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Old 11-16-2014, 08:50 PM   #1
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Dual Fresh Water Tanks - How is it plumbed

Ok, our new Jayco has the 2 - 40 gallon fresh water tanks. From my observation, you have 1 - fill / inlet, 2 vents, 2 drains, and I'm guessing 1 suction out of 1 tank from the pump. So how exactly are the tanks plumbed? Equalized through the drai lines? Where does the fill split, or does it fill into 1 tank and equalize through other lines. Not something I'd ever want, as all we use it for is flushing the toilet in transit, or during cold weather, but we have it. Just curious how it's all plumbed.

Anybody pulled the underbelly to see, or have the non-enclosed underbelly that can look?
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Old 11-16-2014, 10:09 PM   #2
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Mine has a hose at the bottom of the "first" tank that goes into the bottom of the "second" tank. Now that I think about it, there may be 2 hoses...? Anyway, this has the effect of tying the 2 40 gal tanks to effectively make them one large tank. Both tanks have their own overflow spout, but the fill hose only fills into the "first" tank. There is also only one pickup from the pump, but I don't know which tank that goes to, never looked that close, but if I had to guess, it's the "first" tank.
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Old 11-17-2014, 06:07 AM   #3
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X2 the pickup for the water pump on my 338 rlts goes to the first tank. Strangely both overflow tubes go to the second tank and they are tapped into the tank side by side to each other. The first tank is vented next to the gravity fill inlet. A another 338 owner told me the same thing. His is plumbed the same as mine so it must be designed that way and not a mistake. Not sure why there are two overflow tubes that are parallel with each other. I think putting an overflow tube on the first tank may hinder it from "pushing" water into the second tank so it will fill. Like many others I put a ballcock valve on both overflow tubes so they don't slosh water out while going down the road. I also keep them closed when not in use to keep bugs and stuff out.
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Old 11-17-2014, 07:56 PM   #4
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All sounds how I suspected. I appreciate the confirmation. I hadn't figured out the benefit really, but we don't boondock. Don't know anybody that carries over 600 pounds of water. My wife was pissed when she seen the set up, and the fact there is only one gauge. I say pissed, more like what were they thinking. If I have 2 tanks, I wanna know what's in each, regardless of whether they equalize or not. Then again, those gauges aren't reliable to start with unless you have a SeeLevel system.


So, we used to only add 10 gallons of water tops, for flushing the toilet while enroute. Now, to get that same level where the suction will pick up good, I have to add 20 gallons to get the same level since the tanks equalize. Not a smart design, but somebody thought it was. We'll deal with it accordingly, as we like most things about the Jay Flight.
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Old 11-17-2014, 11:08 PM   #5
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I have a StarCraft 235fb which is a Jayco 23fb twin. It has the two 40 gallon tanks and is set up almost exactly as CamperBob and WWSmith111 state. The one thing I would add is that the water uptake to the onboard pump actually comes from BOTH tanks. There is a hose that drops from the bottom of each tank to a T and then goes to the pump. I also have both undercarriage vents coming from the 2nd tank but don't know why. As with many people, I had the problem of full tanks draining/siphoning out through the overflow tubes and so I T'd them both together and put a shutoff valve on them. Just remember to leave the valve open when filling with water or you may blow your 2nd tank up like a balloon since the air can't vent out.

We absolutely LOVE the 80+ gallon capacity of our travel trailer and that is one of the attributes that sold us on that model. We often camp in state parks or national forests without a water supply at the campsite. And sometimes we boondock without any water supply. So, yes, we do sometimes fill up all 80-90 gallons at home and haul it. Our rig pulls it fine, and the trailer actually pulls nicer when weighted down (We live in pretty flat country). I agree about the shallow tanks though. They are only about a foot or so deep, and the fresh water draw comes out on the lower part of the sidewall, not from the bottom of the tank. Also, the tanks tend to sag somewhat between the metal bars that are installed to support them. So that is even more water that is unavailable to the pump. I added two more metal straps to each tank so now there are 5 straps on each tank.

