tank filler crossover from city water fill? - Page 2

jbrosecity · 08-07-2020, 06:48 PM

no I think it is more than a bandaid... if it were still leaking by the checkvalve or tank fill switch then it would continue dripping indefinitely out the low point drain, but as mentioned it has totally stopped... it's now dry under the drain. Obviously draining the tank did not fix the cause... but maybe cycling water pump on/off cleared some debris in the checkvalve or something. Anyhow I am done for now. I probably won't be using the water pump again this season and will winterize in november. We'll see what happens in the spring... thanks again for all the input

jb

CedarCreekWoody · 08-08-2020, 02:43 AM

It sounds like you have fixed the problem. That is normal for the leak to completely stop once the grit is flushed from the backflow valve.

Rwake901 · 08-09-2020, 09:09 AM

I have a Avalanche also and mine does the same thing. Fills the water tank slowly even though it’s on the city water position. I found that just turning the city water/ tank fill valve back and forth quickly a few times stops it. I don’t know if debris gets in the valve or if the seals are going bad. So far that’s worked for me.

jbrosecity · 08-09-2020, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rwake901

I have a Avalanche also and mine does the same thing. Fills the water tank slowly even though it’s on the city water position. I found that just turning the city water/ tank fill valve back and forth quickly a few times stops it. I don’t know if debris gets in the valve or if the seals are going bad. So far that’s worked for me.

Thanks for the input but as I posted my avalanche has two separate hose connections for city water and tank fill, unlike my Tiffin motorhome, for example, which had a simple switch to turn to switch back and forth. But I also have this curious switch in the water bay called "Tank Fill Power Fresh". Of course the idiot manual for the coach says nothing about it... one is just left to guess. But I found this on the Montana forum:

"The lever marked "Tank Fill Power Fresh" controls your fresh water. When the lever is in the horizontal "Normal Flow" position as shown in your photo, fresh water (from the hose that is connected to a faucet to your "City Water Connection" the middle one in the convenience center), is directed to the 5er's plumbing system, sink faucets, shower, toilet, etc... When you turn the knob to the vertical "Fill" position, the city water supply fills your fresh water tank."

That is probably why my "debris" blockage seems to have cleared since I did switch that switch on briefly and heard a rushing water sound. And when I turn it on now, with the low point drain open, water immediately flows out the drain. Why this rig has two separate hose connections for city water and tank fill, PLUS this option to fill the tank with this "Tank Fill Power Fresh" is a mystery to me. If anyone knows why on earth there are TWO ways to fill the fresh water tank, I would love to know about it.

As for this switch I also read this:
"When you turn the knob to the vertical "Fill" position, the city water supply fills your fresh water tank. Watch your tank gauges carefully when when using this, and turn it off when the indicator light says the fresh tank is full. If you forget to turn it off, you can rupture your fresh water tank with too much pressure.,, the amount of water coming in can overwhelm the overflow tube. I saw the results of a tank overfilling in a MH where the tank was under the bed."

Here's a couple photos. Notice the second one with the handwritten label "Tank Fill". I wrote that on there because unbelievable as it may seem, Keystone did not see fit to put a label by that one... only the warning sticker in the second photo. "potable water only..." so it has to be the FW tank. So why in hell do they have two ways of doing it?

Rwake901 · 08-09-2020, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrosecity

Thanks for the input but as I posted my avalanche has two separate hose connections for city water and tank fill, unlike my Tiffin motorhome, for example, which had a simple switch to turn to switch back and forth. But I also have this curious switch in the water bay called "Tank Fill Power Fresh". Of course the idiot manual for the coach says nothing about it... one is just left to guess. But I found this on the Montana forum:

"The lever marked "Tank Fill Power Fresh" controls your fresh water. When the lever is in the horizontal "Normal Flow" position as shown in your photo, fresh water (from the hose that is connected to a faucet to your "City Water Connection" the middle one in the convenience center), is directed to the 5er's plumbing system, sink faucets, shower, toilet, etc... When you turn the knob to the vertical "Fill" position, the city water supply fills your fresh water tank."

That is probably why my "debris" blockage seems to have cleared since I did switch that switch on briefly and heard a rushing water sound. And when I turn it on now, with the low point drain open, water immediately flows out the drain. Why this rig has two separate hose connections for city water and tank fill, PLUS this option to fill the tank with this "Tank Fill Power Fresh" is a mystery to me. If anyone knows why on earth there are TWO ways to fill the fresh water tank, I would love to know about it.

