace both shower stall valves/handles as easy as putting an inline shutoff valve. If your shower taps are opening by themselves, they are defective, and need to be replaced.

Then take the sage advice from others:
1) Keep the water pump OFF unless you need water.
2) NEVER leave a city water connection tap ON when away from your motorhome.

Side note:
Consider filling your fresh water tank and using your internal water pump instead of a city water connection - even when "full hookups" are available. No pressure regulator needed. You only need to remember to turn off your internal water pump... no more accidentally leaving the city water turned on.

[Bob Denman]

It's those dang Poltergeists again...

[Lt Keefer]

If Thor was like other manufacturers and put a water pump switch adjacent to each water faucet, leaving the pump turned off would be an option. But with only one pump switch, I always leave my water pump on.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Back to the start/finish line. Was this your first trip out in a brand new MH or was this the first time after several trips that this happened? It could be, while loading the shower up with junk (pump was off), someone/something bumped the shower knob open and then activating the pump later at a rest area stop or somewhere started the issue. Usually there is not a dedicated water line to the shower. I would just empty the shower of junk and test this again. I can't imagine how a shower knob can jiggle itself open. Lastly, always turn pump off when traveling, leaving coach for a while or just not using water. Any waterline could break or come loose from any connector at anytime and flood everything.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

If Thor was like other manufacturers and put a water pump switch adjacent to each water faucet, leaving the pump turned off would be an option. But with only one pump switch, I always leave my water pump on.

Thor does do this. The firefly system has a switch for the pump in every bath, next to the kitchen sink and in the master control panel. I have 5 locations to turn pump on/off.