Fresh water tank taking too long to fill...any suggestions?

[SJ-Chris]

I have a 2013 Coachman 210qb Leprechaun 23' Class C. I believe it has a 50 gallon fresh water tank.

The issue I am having is that it takes a VERY long time to fill up the fresh water tank. I have other RVs with similar sized fresh water tanks and they take a "normal" amount of time (5-10 minutes) to fill up the fresh water tank. But for some reason on this 23' RV it takes a very long time. 25-30 minutes or more. It is as if there is something restricting the flow into the tank. Or, could the tank be a closed system and perhaps the air in the tank has no way to escape during filling and therefore it creates a sort of back pressure to limit the amount of water that can enter? I can hear the water flowing. When the fresh water tank is nearly empty I can hear the water flowing in (splashing) when I turn on the hose. But it seems like once the fresh water tank gets to be 1/2 to 2/3rds of the way full the water flow into the fresh water tank is reduced to a trickle.

This RV uses the type of water fill connection where the water hose (when filling the fresh water tank) gets screwed into the connector on the side of the RV. (This is different from some of my other RVs that simply have a ~1.5" opening tube (with a cap) where you slide the hose into the pipe to fill it up). The connection point for the hose does have a screen, but when I have looked at it before it didn't look like it was blocked/clogged. I do have a simple water filter that connects to the end of the hose to filter the water going into the RV fresh water tank, and I have verified that the water easily flows through that filter (it isn't causing the flow restriction).

I haven't taken a close look yet or started taking things apart. Just thought I'd check here to see if anyone had any suggestions.

Thanks!
Chris

[wa8yxm]

joebedford wrote:
Screw in connection is usually the black tank rinse.

Never heard of a City Water connection did you.... Many RV's both motor homes and trailers have a city water connection for fresh potable water AND a connection to rinse the black tank

And some have a valve that allows you to fill the fresh Tank from the city water connection. More common on motor homes it's found on some trailers.

But if the inlet is also a pressure regulator. or if you use one in line. Read my prior reply.

[Horsedoc]

Might be as simple as debris in the screen filter where you hook the freshwater hose. Been there and have the tee shirt 😉

[SJ-Chris]

dedmiston wrote:

joebedford wrote:
Screw in connection is usually the black tank rinse.

Not necessarily. I've got three screw-in connections:

1. Black flush
2. City water connection
3. Fresh tank fill

Mine fills slowly too, but my blocker is in the vent and not in the fill. If I fill mine too quickly, it will puke out the vent line. My two problems are a narrow vent and a small line to equalize between my two 60 gallon fresh tanks.

My half-baked solution has been to put a valve on the end of my garden hose and then a meter after that and before the inlet on the coach. I zero out the meter, guestimate at how much water I need for the trip, set the fill rate low, set a timer on my watch, and then let it run while I do other things while I'm packing. It's very imperfect and I hate it, but it works for me.

My RV has the same 3 screw in connections.

When filling the tank, at my home BEFORE going on a trip, it isn't a big deal that it fills slowly. Annoying, but manageable. My issue is when I'm out camping and I'm at a dump station that also has a hose for filling the fresh water tank. In that situation, it takes 30 minutes or longer which is unfair to anyone who might be behind me (...so I end up just filling as much as I can in a "reasonable" amount of time so as to not annoy people behind me).

Hopefully I can find a clogged vent/etc and fix the problem. Although I have a hard time imaging the vent getting clogged as the only thing that enters the fresh water tank is...water.

-Chris

[SJ-Chris]

opnspaces wrote:
I would guess your vent hose is obstructed, kinked or crushed. As the tank fills the air is not able to get out and the fill rate slows to a crawl.

This is what it seems like. I'll investigate to see what is going on regarding venting.

-Chris

[Grit_dog]

Vent is plugged. Stop doing this before you blow up your water tank.
You should be able to physically feel the air coming out the vent tube/screen.

[dedmiston]

joebedford wrote:
Screw in connection is usually the black tank rinse.

Not necessarily. I've got three screw-in connections:

1. Black flush
2. City water connection
3. Fresh tank fill

Mine fills slowly too, but my blocker is in the vent and not in the fill. If I fill mine too quickly, it will puke out the vent line. My two problems are a narrow vent and a small line to equalize between my two 60 gallon fresh tanks.

My half-baked solution has been to put a valve on the end of my garden hose and then a meter after that and before the inlet on the coach. I zero out the meter, guestimate at how much water I need for the trip, set the fill rate low, set a timer on my watch, and then let it run while I do other things while I'm packing. It's very imperfect and I hate it, but it works for me.

[wnjj]

On our gravity fill (non-threaded) setup, you can easily feel air blowing out of the small screened vent next to it, even with only a moderate flow from the hose.

[opnspaces]

I would guess your vent hose is obstructed, kinked or crushed. As the tank fills the air is not able to get out and the fill rate slows to a crawl.

[wildtoad]

joebedford wrote:
Screw in connection is usually the black tank rinse.

My fresh water fill and black tank rinse connections are both screw on and right next to each other.

[way2roll]

joebedford wrote:
Screw in connection is usually the black tank rinse.

On my previous FW the fresh water fill and the city water connection were the same (threaded) and you flipped the lever. A lot of RV's are like this.

[joebedford]

Screw in connection is usually the black tank rinse.

[way2roll]

The fact that this RV has a "screw in" fill leads me to think that pressure is your problem. You are displacing air with water, that air has to go somewhere. Without the ability to vent air it's building pressure which is slowing your flow down. Aside from your filling issues I wonder how much risk this is inviting with pressure building. That, and I would think there should be a vent somewhere to keep this from happening. I know on most gravity fills there is a small vent hole in the fill housing itself. Maybe try not screwing it in so tight to let some air escape.

[wa8yxm]

Often that inlet on the "Service" side where you hook onto the hose has a pressure regulator. Or you may have one in the line .. Many of these restrict flow.. I will describe several pressure regulators and test results (prsonally tested)

The standard cylinderical type about an inch in diamater female hose connector one end male the other.. JUNK restrict flow
High Flow/High Capacity version of same (Wings or a bright plastic collar on the female end) Same result Junk restrict flow.

Sur-Flo (A Watts company) this is the unit built into many RV's also you can buy an "in-line" version... Better I give it a 8-9 on a scale of 10

I have used both Watts and Zurin "Whole house" these are designed to be installed with pipe and have threaded IPT fittings (or copper pipe fitings) and you use hose adapter.. Back when I last bought Around 2012 Around 60 bucks. They have a bell shaped top with an adjustmen screw/bolt where the bell would normally attach to the yoke (Or thehandle of a hand bell would attach)

Mine were 3/4 Inch models.. NO reduction inpressure from static (50 psi) to Full Flow (2GPM on the shower) When they wear out you can but a rebuild kit too.

Valterra makes an adjustable. Never tried it. Others say good thigns about it.

Finally There is a good chance that one of the square Doors (About 8" square) with a key lock... The common key that fits nearly every RV.. There's that gravity fill cap behind it.