As for this switch I also read this:
"When you turn the knob to the vertical "Fill" position, the city water supply fills your fresh water tank. Watch your tank gauges carefully when when using this, and turn it off when the indicator light says the fresh tank is full. If you forget to turn it off, you can rupture your fresh water tank with too much pressure.,, the amount of water coming in can overwhelm the overflow tube. I saw the results of a tank overfilling in a MH where the tank was under the bed."

Here's a couple photos. Notice the second one with the handwritten label "Tank Fill". I wrote that on there because unbelievable as it may seem, Keystone did not see fit to put a label by that one... only the warning sticker in the second photo. "potable water only..." so it has to be the FW tank. So why in hell do they have two ways of doing it?

Mine looks exactly like that. What you have marked as “tank fill” is where you connect your hose to winterize the system. Connect a short hose to that connection and put the other end in a gallon of anti-freeze. Turn the winterize valve on and then turn on your pump and it will draw out of the gallon of anti freeze. If you notice it says right above it “ freeze guard”
You fill the water tank by leaving it hooked up to the one you do now and just turn the normal flow / fill valve to Fill. I hope this helps.

jbrosecity · 08-09-2020, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rwake901

Mine looks exactly like that. What you have marked as “tank fill” is where you connect your hose to winterize the system. Connect a short hose to that connection and put the other end in a gallon of anti-freeze. Turn the winterize valve on and then turn on your pump and it will draw out of the gallon of anti freeze. If you notice it says right above it “ freeze guard”
You fill the water tank by leaving it hooked up to the one you do now and just turn the normal flow / fill valve to Fill. I hope this helps.

Ah so!!!! Crazy that that port is not labeled as such - I suppose the label "Freeze Guard Winterizing System" which is several inches above the stupid warning label and next to the shower knobs is supposed to give that info, but it is clear as mud. Your explanation is great. I have something similar in my Forester motorhome. When I winterized my Avalanche last fall, I used compressed air (which is exactly what the Forester River dealer does here). I have an air fitting which attaches to the city water connection, and a small compressor which blows air out all fixtures. I also do the saniflush line.

Thanks very much for clearing up that mystery!

**JRTJH** · 08-10-2020, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrosecity

Ah so!!!! Crazy that that port is not labeled as such - I suppose the label "Freeze Guard Winterizing System" which is several inches above the stupid warning label and next to the shower knobs is supposed to give that info, but it is clear as mud. Your explanation is great. I have something similar in my Forester motorhome. When I winterized my Avalanche last fall, I used compressed air (which is exactly what the Forester River dealer does here). I have an air fitting which attaches to the city water connection, and a small compressor which blows air out all fixtures. I also do the saniflush line.

Thanks very much for clearing up that mystery!

Reading the bolded part, here's a "possibility" (not a probability) of a "reason for your tank to be filling by a leak through the water pump"...

When you use a compressor to blow out the water lines, it effectively clears most of the water from the "pressurized side of the plumbing system".. That means it pushes water through the hot and cold water lines and out of the faucets and/or the low point drains... Compressed air will not push the water out of the pump head or out of the "inlet line". That residual water in the pump head could have (I won't say it did) frozen in the pump head and damaged the diaphragm/roller assembly or the plastic pump head cavity...

If you didn't disconnect the inlet hose from the fresh water tank and then run the pump "dry", you may have some freeze damage to the pump, which could be the reason for your "leak into the fresh water tank"....

Rwake901 · 08-10-2020, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrosecity

Ah so!!!! Crazy that that port is not labeled as such - I suppose the label "Freeze Guard Winterizing System" which is several inches above the stupid warning label and next to the shower knobs is supposed to give that info, but it is clear as mud. Your explanation is great. I have something similar in my Forester motorhome. When I winterized my Avalanche last fall, I used compressed air (which is exactly what the Forester River dealer does here). I have an air fitting which attaches to the city water connection, and a small compressor which blows air out all fixtures. I also do the saniflush line.

Thanks very much for clearing up that mystery!

I use an air compressor too and blow out my water lines but I also pump anti-freeze in the lines. Glad I could clear that up for you. Did you install the whole house water filter? That looks like a good idea.

apachewolf · 08-10-2020, 10:10 AM

I had the same problem with my 2015 Laredo. When hooked to city water it also filled the tank and overflowed. I was told the pump was bad, had 2 pumps installed with the same result. Finally I demanded that they go to ACE hardware and get a brass check valve. instead of the one supplied with the pump. Since than no problem. My advise look into it there. The valve ran me less than $15.

Happy camping.

jbrosecity · 08-10-2020, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rwake901

I use an air compressor too and blow out my water lines but I also pump anti-freeze in the lines. Glad I could clear that up for you. Did you install the whole house water filter? That looks like a good idea.

yep installed the filter... pentair off amazon.... easy place to put it there

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