water tanks on camper trailer

Submitted: Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 21:14
ThreadID: 21911 Views:7932 Replies:10 FollowUps:2
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Hi all
We have a new camper trailer with 2 x 60 litre water tanks which we are having great difficulty in filling. The water goes in OK for a little while but then it backs up the filling pipe and overflows out the end. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stop this from happening? Also how can we prevent dust from getting into the tanks via the hand pump - is there some special gizmo we can put over the end to seal it off successfully? Thanks
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Reply By: rudu - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 21:33

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 21:33
HI.
IVE JUST BOUGHT A GOLDSTRRAM CAMPER AND HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. MAKE SURE THE BREATHER LINE IS NOT KINKED, REMEMBER AS YOU FILL IT WITH WATER THE AIR MUST BE ABLE TO ESCAPE.

ITS TAKEN ME TWO DAYS TO SOUGHT MINE OUT.

GOOD LUCK
AnswerID: 105932

Reply By: jp - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 21:40

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 21:40
Beast, I fill my tanks from the bottom, draining outlet. The air escapes thru the top.
Hope this helps.
Jonty
AnswerID: 105934

Reply By: AT4WD ADVENTURES - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 21:50

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 21:50
Beast,

I to suggest that your breather hose is blocked or very small. Find the breather hose and trace it along its length to ensure all is okay. Maybe consider a bigger breather hose allowing air to escape as quick as you fill.

Regards

Stuart M.
AnswerID: 105936

Reply By: Member - Steve (ACT) - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 22:00

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 22:00
Definitely sounds like a breather hose problem, I had all sorts of problems filling mine, more water coming back out than going back in!!!!

"Check the breather hose" someone said

Didn't have one, do now and it's great to fill

Steve
AnswerID: 105938

Reply By: japmel - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 22:08

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 22:08
Beast,

I had the same problem with our offroad caravan.

After days of checking and double checking it turned out that someone had put a one way valve in the breather hose but had put it in the wrong way round, not allowing air to escape.

It turned out to be an easy fix, I took the valve out turned it round and put it in properly (don't you just love it when things are that easy).

Hope this helps
Regards
japmel
AnswerID: 105940

Reply By: Beast - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 22:11

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 22:11
Thanks to all for the suggestions. There doesn't appear to be any breather pipe fitted so that would explain the problem. Presumably there will be somewhere to connect a breather pipe onto if I climb underneath and look hard enough!! Thanks again - appreciate you all taking the time to reply. This is a great forum.
AnswerID: 105942

Follow Up By: japmel - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 22:32

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 22:32
Beast.

This is probably stateing the obvious but there shoud be somewhere on the top of your water tank to connect a breater hose, Just make sure the end of the hose is well above the top of the tank.
And put same gauze over the end of it so you don't get a wasp nest in it.

Regards
japmel
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FollowupID: 363017

Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 22:37

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 22:37
where exactly does the filler hose go into the tank? On top? on side?

And yes you will need a breather in it, how does the air get out while filling it?
AnswerID: 105948

Reply By: Member - Jimbo (VIC) - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 23:39

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 23:39
Bloody water tanks in campers are the bane of my miserable life.

Mine is fitted internally and has had a minor leak for ages. I've had it in and out about ten times and can pressure test it with no leak and when I refit it and take it for a drive it lets out a little bit of water. A little bit goes a long way inside a camper, not unlike when you spill half a glass of water at home, it seems to cover the floor.

Also hard to fill as mentioned. Others have also had problems with foul tasting water.

I've given up with the useless things. My solution is to carry as many 20 litre water jerries as I see fit and simply plonk them on the ground between the _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx and the camper and stick the hose that runs to my sink pump into them rather than connecting it to the connection on the side of the camper that used to run to the water tank.

I sleep a lot easier now. That mongrel of a water tank has taken years off my life :-).

Cheers,

Jim
AnswerID: 105952

Follow Up By: Member - Banjo (SA) - Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 08:46

Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 08:46
Lie down Jim and think pleasant thoughts - get those lost years back. The tank is not worth it..... and the numerous water bins now in use give you options in water storage ! I have a 120L in the Campomatic - been good in all respects to date - maybe disappointment is just round the corner ?
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FollowupID: 363037

Reply By: Peter 2 - Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 08:58

Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 08:58
Most of the plastic water tanks have moulded fittings which usually have a little edge along them which leads to leaks, smear a bit of polyurethane sealer along it before fitting the hose and use a good quality narrow stainless hose clamp of the appropriate size, the 10mm or wider ones are too big for little hoses and don't clamp evenly.
Forget clips too.
Quite often the breather is just a 4mm hole drilled in the middle of either ablind threaded hole or moulded fitting, to get a good flow of water into the filler the breatehr must be at least 6-8mm with 10 -12mm hose preferably going a lot higher than the tank and the top of the filler. As suggested if it is outside put some gauze over it to stop wasps or crap getting in it.
If the tank is under the camper run the breather either up the outside or better still up through the floor to the top of the body.
A one way valve in the breatehr line could lead to problems getting water out if the filler is well sealed.
Re the comment about dust getting in the hand pump you must have one of those trailers with the pump on the outside in the breeze, great piece of design, just put a freezer bag and a rubber band over it.
AnswerID: 105970

Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 10:37

Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 10:37
Beast,

Others have provided advise re the necessity for a breather.

Forget about dust entering through the hand pump. Never known it to happen.
Bill


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AnswerID: 105980

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