Removing panel for water check valve

Topic: Removing panel for water check valve (Read 2316 times) previous topic - next topic

Removing panel for water check valve

July 13, 2011, 03:43:13 pm

Need to remove panel or panels to get to water check valve. Does anyone have a tutiorial on steps to remove. Have taken off outside faucet and all screws. Don't want to force something so making sure what would be the next step..Not sure if I need to remove anything else. Thanks again for the help.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #1 – July 13, 2011, 04:38:27 pm

The panel in the service bay behind the taps in my 96 U320 holds the water pump switch, water fill switch, telephone plug, TV coax plug, 120V AC recepticle. I removed the screws holding the panel and scraped of the sealant. The panel came loose with several wires hanging out the back. I cut the panel from top to bottom near the center. I installed more screws and can now easily remove just half of the panel which provides good access to the plumbing and wiring behind.

The most difficult part was removing the weather sealing to allow the panel to be removed. I do not understand why this panel was weather sealed when there is a vent hole in the side panel beside the drawer.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #2 – July 13, 2011, 05:17:55 pm

Thanks, panel now off. Guess what...After talking to MOT, mechanics, James T. etc, etc, etc, this couch doens't have a check valve. Oh well, now I learned something new today.

Mot replaced the Water Fill Switch, which seems defective...wonderful...

Sure wish I would have payed attention when my daddy tried to teach me electric and plumbing...Now I'm to old to learn, or at least retain.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #3 – July 13, 2011, 05:26:38 pm

Quote from: Jeff Savournin – July 13, 2011, 05:17:55 pm

Thanks, panel now off. Guess what...After talking to MOT, mechanics, James T. etc, etc, etc, this couch doens't have a check valve. Oh well, now I learned something new today.

Mot replaced the Water Fill Switch, which seems defective...wonderful...

Jeff,

Weren't you also having trouble getting water just to come in when hooked up to city, not just trying to fill the tank?

If so, post a photo of your water pump bay, particularly visible plumbing and the ball valve handle positions. You shouldn't need the fill valve working to run off city water. We have ours manually turned off and are running off city just fine.

Michelle

Edited to add - another thought.... there are two switches for the water fill - one under the kitchen sink and one in the utility bay. I believe they operate a control module or relay, not the fill switch directly. It could be the control module that's flaky, not your fill switch.

Similarly, the water pump is run from 3 positions - kitchen, bath, and utility bay. Again via a control module/relay.

I have no idea where these are located. Good question for Triana.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #4 – July 13, 2011, 06:05:45 pm

Quote from: P. Wyatt Sabourin – July 13, 2011, 04:38:27 pm

The most difficult part was removing the weather sealing to allow the panel to be removed. I do not understand why this panel was weather sealed when there is a vent hole in the side panel beside the drawer.

Most likely it is caulked because it looks better that way. But it is a real pain to remove. BTDT.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #5 – July 13, 2011, 06:43:26 pm

We are totally stumped. Got the #*^@*#% panel off the utility bay. Outdoor faucet disconnected, sewer flush disconnected, obscure screws in tight corners located, caulk scraped out, knuckles scraped raw and area in question exposed. Water line comes off hose reel into interior compartment and disappears into the bowels of the coach. No check valve in sight ANYWHERE. With all the faucet connections apart, we crimped the water hose, I turned on the city hose bib and Jeff very slowly let the water flow by uncrimping the hose. Water came out of the cold water pipe for the faucet!! I happened to call Gary Omel just after that and his concern is that wherever the check valve might be, it has come apart and there is now a blockage in the line. Could Jeff be correct and we do not have a check valve on this coach?? If the check valve was part of the elbow on the hose reel, it would not have allowed water into the coach to then come out of the faucet connection. I am glad we are parked very near the nicely clean and tidy lavatories in this campground!

With Mike Rodgers, I checked all the valve positions adjacent to and around the water fill valve. They are little petcock type things and are all "open" ... meaning "inline" with the pipe tubing and closed to the drain lines. I have also used the little brass set screw on the side of the water fill valve to manually override the flow adjustment and open the fill valve wide. There is no clear reason why we would not be getting water past the proper point to fill the tanks or run from city water! I surely wish my life was simple. Why didn't I just go for the Pop-up Camper?

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #6 – July 13, 2011, 09:12:08 pm

Oh well, this too will pass. If I can keep my sanity. Will find out what is happening and post. Have talked many times to everyone I know from James T. to Gary O, . At least, on occasion, we can get water in the tank. Usually runs about 10 minutes then shuts stops both filling the tank and running off shore water. Tried the manual over ride..Nope, doesn't help. Next step we drive 100 miles to find a repair facility.

