Water tank issues

Cmitchell40 · 03-10-2013, 01:04 PM

I am curious if anyone has experienced water tank issues with a Sunseeker 3170DS. Ours is a 2012 model year and we took deliverey in November of last year. We have used the camper for two trips totaling 10 nights prior to this week. We are currently on a five night trip. On the second night I noticed "leaking" from the city water connection. In the light of day this morning I determined it was actually leaking from the water tank fill location. This means the city water connection was backfilling the water tank. I thought the two systems were separate and there are in-line check valves to prevent this. Further, I noticed damp carpet between the bathroom and rear bed. I looked at the tank under the bed and noticed some moisture and a small drip near the coupling from the hose to the tank. Any others with similar problems and more importantly...solutions? I have turned off the water from the campground and will use tank water but very concerned. Thanks for any input!

jim44646 · 03-10-2013, 01:15 PM

Take it back to dealer. All should be covered under warenty

RodeoGeorge · 03-10-2013, 02:46 PM

If the city water is back filling the Fresh Water Tank, the Check Valve in the Water Pump is defective. Sometimes just a piece of foreign matter not letting the Check Valve close properly.

Remove the City Water connection. Cycle the Water pump several times, and see if it resolves the problem.

I've also seen the Check Valve not able to work properly when there is very high pressure on the City Water inlet side. I'm assuming that you are using a Water Pressure Regulator.

If not, Water Pump replacement is in store.

RodeoGeorge

Cmitchell40 · 03-10-2013, 02:59 PM

Thanks for the info. I do have a regulator so maybe the check valve is stuck open. I have a couple of warranty issues to resolve so I will add it to the list. I think it may be time to replace the regulator as a precaution!

4Gcampers · 06-16-2013, 07:36 AM

So what was the fix? My unit is doing the same thing.

Cmitchell40 · 06-16-2013, 09:23 PM

Well the dealer could not replicate the filling of the potable tank from the city water connection but they did find two leaks. One was at the tank under the bed and one was at the fill location on the outside of the unit. Dealer was great and all was fixed. No damage and easy fix. We leave Wednesday for a long trip and we are hoping the fill issue does not replicate itself! Thanks for the follow up question.

4Gcampers · 06-17-2013, 01:04 AM

Thanks for info. I have tried cycling the pump, but it still fills the tank of city water. I have to turn on the city water, wait an hour, then turn it off and use the water pump for water use. When that tank gets low I repeat the same. All the other campers are wondering why I am outside turning the hose on and off! In the am, I am going to call a mobile RV repair place and see if they can fix it. Most likely will be out of pocket though.

ATVer · 06-17-2013, 06:49 AM

You could remove the line at the inlet of the pump and put a plug in the pump to stop the filling of the tank. The pump wouldn't be usable until the problem is fixed which any good mobile RV service should be able to do.

TomG · 07-25-2013, 02:14 PM

I have a 2012 also and just put a thread on regarding the same problem (didn't see yours first). Did you get a final disposition of the problem? Mine is still under warranty and is going in next week for this and a few other issues.

cyacc · 07-25-2013, 02:26 PM

Cant you just shut the pump off and use city water until fixed? Just asking not sure.

4Gcampers · 07-25-2013, 06:33 PM

TomG, we have not been able to get ours in yet. We are keeping it garage kept until a fix for roof can be made. What we had to do on our last trip was drain our fresh water tank, and leave the fresh water tank drain open. Our drain valve was near the water pump and filter. At least the water that is slipping by from the city water will just go to the fresh tank and drain out rather than overflowing from the fill inlet. We did get so e funny looks every morning when other campers thought we were slowly draining out gray tank. You will most likely get yours fixed before I get it into the dealer, so please let me know what you find out.

TomG · 07-25-2013, 08:37 PM

The water pump sounds like the problem.......will let you know when I get it back.

BigJohnD · 07-25-2013, 08:40 PM

Had same problem on our tiffin. Common on many brands. Sometimes just cycling the pump would stop the tank from slowly filling, but the final fix was adjusting my inline regulator down a bit. Seems on that mh, once you got over a certain pressure, it'd leak past the check valve and fill the tank. Once pressure was reduced, never did it again.

4Gcampers · 07-25-2013, 08:45 PM

Interesting. Do you mean adjusting the pressure regulator you add on your hose? Mine is preset for 40-50 psi. Is that too high?

BigJohnD · 07-25-2013, 08:49 PM

Yep, the inline one, which in our case is a "T" contraption. One side regulated going to mh, the other unregulated for a water hose for whatever. 40-50 should be fine. Mines around that now I think. When I got a little over 50 on the other mh, it filled the tank. Guess each check valve is finicky or has a mind of its own..

TomG · 07-26-2013, 07:44 AM

I have always used a 40 lb pre set pressure regulator with all of my RV's, so I don't think that is the problem. I am betting on the water pump check valve...and even if the dealer can't replicate it........it is coming off. But I don't think that will be an issue, because it happens continually.

BigJohnD · 07-26-2013, 02:32 PM

Probably not water pressure. We're talking adjustable with a gauge though. Crank it up to 60+ psi. The plumbing easily handles it, the check valve, not always. This was a discussion on another forum, in which both pressure and failing check valves were culprits. I run 50-55, which is more like our house.

Cmitchell40 · 07-27-2013, 11:38 PM

My issue of filling the water tank through connection to city water was resolved by replacing the water pump because that is the ONLY point of failure if connected to city water. Still assessing the damage caused but FR very proactive.

TomG · 07-30-2013, 08:53 AM

Yes, it is a defective SureFlo water pump. The dealer has a whole file on the problem.

Cmitchell40 · 07-30-2013, 09:12 AM

Well Fellas... Sorry it's been awhile. That trip I went on? I spent the first 4 days on the phone with the dealer because, low and behold, the water pump went again, this time causing a lot of water damage in the rear of the rig. Carpet and wood underneath both soaked. Turns out the pump is faulty, check valve not working properly, which is allowing the tank to fill and with nowhere for the water to go its bursting out the hose. I am a civil engineer by trade so I understand the mechanics of back flow preventers and the like but my dealer would not replace the pump but claimed to have found a leak and so now because of it we have an even more expensive problem. The good news is that Forest River has been fantastic and willing to make things right. I can't say enough positive about their warranty dept. So... Faulty check valve required us to replace the pump and we took it to a different dealer to do all of the gutting and repair from the damage.

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