Dear Dave,
I took my RV out of storage for a recent two-week trip to Indiana to see the totality of the eclipse. I did most of the de-winterizing before I started out, but left filling the freshwater tank to be done at the first FHU campsite since I live in a condo and didn’t have any way to do it at home or in storage. Strangely, I was unable to get any water into the tank!
The “city water” intake to the plumbing was fine; I had water to the toilet and all faucets when hooked up to the campground spigot. But moving the hose from the “city water” intake to the intake for the freshwater tank was like having a kink in the hose—the water just didn’t flow in. I cleaned the screen; I took the screen out; I tried lower water pressure; I tried higher pressure. Nada. No water made it into the tank. The pump runs fine; there’s just no water in the tank to pump.
Not a shut-off valve
I thought surely there is a valve or shut off along the line somewhere that got closed when the RV was winterized last year, so I stopped at my RV service center on my way home. No such luck. They said I’d have to bring it in and leave it for them to investigate. (Maybe a kink in a hose somewhere, was their best guess.)
Do you have any thoughts on what the problem might be? I’m very handy, but I’m also old (82) and it’s unlikely I’ll be crawling around underneath the RV in search of a solution. So I’d like at least some hint at what I’m facing before I take it in. —Judith, 2018 Coachmen Freelander Elite
Dear Judith,
I would imagine there is a kink in the supply hose somewhere between what is called the gravity fill and the connection at the tank. Since you did not provide the model, I’m not sure where the fresh water tank is located. However, most models have the tank above floor level and typically very close to where the gravity fill is located.
Gravity fill
This happens to be the gravity fill on the Salem we have been working on. The tank is directly beside it under what was the front bench seat.
The fill tube is attached to the gravity fill and slopes down to the tank. It is generally a corrugated one like this.
Find where your gravity fill is located and look inside for the tank location. It could be under a bed, dinette bench, or some type of lower cabinet. In this case, we can see the hose and tank connection by lifting up the bench seat and everything is in plain site. You might get lucky and find yours has easy access and you can visually inspect the hose for a kink.
If not, you will want to snake something down the gravity fill such as a flexible drain auger, which you can find on Amazon here.
This is only 5’ long, which should be plenty to snake down the supply hose. It has a coned end, which will not get hung up on the ridges of the corrugated hose. This should help identify if there is a kink in the hose. I doubt there is an obstruction in the hose since the opening is usually covered with a cap. However, if it was left open, mud daubers or other insects could have plugged it up.
Supply hose may be disconnected
It is also possible that the supply hose has become disconnected either at the gravity fill inside or at the tank, which means you would have water spilling into the compartment! One question, though. When you insert the hose into the gravity fill, water should be spraying back out. The gravity fill is not a sealed connection like the city water. Make sure you are not connecting to a threaded connection, which could be a black tank flush valve! I have seen these placed side by side with no labels, and it looks like it might be the fresh water tank feed.
I would suggest contacting your local high school to see if they have a vocational class or an extra-credit program like Silver Cord. In that program, students get credits for assisting with community and elderly projects. This should be a simple inspection and fix.
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I regularly have trouble filling my RV’s fresh water tank. I have a 2018 Rockwood Windjammer TT. When filling the tank, the water starts to come back out the filler tube, and when I check the panel, it’s says 1/3 to 2/3. I have tried to turn on the pump, open a faucet, rock the trailer, fill slowly (as recommended by others on FB). …
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I would be very cautious in using this auger. The end is made to grab hair and other clogs. The end of the wire is sharp and may grab any bend or kink in the hose. These are made to be used on hard drains.
If nothing else, apply layers of tape over the end and do not turn the handle while inserting it. Gently push it into the hose.
I agree. I would think one of the cheap scopes that attach to a cell phone as the viewing screen would be a better option to literally see what the problem is.
“This is only 5’ long, which should be plenty to snake down the supply hose. It has a coned end, which will not get hung up on the ridges of the corrugated hose.” Quote from Dave’s possible solution to this problem. I agree an endoscope may be a better option.
Thank you, Dave! 🙂 These are always great potential ways to expand ones knowledge of RVs in general, particular classes, or specific makes of RV. Thank you for devoting time and considerable effort into your answers, Dave! Safe travels! 🙂
Hey Dave, something just doesn’t sound right! Your saying that she has a gravity fill & she’s indicating she has a fill connection for her hose. She did say she cleaned out the screen & even removed it & still the water did not move, no matter what she did! So what happened between now & the last time she used it while in storage. Thinking you need more information. As far as using an AUGER to see if the line is kinked is really crazy to even think of using one!
Keep us up to date
Snoopy
I agree that most drain snakes have too much of a grab end. However. I have used this one as it is short and has a rounded end, no grabber or hook. An endoscope would work but this is easier to find locally.
I have had the same problem since day 1. I looked underneath and the gravity fill connector was below the hose going to the tank. So very little water would go to the tank because it was back flowing onto the ground. I added a valve between my city water connection and the tank side of my water pump so now I don’t use the gravity feed connector. Works great!
After we bought our new Jay Flight, I found that I could not get water from a jug into the fresh tank when sanitizing. It turns out that inside the camper, the hose bent up from the fill point instead of down. Securing the hose downward solved the problem.
I’m a little suspicious about the comment she made referencing removing a screen or something. I suppose some FW fillers have a screen, but most I’m familiar with are just a straight open filler pipe direct to the tank…they even make hose filler extension attachments that extend several inches down the pipe to make filling a drier job. That said, my black tank sprayer port DOES have a screen.