Fresh water use

[oldtrojan66]

I have noticed that I can have a full fresh water tank (65 gal in my JAYCO 36RLTS) when I pull into a site with water available. When I hook up to this “city water”, after some period of time the water in my holding tank is gone. Is this a siphon issue, or is it supposed to be that way? I have separate valves to open or close for “city water”, “city water fill”, “normal”, “winterize”, etc.
Thanks for the help!
David

[dewey02]

oldtrojan66 wrote:
By the way, and just for clarification, old trojan does not refer to a used prophylactic. I was the mascot at my high school 50+ years ago and dressed like a trojan soldier and graduated in 1966!

In these days of age-old indiscretions coming back to haunt fellas, I thought I’d better explain!

Y’all be safe out there. It’s a jungle!!

Thanks for the clarification. On a similar note:

I heard a story that many years ago, when the Notre dame fighting Irish played the USC Trojans, some fans in the Notre dame section held up a huge white sheet that had the following words printed on it:

Even the Pope hates Trojans!

[oldtrojan66]

By the way, and just for clarification, old trojan does not refer to a used prophylactic. I was the mascot at my high school 50+ years ago and dressed like a trojan soldier and graduated in 1966!

In these days of age-old indiscretions coming back to haunt fellas, I thought I’d better explain!

Y’all be safe out there. It’s a jungle!!

[oldtrojan66]

Joe417 wrote:



#1 connects the pump input
#2 connects the tank output. It feeds the water pump.
#3 connects the tank input.
#4 connects the external hose fitting
#5 connects the camper water lines to the system

Joe417 wrote:


My panel looks just like this except the word country does not appear. When I choose city fill, out city water, I must turn the pump switch to off, or it will run continuously. Therefore the pump cannot run when I am hooked up to city water and have selected city water on the panel.

No offense meant to anyone and none taken from any answers. For me at this time, it is just one of those things I can’t explain, and I can live with it.

Thanks all, david

[oldtrojan66]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

And what is this about having to unpack & dry out basement compartment ---twice a year :H LEAKS!

Well, Old Bis, it’s about the tank gauges being totally unreliable. Me waiting till I see water standing in the sink or shower floor, cause I’m not usually in a FHU space. And being a forgetful old man who has water drip from above into the very back part of the basement. So I take everything out. Out a fan in there n dry stuff. Perhaps I exaggerated the number of times, but more than once is enough...

[Joe417]

I agree with Old-Biscuit.

You may have already looked in the Jayco documents but if yours is similar to the diagram below, then one of the valves shuts the input to the tank and another shuts the output from the tank. Yours could be different since it's a different year.



I mapped this out once and if I'm not mistaken:

#1 connects the pump input
#2 connects the tank output. It feeds the water pump.
#3 connects the tank input.
#4 connects the external hose fitting
#5 connects the camper water lines to the system

If valve #2 is closed (set to city water) on our tank nothing can come out unless there is a hole between the tank and the valve.

There is an overflow in case you overfill the tank but it is attached to the top of the tank and will not siphon water out.

[Old-Biscuit]

City water can not siphon water from fresh water tank

Water leaves a fresh water tank via pump suction, siphoning out vent, siphoning out overflow or thru tank drain

Water goes into tank via gravity fill port OR a 'fill' valve
If in city water the 'fill' line would be flowing water into tank if fill valve was cracked open or leaking thru as it has city water pressure against it

Pump ON and city water pressure low enough that pump runs using up water in tank
Siphoning out vent, overflow
Tank drain leak


And what is this about having to unpack & dry out basement compartment ---twice a year :H LEAKS!

[enblethen]

The venture action can be caused by the fill valve partially open.

[oldtrojan66]

I think Rallye2000 has a likely solution. I have not had the basement empty to check out plumbing for a bit. (I usually have to empty about twice a year for some reason about water being in the wrong place and wanting it to thoroughly dry. I’m gettin’ pretty good at packing n unpacking!) I think the only valve that shuts off tank n turns on City is the panel of levers I mentioned before.
I guess I could have much worse problems. It was just one of those things that make you go, “Hmmmmmm”!
Thanks all, david...

[Rallye2000]

Sounds like your water tank is draining because the city water passing by the tank outlet is acting like a venturi. Think of a carburetor and the venturi effect pulling the gas into it. Could be happening to your water tank.

[oldtrojan66]

Still a mystery. No one has, as yet, offered a suggestion I have not tried. The pump os turned off, as previously stated.
Thanks, again!
David

[Lynnmor]

He said that the pump doesn't run and there is no leaks. Perhaps he is arriving with very little water because it was lost out the vents while traveling. BTDT

[Bill_Satellite]

Are you 100% sure you have your water pumps turned off? If not, that's where the water is going. I like it that way as I get better pressure when the pumps are on but it will drain the tank over time.

[Joe417]

Sounds like you are leaving the pump on when hooked to city water which won't hurt the pump but if you use a pressure regulator that is less than the pump pressure it will use the tank water first. I have an old Jayco designer and the pump is very quiet.

One thing I just thought about, on our Jayco we have a single hose hook up and a 5 valve water control panel. If memory serves, one of the valves selects between the tank and city water. If you have the same valve set up, is the select valve set half way between the two?

Edit: I went back and read your 1st post and is sounds like you have a similar control panel to our camper. The valve in question selects between "city" and "normal" which should be the tank. If it is set to city it should not pull water from the tank even if the pump is left on.

[oldtrojan66]

Thanks for the ideas. There is no visible water leak under the rig. (None above it, either, in case you’re wondering!) The pump runs normally when no water source is hooked up, and does not run when the city water position is chosen. I usually use a regulator, but I thought that was mainly to guard against too high city pressures.
David