In the mountains of Colorado and fish are calling me. (They are safe-if you ever saw me fish you would understand)..

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #7 – July 13, 2011, 09:55:32 pm

As we discussed by phone, I'm betting that the new electric fill valve was installed backward. If so, the check valve built into the fill valve would prevent the flow into the tank and city water line. If its like most one way valves there will be an arrow indicating flow direction. If its backwards, just cut the lines and re-install the other way.

Let us know the outcome.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #8 – July 13, 2011, 10:50:42 pm

Quote from: Kent Speers – July 13, 2011, 09:55:32 pm

As we discussed by phone, I'm betting that the new electric fill valve was installed backward. If so, the check valve built into the fill valve would prevent the flow into the tank and city water line.

I'm hoping after we get some photos of Jeff and Carol's plumbing around the pump and fill valve, we'll know more. Each coach seems to be different. In ours, the fill valve doesn't come into play at all if hooked up to city water. Our manibloc is fed via a tee in the line before the fill valve.

-M

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #9 – July 14, 2011, 12:26:52 am

Trouble shooting with Mike Rodgers has us convinced that the fill valve is not backwards. The small set screw on the side is properly towards the front of the coach. We turned it 90 degrees to manually open the valve ... no joy. The frustrating thing is that it operates sometimes for brief periods. And we cannot reproduce the exact scenario that it seems to like. If we get it to operate for 5 or 10 minutes once a day, we are happy. We have never been able to get the (brand new & calibrated?) tank sensor to show more than a half tank of fresh water. There is a full moon tonight. Is that good or bad??

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #10 – July 14, 2011, 06:37:29 am

What is the incoming water pressure? If too high and the coach has an internal pressure regulator, it will clamp off any flow.
Try this,
turn off water supply,
activate fill valve,
slowly open the incoming water spigot and only open it a crack,
listen for water flowing thru the hose.

If you hear water flowing you can open the spigot a little at a time to increase the flow without building the pressure high enough to activate the regulator. If you shut the fill valve off, the pressure will build and possibly activate the pressure regulator and clamping off the flow so leave it on until you are done filling.
Good luck,

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #11 – July 14, 2011, 08:36:55 am

Quote from: Carol Savournin – July 14, 2011, 12:26:52 am

There is a full moon tonight. Is that good or bad??

Look for these warning signs on Jeff: a lengthening of canine incisors and excessive facial hair.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #12 – July 14, 2011, 02:02:41 pm

Jeff:
I would concentrate on the check valve which in my coach is part of the city water hose connection. There are also similar check vavles where the hose connections are for flushing the sewage and gray water tanks. The city water goes through this check vavle, then to the water pressure regulator. The inline water pressure regulator will limit the water pressure in the coach water lines to about 40 or 50 psi, mainly to protect the toilet valve and plastic pipe connectors. A water pressure regulator does not stop the flow of water but a faulty check vavle can stop the flow of water.

I replaced the electric water fill valve with a manual globe valve. When I fill the water tank while connected to city water, I open the door to expose the hot water heater, holding tanks (I also removed the clothe covered plywood which covered the holding tanks), and plumbing. I installed a clear plastic tube between the bottom and top of the water tank. I can now open the fill valve manually and watch the level in the clear tube rise so that the water tank does not get overfilled.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #13 – July 15, 2011, 05:55:57 pm

Quote from: Carol Savournin – July 14, 2011, 12:26:52 am

Trouble shooting with Mike Rodgers has us convinced that the fill valve is not backwards. The small set screw on the side is properly towards the front of the coach. We turned it 90 degrees to manually open the valve ... no joy. The frustrating thing is that it operates sometimes for brief periods. And we cannot reproduce the exact scenario that it seems to like. If we get it to operate for 5 or 10 minutes once a day, we are happy. We have never been able to get the (brand new & calibrated?) tank sensor to show more than a half tank of fresh water. There is a full moon tonight. Is that good or bad??

This coach is really making us insane. After all the back and forth and up and down and removal of panels and fiddling and fooling with no clear remedy ... the water from the hose bib has been working for almost 24 hours. We were lucky if we got 15 minutes at a stretch before. We have not, however, been trying to fill the fresh water tank. I am beginning to think that perhaps the auto shut off for the fresh tank is faulty and not allowing us to keep water going in the tank. Maybe? At any rate ... between the water, toilet, cooling and contaminated fuel issues we have had with this baby ... I have decided that our son has come up with the perfect name for our "new" coach. "The Problem Child"

I can always change it when this episode is over, right?

