I post for your approval. The Forest River Floodomatic.

[Ralph_Cramden]

Have a Forest River product, look for this on the line from the black tank flush to the tank, typically in the bath vanity cabinet. Then cut the POS out of there and connect it direct, or if you must replace it with a better vacuum breaker, or just leave it alone if you like living dangerously. It may be the new Forest River floor automatic cleanotron, but it's not listed on the option list.

And before you say it......no I am going to contaminate the entire US potable water system.....

[DavinD]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Have home in AZ...same .NONE installed

My AZ home had them installed on both outside spigots along with a backflow preventer on the sprinklers. This seems to say it is required in Maricopa county?

https://www.maricopa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5889/Backflow-Preventer-Handout-PDF

**Edit - My home was built in 2001

[Old-Biscuit]

drsteve wrote:


I believe Doug is in Canada. Their plumbing code may require them...

NOPE......

DOUG is in Texas

[drsteve]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

bob213 wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Not a Forest River exclusive........Majority of RV Mfgs use that same cheap piece of junk

I personally advocate removal of POS....replace with PVC threaded elbow/pipe and use a hose end vacuum breaker at connection.

When you state "at connection" I take it you mean at the hose bib at the campground that I attach my flushing hose to. (that goes to tank washer connection on trailer?)

This type connector/valve has been required on almost ALL residential outside water spigots for over 30 years. It is designed to STOP backflow(siphon ) of a house water system to the City Water system if there is an outage. Some(Monaco was one) had this on the outside water spigot in their water bay faucets. Doug

...almost ALL
That is contradictory.

30 years?

I owned several homes in CALIFORNIA ---regulatory haven....and NEVER had ANY of those vacuum breakers installed
Worked for a Developer ----built 100's of track homes (CALIFORNIA) and NEVER installed any of those

Have home in AZ...same .NONE installed

Have seen them in 'commercial' use...RV parks/State Parks etc.
But no 'residential'

(Side Note: The set screw breaks off when tightened so the vacuum breakers stay installed vs theft etc)

I believe Doug is in Canada. Their plumbing code may require them...

[crcr]

MFL wrote:
If no black tank flush hose connection, you will not have the leaky vacuum breaker.

Jerry

Thank you.

[Old-Biscuit]

dougrainer wrote:

bob213 wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Not a Forest River exclusive........Majority of RV Mfgs use that same cheap piece of junk

I personally advocate removal of POS....replace with PVC threaded elbow/pipe and use a hose end vacuum breaker at connection.

When you state "at connection" I take it you mean at the hose bib at the campground that I attach my flushing hose to. (that goes to tank washer connection on trailer?)

This type connector/valve has been required on almost ALL residential outside water spigots for over 30 years. It is designed to STOP backflow(siphon ) of a house water system to the City Water system if there is an outage. Some(Monaco was one) had this on the outside water spigot in their water bay faucets. Doug

...almost ALL
That is contradictory.

30 years?

I owned several homes in CALIFORNIA ---regulatory haven....and NEVER had ANY of those vacuum breakers installed
Worked for a Developer ----built 100's of track homes (CALIFORNIA) and NEVER installed any of those

Have home in AZ...same .NONE installed

Have seen them in 'commercial' use...RV parks/State Parks etc.
But no 'residential'

(Side Note: The set screw breaks off when tightened so the vacuum breakers stay installed vs theft etc)

[MFL]

If no black tank flush hose connection, you will not have the leaky vacuum breaker.

Jerry

[crcr]

Question: If one owns a TT without a black tank rinsing mechanism, then would that mean that we do not have described OEM POS in our TT?

[Ralph_Cramden]

screaminjlew wrote:
I don't understand why highland ridge would tell me it was in the wall?

Now look what we have done? We have you trying to understand why RV manufacturers and their vendors/suppliers do the things they do.


Like vac breakers mounted inside, scotchlocks on wiring under trailers exposed to weather, vinyl supply tube crimped to pex fittings with pex crimp rings, minimal braces on lower skirting/fascia with stripped screws,staples shot into thin air, supplying an 8 ga shore power cord but running a 10 ga Romex from its connection to the load center, leaving exposed raw plywood in wheel well areas to soak up water, using first graders to weld frames together, putting 3K axles on trailers with GVWRs of 6600 lbs, making baffles to protect wiring and plumbing out of 1/8" plywood in the back of a cabinet then attaching it to the floor with a 3/4" x 3/4" piece of pine with one screw, running screws through inside ledgers that are too long that push the filon out into nice divits, and continuing to use fiberglass caps that sun fade in less than a year.

I digress.

Back to the vacuum breaker. I dissected it before tossing it in the trash. What a cheaply constructed piece of plastic junk internally. It's hard to believe they get in the neighborhood of $35 online for these pieces of abs garbage.

Unless it's some backwater RV park in Podunk USA chances are they already have a vacuum breaker on the supply faucet the pictures of which have been previously posted. I don't remember ever not seeing one at a state park or ACOE facility.

