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Old 01-17-2017, 10:14 PM   #1
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Fresh Water Holding Tank

I have a 1994 Dutchman 5th wheel. I'm set up permanently in an RV park. My issue is, I do not know where the shut off valve for this tank is. I'm connected to water and this tank keeps filling and now in cold weather is over flowing down the side of my trailer. Does anyone know where the shut off valve is to stop this tank from filling up with water? Thanks for your help
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Old 01-18-2017, 01:31 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by matokeya View Post
I have a 1994 Dutchman 5th wheel. I'm set up permanently in an RV park. My issue is, I do not know where the shut off valve for this tank is. I'm connected to water and this tank keeps filling and now in cold weather is over flowing down the side of my trailer. Does anyone know where the shut off valve is to stop this tank from filling up with water? Thanks for your help
You probably have a bad check valve on your water pump. I would isolate that from the system, then open up the drain down valve to empty the tank.

Aaron
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Old 01-18-2017, 02:06 PM   #3
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Thank you for your suggestion. However, I bought this unit used and it did not have an owners manual so I do not know where anything is. I did find a valve of some type located by the water pump that looks like the tubing is going into the water tank. I did turn it, but noticed that I have ice again this a.m. on the side of my trailer (I live in Colorado). The water is coming out of the cap where you would fill the tank. The cap does not have a gasket on it and wondering if it should have one.
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Old 01-18-2017, 04:00 PM   #4
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Don't feel too bad. Even those of us who have new units and are the first owner, don't have what you would call an "owners manual".

We all have to poke around to find where the water pump is. And some of us had to HEAR it to locate it.

But let me see if I can clarify one aspect that might help.

OK, almost all of us have the following in common:
The choice to have either "city water" or water from our fresh water storage tank.
The way these are designed, you can't actually have both simultaneously. (Although you CAN have water in your tank when you also are hooked up to City water. But your RV will automatically use the city water supply, and the water pressure that comes with it, to distribute water throughout your RV)
So how does the RV know when to use which supply?
That water pump is the center of the water supply universe!
It is actually hooked up to both sources. (With the check valve that was alluded to)
So if the pump "senses" water pressure already present, it won't come on because it doesn't need to. So technically, the city water just passes by\through the pump. The pump is just part of the "route" the city water has to go through to makes its way throughout your plumbing.
But, if there is no city water, nor the pressure that comes with it present, the pump "senses" no\low pressure and automatically comes on and runs until some set pressure is created by it. But it creates that water pressure by pulling water from the fresh water tank.

So, hopefully with that picture in your head, you can imagine there is some kind of hose or pipe that reaches the pump from the city water AND from the fresh water tank.

Now here is what MIGHT be your problem.........
When city water is plumbed to your pump, it is NOT supposed to be able to get pass the pump and "back fill" the fresh water tank. Instead, a check valve is supposed to stop that from occurring. A check valve is just a valve that lets water flow in one direction but not the other. That check valve will let water flow FROM the fresh water tank to the pump, but NOT from the pump back to the fresh water tank. That means the city water at the pump CAN'T make it to the fresh water tank.

So it sounds like your check valve isn't doing its job and city water, and the pressure that comes with it, is finding its way past that check valve at or near the pump and filling your fresh water tank. And there is NOTHING to keep it from continuously doing so, thus overfilling your fresh water tank.

Hope I don't make this more confusing.
Locate your pump. Find the line that reaches it FROM the fresh water tank, and the other line that reaches it FROM city water supply. Somewhere around there you will see some device (valve) that divides the two potential sources. That device is the intended one way valve. It might not be doing its job.

And it is likely it just has debris in it that is keeping it from closing off the unintended back fill completely.

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Old 01-18-2017, 06:24 PM   #5
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Thanks Snakebitten for the more detailed info. I think I may just understand what you are telling me. I may have accidentally found that valve and turned it off. The overflow that I experienced last night could be due to the water already in the line to that fill port for the tank which is what could have expanded as it froze last evening. I'm really looking for warmer weather so I can take care of all the issues I've discovered this winter. This was my first winter in this unit. Needless to say, this 70 year old woman has learned a lot this winter and know what I need to do this summer to prepare for next winter. Again, thanks to all who have responded to this thread. I really appreciate it.
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Old 01-18-2017, 06:51 PM   #6
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Very much my pleasure if I can help a fellow full-timer in ANY way!

And around here, I think you'll find you won't wear these guys out. They will always assist if they can.

Stay warm!!!
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Old 01-26-2017, 01:47 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by snakebitten View Post
OK, almost all of us have the following in common:
The choice to have either "city water" or water from our fresh water storage tank.
The way these are designed, you can't actually have both simultaneously. (Although you CAN have water in your tank when you also are hooked up to City water. But your RV will automatically use the city water supply, and the water pressure that comes with it, to distribute water throughout your RV)
So how does the RV know when to use which supply?
That water pump is the center of the water supply universe!
It is actually hooked up to both sources. (With the check valve that was alluded to)
So if the pump "senses" water pressure already present, it won't come on because it doesn't need to. So technically, the city water just passes by\through the pump. The pump is just part of the "route" the city water has to go through to makes its way throughout your plumbing.
But, if there is no city water, nor the pressure that comes with it present, the pump "senses" no\low pressure and automatically comes on and runs until some set pressure is created by it. But it creates that water pressure by pulling water from the fresh water tank.
Sorry for jumping in, but I'm a (complete) newbie here with a quick question regarding this.... does this mean that if I'm city water, I don't need to have the water pump turned on? The RV uses the pressure from the city water connection instead?

On our first-ever trip, we had city water connection, but also had a 1/2 full fresh water tank. We had the water pump turned on. Were we drawing water from the connection or from our tanks?

-R
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Old 01-26-2017, 02:39 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by ricks99 View Post
Sorry for jumping in, but I'm a (complete) newbie here with a quick question regarding this.... does this mean that if I'm city water, I don't need to have the water pump turned on? The RV uses the pressure from the city water connection instead?

On our first-ever trip, we had city water connection, but also had a 1/2 full fresh water tank. We had the water pump turned on. Were we drawing water from the connection or from our tanks?

-R
If the city water is connected, no water pump needed. Our water pump won't even run if you're connected to an outside water source.
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Old 01-26-2017, 09:56 PM   #9
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If you are hooked up to city water you don't need the water pump on. If you are camping not hooked up to city water, you need the water pump to pressurize the system and pull water out of your storage tank. Pumps DON'T like to be run dry.

I have in the past, had very low water pressure at the campground due to too many people on the line, and another time the power was out and the campground well lost pressure. In those cases I did run my water pump to help boost the pressure. I always keep a 1/4+ tank of fresh water just to cover my bases.

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Old 01-27-2017, 01:18 PM   #10
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Now we know: no need to turn on pump when connected to city water.

Thanks all.

-R
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Old 02-06-2019, 09:55 PM   #11
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holding tank filling while on city water and pump off

I have a 2018 Voltage 3970. I am hooked up on city water and my pump is off. My fresh water holding tank keeps filling up with water and over flowing. this started happening after i over filled my black tank. Yes that was a mess.

Any suggestions?
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Old 02-06-2019, 11:20 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by jusbranton View Post
I have a 2018 Voltage 3970. I am hooked up on city water and my pump is off. My fresh water holding tank keeps filling up with water and over flowing. this started happening after i over filled my black tank. Yes that was a mess.

Any suggestions?
Check valve at the water pump is stuck open or broken.

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Old 02-06-2019, 11:49 PM   #13
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Or........ you don't have the selector valve in the "city water" position.
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