Gravity Fill Leaking -

[TexanJohn]

Our daughter is living full-time in a 2011 BigHorn 3670L. She has been for about 18 months.

I was checking the cargo area, and I have found water leaking from what I understand is the Gravity Fill hose. The camper is fully plumbed to an incoming water line. i.e. we have not ever used the Gravity Fill hose.

I'm not certain I understand the full plumbing schematic on page 6 of this manual:
Water Systems Guide V1.2.pdf (heartlandowners.org)

I don't see a vent being run to the same place where the gravity fill is (in the UDC).

Did she accidentally turn on the pump?
Water drains from the discharge line hanging down from the bottom of the trailer near the wheels which I assume is from the freshwater tank. When plumbed to city water, the fresh water tank should remain empty?
Is there an easy fix? Bad valve in pump?

Thanks

 

[hoefler]

Check valve in the pump is leaking back filling the fresh tank

 

[TexanJohn]

I have resolved myself to only 2 possibilities after looking at the actual plumbing:

1. Someone turned on the pump; there was no water in the tank and the incoming water pressure exceeded the backflow valve and/or pump's ability and backfilled the tank
2. The backflow valve has failed

I cannot detect any water flowing through the pump back into the tank (listening and feeling the line). In fact, my water meter isn't showing any flow (when everything else is turned off). i.e. I assume the incoming city water would be continuously filling and pressurizing the tank if the backflow valve has failed. But, I see no evidence that is occurring.

Since the trailer is generally permanently parked, I assume as a temporary measure that I can do/perform is simply block the line from the incoming water that connects to the outlet side of the pump. That would prevent filling the tank (if the backflow valve is bad) until I can replace the pump and then reconnect the lines correctly.

FYI - I am not very smart. I did find the 'vent hose'. It is the exact same material as the water lines feeding the pump. Thus, I originally thought that was a 'water' line rather than a vent hose.

 

[JohnDar]

If you have one of the earlier versions of the Anderson valve, it may be leaking water to the tank even though it’s set to City water. Was a common problem a few years back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tim@Janet]

Everyone uses the same pumps and the check valves always end up leaking. The quick fix for all of them is to put a manual shutoff valve in the pump exit line, to prevent backflow. $10 fix if you can do it yourself.