Fresh water tank confusion

[casandel]

I have a 2013 international serenity. I have never filled the fresh water tank. When I finally decided to treat it in connection with going full time I discovered it was full. Is it possible that it is filling itself when I'm plugged in to park water or is there a valve that needs to be closed?

[Protagonist]

If you bought the trailer new, then it's entirely possible that even though you never filled the fresh tank, the dealer did, in preparation for your walk-through, and you've been carrying a tank of fresh water for a couple of years.

Easy way to find out… Drain the fresh tank. Hook up to municipal water. Then see if the fresh tank fills itself.

[AnnArborBob]

First try what Protagonist suggest above. If your empty fresh water tanks fills when you are hooked up to city water, then you have a defective check valve. Not sure if the check valve is separate from the pump or is integrated with it but it would need to be serviced or replaced. A defective check valve is not uncommon.

[AWCHIEF]

Make sure to disinfect throughly. After two years I bet there are some nasty beasties growing in the tank and associated water lines.

[nrgtrakr]

Curious ... if the fresh water tank were filling when hooked up to city water supply inlet, how does it know when to stop filling?
If the check valve at the pump were defective allowing water to enter the tank, wouldn't the water eventually start pouring out of the fresh water tank fill port? (unless this is has a good cap)

[hmsteader]

Are you using an external water pressure regulator when connected to city water?
I had one occurrence that I did not use an external pressure regulator and I'm guessing that the city water pressure was too high late at night that the water back-filled into the fresh water tank. Fortunately the fresh water tank overflow worked properly. I awoke about 2am hearing the check valve cycling at a high rate.
I wouldn't have expected this to happen but it did in this one instance.

[surfsup]

How to put bleach in fresh water tank? and then how to drain it instead of draining it into grey water tank? think it is a 30 gallon tank so almost 4 oz of bleach -is that correct?
Have a 2008 25ft front bedroom

thanks,
Catherine

[ROBERT CROSS]

"I have never filled the fresh water tank"......well at least you didn't have a noisy water pump.

That must have been a very thorough dealer orientation....

FWIW.....it should NOT fill by itself from the city supply line.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How to put bleach in fresh water tank? and then how to drain it instead of draining it into grey water tank? think it is a 30 gallon tank so almost 4 oz of bleach -is that correct?
Have a 2008 25ft front bedroom"


thanks,
Catherine


Catherine,

4oz is fine, bleach in the grey is not a problem, fact is, it will probably help.

Fill thru the curb side inlet, the door should look something like this.....there may be a sticker on it saying "potable water only".





The fresh water tank drain should be underneath the trailer, curb side, between the axles.

The white plastic valve in the photo......



Also....pump the bleach solution thru the entire system, before flushing it clear. (I let it sit for at least 12hrs)



Bob

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, is it really full, or does the gauge say it's full; Never trust the gauge!

[RAH]

Originally Posted by nrgtrakr

Curious ... if the fresh water tank were filling when hooked up to city water supply inlet, how does it know when to stop filling?
If the check valve at the pump were defective allowing water to enter the tank, wouldn't the water eventually start pouring out of the fresh water tank fill port? (unless this is has a good cap)

Yes. It is kind of odd to be hooked up to city water, and have a leak on the other side of your trailer from the fresh water overflow.

We had this in our first year when the trailer was new. I put in a new water pump way before I thought I would have to!

[HiJoeSilver]

Instead of putting in a new pump you can put a valve in on the pump outlet, close it when you're not using the pump. Stops potential back leakage through the pump. Also most pumps have replaceable diaphragms in them which are fairly cheap compared to replacing the pump.