So I was tired of the hose falling out while filling my freshwater tank at the State Park we camp in so I got one of those cheap attachments that have a 4 inch clear plastic spout you stick into the entrance to keep the hose from falling out when filling. Catch is that little 4 inch clear plastic spout came off and dropped into my fresh water tank!So...is this going to cause problems or simply spend its life floating and rolling around in the tank? The two potential problems I can think of are ...1. Plugging up the drainage hole?2. Interfering with my water pump?Please reassure me it won't cause me problems or impact my checkbook?

It will probably float on top of the water so as long as you don't run your tank completely dry you won't have to worry about it plugging up anything.When you do empty your tank if it does plug up the drain or outlet you can back flush to move it and then fill the tank and it should float again.You may be able to get to it through the outlet where the tube leading to your water pump is located. Drain the tank, (be sure to use the water pump to drain the last couple of gallons and hopefully the nozzle will end up at the outlet. You may be able to fish the nozzle out with a wire coat hanger.

Put a hose clamp on it, it wont fall off. Too late now but I doubt it will do any harm.

If you can see it, just keep an eye on it. If the edges start to look worn or more smooth, it may be softer than the tank and wearing away. That could mean you are getting tiny pieces of plastic in your water.If you don't drink from the tank, the only worry would be the effect this could have on your pump. As to that, your guess is as good as mine.Worst case, you cut a hole in the upper portion of the tank, fish it out and patch the hole. Maybe put a threaded access port in the hole for the next time something like this happens -:S

It will happily lay in the bottom of the tank and will not cause any problems. All those imagined problems are balderdash.

I would open up the underbelly and disconnect the filler hose where it meets the tank, and take it out.BTW, I use a clothes washer water line cut with about 6" of hose on the 90-degree side of the threaded end and use that every time I fill the tank from a hose bib. Never falls out.

What Happens When You Drop This in Your Freshwater Tank ?

19 Replies

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Jun 21, 2014
The bad news......Your trailer will implode and cause irrepairable damage to itself! The fresh water tank will now only hold 2 gallons of water and no one will be able to use the bathroom!

The good news......have a few drinks and all will be good! :B
Carb_Cleaner
Explorer
Jun 21, 2014
kalynzoo wrote:
tvman44 wrote:
I don't think it will effect anything unless it stays in the fill tube and then it would only slow down the fill rate a little. I would not worry about it. :)

I can't think of a problem. If you think it could have caught in the fill tube, you might get a plastic drain cleaning rod from the big box hardware store...it looks like a flat plastic stick with fins down both sides...and see if you can catch the little sucker.

This is some good thinkin'. Here's what kalynzoo is talking about. It has about 18" of teeth to fish down and try to get it out of the fill tube. Sounds too easy. It'll never work, or it's not stuck in the fill tube, but for a couple bucks it's worth a try.
diesel_man_03
Explorer
Jun 21, 2014
Don't worry about it, there is probably more junk in there from the manufacturer then that piece of plastic.
JAYHAWKERS
Explorer
Jun 20, 2014
On the first camping trip with our new trailer we stopped to fill the fresh water tank. (A state park with electric hook-ups only) Had trouble filling the tank, water kept pouring out the fresh water fill. Having had a pop-up camper prior to the TT we thought the tank was full after five or six minutes ( newbee didn't think to check the sensor panel). Needless to say we ran out of fresh water the next afternoon! Pulled a panel off underneath the refrigerator and found the water fill tube came out of the tank (floor) and formed a question mark shape......pushed some excess down to the fresh water tank and solved the problem......after a nice camper loaned us their 100 foot hose plus our two 25 footers. Check your fill tube that might be some of the problem with a slow fill. Happy camping everyone.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jun 20, 2014
It will not cause a problem, Just leave it be.. IF you are evern in a position to fish it out, go ahead but frankly, not worth much effort.

In fact... On my coach the Ten-Ts who designed it (1 Dee, 10 T) or 1 d 10 t) put the drain holes like 1.5" above the floor, so I put in a different plug (A valve) and mounted a short siphon hose on the inside end of the vlave, made of teh very same hose as you dropped in the tank, just a size smaller.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jun 20, 2014
6 yrs. ago I purchased one of these to aid in filling my fresh water tank

Third time I used it the tube blew off and has been down inside my fresh water tank ever since.........hasn't affected anything.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Jun 20, 2014
harold1946 wrote:
Put a hose clamp on it, it wont fall off. Too late now but I doubt it will do any harm.

I silicone sealed mine.
bumpy
kalynzoo
Explorer
Jun 20, 2014
tvman44 wrote:
I don't think it will effect anything unless it stays in the fill tube and then it would only slow down the fill rate a little. I would not worry about it. :)

I can't think of a problem. If you think it could have caught in the fill tube, you might get a plastic drain cleaning rod from the big box hardware store...it looks like a flat plastic stick with fins down both sides...and see if you can catch the little sucker.
tvman44
Explorer
Jun 20, 2014
I don't think it will effect anything unless it stays in the fill tube and then it would only slow down the fill rate a little. I would not worry about it. :)
lampooner
Explorer
Jun 20, 2014
Easy solution to prevent a future occurance. Go to a hardware store buy the following:
a female water hose fitting
a 12" length of clear plastic tubing of appropriate sze
a hose clamp

assemble hose to hose fitting to 12" hose and add hose clamp.
Problem will not happen again.