How do I know when the fresh water tank is full?

[mwdilday]

I have a 2018 Cedar Creek Champagne. My water hose screws onto the connection and there is a valve for CITY and RV. Set to RV it fills the fresh water tank. How do I know when the fresh water tank is full? Currently I go inside and watch the gauge. Is there an overflow somewhere?

[dieselguy]

Overflow hose next to fresh water drain under fiver street side behind tires.

[mwdilday]

Thanks diesel guy. So fill it until it overflows?

[dalford]

Be careful, on my 33IK the overflow can be slower than the city input. I forgot once while filling and the fresh water tank blew up like a balloon. My floor and island were all puffed up and there was a loud pop (that is when I realized what I had done ). Just keep an eye on it.

[Rich5117]

On our 33iK the overflow hose must extend into the tank several inches. Once it starts flowing it will continue to flow water even after turning off the supply. It must be creating a siphon. I have to put my finger over the hose get it to stop and break the vacuum. If not it will go down to 3/4 on the gauge before it stops.

[DKRITTER]

We've had 4 different RV's over the years our 36CKTS is goofy especially when filling the fresh water. Once it's full and begins to overflow it pours about 10 gallons of water on the ground.

We've tried a bunch of different ways of filling it and no matter what if a little water comes out of the overflow then 10 gallons comes out.

I'm pretty convinced the overflow hose put down into the tank and as it gets full it siphons out the 10 gallons. Another aspect of CC throwing trailers together to get them out the door.

[NMWildcat]

Y'all must of missed all the threads about overflow hoses and siphoning. I have put a valve or a fitting/cap on all my different rigs overflow hoses. Once I fill up the tank enough for water to come out the overflow, I cap it so I won't lose any water (especially on the way to our destination). After some water usage, usually a shower, I'll uncap it. Easy.

[mwdilday]

OK thanks everyone. Next time I fill it I will too what the overflow does (while the DW keeps an eye out inside).

[5picker]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Y'all must of missed all the threads about overflow hoses and siphoning. I have put a valve or a fitting/cap on all my different rigs overflow hoses. Once I fill up the tank enough for water to come out the overflow, I cap it so I won't lose any water (especially on the way to our destination). After some water usage, usually a shower, I'll uncap it. Easy.

X2 Good advice.

[dieselguy]

Instead of doing the cap deal on the overflow line that will at some point be forgotten to be removed, I just pulled the belly pan plate from under the fresh water tank and made sure to remove the wire tie and kink in the overflow hose and rerouted the overflow line in a better thought out loop well above the tank, then back down towards the ground. I then installed a plastic screen like goes on the end of a field sprayer tank suction line to keep out any bugs. I don't have the siphoning issue. I'd heard several RV tech stories about a kinked overflow line ... this is what prodded me in to doing this. The overflow hose is attached to a tank fitting high up and does not run inside the tank. If your overflow hose is kinked and/or routed wrong ... it will allow the tank to overfill and swell (believe me they can do that). That's how lotsa water comes back out as the tank returns to normal size.

[rlocicero]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

I have a 2018 Cedar Creek Champagne. My water hose screws onto the connection and there is a valve for CITY and RV. Set to RV it fills the fresh water tank. How do I know when the fresh water tank is full? Currently I go inside and watch the gauge. Is there an overflow somewhere?

You usually get wet when the water comes out the overflow.

[Lowes48fan1]

On my TT, the overflow created a siphon and would drain my fresh water to half by the time I got to my destination. This was a major problem when dry camping.

I installed a valve on the end of the overflow hose. I fill the tank slowly, oand once full, close the valve. When I get to my destination I open the valve. This is very important because if it remains closed and I use several gallon of fresh water, I run the risk of collapsing the fresh water tank. I've added these steps to my check list as a reminder.

Originally Posted by Rich5117

On our 33iK the overflow hose must extend into the tank several inches. Once it starts flowing it will continue to flow water even after turning off the supply. It must be creating a siphon. I have to put my finger over the hose get it to stop and break the vacuum. If not it will go down to 3/4 on the gauge before it stops.

[cody1884]

My 2017 34RE Hathaway Cedar Creek does the same thing. I didn't notice it draining my tank though. I don't use it very much couple time's a year. I mainly fill to a 1/4 full when traveling for use on the road. I always wondered why it ran out so long after shutting off the water.

[McCormickJim]

I've read this thread and hae searched for and read other threads on the Forum regarding siphoning.

I wrote to FR and asked what to do about my new Georgetown fresh water tank siphoning to 2/3 full.

FR Reply:

"Thank you for contacting Forest River with your questions and concerns regarding your Georgetown. I would be more than happy to assist you with any questions or concerns that you may have. If you look at the overflow hose it will be clear. You want to make sure it has one or two loops in it. That will take care of the concern. If you have any further questions feel free to contact me. Thank you and have a great day!"

My GT is currently with the dealer for other warranty work. I'll send FR's reply to them and ask that they verify there are "one or two loops in (the overflow line)."

This should be interesting.

[Lowes48fan1]

My TT has a closed underbelly and I can't see if the overflow has two loops. The length of hose exposed below the trailer is too short to loop.

Since mine was siphoning, I have to assume the line does not have the loops in it as referenced by FR. That's why I put a valve on mine. As long as I open it when I start to use water from the tank, I'm good to go.

Originally Posted by McCormickJim

I've read this thread and hae searched for and read other threads on the Forum regarding siphoning.

I wrote to FR and asked what to do about my new Georgetown fresh water tank siphoning to 2/3 full.

FR Reply:

"Thank you for contacting Forest River with your questions and concerns regarding your Georgetown. I would be more than happy to assist you with any questions or concerns that you may have. If you look at the overflow hose it will be clear. You want to make sure it has one or two loops in it. That will take care of the concern. If you have any further questions feel free to contact me. Thank you and have a great day!"

My GT is currently with the dealer for other warranty work. I'll send FR's reply to them and ask that they verify there are "one or two loops in (the overflow line)."

This should be interesting.

[McCormickJim]

Update:

My dealer replied, "Most of the time the overflow tube already has a couple loops in the hose. But I will definitely have my tech take a look to confirm one way or another."

By the way, my dealer is Century RV in Longmont, Colorado. I must say, they have been fantastic. Service is great. Timing is great.

I schedule an appointment for my Georgetown to go in for service. They start on it that day or the next, after telling me when it will be ready to come home. They call me with any issues they come across and handle them per my preference.

And this is just for warranty work.

When I have an add-on that I'm to pay for, they call me the next day with a quote.

I'll update again regarding the siphoning issue as things develop.

[Jokerbgood]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

I have a 2018 Cedar Creek Champagne. My water hose screws onto the connection and there is a valve for CITY and RV. Set to RV it fills the fresh water tank. How do I know when the fresh water tank is full? Currently I go inside and watch the gauge. Is there an overflow somewhere?

There is an overflow on our 2014 CC. Also, you should have an indicator that shows how much water is in there.

[mecapeman]

My belly popped too when I overfilled my tank. Nice to hear that I am not the only person had this happen without consequences. 2016 CKTS

[Rich5117]

I have that belly popping thing happen to when I put to much pot pie in my tank. Sorry just had to do it. Lol

[68 Whiskey]

I will just add that I got a water flow meter from Amazon to more accurately gage the amount of water that has been added to the tank. If you have a reasonable idea of the amount of water you have you can get fairly close to your fill level.