Fresh Water Siphon Leak

Tahoe Dave

New member
This has been touched on previously however, I would like to pick-up where it last left off. Our 2013 Free Spirit SS has exceeded expectations, with one minor exception. I fill the fresh water tank to 100% just before it hits the overflow. When I head out, down our somewhat steep driveway, there is a trail of water.

This is the result of the overflow tube being too low. I have confirmed this design flaw with Willy at Triple E in Canada, as well as a few LTV dealers. Here's the rub, I'm getting mixed signals on the fix. One of the service managers at a certified LTV dealer said, "put an extension on the overflow tube and route it up above the tank.

Willy, from the factory doesn't like this approach as he feels I may create a P Trap. He feels that I should remove some of the insulation around the hose, try to get to the top and create a new drain above. This approach is darn near impossible as getting to the top of the overflow tube is more than difficult.

As the conversation ensued, Willy reassessed his concerns about the P Trap and suggested I might want to give the easier approach a try. He was concerned that the tank could collapse from the P Trap dynamic. He then felt that the tanks design (long and thin) could withstand this given its configuration.

Bottom line, I hate unintended consequences! As such, I want to "measure twice" on this fix before I move forward. I'm hoping that there are some pearls of wisdom out there to give me some direction.

Thanks in advance...

Dave
 

tinman

Well-known member
I've had the same issue on our older unit, but haven't thought I was losing a lot of capacity. Any idea how much we're spilling? As to the "p-trap", I figure under 0.5 psi per foot of trapped water column. I'm guessing that a reasonably designed mod to the vent would only trap an inch or two, and the tank should be strong enough to withstand the temporary positive pressure on filling. I'm not sure how much suction the pump develops in self-priming, but I'm guessing at least ~5 psi. A blocked vent on a near-empty tank might put it in jeopardy, but an inadvertent p-trap by itself shouldn't.
 

Tahoe Dave

New member
I've had the same issue on our older unit, but haven't thought I was losing a lot of capacity. Any idea how much we're spilling? As to the "p-trap", I figure under 0.5 psi per foot of trapped water column. I'm guessing that a reasonably designed mod to the vent would only trap an inch or two, and the tank should be strong enough to withstand the temporary positive pressure on filling. I'm not sure how much suction the pump develops in self-priming, but I'm guessing at least ~5 psi. A blocked vent on a near-empty tank might put it in jeopardy, but an inadvertent p-trap by itself shouldn't.
Thanks for the response. As for how much we're spilling? I go from 100% full on the read out to 70% (+/-) after coming down the hill.
 

tinman

Well-known member
That is substantially more than I've ever lost. My driveway's not that long, but I have seen some further spillage after driving around 150 miles. I'll crawl around and see if I come up with any wonderful insights.
 

Tahoe Dave

New member
Update...

Here are the results from temporarily closing off the drain tube while in transit. I filled the fresh water to 100% at home and drove to Camp Richardson which is a 3K foot climb. Arrived with 100% and no unintended consequences.

Problem solved!
 

Treadaway

New member
I have a 2007 Free Spirit LSS. Where is the fresh water tank overflow tube/outlet located? I think mine may be clogged, but I can't find it for inspection due to the insolation foam underneath the rig.
 

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