Loosing water from tanks when going around corners
Submitted: Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 16:36
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PeterInSa
Saw it on the road again today, a trail of water on the road around a corner. had a discussion about a week ago with a vanner who had a similar problem. His van had not been fitted with a breather hose and he had drilled a hole, top rear on the side of the tank, but going around left hand corners he lost water. Some trips in Tassie with uphill and downhill corners up to 1/4 of a tank
I suggested that he widen the hole and screw in and silicon a fitting with a about 150mm of hose attached. On the end of the hose is a tap that he can open when he is filling the tank and close when he is travelling preventing the water spilling out.
The problem with this simple fix, is that every time you stop for a cuppa, to stop the electric pump labouring, you have to open the tap for air intake into the tank. I suggested that he then fit a T section in the hose between the tap and the tank and then fit a 12volt valve similar to those used in watering systems. The valve being opened either by a relay of directly from the conatcts that start the electric pump, in this way. every time the pump operated the valve would operate and allow air into the tank.
He would still need to operate the tap manually when filling his
water tank, and of course use the correct type of hose so his water does not develop a plastic taste.
Having said all of the above, the valve concept is just a theory has anyone done this sort of thing for real.
Peter
Reply By: Baz&Pud (Tassie) - Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 17:07
Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 17:07
Peter
Go along with the 150mm hose or even longer depending on the tank(s) set up under the van, forget about the tap, just fit a piece of sponge rubber in the end of the hose.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Baz
AnswerID:
410919
Follow Up By: Member - mazcan - Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 17:58
Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 17:58
hi
imho opinion a piece of foam on the end of a breather hose in australia would very quickly clog up with dust and become useless as such
probably work ok in tassiaewhere you have a wetter climate???
not condemming the idea but just my thoughts on it
cheers
FollowupID:
680947
Follow Up By: Baz&Pud (Tassie) - Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 20:31
Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 20:31
That is true, it will clog up with dust and it did happen to us here in Tassie, but i thought our exploros friend was up for suggestions and i gave him one.
Cheers
FollowupID:
680966
Reply By: Notso - Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 17:09
Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 17:09
Most tanks have a return air pipe that attaches to the tank and runs up to the filler cap.
This allows air to escape when filling and also allows air into the tanks when drawing water out.
AnswerID:
410920
Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 18:24
Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 18:24
On the vent, you could put in a floating ball valve or a flap valve.
Remember to put it in the right way. :o)
When the water rises up the pipe, the ball rises, or the flap closes stopping the water, when the water drops back after the corner, air can get back in to vent.
AnswerID:
410930
Reply By: Tonyfish#58 - Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 18:40
Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 18:40
If it helps I have put extensions on my Car water tanks and then went out and brought some irrigation plastic taps - when I am filling I turn the tap on, when overflowing through the breather I turn them off. No dust in the system when I am driving.
I drilled and tapped a brass 90 Deg fitting into the top of the tank.
You just have to remember to open the tap when you want water Photos below
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
AnswerID:
410933
Follow Up By: Member - Allan B (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 00:22
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 00:22
Tony, as your breather hose is
well above the top of the tank I can see no reason for fitting a valve to it. No water would come out of there even without a valve.
I have a similar setup with no valve and no water spill.
FollowupID:
681020
Follow Up By: Tonyfish#58 - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 18:06
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 18:06
Allan - I see many benefits - It keeps out any nasties, it keeps out dust - You will get dust entering an open tube. If by chance I pull off the filler the tank will still hold some water - I know this because if I do not turn on the breather - the tank sucks in and refuses to give me water until I release the pressure :-)
Its all good
Cheers Tony
FollowupID:
681134
Follow Up By: Member - Allan B (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 18:52
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 18:52
Ah yes Tony, looking at your
pic again I see it is on the back of a ute. I had thought it was inside the back of a Troopy as is
mine = no dust,
well not much anyway!
FollowupID:
681150
Reply By: Motherhen - Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 19:34
Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 19:34
Hi Peter
After having similar as our caravan has overflow tubes from the top of tank, we fitted trickle irrigation taps to the overflow pipes. Yes, we have to remember to open the tap when filling or using the tank. At least there are no more calls on the two way about 'leaking' water tanks, and they are full when we get to our destination.
Motherhen
AnswerID:
410936
Reply By: GerryP - Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 20:08
Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 20:08
Rather than a tap, you can buy a cheap fuel filter, like those small clear plastic ones and attach to the end of the breather to keep dust out. You can easily tell if it gets dirty and needs replacing. As long as the breather is say 150 mm or more above the top of the tank, you won't get and spillage.
Cheers
Gerry
AnswerID:
410947
Reply By: Member - Serendipity(WA) - Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 20:26
Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 20:26
Hi Peter
Great post. I have had this issue for a while and have wracked my brains on a solution.
I think I will be able to work out a solution now.
Cheers
David
AnswerID:
410954
Reply By: Ozhumvee - Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 20:59
Monday, Mar 29, 2010 at 20:59
I use the black poly pipe used for garden reticulation for the plumbing on both my tanks and have done for years. I run the breather tubes as high as I can inside the vehicle, usually about 400mm above the tank. Then fit a blanking off plug to the end which has a 2mm hole drilled in it. When filling you can hear the air whistling out the hole and when it starts to splutter the tank is full. Never get any spillage and as it's inside no dust/mud problem.
AnswerID:
410958
Reply By: PeterInSa - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 17:55
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 17:55
From memory the reason why, the hole was drilled in the tank was because of the long time it took to fill the tank, indicating to me that there was not a proper air breather. So by making a larger breather with the hose and tap that would allow the tank to be filled quicker.
But with the tap turned off for travel, when you stop for a coffee and use an electric pump, the pump is trying to pump water out of the tank and this creates a vacuum and puts the pump under a lot more load, hence my idea of a solenoid as per garden watering system to operate and open up to allow air in the tank. In this way you do not have to open the tap every time you stop to make coffe while travelling and then close the tap again prior to starting off again.
Of course the best way is to take the tank out and put the breather/hose top dead centa.
Peter
AnswerID:
411083
Reply By: Matt M - Wednesday, Mar 31, 2010 at 13:34
Wednesday, Mar 31, 2010 at 13:34
Why dont you run a hose and fit a brass silencer on the end?
Get them from any Auto/Air tool or fleabay!
Matt.
AnswerID:
411187