Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Discussions => Topic started by: oldguy on December 22, 2019, 10:29:20 am

Title: water in the pump space
Post by: oldguy on December 22, 2019, 10:29:20 am
I have found water in the pump area twice. I thought I had a leak from the water system, but this morning dry. It seems to show up
after a heavy rain. Anybody have an idea where it could be coming from.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: John Haygarth on December 22, 2019, 10:49:33 am
I found out year sago that water was getting into the bays after rain or road water being thrown up. The latter was an easy fix as some door seals had the corner joins broken etc. The rain coming from roof and side walls when stationary proved to be entering where the walls are bolted to the basement just above the bay door tops. Open the doors and you will see the rolocks used to pull the wall to frame. The angle iron that is bolted to the face of metal door framing is screwed onto the side wall. I found water getting behind this so ran a bead of polyurethane caulk along the tops of joint all the way along coach on both sides. The leaks stopped right away.
I have also installed under the floor splash deflectors at each hole cut thru floor vents and this also has worked well,  so juch so that there is no road dirt etc at all now getting in. I also redesigned that sewer flap to be wider and longer and put a foam seal on it , so here again no road water or dirt enters.
These areas were not thought out  well on original build of coach.
JohnH
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: Bob & Sue on December 22, 2019, 01:46:29 pm
Any pics for that location John.  I always thought the intrusion would be through the piano hinge.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: oldguy on December 22, 2019, 03:46:02 pm
Thanks John I will go and check that out.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: John Haygarth on December 22, 2019, 05:45:07 pm
Just took a couple of pictures and hope it helps. You can see the caulking smeared along the top above Philips screw head.
This did fix my problem after sitting thinking about how water could be getting into bay after all other possibilities had been exhausted
JohnH
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: Lt403 on December 22, 2019, 09:21:19 pm
I was getting water in my bays after I washed the coach. Ended up adjusting the pins where the door latches on top of door. One on each side.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: oldguy on December 23, 2019, 04:00:37 pm
I think I made a mistake as to where the water was coming from. I think it may have come from the fill hose. I have been looking at the fill system and I don't know how it works. I have the shelves out above the pump so I have traced the piping but it doesn't make
sense to me.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: Journey, Roam, Explore on December 25, 2019, 11:06:13 am
I think I made a mistake as to where the water was coming from. I think it may have come from the fill hose. I have been looking at the fill system and I don't know how it works. I have the shelves out above the pump so I have traced the piping but it doesn't make
sense to me.

Exactly!
In the process of redesigning the entire PEX fill to maniblock system. On mine it was designed by someone that loved mazes! First time out couldn't figure out how to fill the tank.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: Jack Lewis on December 25, 2019, 12:16:55 pm
Careful Bob when re-engineering plumbing...., reminds me of Bob Dylan quote "Don't criticize, what you can't understand". My experience tells me engineers are more often right, than wrong.

Not trying to be a wise guy, I've just seen too many sequential owners suffer from a re-engineering of a motor home component.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: oldguy on December 26, 2019, 09:51:50 am
I'm not criticizing how the system works, I just don't know how it works. I can get it to work now, I just like to know how it works.
I see the water coming out of the tank and have figgered out how it works from there. I just don't know how it works in the tank.
I can see that I can't run directly from city water as my other coach could. That's not a problem as I have never run directly from
city water.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: Michelle on December 26, 2019, 10:40:26 am

I can see that I can't run directly from city water as my other coach could. That's not a problem as I have never run directly from
city water.

That seems odd unless a PO modified the fresh water system.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: craneman on December 26, 2019, 11:23:37 am

I can see that I can't run directly from city water as my other coach could. That's not a problem as I have never run directly from
city water.
Like Michelle says if your system isn't modified or damaged, all you have to do is hook up the hose and leave the fill switch off and you should have water at the faucets.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: wolfe10 on December 26, 2019, 11:29:50 am
Correct.

Shore water can either fill the potable water tank (fill valve OPEN)

OR

Shore water can supply the whole potable water system with pressurized water (hopefully with pressure reducer in-line) (fill valve CLOSED).
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: oldguy on December 26, 2019, 04:57:55 pm
Thanks I will just run from the tank via the pump.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: wolfe10 on December 26, 2019, 05:10:25 pm
Thanks I will just run from the tank via the pump.

Same as I do-- keeps water in tank fresh!
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: oldguy on December 26, 2019, 08:31:47 pm
I would like to know how the water gets into the tank. I haven't been able to figger it out.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: craneman on December 26, 2019, 08:40:48 pm
In the bay with the waterpump is a electrically activated valve that when open fills from the bottom of the tank. If you have the upholstered panel, it is behind it.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: stevec22 on December 26, 2019, 09:49:18 pm
On my 98 u320 the water works like this. 

I have two switches in my bathroom under the counter edge that control the water usage. (yours may be different), one switch ops the water fill switch. When hooked up to city water, if you flip the switch, the water will fill your holding tank.  When this switch is off, the city water should go to your faucets.

When not connected to city water, the other switch in bathroom, will turn on the water pump.

Other water switches on kitchen cabinet and outside in wet bay.

Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: Journey, Roam, Explore on December 26, 2019, 10:03:22 pm
Careful Bob when re-engineering plumbing...., reminds me of Bob Dylan quote "Don't criticize, what you can't understand". My experience tells me engineers are more often right, than wrong.

Not trying to be a wise guy, I've just seen too many sequential owners suffer from a re-engineering of a motor home component.
I understand what you are saying but....
I think that someone put my system back together in a funky way.
If you could see it you would scratch your head too.
It's getting replaced. Water flow is not rocket science.
I have no desire to run this coach off city water anyway. So a direct fill was installed and the maze is going away. Also draining the tank and plumbing through the bottom instead through the bulkhead.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: Journey, Roam, Explore on December 26, 2019, 10:10:10 pm
On my 98 u320 the water works like this. 

I have two switches in my bathroom under the counter edge that control the water usage. (yours may be different), one switch ops the water fill switch. When hooked up to city water, if you flip the switch, the water will fill your holding tank.  When this switch is off, the city water should go to your faucets.

When not connected to city water, the other switch in bathroom, will turn on the water pump.

Other water switches on kitchen cabinet and outside in wet bay.



I have that too, but then someone put in multiple shut off valves that have to be move just right to make it all work so..... I really think a direct fill from the top is a much better solution. City water would be nice if I was in one place all the time, maybe. But if a clamp broke or a pipe split, and you were away... Not good. I prefer to manage my water use closely.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: oldguy on December 27, 2019, 10:04:05 am
I think I will disconnect my fill switch in the bathroom as I only need it in the fill station and then I won't hit it by mistake when
turn on and off the pump.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: Michelle on December 27, 2019, 10:21:46 am
If considering modifying the OEM plumbing, keep in mind the "challenges" this could present when it's time to sell the coach.  You may not care if you can't run off city water, but many people expect to be able to.  Don't make your coach too "unique" OR prepare to make the effort and cost return it to OEM before you sell.
Title: Re: water in the pump space
Post by: oldguy on December 27, 2019, 10:50:35 am
 I agree, I will only disconnect it so it is easy to reconnect it.