Georgetown Water tank issue

[fninja]

Hello out there,
I would like to know if anyone else has had any issues with filling the water tank. My issue is that when the tank gets full then the water comes out of the overflow hose which is fine but it keeps on coming out until the tank is almost half empty. I think I am creating a type of suction with the overflow hose, like if you were syphoning gas kinda thing. I have in the past just kept and eye on the level and stopped it before it got to overflowing but I have been wondering if maybe I am doing something wrong. My RV is a 2013 Georgetown 352XL. The Rv I had before never had this problem it would overflow and then quit. Any ideas?? Thank you and have a great day.

[Iggy]

It builds up pressure and when over filled it causes a siphoning affect that keeps things flowing.

Fill the tank half way and maybe turn on your electric pump and the sink faucet for a few seconds to clear out the air.
Then continue to fill the tank with pump off and faucet closed and see if that helps.



Question I have is that unless you plan on dry camping that day why carry all that weight around.
I usually only carry 1/4 of a tank when travelling and flushing toilet.

[fninja]

Thanks for your reply. You are correct in what you said about the pressure and I have even opened the 2 faucets to try to relieve the pressure and that still didn't work. I will however try your suggestion. We are dry camping just about every where we go in Alaska and I don't travel with it full. But I do fill it before we hit the campground. Thanks again.

[Krazymace]

I have never had that problem and I fill my tank all the time. Have no idea what is happening with yours. Some kind of siphoning affect??


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[fninja]

Yes siphoning affect. I didn't have this problem with my other RV. Thanks.

[tkarper14]

My overflow has a large loop in it which I imagine is to prevent siphoning. I have no idea if it works or not. One would think it would prevent siphoning. Check to see if you have a loop.

[cjd10]

[QUOTE=Krazymace;1201187]I have never had that problem and I fill my tank all the time. Have no idea what is happening with yours. Some kind of siphoning affect??


Wow, you must be lucky. Ours does it even if I fill it much above 3/4 full and then drive. Once it sloshes into the overfill and gets that siphon going it will drain the whole tank. I usually just put something over the end of the pipe until we get to our destination if I need a full tank of water. Just have to remember to take it off when we arrive.
We do a lot of one and two day racing events that we dry camp and need the water tank full

[ramair]

If you open your water bay by the tank and you may have to remove the black cover to see the top of the tank the clear plastic hose which is the drain should have a loop in it or it should be ran higher that the tank not just on top of the tank which will cause the siphon action to happen, these are the steps some of us have used to correct this issue. Let us know what you find out.

[Rderhy]

I had the same problem when I bought my C 375FL and the dealer recommended to use a filler hose. Never had a problem since.
You can buy it at Camping World, catalog # is 4674

[fninja]

Thank you to all that replied. Over the weekend I made some calls and checked it out myself. Since I do not have enough room on top of the water tank to make the tube into a loop which by the way was what the RV dealer said and someone posted (good idea and would probably stop it from draining) I have opted to put a shut-off valve at the end of the tube. So when it starts to overflow, after shutting off the supply water, I can then close it and open a faucet inside which will break the suction action. Problem solved I think. Have not tried it yet as I don't fill it until right before we get where we are going. I'll post back after this weekend and let you know if it worked or not. Have a great Memorial Day weekend. Even though I am a veteran myself I would like to give out a really heart felt thank you to all those that are serving or have served. THANK YOU and May God Bless You. Michael

[tilap]

A valve like you said would work. But you would have to make sure you open the valve when using water from your tank and also when you fill it. When you pump water out the water have to be replaced by air if the valve is close well you know. As for when you fill it then the water take the room of the air and the air has to go somewhere. If the valve is close you will see your tank getting bigger.


Denis, Forest river Georgetown XL 377 2015, towing a 2014 Ford Explorer XL

[fninja]

I agree 100%. Now if I can just remember.....lol....or I could always do it the tried and true way, and that is to watch the level and right before it overflows turn off the supply. I will see this weekend when we go on our first rip of the summer. I can hardly wait. Thank you for your reply.

[Flybob]

As a temp fix. You can try a small pump ( like bike tire pump) and inject some air into the vet to break the suction effect. Be sure to leave the fill port open when injecting air.

