Fresh water tank vent.

[Magumba]

Has anyone found a solution to the water tank vent leaking water when the camper is right side down on a slope? Generally I don't fill the tank above 3/4 for that reason but we're dry camping in the desert and a full water tank is important. Thanks for your help.

[PDR John]

Can you extend the vent tube? Make it so the rise goes up higher before the bend.

[clyon51]

Agree. The best way to handle that vent/overflow tube it to raise it as high as you can above the tank before directing it downward.

[Magumba]

Thank you for your input I'll look into doing that.

[Duner]

I've installed a shower shut off valve on the vent line, so when I'm headed to a long stay dry camping, I cn fill it right to the brim and not have it leak or siphon out.

A shower valve works well for this application, because it doesn't shut off 100% and still allows some amount of air to escape when filling. Since most of the time I don't travel with a full tank, I leave the valve open. If you forget and leave the valve closed while filling, you will hear the increasing air pressure escaping out the overflow, which then reminds you to open the valve.

A valve that closes all the way would be a disaster if left closed while filling using the city water hose connection. The tanks would expand and burst a seam. My brother's brand new Sea Breeze had the vent tube right next to the hot exhaust pipe which melted shut and the first time he filled the tank it pushed the floor up several inches and caused major damage.

Here's picture....valve in closed position:

[daveshan]

One poster over in our brand specific forum came up with THIS solution. Post #24 and 25 if it doesn't go directly to the applicable post.

The tanks used in Alpines have 2 vents, one looping up about 4' before dumping on the ground so I just put in a ball valve in the problem (front) vent so I could be sure to get all the water out when winterizing (check valve would make that hard) either solution works very well.

[Pusherman]

Originally Posted by Duner

A valve that closes all the way would be a disaster if left closed while filling using the city water hose connection. The tanks would expand and burst a seam. My brother's brand new Sea Breeze had the vent tube right next to the hot exhaust pipe which melted shut and the first time he filled the tank it pushed the floor up several inches and caused major damage.

Here's picture....valve in closed position:

We did a $30K repair on a coach who installed a ball valve in the drain line to prevent siphoning from his tank (Note: different from Duner's recommendation).

I don't recommend any solution which includes any kind of valve on the drain line. It can literally 'explode' your coach.

Better answer is to add a loop in the drain line as suggested above in this thread to keep the water from siphoning from the tank.

[Bug512]

I also installed a valve on the overflow in the compartment closest to the entrance door. We only use it when we are dry camping and want every once of freshwater capacity.
I used a SharkBite Valve. Just cut and install. Link

As far as the I forgot to open the valve and the motorhome exploding thing, we also have a gravity fill so if we would forget to open the valve the water would come out of the hatch / lid of the gravity fill area.

Yours might be different.

[HotMech]

I did the valve thing, got tired of loosing a third of my water on dry trips.
I leave it open to fill the tank, then when it starts to run out, I close it and pull the hose. Once I get to the spot I'm camping, I open the valve. works great.
Where I keep it in storage, the M/H leans hard to the right when I'm backing in or driving out, and it makes the vent dump out water. So I fill at home, and close the valve, then take it to storage. Problem solved. ...and on a side note, if I keep it closed while in storage, no bugs, can find their way in there looking for water.
K.