running out of water fast

Trentsrv · 07-08-2013, 10:15 AM

I fill my FW tank and it comes out the overflow and continues to run out for a long time. i have scanned the forms and think it is siphoning the water back out of the tank. we have only filled it 3 times. last time we filled it, only lasted 3 days and only did dishes, toilet and hand washing. its a 46 gal tank and we should be able to at least have a conservative shower. I'm going to buy a shut off valve to try out and verify the level after it stops draining from the overflow. i will let you all know my findings if any one else has the same issue. any suggestions are welcome. thanks

TURBS · 07-08-2013, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trentsrv

I fill my FW tank and it comes out the overflow and continues to run out for a long time. i have scanned the forms and think it is siphoning the water back out of the tank. we have only filled it 3 times. last time we filled it, only lasted 3 days and only did dishes, toilet and hand washing. its a 46 gal tank and we should be able to at least have a conservative shower. I'm going to buy a shut off valve to try out and verify the level after it stops draining from the overflow. i will let you all know my findings if any one else has the same issue. any suggestions are welcome. thanks

Ps you most likely have 40 gallon or 36 gallon as they count the water heater as fw capacity depends on if you have a 6 gallon or a 10 gallon wh.

In past upon first fillup of my 2005 flagstaff I filled it till it gushed out of filler or over flow vent and went camping only to find out I was almost empty the next day.
Two things happened .
First I forgot to fill hw tank -6 gallons .
Second I found out that I never had the fw tank full to begin with.
I then left plenty of time to fill fw tank by just slowly trickling in water vs opening up water hose to run full bore.

What happens is the water coming in can flow faster thrn the air coming out and when it starts burbing out water you think its full.

This may or may not be your case, I just wanted to give ya a heads up.

Turbs

AquaMan · 07-08-2013, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trentsrv

I fill my FW tank and it comes out the overflow and continues to run out for a long time. i have scanned the forms and think it is siphoning the water back out of the tank. we have only filled it 3 times. last time we filled it, only lasted 3 days and only did dishes, toilet and hand washing. its a 46 gal tank and we should be able to at least have a conservative shower. I'm going to buy a shut off valve to try out and verify the level after it stops draining from the overflow. i will let you all know my findings if any one else has the same issue. any suggestions are welcome. thanks

You could always fill your tank, wait until the water stops draining from overflow, then drain tank into a bucket and measure the amount of water you're able to get into your tank. Another thing, is that maybe your pickup tube for your pump is mounted high on the sidewall, and you're not getting full use of your tank. In this case, fill tank, drain tank using pump while measuring, then see how much you can drain using tank drain. If all is ok, then it would be just learning conservation.

sherman12 · 07-08-2013, 03:14 PM

I have felt the same as far as "where the heck did the water go!" Kept telling DW she's using to much on dishes. Well just came back from a five day dry camp for the 4th of July with a half tank yet. I think it's as suggested that rushing the water in on high cg pressure creates a vacuum that sucks out half the tank. I filled at home at a slow pace and when the overflow flowed, shut off the water and not much really flowed out the overflow. We'll see next trip.

Trentsrv · 07-08-2013, 05:55 PM

thanks will try that also

**KyDan** · 07-08-2013, 06:08 PM

Can you see your fresh water tank??
Mine is in my pass thru storage and I can open doors on both sides and
easily see if the tank is full or what the actual level is.
Can you do that??

I can see my over flow hose. I can stick my head and shoulders in
one pass storage hatch and easily touch my fill and over flow hoses.
I put a clamp on my over flow hose to keep it from sloshing out
on the way to a camp ground.
Of course I have to remove the clamp once I arrive and want to use water.
Leaving the clamp on there could result in the suction of the water pump
actually collapsing the tank.

Can you do any of these things?
Can you visually verify that your tank full to begin with?
Can you stop the siphon if that's what's happening?
When your tank runs out, is it actually empty? Can you see that
it is empty?

If you can see your tank you can solve a lot of this mystery.
Good luck!

Trentsrv · 07-08-2013, 06:31 PM

i can not see my tank. my over flow line comes out the bottom of the belly sack. i can check the water level from the monitor inside the camper. if i removed panels inside my pass through compartment i might be able to see tank. I'm working 2 more days then i can spend time investigating. thank you all for the responses

moondog2000 · 07-09-2013, 12:46 AM

I had the same problem on my tank. When the overflow stopped dripping I drained the tank into a 5 gallon bucket and it turnes out I was only getting 22 gal out of a 27 gallon tank. The overflow fitting on the tank is down over an inch and one quarter. what I did is got some more hose and made a loop that is higher than the tank. Besides being able to fill the tank full no water sloshes out while I'm traveling. when I fill it up I let the overflow stop dripping and then crack the valve and let it run real slow for a while to get all the water in I can. Soon as warranty up I'm going to put in a bigger tank, maybe 40-50 gallon so when I boondock I will have water for showers for a couple of days.

MC9 · 07-09-2013, 06:24 AM

The vent hose on the tank nearly always has a little water in it and won't allow the tank to fill. Take a small piece of hose and blow in the overflow and it will be fixed. BTDT.

