Fresh Water Tank Question

[Car54]

I have a fresh water tank in my 2014 Fleetwood Bounder that needs some reworking of the drain valves. The pipes are PVC and where it attaches it uses a threaded connector like they thread into the tank. There's a ring of some sort of solvent on all 4 holes of the tank but I cannot figure out if they are glued in or screwed in. Does anyone know what the common practice is?

I will post a picture shortly.

[Car54]

I need to raise my overflow up to not dump the first two inches of the tank.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by Car54

Attachment 97413

I need to raise my overflow up to not dump the first two inches of the tank.

Car 54,
Well Sir, if I may, I'd like to make a suggestion to your issue. If that large, what looks like 2", section coming out of the upper section of the tank, is the over flow, here's a thought. I cannot see all the piping, joints and related fittings but, if you have any of the piping that's long enough, then cut it at the most distant end and, glue on a 45 degree angle and aim it up. then, attach a small piece of the piping to that.

That piece would be just long enough to fit and be glued in to the "up" facing part of the 45 and then, add another 45 to that. That will effectively raise your overflow height. Then, simply continue the piping with turns, 45s, 90s etc. to end up where you want it to be. In effect, you're making an upside down, "trap". But, it won't TRAP anything, it will flow, if and when it needs to.

I'm no plumbing engineer but, I would think you could do all of that even with a reducer and, making all the bends with smaller pipe, as in 1" etc.
After all, you're only concerned about overflow. If it (the water volume) needs to have a place to go, it will certainly flow nicely out of a 1" over flow just as well as a 2".

By doing it this way, you wont' mess with the integrity of the original joints where the plumbing meets the tank. Just some thoughts here. Good luck.
Scott

[Car54]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

Car 54,
Well Sir, if I may, I'd like to make a suggestion to your issue. If that large, what looks like 2", section coming out of the upper section of the tank, is the over flow, here's a thought. I cannot see all the piping, joints and related fittings but, if you have any of the piping that's long enough, then cut it at the most distant end and, glue on a 45 degree angle and aim it up. then, attach a small piece of the piping to that.

That piece would be just long enough to fit and be glued in to the "up" facing part of the 45 and then, add another 45 to that. That will effectively raise your overflow height. Then, simply continue the piping with turns, 45s, 90s etc. to end up where you want it to be. In effect, you're making an upside down, "trap". But, it won't TRAP anything, it will flow, if and when it needs to.

I'm no plumbing engineer but, I would think you could do all of that even with a reducer and, making all the bends with smaller pipe, as in 1" etc.
After all, you're only concerned about overflow. If it (the water volume) needs to have a place to go, it will certainly flow nicely out of a 1" over flow just as well as a 2".

By doing it this way, you wont' mess with the integrity of the original joints where the plumbing meets the tank. Just some thoughts here. Good luck.
Scott

So like a loop? All of that plumbing is 1". I'd be happy to cut the mid pipe and refab something but I'm concerned that the fittings in the tank are glued in and there's not much room on the horizontal pieces to fit new parts.

[Dutch Star Don]

"Car54".....maybe your plumbing is confusing us....that corrugated piece should be your overflow tube. All you need to do is find some room to add some more pipe to it and lifter it higher than the tank and then curve it back down. My tank was just like yours and used that same corrugated tubing. I went to Lowes, bought the same stuff and installed a piece of plastic pipe between the old corrugated stuff and the new stuff (fitting). I looped the new corrugated extension high into the corner of the bay and then angled it back down and out the hole it was designed to drain thru. This will solve your issue.

[Car54]

The corrugated portion is the gravity fill, the hose next to it is the vent.

The two 1" PVC pipes are the manual drain (bottom with the valve) and the overflow (top). The top has a check valve but is doesn't seem like it will hold anything back....at least not water at gravity. I'm trying to raise the upper PVC pipe so that it won't drain the tank down to the bottom of the PVC overflow.

Does that help?

Edit:
Rereading...why do I really need an overflow? If I fill too much it will come out of the gravity fill tube or the vent right?


Craig

[Dutch Star Don]

Okay.....It makes sense now. You're right, if you have a gravity fill, something a lot of new motor homes no longer have, just cut a section out of that vertical tube and cap both ends.

I've learned over the years that I NEVER walk away while filling the water tank. If you keep an eye on it, you won't have issues and if it does overflow, the gravity fill caps are not usually air tight.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Car54

Attachment 97413

I need to raise my overflow up to not dump the first two inches of the tank.

Since you don't need the overflow, simply cut the vertical pipe and install an identical 1/4 turn ball valve, to match the drain valve.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Personally I wouldn't use a valve because sooner or later it would be closed when I really, really, needed an overflow. Somewhere in that kluge it should be possible to insert a small vertical rise per Fire Up's suggestion. You only need a couple inches up, over and back down again to prevent draining the top couple inches. Think of it as P-trap in reverse.

The overflow also serves as the tank air vent, though it may also be able to get air through the filler tube. At least a little air needs to get into the tank to avoid a vacuum as the water is pumped out.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by Car54

I have a fresh water tank in my 2014 Fleetwood Bounder that needs some reworking of the drain valves. The pipes are PVC and where it attaches it uses a threaded connector like they thread into the tank. There's a ring of some sort of solvent on all 4 holes of the tank but I cannot figure out if they are glued in or screwed in. Does anyone know what the common practice is?
I will post a picture shortly.

Car54
I believe most often fittings are "spin welded" to plastic tanks;
Custom PLastics Spin Weld Process
Mel
'96 Safari

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

Personally I wouldn't use a valve because sooner or later it would be closed when I really, really, needed an overflow. Somewhere in that kluge it should be possible to insert a small vertical rise per Fire Up's suggestion. You only need a couple inches up, over and back down again to prevent draining the top couple inches. Think of it as P-trap in reverse.

The overflow also serves as the tank air vent, though it may also be able to get air through the filler tube. At least a little air needs to get into the tank to avoid a vacuum as the water is pumped out.

Good catch Gary! I was totally wrong about the valve, I didn't think about the vent for lowering water level.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

The overflow also serves as the tank air vent, though it may also be able to get air through the filler tube. At least a little air needs to get into the tank to avoid a vacuum as the water is pumped out.

Gary

On my coach there is no gravity filler tube, the only way makeup air can enter the tank as the water pump draws water out is through the combination overflow/vent pipe.
Mel
'96 Safari

[Car54]

This appears to be the solution.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/attachmen...1&d=1434904082

[mel s]

Originally Posted by Car54

This appears to be the solution.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/attachmen...1&d=1434904082

Car54
What IS that??...and what does it do??
Wondering