Good Day all,We are preparing for some extensive dry camping and I wanted to be sure my fresh water tank is full as it seems the last few day trips we ran out of water too quickly. Of course the LED gauge does not function properly.Here is what I did.Coach levelDrained fresh water tank from bottom.Turned hose on with a rate of 1 gallon per minute. ( based on jug and stop watch )Put extension on hose to go into the fill tube.Here is the puzzle, in 32 minutes water was flowing out the fill tube which tells me that is somewhere about 28-35 gallons in a 68 gallon tank. The rate of 1 gallon per minute should have taken about an hour.What could cause the tank not to "fill" up based on my math?How do you verify the tank is actually full when the gauge is not reading properly?Looking forward to your replies.

Pressure on municipal water systems isn't constant. Your test flow may have been at an unusually high demand time.I minute for a gallon seems very slow

Can you put more water in the tank after it overflowed? I know I am able to get more water in after the first "overflow." After the first overflow I reduce water pressure and it runs for some time.Also, RV makers sometimes, if not often, include the capacity of the hot water tank when stating fresh water capacity. I believe in your case it is a 12 gallon hot water heater so if they counted that it would take capacity down to 56 gallons. (How you are ever supposed to use the water in hot water tank, without draining it, is beyond me.)Mike

Agree with above. Maybe try to use something like a 5 or 6 gallon bucket to give you a better flow rating. One thing not to forget, is that when the claim is for a 90 gallon fresh water tank it is actually 80 gallons with 10 gallons of water for the water heater (assuming the W/H is 10 gal capacity). rockin'

You can get the $14.00 water meter from Amazon, works very well. Seems to be very accurate.

Agree w 2PMs. HomeDepot has this Water flow meter for about $16.

Fresh Water tank puzzle | Good Sam Community

frizzen
Explorer
Aug 07, 2015
Pressure on municipal water systems isn't constant. Your test flow may have been at an unusually high demand time.

I minute for a gallon seems very slow
TInmania
Explorer
Aug 07, 2015
Can you put more water in the tank after it overflowed? I know I am able to get more water in after the first "overflow." After the first overflow I reduce water pressure and it runs for some time.

Also, RV makers sometimes, if not often, include the capacity of the hot water tank when stating fresh water capacity. I believe in your case it is a 12 gallon hot water heater so if they counted that it would take capacity down to 56 gallons. (How you are ever supposed to use the water in hot water tank, without draining it, is beyond me.)

Mike
rockintom
Explorer
Aug 07, 2015
Agree with above. Maybe try to use something like a 5 or 6 gallon bucket to give you a better flow rating. One thing not to forget, is that when the claim is for a 90 gallon fresh water tank it is actually 80 gallons with 10 gallons of water for the water heater (assuming the W/H is 10 gal capacity). rockin'
2PM_s
Explorer
Aug 07, 2015
You can get the $14.00 water meter from Amazon, works very well. Seems to be very accurate.
GMandJM
Explorer
Aug 07, 2015
Agree w 2PMs. HomeDepot has this Water flow meter for about $16.
BobKrogstie
Explorer
Aug 08, 2015
Does the fresh water fill neck go into the top of the tank or somewhere down the side of the tank? Manufacturers have been known to do some weird things. Just a SWAG.
Trackrig
Explorer II
Aug 08, 2015
Do you have two water tanks? If so, is the second one filling? By your calculations, you're only taking on half of your water capacity?

Bill
Nutinelse2do
Explorer
Aug 08, 2015
The filler neck enters at the top.

We don't have a HD close by until we get near Seaside, so might check at that time for the water meter.

After we come off blocks tomorrow, will try to fill some more.

Tinmania, you are correct.. We have a 12 gal Suburban. Guess that makes sense it's only holding 56 gallons instead of the projected 68.
Who knows, they might even include the water lines in that number.

Trackrig, I don't believe there are 2 water tanks. There is only one fillneck, and one input and output from the water tank. Would have to take down the underbelly to verify.

Thanks all. Appreciate the input.

Safe travels

Richard
Allworth
Explorer II
Aug 08, 2015
My overflow tube comes out of the side of the tank, not the top. Found this little secret when I had the belly open.
Snowman9000
Explorer
Aug 08, 2015
On our Crossroads Cruiser, the pickup came off the side of the tank near the bottom but leaving the last inch or two in the tank. When the tank is only 6 or 8 inches tall, that's a lot of water that can't be used. The fix was to unscrew the piping elbow fitting and make up a new one that had a pickup tube attached to it. The tube was fitted so it ran down to the bottom of the tank.

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