TURBS · 07-09-2013, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MC9

The vent hose on the tank nearly always has a little water in it and won't allow the tank to fill. Take a small piece of hose and blow in the overflow and it will be fixed. BTDT.

Ok I'll bite "BTDT" ? Better tow dodge today?

Turbs

**KyDan** · 07-09-2013, 07:01 AM

Cell phone texting shorthand.
BTDT- been there done that
Similar to IMO- in my experience

OldCoot · 07-09-2013, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyDan

Cell phone texting shorthand.
BTDT- been there done that
Similar to IMO- in my experience

I think IMO is in my opinion. No "o" in experience.

TURBS · 07-09-2013, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyDan

Cell phone texting shorthand.
BTDT- been there done that

Lol I knew that to .... darn it.

OldCoot · 07-09-2013, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

lol i knew that to .... Darn it.

duh!

Brother Les · 07-24-2013, 01:59 PM

Have had a new 2013 Forest River Hemispere 312QBUD, same issue of little to no water in the fresh water tank after filling. Flows out the overflow/breather pipe and sucks 1/3 of the tank out. Wife upset and I am upset. Water tank fully inclosed and not visable or easily accessable. Talked to dealer where I bought this unit and was told that the p-trap creates a suction and will drain part of the tank. The dealer told me that Forest River knows of this 'problem' and have not delt with a fix.

I also was moving from one camp ground to one 50 miles away. filled up at first one and going out the drive way notice a trail of water coming from the over flow. Once at the next camp ground and turned on the water motor..... screaming empty.... ALL of the water had drained out of the tank. Thinking about putting a shut off on the breather tube to Keep The Water In the tank.....

There has got to be some fix to this. I never park in 'full' service of W/E/S. Makes me want my old camper back.

This was not my only 'issue' with this new camper. Slide out motor stuck/went out with the slide out 5 inches while at a camp site. Called dealer and was told there was no way to move the slide if the motor is jammed. Drove 75 mile back to the dealer with the slide sticking out the side of the trailer..

Also... with less than 400 miles on the camper I had a tire explode out the side... no tread problems at all, it exploded. I saw out my mirror the tire let go and was able to stop in a short distance. Outter tread was all intack and looked good. Problem #2 with the 'flat', my 4/way lug wrench would not fit in the rim slots to get to the lugs. Not enough room for the 4/way to get to the lugs. Had a ratchet set and broke out the side of one socket (Craftsman).... my brother-in-law was behind me and had stopped to help.... he had a socket that fit and we were able to get the tire off with a lot of trouble.

My wife likes 'the room' inside.... me.... the jury is still out because of all of the issues that need to be addressed.

suggestions?
Not a happy camper.

**KyDan** · 07-24-2013, 02:17 PM

I don't know how your overflow line could totally empty the tank.
I'm thinking your drain was open somehow.

Without seeing your rig, I can't be specific but there is always a way!
Your fresh tank was installed by someone. It might not be easy to see
but it's there somewhere!
Remove a panel or something. Find your overflow/vent and see how
it's routed. Take pictures and post them. Someone will figure a way
for you to stop losing your water on the way to the camp ground.

Brother Les · 07-24-2013, 02:58 PM

where is the button to be notified when thread was answered?

(been a camper owner for 30 years, I know a little about a lot and a lot about nothing

)

Drain was closed

I know where the 'tank' is... I can see the 'drain' and the 'breather' tubing throught the underside cover. The TT is a 3/4 seasons camper and the bottom is enclosed. The tank is not in the 'living' area but under the flooring with the heat vents. I will have to take out a lot of holding washer screws of the sheet covering to get to the water tank. I would rather not dig into that of ripping the bottom covering off until I know more about what may be going on with it.

The 'inflow' side is not an open flow port but must be hooked up to a water hose to fill the tank. It has a one way check valve in it. The Dealer told me that I could take the check valve out,but that water most likely would blow out the intake port when I turned the water pump on... (?) is he blowing smoke???

TURBS · 07-24-2013, 03:14 PM

Thread tools then subscribe then email notification.
Can only change or do those settings from browser I believe not from app.

Turbs

Brother Les · 07-24-2013, 03:32 PM

I guess I am a little slow on this the notification button. I go to CP user and down to Subscribe and check the 'notificatin button'. the next time I look at it, it is unchecked. Why does it not activate?

BigTJohn · 07-24-2013, 03:46 PM

Siphoning is the problem. Once it starts, hard to stop. I bet there is no hose to the back side of your water fill station, a small screened hole right above where you put the water fill hose into. I ran clear tubing (mine is 1/2" ID) using a plastic barbed union from the FW tank vent tube (1/2") to the back side of the water fill station. I needed 11' of tubing to do this. No real pressure to deal with so I just used tie wraps on all the connections. Now the vent is screened from bugs and the vent is above the level of the top of the tank allowing the "vacuum to break" stopping the siphon. Just traveling will allow (make) the FW tank to expand and collapse a little and while doing so the water being non-compressible will find a way out - through the vent tube.

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