fresh water tank keeps filling up

Jeff&Karen39MB · 03-31-2016, 03:11 PM

Good morning,
Having a problem with my fresh water tank filling up from fresh water hookup.
My pump is shut off, had about half of tank fresh water stored, but tank keeps filling up to where it runs out of overflow, have now left the valve open on bottom of trailer to drain fresh tank completely.
Any solutions?

ET156 · 03-31-2016, 03:34 PM

I think you have your by pass valve open at the pump . it allows you to fill tank while it feeds the rv.

Jeff&Karen39MB · 03-31-2016, 03:50 PM

Just checked bypass valve in normal position.
Have water drained completely from fresh tank, just closed drain valve at bottom of unit, keeping check on tank monitor.

**Dave&Ginny** · 03-31-2016, 04:27 PM

There's been a few people on this forum that have had this problem. I believe they had to replace their pump but I'm not sure. There's a valve I believe that sticks allowing the water to enter the fresh water tank.

mhs4771 · 03-31-2016, 04:57 PM

If they're still building the same, there is a manual valve inline between the Fresh Water Tank and the pump (used to isolate the fresh water tank when winterizing), so you can close that valve and prevent further filling of the fresh water tank. Just remember to re-open that valve before trying to use the fresh water.

Jim & Mary · 03-31-2016, 05:09 PM

Otherwise, I think the fix is to replace the water pump assembly. I think it contains check valve(s) to prevent just this thing from happening. Our coach is now one of them and just as M & A have suggested, closing the inline valve between the pump and fresh water tank will prevent the tank from filling from city water.

Jeff&Karen39MB · 03-31-2016, 05:11 PM

Do you know the location of this valve is it behind wall of levers and valves in basement, or do I have to drop bottom lining under Rv to locate and close?

Jeff&Karen39MB · 03-31-2016, 05:26 PM

Should mention, yesterday the pump switch remained lit on panel no matter which position, about 3 am this morning, woke up and checked, light was out but tank monitor showed full, and went out and overflow was dumping, cut main water supply off and I opened drain valve and dumped tank.
This morning tank was empty, light still out, so I turned water back on and as of now 11:18 am tank monitor shows no water, so maybe the valve was stuck.
Will monitor this, as I would like to be able to carry about 30 gals just in case we want to stop for lunch or make a restroom call out in the middle of nowhere. I know I would need to dump and refill every couple weeks to keep fresh.

Jim & Mary · 03-31-2016, 05:32 PM

On our 36RL, it's possible to reach through the "water filter" door and reach the inline valve, but not sure if the MB's plumbing is laid out the same. Give it a look (you'll need a light) and see.

Jim & Mary · 03-31-2016, 05:34 PM

Sorry, forgot to address the lit pump light. There is another switch in the convenience center (dump valve, water inlet, etc). If that is left on, the lamp in the switch inside the coach will be lit.

Jeff&Karen39MB · 03-31-2016, 06:13 PM

Played with that both ways as this is not marked off & on, it is now, so had to listen to pump to be able to tell, and made sure it is off, may have had on for awhile yesterday also.
Now 12:10 am and still no water showing up on fresh tank monitor.
Yahoo, will continue to monitor.

r time soon · 03-31-2016, 06:56 PM

As stated above the water pump has its own check valve built in. I believe that all Redwoods were plumbed close to the same near the pump and water heater and winterizing valve. Also mentioned was the valve near the pump to switch from drawing from the fresh tank so it instead draws from the antifreeze hose when winterizing. There are also 2 separate brass check valves in mine. My thought is that if any of the check valves were stuck in the open position from possible debris then the water could have found its way to your fresh tank. The only time I use the water pump switch out in the docking/convenience center is when filling the water heater for the first time when de-winterizing. Otherwise that switch is always off, and we use only the inside switch.

Chris

Shane Wood · 03-31-2016, 11:21 PM

When mine was new I had the same problem. It was the check valve In the pump. I turned of the city water and ran the pump to drain some of the water. This fixed it and have not had a problem since

**hoosierguy** · 03-31-2016, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhs4771

If they're still building the same, there is a manual valve inline between the Fresh Water Tank and the pump (used to isolate the fresh water tank when winterizing), so you can close that valve and prevent further filling of the fresh water tank. Just remember to re-open that valve before trying to use the fresh water.

Unfortunately, they don't build all of these the same way. Mine does not have the inline valve, but instead, has an additional external check valve. There is a check valve in the pump itself also. I would guess that the pump's check valve may be stuck in the open position.

Jim & Mary · 04-01-2016, 12:15 AM

I wonder if Redwood built these systems differently depending on when they came off the assembly line. I took down our basement wall this winter when we were in AZ and could not find any external check valve. All documentation I could find hinted at the check valve was intregal to the pump. Haven't wanted to spend the money yet, as we don't often need to use the onboard fresh water and pump.

Jeff&Karen39MB · 04-03-2016, 05:02 AM

Looked at water pump, found the shut of valve and closed same, seems to have solved the problem for now. Must remember to open if I decide to fill fresh water tank.
Will have to fix though.
Thanks again everyone for your input, this forum is awesome.

proteus · 04-13-2016, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff&Karen39MB

Good morning,
Having a problem with my fresh water tank filling up from fresh water hookup.
My pump is shut off, had about half of tank fresh water stored, but tank keeps filling up to where it runs out of overflow, have now left the valve open on bottom of trailer to drain fresh tank completely.
Any solutions?

had this happen on my last rv check valve in electric pump is malfunctioing chunk of calcium crud or something

replace pump

worked right after that

karl b.

proteus · 04-13-2016, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff&Karen39MB

Good morning,
Having a problem with my fresh water tank filling up from fresh water hookup.
My pump is shut off, had about half of tank fresh water stored, but tank keeps filling up to where it runs out of overflow, have now left the valve open on bottom of trailer to drain fresh tank completely.
Any solutions?

had this happen on my last rv check valve in electric pump is malfuncting chunk of calcium

replace pump

worked right after that. a repair kit was half the cost of new pump.

karl b.

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