[screaminjlew]

I found it under my sink...LOL I must be blind and a half..LOL I looked there yesterday and didn't see it because it was way up high tucked in the corner...Now, time to address it. thanks BTW, I don't understand why highland ridge would tell me it was in the wall?

[Lynnmor]

screaminjlew wrote:
Well I just found out that on my brand new Open Range that they put it behind the wall in the bathroom!! Highland Ridge customer service said that he's not sure why they put it there when I explained to him that the Mfg. states that it should not be installed where water damage may result. I purchased a couple of back flow/vacuum breakers the attach to the water spicket, should that solve the likelihood of a water leak behind the wall by having the vacuum breaker at the water supply?
Any responses are greatly appreciated
thanks, Jeff

If you are still running water thru the original system, the problem remains.

[screaminjlew]

Well I just found out that on my brand new Open Range that they put it behind the wall in the bathroom!! Highland Ridge customer service said that he's not sure why they put it there when I explained to him that the Mfg. states that it should not be installed where water damage may result. I purchased a couple of back flow/vacuum breakers the attach to the water spicket, should that solve the likelihood of a water leak behind the wall by having the vacuum breaker at the water supply?
Any responses are greatly appreciated
thanks, Jeff

[Lynnmor]

Ralph Cramden wrote:


Well out of the millions installed in the last 20 years a fair number can be found at brand specific forums that have leaked and flooded out trailers, especially at Forest River forums. Freezing my ass. I bench tested the plastic pos after the deluge on my workbench, and have found it you use one of these with low water pressure it's going to blow water out the vents every time. That's why it leaked over the weekend and never had before. The hose I had ran up through my yard had kinked, had low pressure, and then a river runs through it. Since I can never know the water pressure at campgrounds, and a lot we visit I know are low, I fixed it permanently. Funny how the manufacturer, JR products, or should I say distributor, specifically states not to install it where water could be an issue.

That is what I found as well. These things leak under certain pressure and flow conditions. Some may never encounter those conditions and others may not be so lucky. Usually they are well hidden and the spillage comes and goes with no one being the wiser. In my trailer the piece of safety junk was installed under the kitchen counter right next to the silverware drawer and directly above the electrical inlet, totally out of sight for the millions that never look.

[Ralph_Cramden]

dougrainer wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:
I have mentioned this repeatedly over the years and it falls on deaf ears. It even says on the manufacturers website that it should not be installed where expelled water will cause harm. Here is one example of my posts.

And YET the RV MFGs just don't listen to you.

He won't let it go. He thinks he is an expert. The reason the Valve makers state this is a standard CYA. RV's have numerous water lines and junctions, that if they leak will cause DAMAGE if not dried out. This poster needs to state WHERE it should be located to not cause damage if it leaks. Doug

From the manufacturers website:
ATMOSPHERIC VACUUM BREAKER/
CHECK VALVE
(571 Vac Chk) must be 6” above flood
rim of the highest fixture connected
to the wasteholding tank. (ASSE
1001-02; device shall not be installed
where the venting of water from the
device during normal functioning will
cause damage.)

I know that some need to defend this industry, but there are a few of us "experts" that understand the problem. Sorry if the facts do not fit into your experience.

It needs to be located in the trash, which is where I located mine.

I STILL ASK WHERE IT SHOULD BE LOCATED PER THE INSTRUCTIONS IN AN RV? I AM an expert as it relates to RV's. There are literally MILLIONS of these installed in RV's for the past 20 years. Very few time have I ever seen damage and the damage I found was due to the valve freezing and then the RV'er did not realize he was pumping water into the bath area. Like I stated, just use the Brass replacement. They never leak. And some, are installed thru a floor cut out where IF they leak, it dribbles down to the water bay compartment so you can see it is leaking. THEY ARE NOT A BOOGEYMAN THAT YOU MUST FEAR!!! But, of course, some of you seem to be frightened by them:B I would have no problem having one in my RV. I don't sweat the SMALL STUFF, like some of you:B Doug

Well out of the millions installed in the last 20 years a fair number can be found at brand specific forums that have leaked and flooded out trailers, especially at Forest River forums. Freezing my ass. I bench tested the plastic pos after the deluge on my workbench, and have found it you use one of these with low water pressure it's going to blow water out the vents every time. That's why it leaked over the weekend and never had before. The hose I had ran up through my yard had kinked, had low pressure, and then a river runs through it. Since I can never know the water pressure at campgrounds, and a lot we visit I know are low, I fixed it permanently. Funny how the manufacturer, JR products, or should I say distributor, specifically states not to install it where water could be an issue.

[Old-Biscuit]

wopachop wrote:
Im confused when it comes to the brass hose bib style vacuum breaker is everyone using those outside the vehicle correct?

CORRECT....

I don't bother placing it at spigot/hose bibb.

I attach mine on end of hose then attach to flush connection