Over flowing Fresh Water Tank

[Dave]

I've been working with Don at the factory, who has been very helpful, on this puzzling issue. The fresh water tank will fill up and overflow on its own. Don sent us a Anderson valve to correct the problem but it didn't help. Any ideas?
Also, have any readers attempted to adjust any of your slide outs so the extend out to equal distance from the four slide out corners? I have a leak in the bedroom slide out. One side extends out 1/2 inch, Don thinks this might be the cause of the leak. We full time so putting the unit in a shop would be difficult. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[jnbhobe]

The backflow in the water pump is leaking.

 

[pegmikef]

On the fresh water tank issue, there is a check valve in the pump to keep water from flowing in to the tank when you are on city water. Mine did the same thing and when I saw it, I turned off the city water and started using the pump until the tank was empty. I ended up putting an inline check valve on the line because my dealer wanted me to bring the rig ninety miles and leave to change out the pump which would have been a twenty minute job. Works like a champ and solved the problem. Page 11 of the following guide will explain your problem and provide a link to an in line check valve.

http://manuals.heartlandowners.org/manuals/User Guides/Water Systems Guide V1.1.pdf

 

[TedS]

Why not fix the pump? Remove the pump head and clean it or replace the head. If the internal check valves are leaking, the pump is not working at full capacity.

 

[jnbhobe]

Why not fix the pump? Remove the pump head and clean it or replace the head. If the internal check valves are leaking, the pump is not working at full capacity.

He's under warranty hopefully they will send him a new one.

 

[wdk450]

Something to watch out for with this problem. I have my rig's frame all apart for repairs (another long story), and when the freshwater tank was removed, the 39 inch by 48 inch 3/8 OSB board under the freshwater tank had a big hole rotted out of it. I can only surmise that the freshwater tank overflowed at some point, and the water pooled on top of the board (untreated side) under the tank. I bought a new piece of OSB and treated the cut edge and untreated side with Varithane Spar Urethane sealer, along with drilling 5 - 1/4 inch drain holes through the board to drain off any possible future puddles.
Here is a pic of the board with the hole in it:

 

[jnbhobe]

I've seen that wood do that a lot, water gets in the cloroplast from the road in the rain. I replaced it with a piece on 3/16 aluminum plate and then bolted a piece of square tube under the tank since I travel with a full tank of water.

 

[Dave]

Something to watch out for with this problem. I have my rig's frame all apart for repairs (another long story), and when the freshwater tank was removed, the 39 inch by 48 inch 3/8 OSB board under the freshwater tank had a big hole rotted out of it. I can only surmise that the freshwater tank overflowed at some point, and the water pooled on top of the board (untreated side) under the tank. I bought a new piece of OSB and treated the cut edge and untreated side with Varithane Spar Urethane sealer, along with drilling 5 - 1/4 inch drain holes through the board to drain off any possible future puddles.
Here is a pic of the board with the hole in it:
View attachment 32483

Very interesting, you surmised you fresh water tank overflowed at some point, doesn't your unit have an external overflow outlet spicket? My does but one time I had LOTS of what appeared to be fresh water pouring out of the bottom of our unit and the overflow spicket. I'm still not sure where all this water came from.

 

[Dave]

On the fresh water tank issue, there is a check valve in the pump to keep water from flowing in to the tank when you are on city water. Mine did the same thing and when I saw it, I turned off the city water and started using the pump until the tank was empty. I ended up putting an inline check valve on the line because my dealer wanted me to bring the rig ninety miles and leave to change out the pump which would have been a twenty minute job. Works like a champ and solved the problem. Page 11 of the following guide will explain your problem and provide a link to an in line check valve.

http://manuals.heartlandowners.org/manuals/User Guides/Water Systems Guide V1.1.pdf

Thanks for the link for the manual, it did answer a few questions. Did you buy the Shurflo check valve or buy it at Lowes or Home Depot?

 

[TedS]

He's under warranty hopefully they will send him a new one.

But in the mean time the tank is overfilling.

 

[lynndiwagoner]

I had the same problem and fixed it myself as I was on the road. Heartland reimbursed me for the parts with receipts. I bought the check valve from Camping World, don't remember the brand, it was a 1/2" pipe thread on both ends, male. I then bought a short braided hose, also 1/2", female both ends, and used it to make the fix. Take the 1/2" connector going towards the plumbing off of the end of the pump. Screw it to one side of the check valve assuring the arrow on the check valve is pointing towards the plumbing. Take the flexible hose and screw it onto the pump where you took off the fitting that went towards the plumbing in the trailer. Take the other end of the flexible hose and screw it onto the other end of the check valve. This will fix your problem.

