Fresh water tank

[Rogerfish]

When I fill my fresh water tank with water and get to the point where water starts running out the overflow tube, I immediately turn off the water and stop filling the tank. However, the water will continue to flow out the overflow tube for a half hour or longer and drain my tank down to 1/3 full. What’s happening? Anyone else have this problem? How do I keep the tank full? Do I need to pinch the overflow tube to keep water in the tank?

[Highcountrybarry]

They often start a siphon that does exactly that. Many, including myself, have put a valve on the overflow. I use a cheap garden hose water
gauge to tell me how many gallons I am adding to the tank. Or you can open the valve then close when full.


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[xtasee]

There have been several Threads here about this issue.

I also put a valve on mine. Don't forget to open it when you are filling!

You can get these at Home Depot or Lowes and just use a regular hose clamp.

[mhs4771]

Did the same on both our RWs

[ET156]

home depot sells a shark bit valve that fits the overflow hose.

[shrode]

Originally Posted by xtasee

There have been several Threads here about this issue.

I also put a valve on mine. Don't forget to open it when you are filling!

You can get these at Home Depot or Lowes and just use a regular hose clamp.

Do you even care about opening the the overflow valve? What happens if you forget? Won't it just overflow the inlet, and then you know it's full?

[Highcountrybarry]

Then you would be putting pressurized water into a closed system. You could potentially blow off a line or even burst the tank. Not guaranteed, but risky at the least.


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[shrode]

Originally Posted by Highcountrybarry

Then you would be putting pressurized water into a closed system. You could potentially blow off a line or even burst the tank. Not guaranteed, but risky at the least.


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My 2017 31SL just has an open inlet to the fresh water tank that you stick the hose in, so it's not pressurized. However, it's probably difficult to add water and burp the air from the tank thru the inlet with the overflow closed off. I think I may have answered my own question...time for a trip to Home Depot.

[Highcountrybarry]

Originally Posted by shrode

My 2017 31SL just has an open inlet to the fresh water tank that you stick the hose in, so it's not pressurized. However, it's probably difficult to add water and burp the air from the tank thru the inlet with the overflow closed off. I think I may have answered my own question...time for a trip to Home Depot.

Interesting, my 2018 3901 MB has a hose connection, no other venting possibility.


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[atom ant]

Unless they changed the design, there are two overflow/vents. The one that starts flowing early (blue), and the actual overflow/vent (white) that was supposed to be attached to the fill fixture. Rather than allow overflow to fill the basement floor, Redwood removed the white ventline from the fill fixture and pushed it down through to ground by the frame.

I would typically fill my tank until water started flowing out the blue vent. Then I would close my installed valve on that line and throttle down the flow and fill until it came out the white vent to ensure I was full.

The left blue tube is the drain (forward) and the right is the one I added the valve to.



The white drain peeking out through the system drain valves is the true overfill/vent.

[Highcountrybarry]

Good to know, I will check mine out Thursday. Do you ever feel like the Manual is a generic creation that could apply to anything from a pop up to a mobile home?


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[atom ant]

Originally Posted by Highcountrybarry

Good to know, I will check mine out Thursday. Do you ever feel like the Manual is a generic creation that could apply to anything from a pop up to a mobile home?


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Oh yes, and Redwood management treated even the simplest drawings as proprietary when I was on the board for the owners club, so as a result they put just enough info in the manuals to leave you guessing. I don't think it will change with Keystone in charger either.

The best manual system I have seen is our Winnebago. They take the Vendor info and modify it into a 4 volume manual system based on how they installed the equipment. I also have a 70 page list of parts specific to my VIN and each part is numbered in the coach including cabinet doors, pillows, even the wiring. To top it off, everything is online, downloadable to a PC or tablet, and most systems are in exploded views or full 3D walkarounds like this!

[Highcountrybarry]

Originally Posted by atom ant

Oh yes, and Redwood management treated even the simplest drawings as proprietary when I was on the board for the owners club, so as a result they put just enough info in the manuals to leave you guessing. I don't think it will change with Keystone in charger either.

The best manual system I have seen is our Winnebago. They take the Vendor info and modify it into a 4 volume manual system based on how they installed the equipment. I also have a 70 page list of parts specific to my VIN and each part is numbered in the coach including cabinet doors, pillows, even the wiring. To top it off, everything is online, downloadable to a PC or tablet, and most systems are in exploded views or full 3D walkarounds like this!

Holy smoke....night and day!


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[travelin' texans]

While my RW was being repaired the shop had a toyhauler that insurance had totalled due to the water tank not vented from the factory & pressured up while filling, exploded & erupted the the floor inside, breaking frame cross members, looked like someone had driven a car up through the center of the floor.
So yes open the vent valve when filling.

[Rogerfish]

Went to Home Depot and found the valve and installed it. What has RW done in the plumbing to cause this to happen? Never had this problem with a Cardinal and Big Country.

[atom ant]

I'm not sure why Redwood vented the tank like that, but they have been consistent. I learned from someone with a 2012 on my 2014, and now 2017 and it's still that way. Brenco (Ken) discussed it at the factory with them and has the "factory" answer, but I can't remember what they said.

[Ford truck guy]

I had the problem with my “16” Redwood, I corrected it with a shutoff valve.. I had the problem with my “08” KZ Montego Bay, corrected that with a shutoff valve..

There are a TON of folks on RV.net with all types that have the same issue...

the problem is across the board.

[Dave&Ginny]

In the rv world, they all follow what the other manufacturers have gotten by with. Growth or perfection isn’t what they seem to be seeking.

[brenkco]

Brad,
When I asked why they didn't use the vent in the convenience center, they said that it would drain in the rig. Kind of lame engineering excuse IMHO.

What I did is place a valve on one of the "vent" lines. In actuality, I should have just capped it. It's not necessary. The other vent line, I pulled up and attached to the built in vent next to the fill port.

Photos are...'vent pipe to tank' This pipe I pulled up from under the rig
'Open Vent' this is the typical vent used by most everyone but Redwood
'Vent pipe attached' is a photo where I attached the vent pipe to the vent
'Fill-vent' is a photo of the vent in use.

When filling, I can hear as the tank is nearly full but even if it overflows a bit, it's easy to clean up.

Ken

BTW, when boondocking, I wanted the full, 100 gallon fresh water capacity. The way the factory vented the tank, it wasn't possible. Problem solved by reworking the vent.....

[atom ant]

Thanks Ken!

I suppose the way I filled at home (turn on the fill and finish packing stuff) it may have flooded the cabinet because my street is angled nose down and it may have went into the basement rather than out the hole at the bottom of the bay.

I would fill until it came out the blue vent, close that and finish filling until it came out the white to make sure I had a full tank. I never was sure where the blue vent line was attached.

I sure don't miss that slow tank drain. Used to take nearly 30 minutes to drain 100 gal.