Help! Water Leaking into my Fresh Water Tank

[dasams]

This morning, I noticed water dripping out of the overflow adjacent to the fresh water fill spout. This is behind the locked door on the curb side, i.e., under the awning.

We are on city water so it appears that water is leaking into my fresh water tank. In fact, the level was 24% but is now 100%. When I turned off the city water, the dripping stopped.

I've searched and others have reported a broken check valve. Can anyone shed light on this and help me find it so that I can check it out? Are there any other routes for city water to get into the fresh water tank?

We have a 2017 FC 25 rear bed and the water pump is under the wardrobe on the curb side.

TIA, Dave

[Farmer Dan]

The check valve is in the water pump itself. Its defective or has something caught in it.

Dan

[TG Twinkie]

Try shutting off the city water and use the pump. It may have something in it preventing the check valve (internal) from sealing. Running the pump may clear it.

[OTRA15]

Good idea TG Twinkie.

Probably a random defect that just surfaced IMO, Dave. Here is another current thread on this:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f445...ve-166395.html

Also a 2017 Flying Cloud, although a 27' FWIW. A bad batch of pumps maybe?

and search results for "pump check valve broken" --

https://www.google.com/search?q=pump...=airforums.com

I would call your dealer and maybe get a new pump shipped to you under warranty if possible. If there was a batch of bad pumps, I would also call the Airstream 800 number in your owner's manual and related materials, as they might have a better overview of this.

Good luck!

Peter

[dasams]

I ran the pump to get the water level down and the check value seated properly. So no leak at the moment but I'll keep monitoring it.

Thanks for the support, Dave

[OTRA15]

Excellent! Greetings to the No Name in Sausalito.

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

Try shutting off the city water and use the pump. It may have something in it preventing the check valve (internal) from sealing. Running the pump may clear it.

TG, thanks!. This is interesting. I thought it was the sensors being sporadically temperamental or that the check valve was gas-lighting me. I often run the pump even when on CW/SP but hadn't made the connection.

Bob

[Jacob D]

Originally Posted by Farmer Dan

The check valve is in the water pump itself. Its defective or has something caught in it.

Dan

Farmer Dan is correct. While camped a few years back water began to pour out the fill spout on our '67. Had to replace the pump to fix it. A flow restrictor on the supply faucet may help in a pinch but easiest temp solution is just use the pump and cut the city water supply off.

[Starlight Mike]

This seems to be a common problem with many Airstream's old and new. I would think by now Airstream would provide a pump without this problem!!

[greghoro]

Another symptom of a leaking check valve is periodically hearing the water pump engage briefly but no one has turned on any water. Obviously only occurs when using fresh water tank and not on city water.

In this case, the water system is losing pressure due to leakage through the water pump check valve back into the tank. The pump runs briefly to build water system pressure back up.


Greg

[Chef Richard]

Had the same problem after installing a new pump. It seams that if the water pump doesn't stop at the right position city water will leak back through the water pump and into your fresh water tank. I shut off the city water and activated the fresh water pump until it stopped running. Turned the city water back on and problem solved.

[ljsigman]

My dealer tells me that low or high pressure can cause the water to bypass the check valve. To correct it: With no water hooked up turn on the water pump. This will pressurize the system. Voila! No fresh water backup! Now hookup the city water!

Hope this helps!

[Rhino33]

What if I have water leaking out of our city water hookup when using the water pump/fresh water tank? The pump is relatively new (maybe 2 years old?) and I don't recall having a problem previously.

Thanks!

[ljsigman]

Sounds like check valve failure.

[TG Twinkie]

Simple solution. Just cap off or plug the city water connection when not in use.
There are plugs which will screw in just like the hose to cap off the inlet.

[HiJoeSilver]

Originally Posted by Rhino33

What if I have water leaking out of our city water hookup when using the water pump/fresh water tank? The pump is relatively new (maybe 2 years old?) and I don't recall having a problem previously.

Thanks!

The 2 posts above got it I think, the check valve is an integral part of the FW inlet so you'd have to replace the inlet to fix the problem or cap it as mentioned.