Water Overflow Tube

[Quantum]

This is how I solve the problem with mine.

[tpastorini]

I just tied all three of my fresh water vents together to one outlet hose. I routed the outlet hose to where my receiver is and put a valve on the end. I open the valve during tank filling, then close it for travel. I just added this and it cost about 12 bucks in parts and hose. I have taken the RV out twice and finally showed up at camp with all of my water on board.

Otherwise, we were showing up to camp with about 20 to 30 gallons lost.

[JesseS]

This happens a lot, I boondock in the Tahoe back country and will lose 1/3 of my water climbing the hill, my solution was to redirect all 3 vent tubes thru my utility compartment and add inline valves then out thru the bottom. Added a notice to remember to 'Open' when parked. So far has worked great, don't lose a drop.

[rhermsen]

Add a breather tube as quantum did above. Works perfect and you don't risk over filling and having the overflow sealed.

[Johnynorthland]

Originally Posted by Marko

I keep losing water from my overflow tube when I am on the road. Is there anyone else experiencing this and what do you recommend to stop this?


MarkoAttachment 68837

I find that when I fill my tank it siphons, but if it’s 2/3 full nothing happens?!

[rhermsen]

Originally Posted by Johnynorthland

I find that when I fill my tank it siphons, but if it’s 2/3 full nothing happens?!

That is because it is a sealed system once the fill has water in it and the overflow starts flowing. Adding the breather as shown above allows air in so the overflow will only release water that truly doesn't fit.

[mlitt55]

2019, 27.5 RLTS here. Same issue. We only fill at the CG, and travel with about a third. I use the clamp method after a full fill with a sticky note to remind myself to remove it.

[USNMA1]

Originally Posted by riddleswest

Here is the photo

I did the same seems to work

[SmokerBill]

My trailer has a pair of fresh water tanks. The overflow lines of each tank are connected to a single overflow hose. The plug I've always used for the 1/2 inch garden hose has been a Sharpie marker pen. I take it out when filling the tanks. When water starts running out I re-insert the Sharpie and leave it in until the next time I fill my tanks.

[stuts35gs]

I went to Home Depot and found a vacuum breaker in the plumbing section. I added some tubing to raise the high point of the "siphon". I installed the breaker at the top to stop the ability to siphon. This way I don't have to remember to open or close valves or clamps. I don't know if you can get to the overflow coming out of the top of your fresh water tank to do this mod.

I had a Jayco Seneca that required this treatment. Now I have a Newmar Dutch Star that required the same modification.

[JimD]

Ah, the dreaded water siphon draining syndrome. Very popular topic.

On my Greyhawk I originally installed 3 valves on the tubes which basically worked. A few times I forgot to open them when arriving at the site because if I immediately opened them, they would start siphoning so I put it off. Then finally remembered to open a couple of days later. The tank had a nice vacuum buildup. My Bad.

Wanted to come up with a no-brainer remedy being the lazy guy I am. My Greyhawk has an outside shower cabinet which is also where the water fill connection is. Previously when filling I would be filling at the cabinet while constantly having to watch down the rig for the water to start flowing out and then rush down to shut the valves. Yuk!

My fix was to extend all 3 hoses into my fill cabinet. I did put valves on them but found that I don't need to close them off. Now when filling I can just sit back in my chair while watching the vent hoses which are right there. As soon as a little bit of water burps out any of the hoses, I stop filling. Not only is this easier for the lazy guy, it also allows a tad bit more water to fit since the tank can now fill to the very top before pushing the water up the hose above the top of the tank. No siphon is possible since the hose ends are well above tank level.

Worked for me. Now I don't have to worry about opening any vent valves.

[Packerbacker_TX]

Originally Posted by Marko

I keep losing water from my overflow tube when I am on the road. Is there anyone else experiencing this and what do you recommend to stop this?


MarkoAttachment 68837

Marko - The idea of an "overflow" tube is to allow overflow. It's really handy when you're filling your fresh water tanks because you know when to stop. (LOL) When you're towing the rig and bouncing around on the road, you'll slosh around and lose some water but it's just excess water. It's not like half your tank is empty or anything. Some people mentioned valves or stop gap measures... I'd be cautious because if you overfill the tank and a closed valve is keeping things inside the rig, where do you think the water is going to go next?

