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01-19-2018, 02:57 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 38
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233S How Do You Know When To Stop Filling The Freshwater Tank?
I've tried some generic searching and I'm seeing anything from fill until it shoots back at you, to if it gets that full it's too late and the tank will end up on the ground. My best thought so far is time how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket, and go 8 times that. Should give me a 3 gallon buffer. Thanks in advance for any and all replies!
__________________
2017 Ford F150 XL Supercrew 2.7L Ecoboost
2018 Rockwood Roo 233S
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01-19-2018, 02:59 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Michigan
Posts: 261
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It will overflow when full. If mounted correctly it will not end up on the ground!
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01-19-2018, 03:08 PM
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#3
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Just A Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Flushing, Michigan
Posts: 292
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The issue is in a lot of RV's these days the fresh water vent tube does not come out the top of tank and they have loops in the hose that holds water.
I always fill mine until water comes out the vent but I had to remove underbelly cover and shorten my vent hose to remove the extra hose that
would fill with water and cause it not fill completely.
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Ed & Brenda
2015 Coachmen Freedom Express
Liberty Edition 297RLDS
2013 Silverado 1500 4x4 6.2L Max Tow
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01-19-2018, 03:12 PM
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#4
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Just A Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Flushing, Michigan
Posts: 292
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There is also a known issue with some water tanks not being properly supported and falling out. I had Coachmen add 3 more supports under my tank at the rally. I do tow with water in the tank so I made sure it was staying put.
__________________
Ed & Brenda
2015 Coachmen Freedom Express
Liberty Edition 297RLDS
2013 Silverado 1500 4x4 6.2L Max Tow
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01-19-2018, 05:07 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 10,907
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The poor tank support design affected the Mini Lites and Micro Lites. Not sure about the Roo/Shamrocks.
The trick is to fill the tank slowly. You always want the vent line to be able to handle the amount of water you're putting in, otherwise the tank will pressurize and balloon.
Some people use these flow meters:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-Wa...2212/205489792
The problem with them is that, unless you know your tank size AND you know your tank is empty when you start, you don't know really know how much water will fill it. Once you have any water in it at all, you can't really tell how much it is.
__________________
1988 Coleman Sequoia - popup (1987-2009) - outlasted 3 Dodge Grand Caravans!
2012 Roo19 - hybrid (2012-2015)
2016 Mini Lite 2503S - tt (2015 - ???)
2011 Traverse LT, 3.6L, FWD
2009 Silverado 1500 Ext Cab, 5.3L, 4x4, 3.73
2016 Silverado 2500HD Dbl Cab, 6.0L 4x4, 4.10
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01-19-2018, 07:59 PM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,607
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When it overflows.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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01-20-2018, 01:19 PM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Kearney, MO
Posts: 30
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Use your ears. When I first start putting water in the tank it is a low rumbling sound. once it reaches the overflow it will change to a higher pitched gurgle. The higher the pitch the closer you are to the top of the overflow. Once it overflows, the gurgling stops. After a couple of times, you can stop it right before it overflows.
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2016 Viking 17FQ
2010 Ford F150 Platinum, 5.4 Triton
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01-20-2018, 02:38 PM
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#9
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Boondocking Only
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 360
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Fill it until it overflows & shoots back out the fill hole.
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01-20-2018, 02:43 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Posts: 3,225
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bradacc
I've tried some generic searching and I'm seeing anything from fill until it shoots back at you, to if it gets that full it's too late and the tank will end up on the ground. My best thought so far is time how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket, and go 8 times that. Should give me a 3 gallon buffer. Thanks in advance for any and all replies!
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Fill it until it overflows. Make sure to sanitize the system before drinking the water.
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2017 Salem Villa Estate 395RET-
2011 Coachmen Freedom Express 295RLDS- Sold
2015 F-250 FX4
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01-20-2018, 03:18 PM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 62
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You can fill the tank until it comes back at you with no problems. However, I don't like to fill mine all the way, because it adds weight. I add water until the gauge shows about 1/3. This gives me enough water to flush the toilet and wash my hands in case a pit stop is needed.
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01-20-2018, 03:41 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 28
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I get my V lite to fill completely by run water from hose full till I hear gurl then slow flow way down till over flow. Through trial and error I have found I can get extra 5 gallons or more in tank.
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01-20-2018, 05:21 PM
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#13
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Bene Gesserit Rule
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 846
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bradacc
I've tried some generic searching and I'm seeing anything from fill until it shoots back at you, to if it gets that full it's too late and the tank will end up on the ground. My best thought so far is time how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket, and go 8 times that. Should give me a 3 gallon buffer. Thanks in advance for any and all replies!
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On a typical, unmodified FR vehicle, you will know when the tank is full because it will explode, gushing every last drop onto the ground. At least if your tank is mounted as badly as mine was (5'er HG 28RLT).
The ends of the brace that holds the tank up wasn't welded properly, which allowed the tank to 'float' around under the van. This allowed the tank to rub against other hard parts and caused wear along the top edge. This resulted in the tank losing about half its load of fresh water on our very first trip (and I had not filled it completely at that stage).
After we got home, I filled the tank again. Because this takes some time I decided to do some other necessary work inside and so was not monitoring the process very closely (actually I had forgotten about it). When the floor bounced, bubbled and rippled inside the van, accompanied by a HUGE explosion, followed by the Niagra Falls sound effect as 200 litres of fresh water flooded the underbelly and the road, all of which would be envied by any Hollywood foley dept. I knew I had a problem.
