Fresh Water Tank Ballooning?

[jamiescottie]

Hi Fun Finder community!
Wondering if anyone else has ever had this happen..
We are loading up this past Friday night for a camping trip to Yosemite and my husband was filling up the fresh water tank while loading various last minute items. Well, when he came back to finish it up, he pulled off the hose and water shot out at him and sprayed across the street from the pressure. It was also coming out of the vent. A few minutes later we heard water running into the gutter and then found the damage. The tank had ballooned out so far that it was sagging and even bent the support bars underneath. With the weather cover underneath we aren't able to see all of the damage, but we were able to get it into an RV repair shop on Saturday and will know more once they tear it down today.
Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else. We purchased this back in February from a dealer, but the unit was pre-owned so it's not under warranty. We have previously used it twice with no issues. All of the RV places I called said that they over-fill their water tanks all of the time and that is what the vent is for, it shouldn't have ballooned like that.
Needless to say we had a couple sad little boys this weekend, my husband included But I'm just thankful that it happened now instead of before our Yellowstone trip in July..
Anyways, thanks in advance for any input!

[Eagle]

When filling the fresh water tank, I always stay near so when it gurgles out the overflow, I can promptly remove the hose....thought everyone did that

[jamiescottie]

Originally Posted by Eagle

When filling the fresh water tank, I always stay near so when it gurgles out the overflow, I can promptly remove the hose....thought everyone did that

Gosh, what helpful advice, not sure how the heck I would have known how to fill my tank next time!
It was not done intentionally, we were loading up the kids and got sidetracked. Thanks, we feel bad enough as it is for ruining our kids' camping trip.
I only am asking if anyone's fresh water tank broke from simply overfilling it once. Thanks!

[Mark S]

Even if you don't pay attention and overfill the tank, nothing besides water running over should happen. It should not damage anything.

[guybmoto]

Check here.

http://www.funfinderclub.com/phpBB2/...pic.php?t=1328

I left the hose in, thinking the backpressure would kick it out if it got to be too much. Nope.

[roy]

First thing is locate the low side where vent is located at top of the tank. After that make sure the camper is sloping the other direction when filling fresh water. If you do not so this the vent will hydo lock and the water entering the tank will swell the tank and mess things up quick. Without a proper venting when filling the tank it will swell and bad things will happen.

Even with proper venting always look under to see the level filling in the tank. If its obstructed then I don't know what to tell you. Mines clear plastic and Cruiser didn't add any under belly to mine. Its wide open under it.

[Eagle]

Originally Posted by jamiescottie

Gosh, what helpful advice, not sure how the heck I would have known how to fill my tank next time!
It was not done intentionally, we were loading up the kids and got sidetracked. Thanks, we feel bad enough as it is for ruining our kids' camping trip.
I only am asking if anyone's fresh water tank broke from simply overfilling it once. Thanks!

Sorry, I was not trying to be a smart Axx and the response was not intended to come across that way.

[jamiescottie]

Thanks Eagle, I appreciate that. I gave a shot at being a smart axx back

Dang guybmoto, way to rig that up on the road, that's quite a fix! Sounds like a nice trip you took too! You were up in my neck of the woods..

Thanks Roy, sounds like that is exactly what happened. When we get our new tank, we will look to see which side the vent is located and follow those instructions. We have never been able to see the tank since we have the cover underneath. Plus, I guarantee my husband is going to take his time filling it up every time from now on...

Thanks for your input Mark S, it's appreciated.

[profdant139]

I added plumber's metal pipe straps under all of my tanks -- anchored into the frame with bolts. The straps support the weight of the liquids in the tanks. And I rarely drive with much water in the fresh tank -- I fill at the campground, if possible.

[JoyceSteve]

jamiescottie, what did you find when you got it looked at? I was freaking out two weeks ago when I thought we had the same exact problem...now I doubt there is a problem.

Went camping for the first time this season two weeks ago. We keep a lightweight stepladder in the trailer and when we get to the site we put it under the trailer. When I put it under I noticed that the trailer was pregnant! I knew it was the fresh water tank and since we were on hookup I drained the tank. Back at our storage unit I climbed under and found that the three pieces of angle iron were securely bolted to the frame on either end. I was about to cut open the coroplast to look at the tank but thought that even if the tank was full, three lengths of angle iron should easily handle the weight of a full tank of water.

Had a friend come over who has years of RV and mechanic experience to ask his opinion. He said we shouldn't worry, and he said the same thing I thought about the weight bearing capacity of the angle iron. He said based on the way it was bent that it was most likely meant to be that way to accommodate the insulation under the tank, that if they had bent on their own there would most likely have been other twisting of the metal.

I am anxious to hear what happened when you got yours looked at as we have the same unit.