[tilap]

When I was new at this, it happened to me all the time. After trial and errors I finally came to filling it to just a hair above the full tank sensor and haven't have any problem since then. Believe me when you thought of having a full tank and stop at Walmart for the night and your wife go in for shower and run out of water right after soaping up.then you know your in trouble if you don't find a solution by the next stop over.


Denis, Forest river Georgetown XL 377 2015, towing a 2014 Ford Explorer XL

[KennHC130]

Wow, this is interesting...not to change the topic, but as I haven't yet filled my fresh water tank to full, would you mind telling me how to know when it is full? Where does the overflow start dripping on the coach, etc. Trying to avoid this situation before it arises. We have a 2015 352XL. Thanks, and can't wait to read more.

[tilap]

The over flow is right on top of the tank.on mine anyway can't miss it. I just fill it and look at my tank when it gets at the last sensor I run to the other side to shut off the water and bingo. Just a hair above the full sensor

[fninja]

I have a 2013 Georgetown 352 xl and the tank is on the passenger side right behind the rear wheel in the compartment. Directly under the coach you will see some tubes that stick out. The overflow tube is the big clear one. When you open the compartment you can see the side of the tank and the tubes (3) going in to the bottom of the coach. The other 2 tubes are blue. One is the drain for the entire system and the other is the drain for the hot water tank. When you are filling the tank from the other side you can see the level come up on the white plastic water tank. You will also notice that there are 3 sensors that have wires coming from them and they are your level sensors (1/4 full, 1/2 full, 3/4 full). I have been filling the tank to almost the very tippy top of the tank to maximize the amount of water I can get. If I fill mine until it comes out of the overflow tube then that's when it create a siphon effect like when you siphon gas out of a fuel tank, as long as the bottom of the tube is below the tank then it will suck the water out of the tank as well. Hope this helps.

[fninja]

Hey KennHC130, that wouldn't stand for a Hercules 130 would it? And I see you are a retired USAF pilot and you live in Greenville Florida. Interesting. My father is a retired commercial airline pilot from Alaska Airlines. He started out flying Hercules 130 and 145's. Both my parents live in Merritt Island, Florida.
He still flies a Commanche. Do you still fly?

[KennHC130]

Nice spot fninja, I did 26 yrs as an AF pilot...retired 4 years ago. Debated going back to the airlines, but enjoying the free time so I'm staying retired. Tell your Dad Thanks for the service, I hope he had as much fun as I did.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by fninja

Thank you to all that replied. Over the weekend I made some calls and checked it out myself. Since I do not have enough room on top of the water tank to make the tube into a loop which by the way was what the RV dealer said and someone posted (good idea and would probably stop it from draining) I have opted to put a shut-off valve at the end of the tube. So when it starts to overflow, after shutting off the supply water, I can then close it and open a faucet inside which will break the suction action. Problem solved I think. Have not tried it yet as I don't fill it until right before we get where we are going. I'll post back after this weekend and let you know if it worked or not. Have a great Memorial Day weekend. Even though I am a veteran myself I would like to give out a really heart felt thank you to all those that are serving or have served. THANK YOU and May God Bless You. Michael

I'm not sure why anyone thinks opening a faucet is going to help you. If you fill the tank until water comes out the vent and then close the vent valve, you have now trapped whatever air is in the tank. (Most vent lines actually come off the side of the tank, not the top, hence the problem.)

Adding any more water will only compress that air in the tank as the water level rises. Since the water pump suction is from the bottom of the tank, opening a faucet will not remove any of the trapped air.

If you are putting water into the tank via a gravity fill, you will be unable to, until the open faucet drops level in the tank until the air bubble reaches atmospheric pressure. But this drops level in the tank, which is not what you're trying to do.

If you are putting water into the tank via a hard-piped city water connection, you will add water until the pressure in the tank equals city water pressure. Assuming the city water is being added faster than the faucet flow, the open faucet will just reduce the rate at which the pressure in the tank will rise; but it will still rise. You might get a little bit more water in the tank, but you'll now have a pressurized tank.

If the city water is being added at a rate less than the faucet, then the level in the tank will drop, which defeats your purpose. You need to be able to remove the air above the water in the tank.

Now that the vent is isolated, you could implode your tank, unless you're getting some venting action via the gravity fill line.