 

[pegmikef]

Thanks for the link for the manual, it did answer a few questions. Did you buy the Shurflo check valve or buy it at Lowes or Home Depot?

I bought the one on the link (actually bought a spare as well) as I have amazon prime and wasn't in a hurry. I think others have found them in the big box stores. I just cut the line to insert the valve and then used radiator clamps to tighten the line ends on the valve. Make sure you point it in the right direction.

 

[Dave]

But in the mean time the tank is overfilling.

We are under warranty, Don at Heartland, has been extremely helpful, he is sending me a replacement pump.

 

[Dave]

Thank you all for making me feel better about the causes of our water over flow, I feel a lot better about how to fix it in the future if I need to. BUT...has anyone tried to adjust any of your slide outs? One side of my bedroom slide sticks out 1/2 inch further than the other and Don at Heartland thinks this might be the rain water leaking source.

 

[danemayer]

Thank you all for making me feel better about the causes of our water over flow, I feel a lot better about how to fix it in the future if I need to. BUT...has anyone tried to adjust any of your slide outs? One side of my bedroom slide sticks out 1/2 inch further than the other and Don at Heartland thinks this might be the rain water leaking source.

Hi Dave,

Here's a link to the Lippert Slideout information that shows the parts involved and information on adjusting hydraulic slides.

If you have an electric slide with cables, it may be the Bal. Here's a link to those manuals. The service manual shows how to adjust.

 

[Dave]

Something to watch out for with this problem. I have my rig's frame all apart for repairs (another long story), and when the freshwater tank was removed, the 39 inch by 48 inch 3/8 OSB board under the freshwater tank had a big hole rotted out of it. I can only surmise that the freshwater tank overflowed at some point, and the water pooled on top of the board (untreated side) under the tank. I bought a new piece of OSB and treated the cut edge and untreated side with Varithane Spar Urethane sealer, along with drilling 5 - 1/4 inch drain holes through the board to drain off any possible future puddles.
Here is a pic of the board with the hole in it:
View attachment 32483

WDK450...thanks for the rotten wood tip, I will keep this in mind. Did you notice if the fresh water tank has a vent on it and that's where your "leak" was coming from. It seems to me if your drawing water from the fresh water tank using the onboard water pump, you would need a vent, say on top of the tank to get the water out of the tank. Then possibly it is here where your leak and my leak was.

 

[danemayer]

WDK450...thanks for the rotten wood tip, I will keep this in mind. Did you notice if the fresh water tank has a vent on it and that's where your "leak" was coming from. It seems to me if your drawing water from the fresh water tank using the onboard water pump, you would need a vent, say on top of the tank to get the water out of the tank. Then possibly it is here where your leak and my leak was.

2014 and 2008 models have different fill systems and vent systems for the fresh tank. The 2014 has overflow as well.

 

[Dave]

2014 and 2008 models have different fill systems and vent systems for the fresh tank. The 2014 has overflow as well.

Good Day danemayer...so there is a vent somewhere on our 2014 BH? There almost has to be so the water pump can get water out of the tank. Then it is feasible to assume that excess water could flood the bottom of our unit though this vent.

 

[lynndiwagoner]

I would think the vent would be the overflow tube. On mine it is sticking out on the curb side of the rig, opposite the drain valve. The overflow/vent was where I noticed water coming out of when I had the defective check valve at the pump.

 

[wdk450]

WDK450...thanks for the rotten wood tip, I will keep this in mind. Did you notice if the fresh water tank has a vent on it and that's where your "leak" was coming from. It seems to me if your drawing water from the fresh water tank using the onboard water pump, you would need a vent, say on top of the tank to get the water out of the tank. Then possibly it is here where your leak and my leak was.

My welder's assistance has been doing all of the work underneath the trailer. I asked him if there was an overflow fitting and hose when the tank was out, and he wasn't sure. I looked under the chassis,but in the wrong area. When we got the tank all re-installed (But suspension job sill not finished), I started to fill the tank some to get the pump primed and working. Well, we found leaks on both ends of the fill hose. This hose has a plastic cable spiral impregnated into the hose walls, which makes for significant peaks and valleys in hose diameter while the mating fittings are a pretty flat barb. I think that the standard width hose clamps on these don't seal these hoses well enough. I made the standard hose clamps work with electrical tape on the outside of the hose to even the highth out and prevent chafing (this old hose end had a hole worn in the wall) and miracle self-bonding rubberized tape on the fitting nipple. The welder assistant just kept tightening the hose clamp on the filler line tank end until the leak was gone. THIS may have truly been the source of the water that rotted out the board.