One goofy thing is that our BW and GW tanks are 30 gallons each. So where is that extra 30 gallons supposed to go? Well, we do sometimes use an outside shower tent and also have an outside portable kitchen with sink that we run off the outside shower line, so it isn't so much of a problem.
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Old 11-18-2014, 06:20 AM   #6
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I have a StarCraft 235fb which is a Jayco 23fb twin. It has the two 40 gallon tanks and is set up almost exactly as CamperBob and WWSmith111 state. The one thing I would add is that the water uptake to the onboard pump actually comes from BOTH tanks. There is a hose that drops from the bottom of each tank to a T and then goes to the pump. I also have both undercarriage vents coming from the 2nd tank but don't know why. As with many people, I had the problem of full tanks draining/siphoning out through the overflow tubes and so I T'd them both together and put a shutoff valve on them. Just remember to leave the valve open when filling with water or you may blow your 2nd tank up like a balloon since the air can't vent out.

We absolutely LOVE the 80+ gallon capacity of our travel trailer and that is one of the attributes that sold us on that model. We often camp in state parks or national forests without a water supply at the campsite. And sometimes we boondock without any water supply. So, yes, we do sometimes fill up all 80-90 gallons at home and haul it. Our rig pulls it fine, and the trailer actually pulls nicer when weighted down (We live in pretty flat country). I agree about the shallow tanks though. They are only about a foot or so deep, and the fresh water draw comes out on the lower part of the sidewall, not from the bottom of the tank. Also, the tanks tend to sag somewhat between the metal bars that are installed to support them. So that is even more water that is unavailable to the pump. I added two more metal straps to each tank so now there are 5 straps on each tank.

One goofy thing is that our BW and GW tanks are 30 gallons each. So where is that extra 30 gallons supposed to go? Well, we do sometimes use an outside shower tent and also have an outside portable kitchen with sink that we run off the outside shower line, so it isn't so much of a problem.
Glad you clarified that the pump pulls from both tanks. The two tanks on my 338 have tees coming off the bottom that are tied together with hose. The plum is then tied into the tee on the first tank along with the low point drain. The tee on the 2nd tank also has a low point drain.

The 338 has two gray water holding tanks. One is for the washing machine which we don't use that often. I bought a gate valve that goes on the sewer outlet so that I can open both grey water drains with the gate valve closed and in effect tie them together which in effect doubles my gray water capacity 32.5 x 2 = 65 gallons.
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Old 11-18-2014, 06:25 AM   #7
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One goofy thing is that our BW and GW tanks are 30 gallons each. So where is that extra 30 gallons supposed to go?
This is another one of those things that make it obvious the design engineers do not use these RV's. That thought never occurred to them.

Personally I would like to trade 20 gallons of fresh water space and give it to the grey water tank.
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Old 11-18-2014, 06:51 AM   #8
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Looks to me that many tank sizes may not make since to most of us, but there are obvious constraints as to what will fit where. Every RV I have ever looked at has compromises somewhere. So it boils down to what the buyer is willing to live with.
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Old 11-18-2014, 08:31 PM   #9
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I wondered the same thing about 80 gallons fresh, and in our case I think 39 gray, 39 black. But, what doesn't make sense to one makes perfect sense to another.


I appreciate all of yall chipping in. I definitely have a better idea of what's under the cover, without pulling it.
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Old 11-19-2014, 07:15 AM   #10
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But....

If the inlet side of the pump is Tee'd into both fresh tanks, as soon as one side drops below the end of its hose, air enters the system and no water would be pulled from the other tank. In a perfect world, the ends of both hoses would be at the same level, and your RV would also be perfectly level.
I think I'd rather have one pump input hose and two tanks plumbed together at their lowest point.
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Old 11-19-2014, 08:54 AM   #11
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Personally I would like to trade 20 gallons of fresh water space and give it to the grey water tank.
+1, the grey water capacity would be much more useful for me...
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Old 11-19-2014, 11:09 AM   #12
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If the inlet side of the pump is Tee'd into both fresh tanks, as soon as one side drops below the end of its hose, air enters the system and no water would be pulled from the other tank. In a perfect world, the ends of both hoses would be at the same level, and your RV would also be perfectly level.
I think I'd rather have one pump input hose and two tanks plumbed together at their lowest point.
Yes, very good point. I know that when I've run the FW tank down to the point where I can get no more water through the pump, I can go out and open the FW tank drains and still get probably a couple of buckets of water out. I never thought about what you said, but I see the logic in it.
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Old 11-19-2014, 11:41 AM   #13
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If you only want to use one FWtank just install a valve to block one tank from filling.
Make the unit your own. It should not void warranty.
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