Coach Freedom Express, Class C - Fresh Water Question

[srusso1202]

Hello! This past week I bought my first RV, a 2008 26 foot, Coachman Freedom Express class C unit (similar to the Freelander). So far everything is great and we had a successful first trip this weekend.
I have one question in regard to the unit and my father referred to this site.
My question is related to the use of the units fresh water holding tanks. This unit only has one external water connection which is used for both city and fresh water tank fill up.
Per my RV dealer, in order to fill my fresh water holding tanks, I must unscrew an 8x14 airvent below my stove and manually open a bi-pass valve. Could this be correct? Besides being difficult I'v already started to stip out the air vent screw holes by removing the vent 3 or 4 times to access the valve.
This has also brought up a 2nd question which I've been unable to have answered...How would I sanitize and/or winterize my tanks?
Again the only external water connection on my unit is the city water hose connection (i.e., no gravity fill location and no water system panel externally on the unit, which are the two things indicated in the owners manual).
Thanks,

[srusso1202]

Hello! This past week I bought my first RV, a 2008 26 foot, Coachman Freedom Express class C unit (similar to the Freelander). So far everything is great and we had a successful first trip this weekend.
I have one question in regard to the unit and my father referred to this site.
My question is related to the use of the units fresh water holding tanks. This unit only has one external water connection which is used for both city and fresh water tank fill up.
Per my RV dealer, in order to fill my fresh water holding tanks, I must unscrew an 8x14 airvent below my stove and manually open a bi-pass valve. Could this be correct? Besides being difficult I'v already started to stip out the air vent screw holes by removing the vent 3 or 4 times to access the valve.
This has also brought up a 2nd question which I've been unable to have answered...How would I sanitize and/or winterize my tanks?
Again the only external water connection on my unit is the city water hose connection (i.e., no gravity fill location and no water system panel externally on the unit, which are the two things indicated in the owners manual).
Thanks,

[RV Wizard]

srusso1202, welcome to iRV2.com. We are glad to have you join us here and look forward to reading of your adventures and experiences. Congratulations on the new Freedom Express. I am sure you will like both it and the forum. You will find we are a group of fun loving RVers that like to help each other where we can. The By-pass valve is so you can winterize the water lines with a potable antifreeze and not have to fill the water heater. You would drain the lines flip the by-pass and use the pump to suck the antifreeze and pump it into the liones. THere should be a vlave to fill the fresh water tank also but it is not called a by-pass valve. I am not familair with this coach so I will pass this one to our other members. Good luck and take care.

[Gary RVRoamer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Per my RV dealer, in order to fill my fresh water holding tanks, I must unscrew an 8x14 airvent below my stove and manually open a bi-pass valve. Could this be correct? Besides being difficult I'v already started to stip out the air vent screw holes by removing the vent 3 or 4 times to access the valve. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's unheard of in RV design but I can't speak to that specific model either. I suggest you call Coachman Customer Service or another Coachman dealer and ask for advice. Sounds bizarre to me!

Normally there will be a valve handle near the water connection for filling the tank. The other valves (probably the ones you are now using) are for winterizing and it is not unusual for those to be behind a panel.

[srusso1202]

Gary -
As bizarre as it sounds its true. I received an email from the Coachman support team today confirming that I need to go behind this vent in order to flip the switch and fill my fresh water tanks.

Between my father and father in-law I have about 40 years of RV experience and they are both stumped by this setup. I'm going to continue hounding Coachman in the hope that I find something useful.

Thanks,

[RV Wizard]

You could always install an electric solenoid valve and put the switch out at the water connection. Then just leave the valve behind the vent open. GOod luck and keep us posted.

[Frankie]

I agree it is not a good design.I have a similiar set up but no valve. To sanitize,I fill my white hose with bleach(small amount) attach hose to valve and divert it to holding tank.
This inlet valve set up has other issues.Boodocking.I would prefer a gravity fill.What I do is use the overflow valve and attache it to a small drill pump,slow but works.

[NeilV]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by srusso1202:
Gary -
As bizarre as it sounds its true. I received an email from the Coachman support team today confirming that I need to go behind this vent in order to flip the switch and fill my fresh water tanks.

Between my father and father in-law I have about 40 years of RV experience and they are both stumped by this setup. I'm going to continue hounding Coachman in the hope that I find something useful.

Thanks, </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


How bad is it once you get the vent cover off?

You could ask them for a hinged access door to replace the screw on cover and see how far you can get.

It is below the stove so they should be able to provide something that would match the rest of the cabinetry.

To sanitize you would add the bleach by pouring it into you water hose before you connect it and fill your tanks.

[Nonno]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">To sanitize you would add the bleach by pouring it into you water hose before you connect it and fill your tanks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I missed the obvious when trying to help my son figure this out. That is what I do to sanitize the hoses. Guess it's because I put the bulk of the bleach / water mix thru the gravity feed.

As for winterizing my suggestion is to put a diverter between the tank and pump, if there is room. Pump access is apparently another issue. With a diverter he can either run antifreeze thru the whole system or after blowing out the lines run enough to get in the pump and add a little to the traps.

[srusso1202]

Thanks for the help, I'm sure this will help.

[Gary RVRoamer]

How could an engineer ever think this is an OK thing to do in an RV design? I've never been much impressed by Coachman's products and this example of crappy, unfriendly design lowers my opinion further.

[TXiceman]

RV's are not engineered by engineers. They are designed by interior/color consultants and accountants.

I'd go back and tell them to fix it properly and see where you get.

Ken