City Water Leaking Out of Fresh Water Tank

[benb24]

Hi everyone, I am running into an issue- when I setup city water it appears to somehow also be filling up the fresh water tank and then leaking out of a small opening next to the fresh water tank.

Please see the video of the issue:

https://youtube.com/shorts/01-Vv1MrRCA?feature=share

I am a new Airstream owner, but this shouldn't be happening, right? Does anyone have any idea of what might be going wrong here?

Thank you in advance!

[Saluda372]

I think others have mentioned this to be a check valve problem that allows the water to fill that tank also. I'm sure others will chime in with additional details. Do you use a filter on the water supply ?

[Roadhoop]

Check valve of your water pump is allowing back flow into the water tank. Run the pump a couple of times, might clear it. Or clean screen that is near water lines for the pump. Common problem, search is also your friend.

[10Smiles]

I've had this issue. If I run on tank water (with the pump), it usually clears up. Sometimes I have to do this several times. I do have a check valve rebuild kit for the pump... I just have to take the time to install it.

[richard5933]

It only takes a tiny bit of debris to work its way into the pump to cause this - it can happen on a brand new trailer as easily as a 10-year-old one. Could be mineral deposits in the pump as well.

You can try getting the manual for your pump with the exploded diagrams and using that as a guide to open and clean the pump head. Some food-grade silicone O-ring lubricant could be helpful when reassembling.

[BigAl]

I had that problem years ago. When I opened up the pump I found a few plastic shavings like you would get from drilling a large hole in a piece of plastic. That probably came from when the fresh tank was manufactured.
Removed that and all was well.

[Kim06]

Originally Posted by benb24

Hi everyone, I am running into an issue- when I setup city water it appears to somehow also be filling up the fresh water tank and then leaking out of a small opening next to the fresh water tank.

Please see the video of the issue:

https://youtube.com/shorts/01-Vv1MrRCA?feature=share

I am a new Airstream owner, but this shouldn't be happening, right? Does anyone have any idea of what might be going wrong here?

Thank you in advance!

Had the same problem as well. I was told a pump rebuild kit was not available. Obviously, I was misinformed. After talking to Jon in customer service at the MotherShip (he previously worked in the plumbing shop), he stated this is common and stated as has been stated in the other responses; probably trash in the pump keeping the check valve from doing what it is supposed to do. Mine was in intermittent problem. Sometimes the system worked as advertised, sometimes not.

His recommended fix was to install a 1/2 inch Sharkbite check valve between the strainer and the pump with the flow direction toward the pump. Not a lot of room to play with there. I ended up replacing the fitting at the strainer with a Sharkbite fitting that threaded directly into the strainer housing (needed a bit of extra line for the check valve to seal correctly). Problem permanently solved.

[StuartsDad]

Had same issue when our AS was new (2nd outing). Cycling pump many times to reduce tank level cleared it up. After a couple of years, it started slowly leaking by again during a cross country trip. We happened to be staying down the road from a Camping World, so I picked up a diaphragm repair kit and installed. Easy install, part number listed in pump owner's manual that came with the trailer, at that time it was just over $20.

[banderabob]

Originally Posted by benb24

Hi everyone, I am running into an issue- when I setup city water it appears to somehow also be filling up the fresh water tank and then leaking out of a small opening next to the fresh water tank.

Please see the video of the issue:

https://youtube.com/shorts/01-Vv1MrRCA?feature=share

I am a new Airstream owner, but this shouldn't be happening, right? Does anyone have any idea of what might be going wrong here?

Thank you in advance!

I had this happen on a 5 year old unit we purchased last year, and replaced the pump, no debris in the screen, and the pumps are inexpensive. If not doing so, you should minimally be using an external water filter (CAMCO for example), as well as a pressure regulator. City water pressures can tend to be excessively high due to the number of outlets being served.

[sheriff1]

This is what you need.

[TankerIP]

This has happened to me before. Fresh level goes up to 100%. But, it has never overflowed until today. I found water dripping out of the water fill compartment to the ground. Turned city water off and went to pump.

It did not happen last trip out. But it did this time.

Now I need to see if it fixes itself. Some comments here suggest to get at the check valve. Where is that? Do I need to pull the pump out? Tight work space there in my 25FC FB. Did I get the pump manual with my documents? Do I need the manual?

All the plumbing in the trailer are PEX fittings. I've never worked with this. Do I need to now buy special plumbing tools to work on this problem?

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by TankerIP

This has happened to me before. Fresh level goes up to 100%. But, it has never overflowed until today. I found water dripping out of the water fill compartment to the ground. Turned city water off and went to pump.



It did not happen last trip out. But it did this time.



Now I need to see if it fixes itself. Some comments here suggest to get at the check valve. Where is that? Do I need to pull the pump out? Tight work space there in my 25FC FB. Did I get the pump manual with my documents? Do I need the manual?



All the plumbing in the trailer are PEX fittings. I've never worked with this. Do I need to now buy special plumbing tools to work on this problem?

Most pumps can be removed without tools using the two wing nut fittings at the pump. They're designed to be removed. Unplug the wires and disconnect the two fittings.

Head of the pump comes off easily. Might just be a tiny bit of crud or mineral buildup.

[gcarter]

I have an R/O (reverse osmosis) filter system with a fresh water faucet on the kitchen sind. When there is water pressure the R/O storage tank will fill up and the discharge water is fed back to the fresh water tank. If I am running city water the discharge from the R/O system still goes into the fresh tank and may over fill.