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Old 10-17-2009, 05:57 AM   #1
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Unhappy Old inlet leaking....help please!

Can any clever plumber type person tell me how I can repair this water inlet contraption? I have an old metal water tank that was designed to be pressurized with air but I don’t use it that way, I have a 12 volt water pump. This past year whenever I would need water I would just turn the water on at the rv park for a few minutes until water would start squirting out around the inlet. I wish I could just leave the city water on all the time so I wouldn’t have to fill it up everyday. I would just soon repair what I have instead of buying a plastic water tank and new inlet. Any suggestions? I only have a week to figure this out.

Oh..and there is a pipe underneath my water tank that I use to drain. What would happen if I attached a water hose there instead?

Thanks for any advice or tips.






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Old 10-17-2009, 07:05 AM   #2
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Can any clever plumber type person tell me how I can repair this water inlet contraption? I have an old metal water tank that was designed to be pressurized with air but I don’t use it that way, I have a 12 volt water pump. This past year whenever I would need water I would just turn the water on at the rv park for a few minutes until water would start squirting out around the inlet. I wish I could just leave the city water on all the time so I wouldn’t have to fill it up everyday. I would just soon repair what I have instead of buying a plastic water tank and new inlet. Any suggestions? I only have a week to figure this out.

Oh..and there is a pipe underneath my water tank that I use to drain. What would happen if I attached a water hose there instead?

Thanks for any advice or tips.






You cannot use city water with the way you wish to do.

A minor replumb change, would allow a city water hookup, but you would not be able to fill the tank that way, unless you added another valve, and watched the filling, "carefully".

Sooner or later, you will have to install a plastic tank anyways.

Andy
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Old 10-17-2009, 07:54 AM   #3
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You can't leave the water hooked up because it "overflows" from the smaller hole above the name tag when the tank fills??

If so - take a look at that smaller valve and see if the front tip actually screws into that smaller opening - like a plug....

It's a long shot but I am going somewhere with this... just not yet....

Interesting name on the valve tag - talk about making yourself over as a company.
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Old 10-17-2009, 09:34 AM   #4
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You can't leave the water hooked up because it "overflows" from the smaller hole above the name tag when the tank fills??

If so - take a look at that smaller valve and see if the front tip actually screws into that smaller opening - like a plug....

It's a long shot but I am going somewhere with this... just not yet....

Interesting name on the valve tag - talk about making yourself over as a company.
I understand now that I need a separate valve that would bypass my tank entirely if I want to be on city water all the time. That should be easy to install....but I'd still like to get the original inlet back in shape so I can at least fill the holding tank. I will buy a plastic holding tank if I have to...I'm not giving up yet though.

yes the small hole is where the hose attaches and it does screw into the opening. I tried to unscrew it but it won't budge...perhaps I can try drilling it out or something.
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Old 10-17-2009, 09:55 AM   #5
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How about installing a check valve to prevent city from going into tank,if you installed a bypass with a ball valve then you could fill tank for boondocking. Dave
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Old 10-17-2009, 10:24 AM   #6
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yeah that sound like a good idea...maybe install a two way valve right before my water pump so I could switch between city water and tank water. Right now I cant unscrew that pipe from the small hole. I may have to rip the whole contraption off.
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Old 10-17-2009, 12:43 PM   #7
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in my pre-Airstream days I had an older Mobile Scout and it was the same type of system. I could not get the system to act like it should until I pulled the tank, disassembled the parts, fixed a small hole with JB Weld (drill out the hole and grind off the paint on the pressure tank and apply a couple of coats). I changed out a couple of the small galvinized pipes and reassembled. No more issues.

Or you could do as Andy says and go plastic and a 12 volt pump.
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Old 10-17-2009, 12:49 PM   #8
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yeah that sound like a good idea...maybe install a two way valve right before my water pump so I could switch between city water and tank water. Right now I cant unscrew that pipe from the small hole. I may have to rip the whole contraption off.
You can install a plastic tank, a different water fill, a water pump, and 2 check valves.

Then you could use either water source whenever you wanted to.

Andy
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Old 10-17-2009, 03:13 PM   #9
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It appears that there is the broken male end of a hose in your inlet. If so,
plumbers have an "easy out" that can remove the broken hose end, or you could buy one and do it yourself. If your tank and plumbing are sound you could go back to the air pump and be able to use either water source. Might be easier than a complete change of systems.
I don't know if water pumps like yours are built to handle city water pressure on the inlet side. I've never used one. Maybe someone knows? If it can operate with inlet pressure you might be able to fix your inlet, attach a hose, and run the pressure through the tank and the pump. When not on city water you would have to vent your system so the water pump could work properly without trying to create a vacuum in your tank. Just a wild idea....
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Old 10-17-2009, 03:30 PM   #10
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How about a feeze plug that size?
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Old 10-17-2009, 04:01 PM   #11
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It appears that there is the broken male end of a hose in your inlet. If so,
plumbers have an "easy out" that can remove the broken hose end, or you could buy one and do it yourself. If your tank and plumbing are sound you could go back to the air pump and be able to use either water source. Might be easier than a complete change of systems.
I don't know if water pumps like yours are built to handle city water pressure on the inlet side. I've never used one. Maybe someone knows? If it can operate with inlet pressure you might be able to fix your inlet, attach a hose, and run the pressure through the tank and the pump. When not on city water you would have to vent your system so the water pump could work properly without trying to create a vacuum in your tank. Just a wild idea....
Sam
This is what I was hoping to do. I really don't see a need to switch to a plastic water tank. The tank I have is sound and it can be cleaned periodically...plus I'm old fashioned and I like the way they built things in the old days. I like the easy out idea...I'm going to try that tomorrow.

I'm not sure I want block the water inlet with a freeze plug.
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Old 10-20-2009, 10:06 AM   #12
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I managed to get the nipple out of the small hole. The easy out did not work so I used a hacksaw blade and pried it out. I figured it would be an easy job from there but I was wrong. I went to the hardware store and got a 1/2 inch brass nipple...it was too big, so I went back and got a 3/8 inch nipple. It was too small, so I figured I can tap the hole to make it a bit larger so that the 1/2 inch nipple would fit. If I can find a 1/2 inch pipe tap anywhere do you think it will work? Do I need to drill it out first with a giant drill bit?

Perhaps I could try to find the correct size nipple but I'm clueless as to what size it is...and then I would need an adapter to fit it the new hose connecter I got that has a 1/2 inch female end.
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Old 10-21-2009, 06:18 AM   #13
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If that was a broken hose end then all you need is a brass male hose to female hose thread adapter. Should fit perfectly with no drilling or tapping. Not sure what parts are available in your area ... you might have to use brass male to male hose adapter with a back to back female hose adapter on it. These parts are around, just might take some lookin' to find them.
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Old 10-21-2009, 06:59 AM   #14
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Go to a good hardware store, not the big box variety and you'll find what you need. The people at ACE are always very helpful.
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Old 10-21-2009, 08:42 PM   #15
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Here's a site that has a lot of fittings if you can't find what you need locally. The one at the bottom might give you some thoughts....

Brass Fittings - Fittings and Nipples
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