Here's a couple freebies:
* Fill the fresh water tank just enough to get by (flush toilet/wash hands) and fill up when you get close to where you're going. Remember that a gallon of water is 8#, so a 50 gallon tank is roughly 400# you're towing around.
* Get a couple of gallon jugs and fill them with water. Keep it in the shower and use it for the toilet instead of running around with fresh water tanks.


Good Luck!

[Osogrande]

Marko, I too had the same issue. I don't travel with a full tank (my tank is 91 gallons which equates to over 700lbs!), but right before heading out to boondock we would fill the tanks to full capacity. The dreaded siphon syndrome would kick in and depending on how far away the last potable water source was, we could lose as much as 1/4 of the tank. I installed a ball valve to remedy the situation. (pic below)

But as others have said, use a checklist and make sure you open it once you get to your campsite. I don't just worry about over pressuring the system when filling, but I also don't want to create a vacuum when running off of the internal pump.

Happy trails!

[nickbnick]

My 2021 27.5RLTS would lose 2/3 of the water going from the fill station to the campsite - all in the same campground while traveling level with no sudden stops and starts. I used the binder clip and solved! Can even travel with full tank for boondocking. CRITICAL to remember to remove clip when filling.

[Rock]

Had to do the same on mine. I do not want to cut open the bottom and mine has two overflows next to each other. One is regular hose the other like a bike inner tube. I assume I have two tanks and both hoses will vent water within a few seconds of each. I hooked both together and ran a hose to back of camper to the trailer hitch where it is in the open. Before with my slides open it was a pain to see way underneath. Now when it vents i stop filling and close the valve at end of overflow hose.

[in5r]

I also use the binder clips it works great. All I do is roll the tube up a few times put the clip on it. There is also a smaller overflow tube that I put a valve on. You just need to remember to open this after you set up as to not create a vacuum in your fresh water tank reducing water while you are in the shower, don't ask how I know this.

[Barbmitc]

Originally Posted by Marko

Awesome. Thanks so much for the photo. How much water do travel with? Full or half?

Marko

This is exactly what we do also. Cheap and works great.

[JimD]

My tanks are always full. I prefer to use water that I know is good. No way to know what you will be filling up with where you end up. I fill through a filter and then there is a built-in filter in the rig.

If I am at a campground with all 3 hookups and will be staying for a few days, I will hook up to their water with my filter. If there is no sewer hookup I will use my fresh water tank. No need to hook up water if there isn't room in the holding tanks.

The majority of my camping is without hookups.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by Marko

I keep losing water from my overflow tube when I am on the road. Is there anyone else experiencing this and what do you recommend to stop this?


MarkoAttachment 68837

On my Thor motorhome the water fill has the overflow built-in so if you overfill the water will shoot out just above the hose connection. If yours is replaced with this type of water fill it should take care of the problem

[CAG]

Originally Posted by madmaxmutt

I still think this is just a stupid panel design. Older and cheaper gravity fed fill tubes vented out at the fill (or near it). Venting below the tank saves them $20 worth of hose. Nevermind, that it causes problems for all or your customers.....

One of the issues created with the vent near the fill was a U in the vent line that filled with water and did not allow the vent to do it's job. With Heartland there were numerous complaints about the tank not filling to capacity due to the vent being clogged with water. Many had to "blow" out the vent line to get the system to work. In some cases the vent line caused the tank to continue to fill past full, expanding the tank to a point that water blew back out the fill and the tank expanded damaging the tank.



So there may have been other reasons to move the overflow lines. In my case the situation of a blocked vent caused the crossover on the two 50 gallon tanks to blow off and drain both tanks in short order. I had the original vent removed and put three vents on the tanks that vented under the rig. I added valves to those to prevent losing all my water on the way to a drycamp location.


It is easy to critique without having all of the facts but generally that leads to a faulty conclusion.