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #14 – July 15, 2011, 06:12:22 pm

There is no such thing as a Problem Child, just Challenging Offspring, but that doesn't sound as good. Oh well this too will pass. You may want to head toward Steve and Michelle's location. I'll give you some tips on "Let's get Steve to do it".

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #15 – July 15, 2011, 06:18:04 pm

275 miles. 6 hours. Sure a lot better than going back to Nac. And I owe Steve and Michelle 3 bottles of Lobo Loco Lodi Chardonnay. If Carol doesn't drink the whole case before we get there.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #16 – July 15, 2011, 06:22:28 pm

New to these coaches, but, have you checked the tank vent for blockage? We know that you can not fill a tank without a vent for the air to escape. You have said the tank will fill and then stop, might be a clogged air exhaust vent. Might there be a muddaubber nest in the exit hose?

You could check to see it you are building tank pressure when you are trying to fill the tank. All you would need to do is try to fill, till it stops. You have said that is 10-15 minutes. Turn off the city water at the park hose bib, turn off your pressure pump and open a faucet and see if the built up air pressure in the tank pushes water out of your sink faucet, till the pressure is equalized. There should be no reason a vented tank would supply faucet water at a sink without the 12 volt pump on or the city water on.

Have lost count of the number of times something in the garage did not work, to finally figure out a muddauber has built a egg nest in a welding tip, or hose fitting on air tools. Kent warned me that can happen on the generator breather tube, and showed me which one can stop it from starting.

Back to working, as most of you enjoy your retirement.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #17 – July 15, 2011, 09:08:57 pm

Quote from: Kent Speers – July 15, 2011, 06:12:22 pm

You may want to head toward Steve and Michelle's location. I'll give you some tips on "Let's get Steve to do it".

"If they show up, we'll get 'er fixed!"

Steve

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #18 – July 15, 2011, 09:14:03 pm

Steve, you are a push over but you are also "The Man".

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #19 – July 25, 2011, 02:57:04 pm

Quote from: Carol Savournin – July 15, 2011, 05:55:57 pm

Quote from: Carol Savournin – July 14, 2011, 12:26:52 am
Trouble shooting with Mike Rodgers has us convinced that the fill valve is not backwards. The small set screw on the side is properly towards the front of the coach. We turned it 90 degrees to manually open the valve ... no joy. The frustrating thing is that it operates sometimes for brief periods. And we cannot reproduce the exact scenario that it seems to like. If we get it to operate for 5 or 10 minutes once a day, we are happy. We have never been able to get the (brand new & calibrated?) tank sensor to show more than a half tank of fresh water. There is a full moon tonight. Is that good or bad??

This coach is really making us insane. After all the back and forth and up and down and removal of panels and fiddling and fooling with no clear remedy ... the water from the hose bib has been working for almost 24 hours. We were lucky if we got 15 minutes at a stretch before. We have not, however, been trying to fill the fresh water tank. I am beginning to think that perhaps the auto shut off for the fresh tank is faulty and not allowing us to keep water going in the tank. Maybe? At any rate ... between the water, toilet, cooling and contaminated fuel issues we have had with this baby ... I have decided that our son has come up with the perfect name for our "new" coach. "The Problem Child" I can always change it when this episode is over, right?

Left the "Problem Child" sitting in the campground in Leadville for 8 days while we joined family in the Outer Banks in North Carolina for vacation. Figured we would just resume the nonsense when we got back. Upon arrival, we found that we had managed to lock ourselves out of the coach. Does the "electric lock" switch on the panel by the driver's seat that locks the bay doors also activate the black slide lock on the door panel? Gaining entry involved a picnic table, jimmying the plastic window lock, Jeff on his hands and knees as a step stool and the rare sight of me boosting myself into the bedroom window. Neither graceful nor pretty, but effective.
Eventually, we got things squared away inside and I hit the display for the tank monitors. The Tank Sensor Fairy had visited while we were away, because we now show a FULL tank of fresh water!!! That had not been the case since we left Nac and the new sensors were calibrated to "Full" in the parking lot at MOT! I am now wondering again if the sensor and the automatic shut off for our fresh water tank have played a part in our ability to get water from the street water bib. Any thoughts? We are going to try running street water tomorrow, perhaps. The Magnum Opus Vacu Flush has also apparently healed itself and is behaving nicely in the altitude. We take the coach to a well recommended diesel mechanic tomorrow to have all fuel filters changed out (after adding biocide to the tank) and we begin the process of de-gunking the algae from the fuel tank. Have not located any "fuel polishing" service in the area. The saga continues!!

