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Old 08-26-2013, 02:36 PM   #1
LZScout
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Fresh Water Tank Overflow

Our last camping trip didn't have an on site water hookup so I had to fill the fresh water tank on my 2013 Alpine 3250RL. Before we left, I was filling up the fresh water tank in order to properly sanitize the tank as I hadn't used it since I bought it. I knew I had to completely fill the tank in order to sanitize in completely.

I assumed that unlike the waste systems, the fresh water tank was part of a closed system (filling it completely shouldn't cause an on board leak). My unit does have two overflows in the units "waterworks" area as indicated in the following picture:

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps36cd63aa.jpg

Shortly after my inside gauge showed full, water began to spurt from the overflow on the back wall of the waterworks area. I emptied and flushed that tank three more times in order to fully flush the bleach solution that i had left in the tank for four hours. Once I verified a bleach free system, I filled the tank for our trip. Throughout the process, I noted spurts of water from the overflow and from the tank vent on the right side of the waterworks area. I wiped up the excess water in the bottom of the waterworks area. Note that I did all this with the RV in the level position.

The next day, I hooked up to my TV. Since our driveway is a bit steep, I attributed to the water flowing from the overflow to be due to the downhill condition. Once I got it to the street, the water stopped flowing from the overflow. I cleaned up the excess water. We proceeded on the trip without giving it another thought.

When we reached our campsite, I found the waterworks area sloshing with water. There is no drain in that area although there is a 5" screw cap both in the floor and in the underside that can be removed to allow incoming water hoses and cable connections. Even so, since the cap is not flush with the floor, the excess water can't flow through it. The water had sloshed out of the overflows during the drive. Since it had no where to go, it had found it's way out of the waterworks area into the adjacent pass-through basement storage and also the sub-basement behind the wall where all the plumbing, pump, and converter is located. Luckily, nothing was hurt.

We cleaned up as best we could and let the rest dry out. My question to the forum is why would Keystone design/install a fresh water overflow in an area that doesn't drain directly outside? I'm presently in contact with my RV dealer to find out if I can reroute the overflows out of the bottom of the unit without voiding some warrantee. Has anybody else dealt with this?
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Old 08-28-2013, 06:24 AM   #2
JRTJH
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Every RV I've had has fresh water overflow vents on the outside of the RV. Usually they are incorporated in a faceplate that also includes the fresh water fill port and city water hookup. It does seem strange that anyone would design a system with a vent for fresh water that has no mechanism to vent the overflow outside the RV. Please keep us posted on what Keystone and your dealer come up with.
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Old 08-28-2013, 07:18 PM   #3
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I've had two responses from the dealer so far. First they said Keystone told them "I "could install "a drain" in the waterworks floor, not that it would do much good. Once the water hits the bottom of the waterworks compartment, it will get into places I don't want it.

I had the dealer ask Keystone if I could pipe the overflow/vent outside. Keystone responded with the standard "of anything is damaged by the modification, it will not be covered under warrantee". So, this weekend I plan on dropping the underbelly to see what may be in the way, pull out the basement wall, and build it the way it should have been built.

Sometimes I think I bought a DIY kit instead of a finished product.


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Old 08-29-2013, 01:41 PM   #4
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My unit is set up a little different than yours so I'm not exactly sure about my next statement but just thinking. After you fill your fw tank, do you turn the valve back to the city water setting? Is it possible that the water is coming back out from the fill instead of the vent and overflow?
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Old 08-29-2013, 06:58 PM   #5
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I suppose it was possible that I didn't turn the valve and that it came out of the fresh water fill. But, it's in the same location as the overflow so that if it flows out of that, it will flow out of the overflow too. I also found a picture of the valve that shows the connection has a back flow preventer.


In any case, it still dumps into an inner compartment which is a poor design.


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Old 08-30-2013, 04:20 AM   #6
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I will agree a very poor design. I wasn't sure if it had a check valve when I posted earlier. As JRJTH said, with the trailers I have had, the vent and overflow have been outside.
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