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Old 09-04-2008, 04:14 PM   #1
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i have two 45 gal water tanks in my rv. seems like i run out of water very soon. does anyone out ther know how these two tanks are connectedi am woundering if the conection is plugged or is there a valve i do not know about.if anyone knows about this or could help in any way i would like to hear from you.

thanks for anything
that might help
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Old 09-04-2008, 04:14 PM   #2
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i have two 45 gal water tanks in my rv. seems like i run out of water very soon. does anyone out ther know how these two tanks are connectedi am woundering if the conection is plugged or is there a valve i do not know about.if anyone knows about this or could help in any way i would like to hear from you.

thanks for anything
that might help
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Old 09-04-2008, 06:39 PM   #3
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Are you sure you have two 'fresh' water tanks? I don't know of any company that builds a MH with two fresh water tanks. What year, make & model MH do you have?
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Old 09-04-2008, 08:26 PM   #4
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Belgian:
Are you sure you have two 'fresh' water tanks? I don't know of any company that builds a MH with two fresh water tanks. What year, make & model MH do you have? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mine does and probably yours does too being same model. They are connected together with a rather small diameter pipe and vented similarly.
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Old 09-05-2008, 02:02 AM   #5
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by M&EM:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Belgian:
Are you sure you have two 'fresh' water tanks? I don't know of any company that builds a MH with two fresh water tanks. What year, make & model MH do you have? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mine does and probably yours does too being same model. They are connected together with a rather small diameter pipe and vented similarly. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Marty, are you sure??? I hope you are right. When I visited the factory, I observed what I thought was a large Tee shaped tank that sat behind the black water tank and extended all the way back to the rear cap. There was no way it could be removed if necessary. If the leg on the Tee is indeed a second tank, removal is possible, albeit an awful job.

Bob, wa7hra
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Old 09-05-2008, 04:20 AM   #6
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My 2000 tradewinds has two 45 gallon tanks connected by a tee under the floor just behind the front seats.
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Old 09-05-2008, 05:44 AM   #7
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I have to admit I have never removed the side covers to look inside. NRV did send me the schematics for all the systems for the 2004 5342. They show one fresh tank, one grey & one black tank.
Once the OP get back with his year, make & model the mystery will be solved???????
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Old 09-07-2008, 02:09 PM   #8
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Fill the tank(s) up per the guage. Get a 5 gallon jug and empty the tanks from your outside shower. Count how many gallons you remove. If it's not 90, then your 2nd tank is not getting filled up.

sorta related....

My 02 Sea Breeze would pee out of the (2) vents after getting filled up and would siphon out half of my water. Sometimes it would do it while I was driving and I never knew that was happening until my wife was following one day and mentioned water waspouring out hte back end. I ended up putting (2) ball valves on my vent lines to prevent it.

Good luck
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Old 09-10-2008, 07:57 AM   #9
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jb, I can assure you that on a 2000 34 ft. National Sea View, there are two 45-gal tanks. I pulled the back tank out to repair it and found that the T-connection was not tight and was leaking. One tank, located right behind my outside water valve, lies from side to side. The other tank, right behind it, is perpendicular to the first tank and goes back to the rear of the motor home. Fortunately, I had two black panels; one holding the water valves and one dummy panel next to it. Taking both off, I found I could reach the T-connection. But it was difficult.

I ended up taking off the ladder and the rear bottom panel of the motor home and another panel between the frame. By removing two small pieces of 2 X 4 you can remove the back tank by sliding it out. The front tank can be removed by taking off the panel in the bin just in front of the passenger-side rear wheels. But the tanks must be disconnected at the T before they can be removed. I would think that all 34-ft Nationals would be set up the same way.

Big Blunder! I thought the rear tank was cracked, but I found out the only problem was that the threaded T-connection had come loose.

Fresh Water Overflow.!!!!!

I found out the front tank fills up first, and then the rear will fill about half. This causes a vacuum and the overflow begins to drip. When the overflow begins dripping, stop filling and let the water equalize in both tanks, wait about ten minutes, and then continue to fill the tanks. Sometimes you will need to do this more than once. After that, I left the dummy panel off and with a flashlight I could monitor filling the tanks.

I don't know why, but anytime your overflow is running out fast, it will siphon off about half of the fresh water from the tanks. I would caution about any type of valve on the end of your overflow line because when filling the tanks, the air has to go somewhere. By closing both overflows, it can either bust the T-connection or worse yet, burst your tanks. Remember, some water connections have up to 60 psi. I know this is a lengthy post, but hope it will help someone understand their fresh-water tanks.

It is always helpful to know what year, make and model motorhome you have when you do a post.

Happy Trails.
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Old 09-10-2008, 10:30 AM   #10
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by wa7hra:
Marty, are you sure??? I hope you are right. When I visited the factory, I observed what I thought was a large Tee shaped tank that sat behind the black water tank and extended all the way back to the rear cap. There was no way it could be removed if necessary. If the leg on the Tee is indeed a second tank, removal is possible, albeit an awful job.

Bob, wa7hra </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes Bob now I'm sure!

Sorry for delayed response. My MH is under covers and not easy to get to that area.

What Larry just posted confirms exactly what I thought I saw while messing around in that area. His perception of how the tanks fill is right on the money. The two tanks can be completely filled if done slowly after the first tank approaches full. Waiting several minutes each time for the tanks to seek same level of filling. This will not stop over flow from dumping as you drive with a full tank! But can get a full tank accomplished at or near your camping area.

Marty
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Old 09-17-2008, 06:00 PM   #11
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I thought I mentioned my rv is a 2002 tradewinds. Thanks for all the input. In the spec. book it tells me I have two 45 gal fresh water tanks.I will check the tee between the tanks to see if I have a plugged line.I have noticed it does syphon back out if I shut off the fill hose and don;t remove it from the fill connecter.
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Old 09-19-2008, 12:14 AM   #12
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Thanks to Larry and Marty for confirming that the Tee shaped tank I thought I had observed at the National factory is a two piece device with each leg of the Tee being separate.

Now, having said that, I was unhappy with the filling procedure that was designed into the MH. In addition to it being slow, I experienced the same problems described in earlier posts. To solve the problem, I put a hose fitting on the tank(s) drain which apparerently is connected to both tanks. I now fill the tanks through the drain. I fill until it overflows, and it appears that they both must be full since the level does not change after it sits awhile. I check the level by looking at the end of the tank on the right side of the coach, which can be seen through a two inch wide opening I created in the black cover inside the compartment.

For whatever it is worth, I always use a pressure regulator on the source valve unless I am certain it is low pressure.

Bob, wa7hra
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