Overfilling Fresh Water Tank

[TeleBack]

Hi,

During our PDI, I asked to the tech to fill the fresh water tank (105 gals). We went about our PDI and noticed that the fill port (where he put the water hose to fill the tank) had water running out of it because the tank was full. We shut off the water and went about doing the rest of the PDI. Later, DW notices water dripping from underbelly. I look and and notice that underbelly is sagging. The tech says that the water is from a vent hole (or something like that) in the top of the fresh water tank. The hole is "supposedly" there to keep the fresh water tank from expanding?

Anyway, he dropped the underbelly, "supposedly" dried it out under there and then replaced insulation with R19 (that was nice of them).

So, is the tech feeding me a line? Why would the manufacture put a hole in the top of a fresh water tank when something like this is bound to happen? If there is a "relief" hole, shouldn't it have a pipe that takes the water to the outside?

Thanks in advance

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Bill, the fresh water tank is supposed to be vented but through a fitting to a hose that comes back up through the rig to a small hole next to the fill port. Sometimes this vent hose gets pinched during the manufacturing process OR it may have a low spot that acts as a trap in the vent line. The vent hose may have come off and your dealer might not have explained "exactly" what they found and how it was repaired. Hopefully all is good now and it won't be an issue in the future.

 

[rebootsemi]

I've heard some real lines of BS in my time, you're standing right there and he feeds you this??? If you look at the fresh water fill right next to it will be another hole about 1/2" in dia with a plastic screen in it. This is the vent for the water tank, they don't put holes in the top of the tank and just leave them. Sounds like the vent hose, actually pex tube, was not connected to the top of the fresh water tank.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

I've heard some real lines of BS in my time, you're standing right there and he feeds you this??? If you look at the fresh water fill right next to it will be another hole about 1/2" in dia with a plastic screen in it. This is the vent for the water tank, they don't put holes in the top of the tank and just leave them. Sounds like the vent hose, actually pex tube, was not connected to the top of the fresh water tank.

Lee, I wish Heartland would use pex for the vent line. It would stand less of a chance of getting pinched or sagging. They use 1/2 white braided nylon for the vent. It's attached to a nylon barb fitting at the tank. Actually I think the fresh tank is vented in several spots and all the vents tie together and come up to the fill plate in the UDC.

 

[ChopperBill]

I agree with Reboots BS theory. Never could figure out how you can over fill any tank. When it gets to the top its "full". When you try put more in a container than what it was designed for it comes out the top but remains "full" and is not "over filled"

 

[lwmcguir]

Lee, I wish Heartland would use pex for the vent line. It would stand less of a chance of getting pinched or sagging. They use 1/2 white braided nylon for the vent. It's attached to a nylon barb fitting at the tank. Actually I think the fresh tank is vented in several spots and all the vents tie together and come up to the fill plate in the UDC.

I had to shorten both tubes. They sagged and made filling and venting both difficult. If you flood the tanks then you are going to have to get the water out of your vent line befor the next fill.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

I had to shorten both tubes. They sagged and made filling and venting both difficult. If you flood the tanks then you are going to have to get the water out of your vent line befor the next fill.

Exactly. Theoretically, the vent line should self drain back into the tank as the tank level goes down.

 

[rebootsemi]

The issue here is not what tube is connected to the water tank or how it runs back to the fresh water fill. The issue is that a dealer tech actually told a customer of a very high dollar trailer that basically this is normal. Man I wish I was standing there when he came off with that line, there would have been smoke on the water. How stupid do these people think we are????

On our Sundance sometimes, not always the vent line will get water in it and I have to slow down my filling. If everything is connected correctly you will NOT get water running out from under your trailer, it will just back up and come out the fill connection.....end of story.

 

[bunnysue]

Am I ever glad I ran across this topic. I have just had this same experience, a belly full of water. I have a 2011 Landmark San Antonio and not sure what
(PDI) means. My companion of 3 years purchased this camper Jan 20, 2011 while we were in Texas for the winter. His health not being the best, a friend and I transferred our belongings into the new camper on Jan.29. Feb 2 my companion was admitted to the hospital and passed away Feb. 13. We did have what they called a "prep" to make sure everything was working right (NOT), followed by a "walk through" which was an absolute waste of time. I had to show them they had the TV trim installed wrong among many other details. Needless to say many things became noticable during the time my friend was in hospital and being from out of state, we left Texas on the 14th of Feb to return home. I have been dealing with an authorized dealer in my current area, and more things have gone wrong, broke, leaked etc. than they can keep up with.
I was afraid I had done something wrong until reading these comments. Thankfully I have a son and son in law with 5th wheels to use as sounding boards.
We did have a 2000 38' snowbird which I was familiar with, having traveled in it for 2 years I was not totally clueless. There were just not as many "bells & whistles" on the snowbird.
Now I can breathe even easier having read this has happened to someone else.

 

[camr]

If anyone is having a hard time trying to understand the piping system and doesn't want to "go into the belly of the beast", shimmy under an Edge model the next time you are at a dealer. For weight reasons the Edge line does not have an enclosed underbelly, and the tank and fill system is visible.

 

[jmgratz]

PDI stands for Pre-Delivery Inspection. This is the walk-though you and the dealer does prior to you taking possession of the unit.

BTW for explanation of abbreviations you don't know check out the WIKI

 

[Willym]

I always think of the PDI as the inspection and check that the dealer does prior to the customer arriving for pick up. If done correctly, all appliances and lights should work, the plumbing and propane systems should be functional and leak tight, alll furnitute and trim should be sound, no flaws in the finish etc etc. I've done PDI's for my dealer and used his checklist to cover all of these items. When the buyer arrives for the walkthrough, there should be no issues to discover.