Four months later, after being ignored by the dealer/warranty holder (he hung up the phone in my ear) and rejected by the insurance company (it was a manufacturing defect), $4500 and a new baffled stainless steel tank later, all is good.
Be warned.
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01-20-2018, 07:03 PM
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#14
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Rivnut
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Monterey, TN cumberland Plateau
Posts: 170
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Fresh water tank
Quote:
Originally Posted by bikendan
When it overflows.
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Why haul extra water down the highway at 8.34 lbs per gallon. Use the flow meter above, add ten gallon to get you there, fill up at the camp site.
rivnut
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01-20-2018, 07:12 PM
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#15
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Wrench Turnin Fool
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Pike and Montgomery counties PA
Posts: 688
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rivnut
Why haul extra water down the highway at 8.34 lbs per gallon. Use the flow meter above, add ten gallon to get you there, fill up at the camp site.
rivnut
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I guess that depends on how much water you need... Some of us need all we can get
__________________
Not all who wander are lost...
But I usually am
2001 Coleman SantaFe pop up
Excited new owner of 2018 Arctic Wolf 315TBH8
Towing with a 2005 F-250 5.4 GASSER
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01-20-2018, 07:13 PM
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#16
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,607
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rivnut
Why haul extra water down the highway at 8.34 lbs per gallon. Use the flow meter above, add ten gallon to get you there, fill up at the camp site.
rivnut
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Because we dry camp most of the time.
No electric or sewer hookups and no water hookups, just one water spigot for 8-10 campsites.
And it's not threaded so you have to use a Water Thief or shuttle water in a jug.
Not everyone has hookups available where they camp.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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01-21-2018, 04:37 PM
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#17
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1
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I purchased a hose adapter with an on off valve and clear plastic tube on it.
I got out a 5 gallon water can, turned the water on full blast, opened the adapter, and timed how long it took to fill the 5 gallon water can with my cell phone clock. I divided my tank capacity in gallons (not easy to find), divided it by 5, turned off the water and inserted the adapter into the tank fill opening, and started filling the tank.
What I learned was that the air in the tank also comes out the tank-fill opening. I turned off the water to let the air blow back. Of course what I learned was that this threw the timing off. Ultimately the earlier suggestion to listen to the sound of the water worked the best. As the pitch increases you know you are close and can slow down the water flow at the adapter. I mention this adapter because it screws onto the hose and allows water flow to be controlled at the RV which saves a lot of water on the driveway.
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01-21-2018, 10:38 PM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 38
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Thanks for the replies everyone, good info!
__________________
2017 Ford F150 XL Supercrew 2.7L Ecoboost
2018 Rockwood Roo 233S
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01-22-2018, 03:44 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Iowa
Posts: 266
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I guess I'll be the naysayer and go against popular advise. DON'T let your fresh water tank overfill. Unless they've made significant changes to the water tank and support frame work for the 233S in the last model year, your apt to do some damage if you do. The water tank is not very rigid and will blow up like a balloon. It will press up against the floor and push down against the frame bending it out and it will eventually end up on the ground. The overflow will bleed off some of the pressure but its a 3/8" overflow. If your filling with a standard size 5/8" hose, well you do the math. I did this very same thing the first year I had my rig. I got distracted while filling the tank and came back after a couple of minutes to find it on the ground. My wife and kids were already in the truck waiting for me to finish up so we could roll out. It was not a good day. I watch the tank and shut the water off when the level is close to the top. I wont let it overflow.
[ATTACH] [/ATTACH]
__________________
021 Ram Rebel 1500
2017 Shamrock 233s
Waterloo, Iowa
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01-22-2018, 04:04 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 10,907
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Finster
I guess I'll be the naysayer and go against popular advise. DON'T let your fresh water tank overfill. Unless they've made significant changes to the water tank and support frame work for the 233S in the last model year, your apt to do some damage if you do. The water tank is not very rigid and will blow up like a balloon. It will press up against the floor and push down against the frame bending it out and it will eventually end up on the ground. The overflow will bleed off some of the pressure but its a 3/8" overflow. If your filling with a standard size 5/8" hose, well you do the math. I did this very same thing the first year I had my rig. I got distracted while filling the tank and came back after a couple of minutes to find it on the ground. My wife and kids were already in the truck waiting for me to finish up so we could roll out. It was not a good day. I watch the tank and shut the water off when the level is close to the top. I wont let it overflow.
[ATTACH] Attachment 160651[/ATTACH]
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Yeah, the flimsy FW supports are a known issue on Roo/Shamrocks and Mini/Micro Lites. Lots of threads here on failures and how to beef up the supports.
Here's a thread that shows the problem and several fixes that folks have done.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...de-129346.html
__________________
1988 Coleman Sequoia - popup (1987-2009) - outlasted 3 Dodge Grand Caravans!
2012 Roo19 - hybrid (2012-2015)
2016 Mini Lite 2503S - tt (2015 - ???)
2011 Traverse LT, 3.6L, FWD
2009 Silverado 1500 Ext Cab, 5.3L, 4x4, 3.73
2016 Silverado 2500HD Dbl Cab, 6.0L 4x4, 4.10
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