Losing fresh water on right turns

Our previous rig, a Coachmen Freelander 3150SS, had a pair of overflow/vent pipes that were attached to the top-rear of the fresh water tank. We travel to many remote dark sky sites for astronomy and need every drop we can haul to some of the sites.

Several of the sites to which we regularly travel, Mt. Pinos, CA, Camp Oakes near Big Bear, CA, and Grandview Campground, CA (in the Sierras) among others, are at the top of very steep grades. In that rig which had a relatively small fresh water tank to begin with, water would flow out of the overflow when we went up steep grades and I'd often arrive at a site with only 2/3 of our fresh water supply. Water would even slop out when backing out of our long and relatively steep driveway.

My solution...was to install PVC ball valves onto the ends of the overflow/vent pipes. (Slip connectors glued onto the rigid overflow pipes the other end threaded into the valves.) After filling the tank, I'd close the valves and only open them when we arrived at our destination. Labels on the dash and adjacent to the water pump switch(es) reminded me to open the valves when we reached our destination.

msmith1199 wrote:

dalenoel wrote:
We added a valve to the Jayco when filling it was opened and when done it was closed.

And did you ever forget to open it when filling and blow the tank up? That's exactly what I would do if I installed that!

Nope, just put a label on the fill spout that says Open Vent, problem solved. Regarding all the suggestions to "just make a loop above the top of the tank" that only works if you have access to the top of the tank. Lots of RVs/Trailers no longer have that access.

dalenoel wrote:
We added a valve to the Jayco when filling it was opened and when done it was closed.

And did you ever forget to open it when filling and blow the tank up? That's exactly what I would do if I installed that!

Jim@HiTek wrote:
Sometimes RV dot net just doesn't post something. Might be because of an accidental special character was added to the text. That's usually why it 'seems' someones post was moderated.

I appreciate the suggestion, but I did confirm the post was posted and remained after a few additional posts by others.

I'm certain it was deleted, though it was perfectly acceptable according to the site guidelines.

Be that as it may, my follow up post was not deleted, so we'll call that a stalemate ;)

DiskDoctr wrote:
WTH! I joked about the water squirting out like a squirt gun and my post gets deleted by a moderator? Come on snowflakes, lighten up!

Sometimes RV dot net just doesn't post something. Might be because of an accidental special character was added to the text. That's usually why it 'seems' someones post was moderated.

My 2016 Thor Outlaw has 2 vent tubes in the top of the tank and water runs out when we are driving so I bought 2 Barb Valves and added them so when were driving I can close them. Nothing like leaving the house with 140 gals of fresh water and when you get there you have 75 left LOL

WTH! I joked about the water squirting out like a squirt gun and my post gets deleted by a moderator? Come on snowflakes, lighten up!

Make 3 lefts instead of 1 right. Kinda like NASCAR.

enblethen wrote:
Sounds like the vent and the drain could be reversed!

As I understand it, the vent and the overflow tube are one and the same. It's just a tube sticking up into the tank nearly to the top (we hope--we can't see the top of the tank without taking bedroom cabinets apart.

We don't do a lot of dry camping, so I'm beginning to think that Jim's advice to fill the tank 2/3rds full and drive off with a smile may make the most sense.

Sounds like the vent and the drain could be reversed!