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Water system

Silly question for the day!!
On my last trip I had city water for the first time, or at least the first time I have used it. I could not get it to operate and found I was only using the water from the on-board tank??
Would some one please give me a refresher class.
I have a 2001 U320, 40ft and it has two fill valve switches, one outside at the water/sewer panel and one under the sink.  My memory says they have to be off.  The tank was not being filled by the city supply and neither was I getting city water at the faucets.
Or put more simply, how do I get city water into the coach??
Speedbird 1.
2001 U320 Build #5865
Daihatsu Rocky Toad
VW Touareg
'82 F100 Stepside
Beech' Debonair

Re: Water system

Reply #1 –
Quote from: speedbird1 –
The tank was not being filled by the city supply and neither was I getting city water at the faucets.
1.  There are no silly questions.

2.  It sounds like you understand the system perfectly.  With shore water hooked up, it should do one of two things: (with fill valve open) fill the tank, or (with fill valve closed) supply water pressure to faucets.  Yours is not doing either.

3.  SO, there must be another mystery valve, or a blockage somewhere, preventing shore connection from supplying pressure.  Do you employ a filter, screen, or pressure regulator on your hose when you connect to shore water?  These devices can plug up and slow or completely block the water flow.  However, since your water tank has been filling normally when you open the fill valve, this is not a likely scenario.

4.  I'm (temporarily) stumped.  While I ponder, hopefully smarter members will chime in with a brilliant solution.  :help:
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Water system

Reply #2 –
speedbird,

You should have an anti back feed check valve (government required so it is somewhere) between where your hose comes in the coach and where the feed line ties into the pressure side of your water system.  Find this check valve and see if it has failed.  If it fails the parts can completely shut down your incoming water.

Pamela & Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Water system

Reply #3 –
Second silly question was your water pump turned off when you hooked up to city water?
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Water system

Reply #4 –
Quote from: craneman –
Second silly question was your water pump turned off when you hooked up to city water?
Doesn't matter.  As long as fill valve is closed, you can use the pump and shore pressure to supply the faucets.  This is commonly done to help augment low shore pressure for more satisfying shower performance.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Water system

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie –
Doesn't matter.  As long as fill valve is closed, you can use the pump and shore pressure to supply the faucets.  This is commonly done to help augment low shore pressure for more satisfying shower performance.
If the shore water pressure was lower than the pump wouldn't it use the tank water?
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Water system

Reply #6 –
Quote from: craneman –
If the shore water pressure was lower than the pump wouldn't it use the tank water?
Good point...you may be right...guess we need to hear the answer to your question from speedbird1.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Water system

Reply #7 –
When you are connected to an external water source the accumulator tank is pressurized by the external source.  The pump will not come on until the pressure goes below a certain point. 

Brian, look in your water manifold/pump bay below the shelf on the right side.  In the space where the pump is on the right side wall there is a ball valve (90° lever). It is the shut off for the city water incoming line.  If it is off you will get no filling and no internal city water.  It gets turned off when I winterize and not turned on until I give myself a dope slap because I always forget that I shut it off.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Water system

Reply #8 –
I ran into the same condition back awhile ago. It happened after connecting to a high pressure city water supply. The anti-siphon check valve came apart internally creating a complete blockage. There are at least a couple different brand replacement valves available. Be sure what you choose has a brass plug retainer. It can be seen at the discharge end of the valve.  Ours failed due to a plastic retainer after a years service.
A quick way to test the check valve is to open the fill hose end  and see if water continues to flow out of the hose. If there is water in the fresh water tank and water flows out the valve is shot.
The selected media item is not currently available.Bob & Faith Rozek
1997 U320 40'
Xtreme Remodel
2010 Scion XD

Re: Water system

Reply #9 –
OK Guys,

Thanks for the gathering of the brains that helps my tiny one think straight.
1)  The water pump was on and the fill valve shut and I was only using on-board water.
2) Roger, the valve is open.
3) Chuck, I feel it is the pressure regulator on the end of my hose.  Reason, I filled OK at home using well water (lo pressure).  I feel the pressure at the campground may have been high and shut the incoming off as advertised.
I had forgotten that the pressure regulator may close the fill line off completely if the incoming is too high.  Maybe if I had closed the mains tap a bit the pressure would have gone down and all would have been well??
Thanks to all.
Speedbird 1
2001 U320 Build #5865
Daihatsu Rocky Toad
VW Touareg
'82 F100 Stepside
Beech' Debonair
 

Re: Water system

Reply #10 –
My high pressure regulator on the hose failed closed once.

Rich
Rich and Peggy Bowman
2002 U270 3610 WTFS, build #5939--"Freedom"
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4xe
SMI AirForceOne brake system
PakCanoe 15