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #20 – July 25, 2011, 03:42:58 pm

Quote from: Carol Savournin – July 25, 2011, 02:57:04 pm

Upon arrival, we found that we had managed to lock ourselves out of the coach. Does the "electric lock" switch on the panel by the driver's seat that locks the bay doors also activate the black slide lock on the door panel?

Carol,

The lock switch by the driver and also on the panel directly in front of the passenger should lock/unlock the bays and the entry deadbolt. I think only the inside lever or the outside key should lock the upper part of the door. In fact, if you accidentally "lock" the coach from the switches with the entry door open, the deadbolt will stick out and you'll leave a mark in the door frame when you try to close the door (don't ask me how I know this

)

Quote

Eventually, we got things squared away inside and I hit the display for the tank monitors. The Tank Sensor Fairy had visited while we were away, because we now show a FULL tank of fresh water!!! That had not been the case since we left Nac and the new sensors were calibrated to "Full" in the parking lot at MOT!

Can you see your fresh tank from one of the bays? If so, try and see if you can determine the actual water level. Ours will fill to about 1" from the top before the float switch will shut the fill valve. I don't believe this is tied the level sensor that gets calibrated, I'm pretty sure it's a separate sensor. In the right light we can see the actual water level in our tank and I'm curious if yours is basically full with the sensor reading full.

I assume you have the two water fill switches like we do - one under the kitchen sink and one in the utility bay? And I assume the green light comes on and goes off on each with the switch operation? I'm wondering if there's something weird going on with the relay (or switches that operate it) that actually operates the fill valve. I know if we are filling, there's almost no water flow from any of the fixtures. It would be a very remote possibility, but if the fill valve were opening when it was supposed to be closed (and vice versa), that could cause something like what you're experiencing.

Michelle

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #21 – July 27, 2011, 09:50:58 pm

"We take the coach to a well recommended diesel mechanic tomorrow to have all fuel filters changed out (after adding biocide to the tank) and we begin the process of de-gunking the algae from the fuel tank. Have not located any "fuel polishing" service in the area. The saga continues!!"

The water fill and street water issue continues to puzzle us, but we went on to address other issues with this "Problem Child". We were very much afraid that we had algae or contaminants in the fuel tank. Everything ran OK until we got into the southern edge of Colorado and began to go uphill, when we experienced "bucking" and what really seemed to be a fuel starved engine. When the mechanic began on our coach today, he listened to it for a few minutes, pulled the air filter and dropped it on the floor ... where about a pound of dirt fell out. I think it was air starved, not fuel starved ... and as soon as we began to hit the higher altitudes(7K - 8K ft), there was just not enough oxygen. The indicator (green, yellow, red) for the air filter was showing just enough yellow that you would think about checking it ... not an urgent indicator. We have treated the fuel tank, anyway, changed the fuel filters and oil & filter. This thing should be feeling much better, and now we have a starting point!

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #22 – July 27, 2011, 10:26:47 pm

If you are still in Leadville, it's pretty much all downhill whichever way you go. The engine just needs to keep the air pressure up.

Best wishes for fewer problems, downhill or uphill.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #23 – July 27, 2011, 11:15:15 pm

Carol, Speaking of polishing fuel, we have the equipment here at our shop, we do a lot for some of our diesel engine customers, If you purchase a set of filters for it (3) cheap, your welcome to use it here at shop. Not fancy but price is right. Maybe I can catch up on the race stats and get eyeball on em hi heel racing sneakers.

Re: Removing panel for water check valve

Reply #24 – July 27, 2011, 11:59:17 pm

Quote from: Carol Savournin – July 27, 2011, 09:50:58 pm

When the mechanic began on our coach today, he listened to it for a few minutes, pulled the air filter and dropped it on the floor ... where about a pound of dirt fell out.

Did the mechanic replace the air filter?

If he did not and you continue to drive any loose grit inside of that air filter will make its way into the engine where it will have a negative impact on your engine.

Last summer with an air filter that was about 8 days old I was curious to see if the very dusty country road we were on for about 3 miles had resulted in any dust getting into the air filter. Fortunately for me and unfortunately for my wallet, I mentioned on the Forum what I had done and was immediately advised to not drive one mile until I put in a new air filter. Two days and $135 later the local farm supply company had a filter for me.

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