Toilet Overflow

[sundance_8]

What a mess. We use our travel trailer at our recreational property primarily for the fridge, restroom and microwave.
Well this past weekend we had our annual family picnic with about 50 people. Had the water system set for city water and hooked to my well pump. At the end of the day one of the kids runs out of the trailer and says the toilet is overflowing.
Long story short, evidently the city water inlet allows incoming water to run into the gray tank, when that filled then it filled the black tank and kept pumping water up thru the toilet when it was flushed.
Fortunately most of the water that dumped on the floor was fresh.
This trailer was bought used for this season so no history available.
Any suggestions on causes or fixes?

[hawkeye-08]

budwich wrote:
your likely issue is a "black water tank cleanout flush" system installed somewhere and turned on / broken valve.... OR a broken toilet valve / wand.

^^^^^ this.

This would have been my guess... but the OP reported not the case..

[Tiger8r]

Flush the toilet then watch and see if the water quits running when you release the flush lever. If it doesn't then the seal in the valve is bad. If it does quit then my guess is wrong.

[93Cobra2771]

Huntindog wrote:

realebill wrote:
you sure your fresh water supply isn't hooked to a black tank rinser instead of fresh water inlet ?

That diagnosis matches the symptoms exactly.

"No black tank flush on this model. I'm pretty sure now that it was a 10 lb in a 5 lb sack issue. "

OP said that a few posts up.

[Huntindog]

realebill wrote:
you sure your fresh water supply isn't hooked to a black tank rinser instead of fresh water inlet ?

That diagnosis matches the symptoms exactly.

[Walaby]

I will be interested to see if a plumbing or water routing issue is identified, but I highly doubt that is it. 50 people using the various facilities, and logically at least half or more may not have a clue how to use RV toilets to me is the culprit.

Mike

[TenOC]

I had the flush leaver on my toilet stick in the on position. The water continue to run into the toilet. I was not connected to city warter -- on the pump and hear the pump to continue to run after using the toilet.

Shut the pump off, a little grease on the flush leaver and a cut-off value on the toilet inlet.

[3oaks]

Being it was a used trailer, who knows what, if any alterations, to the plumbing system the original owner made?

Naturally without hands on investigating, everyone is offering their best guesses as to what the problem really is. It really shouldn't be that hard to figure out through the process of elimination. :@

[sundance_8]

rekoj71 wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:
Are you certain the water connection was the potable connection and not the black tank flush?

This is what I'm wondering. In 96 I'm not sure if the tank flushers were standard like they are on some RV's now, but one could have been added.

Are you sure that your hose is connected to the city water inlet and not to a black tank flush. If the black tank flush is left on too long and the black tank handle closed the black tank is filling up. It's a common practice when someone wants to get the tank really clean, but it can backfire if they forget and overfill the tank and then the mess happens just like you describe.

You may have still had water pressure at the sinks if you had water in your fresh tank and were running the RV's water pump.

No black tank flush on this model. I'm pretty sure now that it was a 10 lb in a 5 lb sack issue.:S

[rekoj71]

beemerphile1 wrote:
Are you certain the water connection was the potable connection and not the black tank flush?

This is what I'm wondering. In 96 I'm not sure if the tank flushers were standard like they are on some RV's now, but one could have been added.

Are you sure that your hose is connected to the city water inlet and not to a black tank flush. If the black tank flush is left on too long and the black tank handle closed the black tank is filling up. It's a common practice when someone wants to get the tank really clean, but it can backfire if they forget and overfill the tank and then the mess happens just like you describe.

You may have still had water pressure at the sinks if you had water in your fresh tank and were running the RV's water pump.

[icanon]

93Cobra2771 wrote:
I'm betting black water got filled up. Last person using it filled it so full that the toilet valve hung open because of blockage. That is why your water quit overflowing when the water supply was cut off.

X2

[93Cobra2771]

I'm betting black water got filled up. Last person using it filled it so full that the toilet valve hung open because of blockage. That is why your water quit overflowing when the water supply was cut off.

Friend of mine went through same thing when his girlfriend's daughter made a pyramid of doom below the toilet. Flush valve hung open due to TP blockage. Just like that, instant waterfall in the bathroom.

[beemerphile1]

Are you certain the water connection was the potable connection and not the black tank flush?

[realebill]

you sure your fresh water supply isn't hooked to a black tank rinser instead of fresh water inlet ?

[rockhillmanor]

sundance_8 wrote:
What a mess. We use our travel trailer at our recreational property primarily for the fridge, restroom and microwave.
Well this past weekend we had our annual

family picnic with about 50 people.

Had the water system set for city water and hooked to my well pump. At the end of the day one of the kids runs out of the trailer and says the toilet is overflowing.
Long story short, evidently the city water inlet allows incoming water to run into the gray tank, when that filled then it filled the black tank and kept pumping water up thru the toilet when it was flushed.
Fortunately most of the water that dumped on the floor was fresh.
This trailer was bought used for this season so no history available.
Any suggestions on causes or fixes?

'Water inlet' does NOT feed any holding tanks.

Unless the foot pedal on the toilet is stuck in the open position and allowing water to enter your toilet all the time there is no way fresh water can get into your black tank.

Many RV's do have the bathroom sink dump into the black tank. So if "50" people are brushing teeth and/or washing hands all day THAT water also goes into the black tank making the black tank fill up even faster.

50 people using your RV and toilet and bathroom sink!? :E

I'd say you have a very very full black tank.