Fresh water tank won't fill

[Boz]

I have a 2016 FF 265RBSS bought off the lot as an upgrade from our old 2007 Cherokee. I checked the hot water heater bypass valve and winterizing valve by the pump and started to fill the fresh water tank. I then turned on the pump and cleared the anti freeze out of the lines. Now I am trying to get the bleach wash I to the fresh water tank and I can't get it to fill. The water overflows like the tank is full but the level indicator shows empty. I am sure I am just missing a valve or a step somewhere that my old unit didn't have and this one does. The hot water heater is a single valve system it looks like. It doesn't have any markings to indicate bypass so I am just judging I have the valve set right based on flow. Any help would be appreciated. First trip in a week and fresh water would be nice

[twinster2]

What you are describing seems very strange. The outside fill pipe should have no valves between it and the fresh water tank. Two possible reason are that 1) the fill pipe is pinched somewhere before it enters the fresh water tank or 2) two as you pointed out, the tank is already full. To check if the tank is full, go underneath the trailer and open the drain valve on the tank. If you get water come out for a considerable amount of time (40 minutes to an hour), it was full. Good luck.

[Boz]

I checked the valve underneath and opened it. Water drained for maybe fifteen minutes to a half hour. After it finished I closed it and tried to fill the tank and got the same results. The water just pours down the side of the trailer. I checked the water fill tube and the air pressure relief tube as much as I could see it. They are both buried behind and underneath the fridge then disappear into the floor. I might contact the dealer tomorrow but hope they don't want me to haul it back over there. Right now I am at a loss.

[Rip5]

If water drained for 1/2 hour, then it will take on water. I have the same issue with ours'. I just let the tank "burp" a few times until it starts accepting
the full stream from the hose. Takes some patience, but it will work w/o a dealer visit.

[snlsmith]

A couple questions on the same subject:

1. Would it help to leave a faucet open while filling to let the air escape?

2. When filling the fresh water tank, will it fill up the hot water heater too? Do you need to leave a hot water faucet knob open to do it?

[twinster2]

There is no reason why it should be that hard to fill the tank unless there is a pinched fill and/or vent pipe in the system. If these pipes are running behind the frig, I'm guessing there is a tight squeeze there and that is where the problem lies.

[Boz]

I purchased a new fill tube and also noticed the line to the tank has a slight upward slope after it enters the trailer wall. Using the new fill tube end in conjunction with increasing the water pressure so it could get up the slope did the trick. Thanks for all the help.

[profdant139]

My fill tube had a slight upslope, too. It was easily accessible under the seat, so I just tugged it down a little and secured it to the wooden frame of the seat with a cable tie so that it would not spring back up.

[RipVan]

My experience is that you need a "filling tube" that attaches to the end of the hose you're using to fill the tank. It goes ~ 10 or 12 inches into the tank fill receptacle and allows the venting tube to work properly. Camco sells one for ~$5 https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Plumbing...JCHxoCjk7w_wcB but they are pretty easy to make from parts available at local hardware stores. I put a on/off valve on the one I made. As you are filling the tank you can tell by listening that the tank is nearly full.
RE: the question about filling the water heater. Filling the water fresh water tank will NOT alone fill the hot water tank. Once the fresh water tank is filled, close the hot water tank "by-pass" off and open the valves to and from the HW heater, turn the system pump on and open the "hot water" faucet on any of the sinks or the tub/shower and the hot water heater tank will fill. DO NOT turn the heater on until the tank is full!!!.
RipVan