Fresh water tank problem

[buzzard01]

Bought new 2016 Eagle HT 27.5RKDS..Filled fresh water tank to go camping for the weekend. Filled the tank till water was running out of the overflow tubes and panel says full. After only 2 quick showers and some dirty dishes we were out of water already. When we got back home I filled the tank again till running out overflow tubes and panel said full. I then drained it out the valve into 5 gallon pails. I'm only getting 4 pails outa the tank, about 20 gallons...Freshwater tank should be 48 gallons...Anyone know what my problem is.

[Cosmik Debris]

Does the water keep flowing from overflow? It can siphon, but never heard of one that almost empties the tank. I put a barbed wuarter turn brass valve on mine. When water shows I close valve and removed fill home. I open the overflow valve once I've used some from tank.

[buzzard01]

No it quits running out soon after shutting water off..Its like they used a 20 gallon tank for the fresh water...or the tank that should be installed is half full of spray foam. Or maybe they have a gray tank and freshwater tank plumbed wrong..See what dealer has to say in the morning.

[Nukeneck]

Wow! Curious to hear what you find out

[Cosmik Debris]

one other thing I do when filling is kick on the pump and fill the six gallon water heater and all plumbing. This could explain some loss in a small holding tank. Mt fiver has 95 gallons of fresh water and I make it stretch to 100.

[Fire_Instructor]

Your water capacity includes the capacity of the water heater. Not sure if you have a 5 or 10 gallon water heater, but subtract that from the 48. Still, you seem to be coming up way too short....

[BJR]

Originally Posted by buzzard01

No it quits running out soon after shutting water off..Its like they used a 20 gallon tank for the fresh water...or the tank that should be installed is half full of spray foam. Or maybe they have a gray tank and freshwater tank plumbed wrong..See what dealer has to say in the morning.

When you emptied it into the buckets what did it say on the gauge?

Now you have to measure how much you're putting in til it's full.

[Cdash]

Originally Posted by Cosmik Debris

Does the water keep flowing from overflow? It can siphon, but never heard of one that almost empties the tank. I put a barbed wuarter turn brass valve on mine. When water shows I close valve and removed fill home. I open the overflow valve once I've used some from tank.

The newer models use a 2" pool hose as the overflow. Adding a valve would be a bit different.

I think they fixed the siphon issue with that larger hose. However, I do notice that I do loose some additional water on turns when I travel with a full tank.

I'm kind of curious as to what I would find if I drained the tank, although, I don't expect that I'd find what the OP found. I find that the water lasts as long as what I would expect.

[dewey02]

Originally Posted by Cosmik Debris

one other thing I do when filling is kick on the pump and fill the six gallon water heater and all plumbing. This could explain some loss in a small holding tank. Mt fiver has 95 gallons of fresh water and I make it stretch to 100.

Actually, while you are hauling 100 gallons, you don't have access to all of it.
What you are doing makes sense, but you really only will have access to 95 gallons (and probably less because you can never completely empty your FW tank).
You won't get more than 95 gallons because that 5 (6?) gallons in your water heater and plumbing is never available to you. Once you are completely out of water, you will still have a water heater full of water. It only comes out of the hot water tank when there is water coming from your fw tank to push it out.

What you are doing is a good thing, because if you didn't do it, you would have access to even less water.

[buzzard01]

I crack the taps and turn on the pump when I fill to get the most I can and make sure the hot water tank is full...Before I filled trailer tank I filled a 5 gallon pail with the same water hose I use to fill trailer and that took 2 minutes. so by right it should take roughly 20 mins to fill trailer tank but it only took 10 mins which equals to about 20 gallons and when I drain that's all I get back is 20 gallons...Took it back to dealer today, see what they come up with.

[CHV_FRK]

did you find your issue with this. I'm having the same problem and found that the tank is caved in on the top and up on the bottom. There is no vaccum on the tank and the overflows vent freely. This seems to be the resting possession of the tank. We are only getting about 20-30 gallons use out of a 120 gallon tank.

[Chrisb-24]

Your water tank siphon's it's self out while you travel. I've had the same thing happen to me, it's a design flaw. The two hoses that hang out the right rear is the overflow and vent. I've put a valve in both hoses and as soon as water starts coming out I turn the supply off. I then wait a few minutes then refill my water tank slowly. I stand by the water hydrant and as soon as water starts coming out I shut my water hydrant off then close the valves that I installed in the overflow and vent. No more problems and I get to the camp ground with a full water tank, all 42 gallons.

[CHV_FRK]

My issues are not related to moving. The top is so caved it once I use even 5 gallons it's inches from the top.

[Isaacs]

Originally Posted by CHV_FRK

My issues are not related to moving. The top is so caved it once I use even 5 gallons it's inches from the top.

That's an interesting problem; I'm thinking that at some point there was a vacuum that distorted the tank.

What I would do is try filling the tank with hot water; you'll probably have to run a hose to a sink in your house. Once it's full, plug up all the vents and find a way to force more hot water into the tank without letting any leak out. Eventually, your tank should go back to its original shape. Then let it sit for a couple of days while the water cools and the tank "remembers" its proper shape.

If your tank explodes it sounds like you have nothing to lose--it seems like it's pretty useless the way it is!

[CHV_FRK]

That was my thought but the vents aren't an issue. This is a new trailer as well.

I was thinking of how to get heat in there but at 120 gallons I have no way to generate that amount of heat. at least not without rigging up a pretty crazy contraption.

Originally Posted by Isaacs

That's an interesting problem; I'm thinking that at some point there was a vacuum that distorted the tank.

What I would do is try filling the tank with hot water; you'll probably have to run a hose to a sink in your house. Once it's full, plug up all the vents and find a way to force more hot water into the tank without letting any leak out. Eventually, your tank should go back to its original shape. Then let it sit for a couple of days while the water cools and the tank "remembers" its proper shape.

If your tank explodes it sounds like you have nothing to lose--it seems like it's pretty useless the way it is!

[Hoppy220]

Originally Posted by Cdash

The newer models use a 2" pool hose as the overflow. Adding a valve would be a bit different.

I think they fixed the siphon issue with that larger hose. However, I do notice that I do loose some additional water on turns when I travel with a full tank.

A couple of those black springy binder clips from Office Max will cure that. Fold over end of hose clip on the clips. Just remember to remove them before using water

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by CHV_FRK

did you find your issue with this. I'm having the same problem and found that the tank is caved in on the top and up on the bottom. There is no vaccum on the tank and the overflows vent freely. This seems to be the resting possession of the tank. We are only getting about 20-30 gallons use out of a 120 gallon tank.

What year make and model RV do you have? Are you sure it's 120 gal tank? Not a common size tank for towables. My 2017 Eagle 293RKDS is 75 gal. My previous trailer was 50 gal. A lot of trailers are in the 40 to 50 range. Especially small or lightweight ones.


Earl

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by Hoppy220

A couple of those black springy binder clips from Office Max will cure that. Fold over end of hose clip on the clips. Just remember to remove them before using water

I do that too. I also put a valve on the vent hose. I don't loose a drop of water on the road. I just open the valve once I get there. I just keep the clip on the overflow black hose till I refill. Once I get water there I clip it. Then once I get water at the vent I close the valve. Then I continue filling for a minute or so and stop.


Earl