City water hookup issue

[darenkamp1960]

My Aspen 2510RB does not have a manual valve between City Water and fresh water connection. LaMesa RV in San Diego could not find the solution so I am turning to the experts on this forum.

This problem is intermittent. Sometimes when I hook up the city water connection the fresh water tank overflows. The dealer says it is an automatic switch, so when I ask them to show me, they cannot find it. Any suggestions.

Regards,
Jim

[chily3]

When you hook to the city water it should not fill the tank. There is a separate place to fill the tank. On my aspen trail they are side by side. Did you buy this new? If used somebody might have put in some kind of valve. Or your TT is designed that way. I am not an expert on all the brands but have never seen just one water fill connection.

[darenkamp1960]

I bought it brand new from La Mesa RV in San Diego, who were not very helpful.

[chily3]

Jim

Take a look at this. Note the tank water filler is not threaded. Find a service person at La Mesa NOT a sales person. I am not about using the pressure release to make sure hot water tank is full as do not drain the system between trips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBkVwoiR57A

[wahoonc]

Outside chance the pump or the check valve may be bad too. It would allow the water to back feed the fresh water tank. Pretty easy to check, hook up your city water, take the line loose between the pump and the FW tank, if water comes out of the pump side then you have either a pump or check valve problem.


Aaron

[hddecker]

Jim,

The dealer can't find the "automatic switch", in my mind it either wasn't installed or he's full of it. I wouldn't let them off the hook. If he can't find it, make him explain why you are having the problem. Of course if your out of warranty pursue all the of the tips you get here.

I hope this is the only negative experience you have with your dealer, I had an absolutely terrible dealer experience.

[wahoonc]

Post a picture of where the water hose hooks up. I haven't seen an "automatic" switch on a water fill. IMHO the dealer is blowing smoke. Years ago the Airstreams had a valve that would allow you to fill the tank when hooked up to city water, it was internal. My current version has a blue flip switch where my water connection is, it is ether set for "Tank fill" or "City Water". My older units had a city water connection and then a larger screw off cap where you could pour water in, or stick a hose in it to fill the tank.

Aaron

[hddecker]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

Post a picture of where the water hose hooks up. I haven't seen an "automatic" switch on a water fill. IMHO the dealer is blowing smoke. My current version has a blue flip switch where my water connection is, it is ether set for "Tank fill" or "City Water". My older units had a city water connection and then a larger screw off cap where you could pour water in, or stick a hose in it to fill the tank.

Aaron

Now that makes sense, but having a dealer tell you the he can't find the automatic swicth, I think he's blowing more than smoke.

[GTWags]

My aerolite has 1 city water hookup, and a fw fill on the other side of the trailer.

[darenkamp1960]

Here is what my Water hook up looks like from the exterior of my RV. On the inside, there is a hose leading straight to the water tank from the fresh water connection. From the City water connection there is what looks like a check valve before going to the water pump. The water pump works fine with just fresh water connection; however, it also works with the City Water connection.... I believe the problem is the water pump.

The La Mesa RV dealer in San Diego has subpar service advisors. I even went straight to one of the mechanics with this issue, and he said, there are no switches to manipulate from city water to fresh water. Of course, I live in FL and it is out of warranty. I do have an extended warranty plan from Good Sam. I may contact them if I cannot resolve this myself.

Let me know if the picture uploads or not...

Regards,

JIM

[darenkamp1960]

Another attempt to upload photo

[ewarnerusa]

Yes, you have separate fresh water tank fill and city water inlet. There is no automatic switch or anything like that. I think you are correct in suspecting faulty check valve at the pump allowing city water inlet pressure to backfill the fresh water tank through the pump.

[gillespiek]

I had the same issue with my 5erand the FIX was replacing the water pump-. My trailer does not have a switch or valve for city to pump, so the water pump takes up the slack (made for it) by having an internal valve that closes off the fresh tank when connected to city water. Mine only occurred with low pressure, so they missed it the first time. Good luck.

[darenkamp1960]

What were your symptoms that led you to the water pump replacement vice the check valve?

[gillespiek]

Darenkamp, 1) the knowledge of my mechanic, 2) the trailer did not have the switch and the "check valve" is a part of the water pump (internal). Last thing was, the problem didn't go away, which was that the fresh tank would fill/overfill when attached to city water.

[sundancer 87]

This one is buggin' me. Having lived every day for 20 years in a solar house I have used Shur-Flo, Flo-Jet, Par Jabsco and a few other forgotten brands of 12 volt demand pumps for my water system pressure and supply. For the most part I have replaced motors, pump heads, pump parts and pressure switches in the above mentioned pumps.
Not one do I remember having an internal check valve that routes any water source to the diaphragms of the pump head. The doesn't care nor does it know from where the water enters the intake side of the pump.
Unless, which I seriously doubt, the manufacture has specified an OEM water pump contain a check valve I don't believe a check valve exists. 12 volt demand pumps are used in many applications so it wouldn't be prudent for a manufacturer want to reinvent the wheel.
A check valve is needed to route a water supply from the city connection to the plumbing scheme itself. The pump pulls its water from the tank and sends the water to the plumbing scheme.
If that check valve is installed backwards (such as holding tank flush valves have known to be), or if the check valve is defective then the fresh water tank would be flooded when city water pressure is applied to the system.
Unless things have changed since last year when I installed the newest Flo-Jet I have the feeling someone has done a little dealership magic on this problem.
As ewarnerusa stated, 'at the pump', not in the pump.

[nineoaks]

If it is still under warranty, I would take it back and make them fix the problem... I have worked on a lot of different RV's over the years and have never saw one with an automatic switch, someone either is in the wrong occupation (don't know what they are doing) or are blowing smoke , maybe a little of both..

[TomW]

Isn't it possible that the city water connection was connected incorrectly to the intake side of the pump? The pumps typically have back flow preventers so logically thinking, the factory tech (loosely speaking) could have connected the City water connection to the intake side of the pump thereby allowing the water to flow backwards into the water tank. That should be an easy visual check.

[RickNTee]

I have a 1900RBW Aspen Trail. Although I have not experience this on my Aspen Trail, I had a motor home once that I blew out in the winter and had too much pressure, it tore a diaphram or something in the city water connection, when I disconnected the hose the water would come out of the connection.

I replaced the city water connection port and solved.

If your water tank is filling, is it then coming out of the air vent on your tank fill?

Rick

[darenkamp1960]

The issue with trying to solve this problem is that it occurs intermittently. Makes it hard to trouble shoot. When the fill tank overflows it seeps from the cap. Thoughts?