3640 RL water fill

[mikell]

Woke up with frozen lines for the first time this morning. The water tank was 2/3 full but now reads empty but no sign of a leak. Tried to put water in but it wouldn't take any. It was filled at the dealer I think but we never used it and just kept it for emergencies like this. The Terry the tank was in the open and couldn't freeze but this is out of sight somewhere in the frozen underside.

So where is the water tank?

Should it take water by just putting a hose in the fill tube.

My water works area is tagged completely wrong so far so do I need to switch a valve to use the pump? We tested it when it was delivered and it worked fine so I'm confused.

[jje1960]

Originally Posted by mikell

Woke up with frozen lines for the first time this morning. The water tank was 2/3 full but now reads empty but no sign of a leak. Tried to put water in but it wouldn't take any. It was filled at the dealer I think but we never used it and just kept it for emergencies like this. The Terry the tank was in the open and couldn't freeze but this is out of sight somewhere in the frozen underside.

So where is the water tank?

Should it take water by just putting a hose in the fill tube.

My water works area is tagged completely wrong so far so do I need to switch a valve to use the pump? We tested it when it was delivered and it worked fine so I'm confused.

Doing my best to understand your post.... Are you hooked up to shore water? This is frozen? You think the dealer put water in the tank? Frozen underside? What kind of unit do you have? Throw a bone please...

[mikell]

Sorry frantic morning no water I was afraid that the heat tape died but alls well now.

The water tank has been reading 2/3 since new so I assumed that the dealer put water in the tank being we used some till I got the water line re worked. so this morning thinking that the hose froze I turned on the pump and a little came out then nothing. Now the gage says empty. Not a big deal but I can't ge it to take water????

No sign of water under the unit and can't get any into the tank.

Confused would like to have water in the tank

[geo]

Mike -

Look around and you will see my posts about the fresh water tank fill problems on the 3640RL. I will also try to write a little more about this with some pictures. I believe I also sent you a Private Message concerning this problem. Basically, there's two right angle bends in the fresh water fill behind a panel next to the stairs. The fresh water fill line between the Waterworks and the first bend is probably suspended in the air behind the hot water tank. You put water in the line, the line sags and pulls the first right angle bend closed. When we tried to sanitize the fresh water system, we were able to only put about a quart of Clorox water a minute through the fresh water fill. I pulled the freshwater fill line back inside the access area, ran a string back to the access hole by a long lathe, tied it to the fill line, then in the basement pulled the freshwater fill line through a 2" PVC pipe for the length from the access hole to behind the WaterWorks. Used heavy cable ties and pipe strap to hang the PVC at the access hole and WaterWorks area. Viola! I can fill the fresh water tank with a hose in about 6 or 7 minutes!

Also, in my past posts you will find the valve for Winterizing is labeled incorrectly. So when you have the Winterizing "Off", it is actually "On", thus bypassing the freshwater line from the tank.

Oh, also does the freshwater tank drain back by the forward axle have a cap on it? I've cut a short piece of pipe insulation and put over this exposed 3" piece of Pex pipe. If this drain line froze and cracked, it would drain your fresh water tank quite well! When I sanitize the freshwater tank, I put a valve on this line connected to a hose to drain it quickly. That way I can sanitize the lines and tank, but not have to pump the tank dry to flush and fill - just drain it!

Ron

[mikell]

Will have another look today it's now 0 out up from -11 last night. I have a heater and fan in the basement blowing air into the crawl space.

As far as the valves does one of them have to be in the right position to use the pump?

I have stickers where there's no valves so the waterworks is a mess

[geo]

Mike -

Basically, the labels on the valves in the WaterWorks are worthless. It's the Winterize valve to look at. Simple test to do with no water in fresh water tank; Take a gallon of potable water and a short piece of sanitized potable water hose out to the WaterWorks. Connect the hose to the Winterize hose connection and the other end in the jug of water. Have the pump turned on. Now, either have the DW turn the water on inside or turn the outside shower on. If water is drawn from the jug, the Winterize valve is engaged - so mark that position as "On". If no water is drawn, then the valve is turned to the fresh water tank - so mark that position as "Off". When the Wointerize is Off, then the draw line from the fresh water is connected.

Ron

[geo]

This is a picture (IMG_0222f.jpg) of what one will see when one removes the panel next to the stairs. Notice that the cable tie that creates the first right angle turn of the water fill pipe slightly constricts the water fill line when it is empty. As water is poured into the line (to the right, the line has about 5' - 6' suspended distance from the WaterWorks) the weight of the water sags the line and pulls the water fill line through the access hole on the right. (Gray line that comes in from the left is the flexible gray water line from the kitchen sink. Back beneath the sink area, this had leaks where it connected to the black rigid line and some small holes in the flexible gray line near that connection. A glove full of clear waterproof silicon sealant and 24 hours fixed that problem very quickly.)

Follow the line towards the bottom of the picture. It passes through to the lower sub-basement where it takes another right angle turn to pass back to the fresh water tank. (IMG_0220f.jpg) The fresh water line is upper right suspended by the aluminum crossmembers. The fresh water tank is in the darkened backgound. By inpecting with a telescoping mirror and flashlight, I was able to determine that the line goes into the fresh water tank on the upper right at the back of the picture.

This is the design problem I see with the fresh water fill line on the Alpine 3640RL. Search the forum and you will find my previous posts. This fresh water fill line should be supported inside a rigid support for the full length traveling in a straight line in the lower sub-basement from the WaterWorks area to the fresh water tank area. I have accomplished half this - from the WaterWorks area to the area immediately past the access hole in the lower part of the picture (basically beneath the forward point of the kitchen slide).

Ron

[mikell]

I'm headed into the basement again tonight with a web cam on a long stick to see what I can see. My tank is reading 2/3 again since it warmed up ?? I'm really confused

[geo]

Mike -

I, for one, would be very interested in seeing some of those webcam pics from the fresh water "tunnel".

Ron

Originally Posted by mikell

I'm headed into the basement again tonight with a web cam on a long stick to see what I can see. My tank is reading 2/3 again since it warmed up ?? I'm really confused

[mikell]

I'll see what I can do maybe put them on my website. The thing makes BIG files. I'll try to do something useful

It might not be tonight I have volunteers coming to work on the power plant. Gotta feed them and such. Have a 1930's 260kw Fairbanks Morse power plant in the park to restore. Big cold iron this time of the year

[mikell]

The little camera makes 200 meg of video in 30 seconds. I guess i'll find another idea. It does take stills and I might give that a try