Fresh water leak

[KBesh]

'94 Excello
When I fill the fresh water tank it starts leaks for awhile afterward from under the middle of the trailer. Wondering if there is an overflow valve of some sort. It hasn't done this before. Before, it came back out of the fill fill spout. FYI, I did get caught in the -6 degree weather in the midwest last winter.

[HowieE]

-6 degrees you may have cracked the tank.
Airstream supplies heat to the underbelly if the heater is on. Many are now using electric heaters and thus no heat reaches the underbelly. Was that the case?

[nvestysly]

I am not aware of a fresh water overflow. The only time mine overflows is when I'm filling with the autofill feature - if I forget and leave the autofill on too long water will overflow out of the fresh water fill cap. Autofill on ours allows us to use shore water and a solenoid valve opens and fills the fresh water tank. It's easier than standing outside and filling and burping the water through the fresh water fill opening.


I can see our fresh water tank by opening some of the access panels inside the trailer. On our model we pull off the panel under the drawers and pantry and I can see the top of the tank. Maybe you have a similar access. If so, maybe you can look into that cavity with a flashlight and determine if you have any cracks or some other leak.


Good luck.

[KBesh]

The water did quit flowing but thawed a couple days later and showed no leak. I saw this leak last month. soooo, maybe? so theres no overflow valve or maybe the waters coming out the vent?

[HowieE]

The leak you saw last month. What conditions where there at that time? Was the tank full, being filled, trailer just sitting, where was the water dripping from?

Are you saying the water system in the trailer was completely frozen for a couple of days during the low temperatures? Where you on the tank or city water when this happened?

If the system froze the first place i would look at for a leak now showing up would be the pump head or the filter bowl coming from the fresh water tank. If the system in the trailer itself froze these are spots likely to crack.

[wncrasher]

All trailers should have a drain for the fresh water tank. Usually they are underneath somewhere. If the valve has worked it's way open, or worse is cracked or broken, the tank will drain out. An easy fix if that is the case.

[KBesh]

Howie,
I was filling the tank when I noticed it. About the time the tank got full. trailer was sitting. water came from under the fresh water tank ,off the pan.The trailer froze enough to not pump water. I never saw it drip then. the pump works fine. the system works fine. It just comes out somewhere when it gets full and continues for a little while as if its an overflow or a leak on top. It appears to leak off maybe 5 gallons or so. Its enough that the monitor does'nt show full, but it has/nt be very accurate ever.

[AtomicNo13]

I would check the vent tube. It's a small 1/4" clear vinyl tube that vents air from the tank as you fill. These are known to pop off if you fill the tank too quickly or overfill the tank. The water b pressure exiting here can pop it off either end of the line.

[HowieE]

Your comment about the monitor. Does the monitor actually show full and then drop off full as the water leaks out? I ask this because if that is the case and you are really losing that amount of water after filling I would assume the tank is cracked.

If water showed up as soon as you started to fill it could be the fill tube. A failed vent tube could not pass that amount of water. If there is a time delay till the tank is almost full that would suggest the upper level of the tank.

[AtomicNo13]

I once had a leak from the big drain plug on the bottom of the tank. It would only leak when the tank was full... I suspect the weight of the water would cause the leak. I replaced the plug and used Teflon paste to seal it. Leak free for several years. I too thought it was a top of the tank leak until I checked the plug.