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BruceN53

Fresh Water Tank Fills By Itself

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I have a 2007 Fleetwood Excursion 39s. I noticed on this last trip that while hooked up to the city water inlet my fresh water tank is filling full. I started with 1/3 tank level and I do have the bypass to not go to the tank. I cannot hear any water streaming noise.  This happened overnight twice.

BruceN53

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Bruce,

This happens to us when the supplied water pressure is too high.  Water leaks through the two way valve into the storage tank.  I have a regulator and gauge that I install at the bib when pressure is too high.

Blake

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17 minutes ago, BruceN53 said:

Makes sense What PSI should I shoot for?

 

The pressure regulators that are sold at camping suppliers are set for 45 to 50 lbs in most cases and work just fine.

Look and see if there is a bypass valve plumbed in that bypasses the water pump. If they get opened just a little-you will not hear the water flowing. This valve is used to fill the water tank from the city water input on the coach.

Rich.

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Bruce,

I shoot for 50 lbs.  The regulator gizmo I have is adjustable with two outlets.  I can send you a pic if you want.  I'll try to add one on this thread but I haven't had luck doing so.

If you want send me a PM with your email address.

Blake

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I would cycle the fill valve a couple of times as there may be debris or mineral deposits keeping it from sealing. I would make it a habit of using a pressure regulator. Some parks you don't need it but some have really high pressure. You will find a disclaimer in most contracts that the park is not responsible for damage because of hi water pressure.

Bill 

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There is also a checkvalve built into the waterpump, not too elaborate, just a rubber diaphragm, with too high water pressure some bypassing can also go on there. When I plumb a coach, I use a commercial grade checkvalve between the pump outlet and the house plumbing to help preserve the one built into the pump. Also please note that a small grain of sand or any other debris can lodge in this backflow device causing it to FAIL.

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Thanks to all for your quick responses and advice! Some of you mention the water pump which brings another question/thought:

The pump when it runs makes a "machine gun" sound now where as I remember it used to make a more smooth consistent pumping sound such as a motor boat engine. Any thoughts? Is the pump going bad or a part that needs replaced? It does pump up and shut off but the sound is very annoying. Also, are there any photos or diagrams that show the checkvalve that kaypsmith describes?

Bruce

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Bruce,

The check valve is in the inlet side of the pump. Replacing it is just like replacing the washer. They may be purchased at most RV stores and when you see it it will make since to you. By the way, do you have a shut off valve between the tank and the pump?:huh: If so till you replace the check valve you can just shut off the valve between the tank and pump. Don't forget to open it back up when you disconnect from the city water.:wub:

 

Herman 

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I had the same thing happen. Turned out the faucet washer on the shutoff valve for the tank water inlet was leaking very, very slowly, and was not apparent until the tank overflowed. Changed the faucet washer and it stopped. Then, a year later the same thing. Now I replace the washer every spring when we take the coach out of storage. Works for us.

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Bruce, You should be able to pick up a repair / service kit from most Service centers. You will need the Model Number of your pump. The instructions a quit clear. I have to rebuild our pump, but the repair last for a good 4 to 5 years. Use a filter on the filler hose to keep sand and other abrasive materials out of the system.

Fleetwood has used the same plumbing setup for years in the area of the freshwater tank, bypass and water pump.

The rattling sound is very likely caused by the pluming lines vibrating against one or more points of the structural frame, floor or wall. The noise would come and go as the plastic lines shifted around under the floor or cabinets.

I have quieted things down by using sections of plumbing open cell foam insulation and placing them where the water lines contact any hard surface. Nice thing is you can split them open(they are per cut) and slide a whole section or more over the plumbing lines .

Rich.

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3 hours ago, jleamont said:

Learn something new everyday. Both coaches we have had valves; "Fresh Tank fill" or "coach supply".

Ours have been the same but I've had the same problem.  Our problem wasn't the valve that switches the city water from coach to storage tank.  The problem was the leaking back-flow prevention valve built into the water pump.  Water was back feeding from the city water to the coach and then through the water pump into the storage tank.  Installing a good quality in-line back-flow prevention valve at the outlet of the water pump will stop the problem.  You can also install a pressure reducer at the city water supply spigot.  This protects your hose as well as reduces the chances of the water pump back-flow problem.  If reducing the pressure doesn't stop the problem then the water pump back-flow valve has failed completely.  You can get a new water pump or install a separate back-flow valve.

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21 minutes ago, TBUTLER said:

Ours have been the same but I've had the same problem.  Our problem wasn't the valve that switches the city water from coach to storage tank.  The problem was the leaking back-flow prevention valve built into the water pump.  Water was back feeding from the city water to the coach and then through the water pump into the storage tank.  Installing a good quality in-line back-flow prevention valve at the outlet of the water pump will stop the problem.  You can also install a pressure reducer at the city water supply spigot.  This protects your hose as well as reduces the chances of the water pump back-flow problem.  If reducing the pressure doesn't stop the problem then the water pump back-flow valve has failed completely.  You can get a new water pump or install a separate back-flow valve.

Thanks Tom I didn't know that. One more reason I shut off the water when we leave the CG for the day.

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Like most everything in a motor home or other RV, the systems are built to do so much that they are pretty much foreign to homeowners.  Storage tanks, dual supplies, water pump or city water, everything is knitted together in a fine system but understanding it takes a lot of experience and analysis.  Think about the electric, same thing.  Generator, shore power, battery all sources of power and then there is the inverter and 12V and 110V systems.  Add a solar panel and its controller and there is more to just turning on a light bulb!   Understanding how they all relate to each other and what causes any particular problem is an exercise in the higher arts of problem solving.  RV techs get a lot of grief but they are charged with knowing a great many systems.  When you find a good one, stick with them!

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Tbutler, funny that you explain the way RVs are all systematic because I was telling my son the same thing. He's an officer on a fast attack submarine and I told him that I feel like this coach is a like a sub with all the systems and that I'm the captain and the crew! Haha! 

I found a really good You Tube video on how to work on the water pumps. Thanks to everyone for their input and ideas here on the forum!

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I have an outside water tank fill, and a valve located inside. If my valve seat breaks, my water tank will fill slowly. My pump seat has never failed to back flow the fresh water tank. The seat should be capable of handling over 80 PSI.

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I had the same thing happen in my 2014 Thor Palazzo 33.2 (fresh water tank fills even with inlet water valve not set to do that action). After seeing a thread on this very subject in the Thor forums, I replaced the core of the Anderson Kantleak four-way water inlet valve. Apparently, Anderson Brass Company has a new, improved design that fixes this problem. Any coach manufactured before approximately March 2015 could benefit from the improved design, and Anderson Brass is very helpful and forthcoming regarding replacing the old design with a valve of the new design.

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