Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Can't fill the water tank (Read 739 times) previous topic - next topic

Can't fill the water tank

There was water everywhere this morning. Went to put some water in the tank to find out what's leaking. I am not getting any
water to the fill valve. Tomorrow I will bypass and try and put the water in by where the fill valve was. I thought that was the problem
and I put a ball valve in place of the fill valve. Something is blocking the water from the fill hose to the fill valve. Any ideas.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #1 –
Check to see if your back flow preventer (water check valve) has failed. Depending on the coach and if you have a hose reel or not will determine where the factory hid it. Ours is in the fitting where the water hose connects to the coach as we don't have a hose reel. Some coaches with the hose reel have this check valve located where the hose comes off the reel and enters the coach.  I have seen a few that are hid in the piping behind the vanity cover in your utility bay. 

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

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

Re: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #2 –
Your year should have a 12 volt  electric fill valve it us behind the blue accumulation tank. On my 99 270 it was a manual valve under the sink in the bathroom.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #3 –
Quote
Your year should have a 12 volt  electric fill valve it us behind the blue accumulation tank.

Here it is on a 99 320. The blue thing to the right is the accumulator tank.
jor
93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320

Re: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #4 –
The OP knows where his fill valve is located.  He replaced the electric fill valve with a ball valve.  See original post.

He thinks he has a blockage of some kind between the hose connection and the fill valve.

I'm betting Mike has hit it on the head.  Reply #1

Photo below shows the backflow preventer location on our coach:

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: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #5 –
I'm +1* on the back flow preventor valve being stuck.

*Me Too!
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #6 –
In most cases, the fresh water fill backflow preventer valve will be similar to the one in video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeDflQ1IHM0
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: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #7 –
I'm sure you are right it's the backflow preventer. I have bypassed the whole thing and now can fill the tank. The leak is a blown
plastic line. Not sure which one is blown but I have to fix a pvc fitting I broke first.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #8 –
The leak is a blown cold water line for the kitchen sink. I have isolated it and we can live without it on this trip. I will pull a new
one in when I get home. I will change the backflow preventer  also when I get home. What I have done to fill the tank I would
probably leave it if it was on the left side of the coach.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #9 –
I still not sure where my backflow preventer is. My line isn't up like yours Chuck its down low and I haven't aquatically seen the
backflow preventer I hope it's not as Mike said hidden in the wall. Oh I have a reel. I had to seal off my fill hose and I thought
why isn't there a check valve, so now I know I just have to find it.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #10 –
The backflow preventer on our coach never worked.  Water was always dribbling out of the hose when we were going down the road.  For a while I kept a big towel in the bay to soak up the water.  Then somebody told me where to find the valve.  I removed it, cleaned a bunch of trash out of it, put it back in place.  Still didn't stop the water dribble.  So I removed it again, ripped the guts out, and put the "carcass" back in place.  Installed a 1/4 turn plastic push-connect valve in the water line between the hose reel and the old preventer valve.  Open the valve to fill - close the valve.  Never leaked again.

PROBLEM SOLVED.  :thumbsup:

You can see the valve in the photo I posted up above (Reply #4).  White valve right above the hose reel.
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: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Pamela & Mike –
Check to see if your back flow preventer (water check valve) has failed. Depending on the coach and if you have a hose reel or not will determine where the factory hid it. Ours is in the fitting where the water hose connects to the coach as we don't have a hose reel. Some coaches with the hose reel have this check valve located where the hose comes off the reel and enters the coach.  I have seen a few that are hid in the piping behind the vanity cover in your utility bay. 

Ours was the latter (in a 2003), which required opening up the utility bay back wall.  I believe Jeff and Carol's was in the water pump bay down low behind the manabloc cover (in a 2002).

It's a fairly inconspicuous little bugger.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #12 –
I put a ball valve on the end of the hose too, that why I never worried about it, now I have too.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Can't fill the water tank

Reply #13 –

On my 1997 U295 40', it has an inspection port on the side of the wet bay, that allowed me to get at the back flow preventer to replace..  It was attached to the water inlet, mounted on the wet bay wall.

Camco 23303 1/2" Back-Flow Preventer - Lead Free Amazon.com: Camco 23303 1/2" Back-Flow Preventer - Lead Free: Automotive

Valterra A010172LFV 2.75" Metal... Amazon.com: Valterra A010172LFV 2.75" Metal Water Inlet: Automotive

Camco RV Brass Inline Water Pressure Regulator- Helps Protect RV Plumbing and Hoses from High-Pressure City Water, Lead Free (40055) Amazon.com: Camco RV Brass Inline Water Pressure Regulator- Helps Protect RV...

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
97 U295 40, Build #5040, 6C8.3 325 HP
Oregon Continuous Traveler
Samsung Residential #RF20HFENBSR,
Xantrex SW2012, (3)AGM8D Hse, (2)AGM Grp24 Eng, Victron BMV-712, 1800w Solar 4 LG & 2 Sunpower
Extreme Full Body Pt w/hdlmps, new furn/floor, 4 down Lexus 2004 GX470 AWD curb weight 4,740 lbs
Prev: 1990 Barth, 10L 300 2 yrs; 91&92 Monaco Signature, 10 yrs, 10L C 300 &  6C8.3 300; 1997 ForeT 6C8.3 325 since May 2017.  Employed by Guaranty RV 14+ yrs.  Former VW New Car Dlr/Service Dlr, Sales Mgr, Rv Sales, and Service Adviser from 1968-2017
"Don't criticize what you can't understand" Bob Dylan