Fresh Water Mystery

[moosetags]

We are camped in Lucy on Jekyll Island, Georgia. Lucy's fresh water tank is refilling itself without us adding any water to the fresh water tank filler. It is filling itself to overflowing and is oozing out the fresh water filler overflow. I assume it is filling from the city water supply line.

What's going on??? Is there a broken something somewhere, or are campground gnomes coming around while we are sleeping, and filling Lucy's fresh water tank?

Brian

[Melody Ranch]

On my systems there is a valve between the tank and the city water hose fill attachment. With it open the city water goes to the tank to fill it. Closed the city water pressurizes the system and the pump and tank are "out of the loop."

[moosetags]

I haven't opened or closed any water valves that I am aware of.

Brian

[DKB_SATX]

There'll be a check valve or two in the water pump, designed to prevent what you've described. That failing is one possibility I can think of.

[Shacksman]

Try to clean the check valve by unhooking the city water and run the pump. That might clean out the 1 way valve at the pump. If that don't work you will need to replace or place a 1 way valve in the line at the pump.

[Silver Goose]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

There'll be a check valve or two in the water pump, designed to prevent what you've described. That failing is one possibility I can think of.

I will 2nd this. I recall that on the later model trailers the factory discontinued the pump bypass valve that would permit filling the FW tank using the connected city water hose. Don't know if it was a RVIA thing or too many misunderstood its operation and overflowed the FW tank.

I believe the check valve is part of the strainer assy on the suction side of the pump, or likely part of the pump head itself. If it fails or has junk in it it will definitely allow the city water pressure to flow back to the FW tank. Turn off the city water and briefly open a faucet to drain the pressure, then disconnect the line connecting the FW tank to the pump and have your assistant turn the water back on and you will probably see the problem. Have some towels handy to mop up things and be sure your helper is prepared to turn the water off pronto. If flushing the pump fixed it, this will confirm that you don't have any water flowing back to the FW tank.

[moosetags]

Originally Posted by Shacksman

Try to clean the check valve by unhooking the city water and run the pump. That might clean out the 1 way valve at the pump. If that don't work you will need to replace or place a 1 way valve in the line at the pump.

I'll give this a try first. I have already disconnected city water in preparation for departure tomorrow morning. We'll use tank water tonight. When we get back to Jacksonville tomorrow, I'll hook Lucy back up to city water and see what happens.

Thanks everyone for the help.

Brian