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PFuni
Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2006
Posts: 27
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 Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 2:19 pm Post subject: ? about onboard 13gal. water tank in Vanagons |
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My question pertains to filling up the onboard 13gallon water tank from the little hatch door on the outside of the vanagon, next to the 110v plug outlet and direct water spigget hook-up to the sink.
I noticed that after looking inside the tank the hole in which the water comes into the tank, from the outer fill-up hatch... well the hole's location in the tank sits just past half-way up it. I want to know that when the water level is filling and reaches that hole and passes it to completely fill the tank, will the water back-up and spill back out of the water filling hatch on the outside of the vehicle? Any and all advice is welcome. Thanks again.
Paolo-
83'Vanagon |
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Mr. Electric Wizard
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Joined: August 07, 2003
Posts: 2846
Location: Smyrna, TN
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| Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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From memory I think the outside fill up spigot is higher than the tank itself.
So it shouldn't back up out of the external spigot.
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madspaniard
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Joined: August 18, 2008
Posts: 3795
Location: Alameda, CA
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| Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr. Electric Wizard wrote: |
From memory I think the outside fill up spigot is higher than the tank itself.
So it shouldn't back up out of the external spigot. |
yes, the hookup filler box is higher, plus it has a one way membrane valve that avoids the water to come out through the filler box. |
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tsombrero1
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Joined: June 13, 2006
Posts: 288
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, iirc there's a little vinyl tubing to let the air out of the top of the tank.
But there are no guarantees the filler hose is on tight  Mine leaked where it attaches to the tank until I replaced it.
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Jon_slider
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Joined: April 11, 2007
Posts: 5091
Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 6:55 am Post subject: |
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> will the water back-up and spill back out of the water filling hatch on the outside of the vehicle?
Yes
Mine does overflow outside the van at the fill spout if I put in more water than it wants.
Let us know after you try it, if that is how yours works too.. |
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larrytrk
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Joined: July 22, 2007
Posts: 377
Location: Central NJ & MA
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 7:12 am Post subject: |
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At 8lbs per gallon, why fill to the top, unless you intend to go into the Desert for a long while?
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madspaniard
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Joined: August 18, 2008
Posts: 3795
Location: Alameda, CA
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:39 am Post subject: |
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| Jon_slider wrote: |
> will the water back-up and spill back out of the water filling hatch on the outside of the vehicle?
Yes
Mine does overflow outside the van at the fill spout if I put in more water than it wants.
Let us know after you try it, if that is how yours works too.. |
well, if you try to put more than 13 gallons of water from a hose into the tank pressure will build up and water will have to come out somehow so it will do so through the weakest point in the system, the attachment to the tank, the hookup box, the top opening...or maybe through the vent hose that goes from the tank back to the filler hookup box...
Last edited by madspaniard on Thu May 07, 2009 9:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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mightyart
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Joined: March 24, 2004
Posts: 6188
Location: Portland, Oregon
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:58 am Post subject: |
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Last time I used mine I filled it from the inside, the outside is a big pain.
I would use the outside in a pinch, but I sure wouldn't try to fill it all the way. |
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MootPoint
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Joined: September 16, 2006
Posts: 862
Location: ABQ, NM
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 9:24 am Post subject: |
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I much prefer to fill the tank from the inside for many of the reasons listed above. So has anyone ever installed an inside filler hole w/cap that's more convenient than unpacking the cabinet and taking off the cover to access the tank?
Curious minds want to know.
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ianstone
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Joined: September 14, 2005
Posts: 195
Location: San Francisco, CA
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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for some reason i cannot open the little door on the outside of the van, i always have to go in through the cabinet and fill it that way
i do have the little key, and when i try it i can't seem to get it to budge
any suggestions? |
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Mr. Electric Wizard
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Joined: August 07, 2003
Posts: 2846
Location: Smyrna, TN
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 12:07 pm Post subject: |
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| ianstone wrote: |
for some reason i cannot open the little door on the outside of the van, i always have to go in through the cabinet and fill it that way
i do have the little key, and when i try it i can't seem to get it to budge
any suggestions? |
Penetrating oil maybe?
_________________
"Saying what we think gives us a wider conversational range than saying what we know."
~ Cullen Hightower
(T)exas (C)oalition (B)uses
(H)eidenhammer (B)ully (B)oyz
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FNGRUVN
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Joined: October 27, 2007
Posts: 2237
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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| ianstone wrote: |
for some reason i cannot open the little door on the outside of the van, i always have to go in through the cabinet and fill it that way
i do have the little key, and when i try it i can't seem to get it to budge
any suggestions? |
That's probably an aftermarket filler door that you have. It looks like it should open from the bottom, but only the center part of the door opens and it opens from the top. Look real close.
As for filling the tank, I always fill it from inside. I don't want the water level above the top seal in case it leaks. |
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koolmoe
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Joined: November 15, 2008
Posts: 382
Location: Annapolis, MD
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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I fill from the inside too.
But I always spill a little and forget to rag the rim... I hate seeing that water drip down...
How do y'all fill it and ever, always, rarely spill?
I need a big funnel.
KM
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Sheesh
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Joined: October 18, 2007
Posts: 394
Location: New Pine Creek, Orygun
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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I just redid my interior, including the water system. I replaced all the hoses, clamps, and the "O" ring on the tank where the fill tube enters. No leaks.
That said, I think I'm going to fill the tank from the inside and haven't reinstalled the screws holding the metal plate in the cabinet. We're keeping the kid's art supplies in there in a box that fits nicely - only a single thing to take out when filling in the future.
To take another turn.....has anyone ever had leaks where the tank level sending wires connect?
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FNGRUVN
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Joined: October 27, 2007
Posts: 2237
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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| Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 6:01 am Post subject: |
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| koolmoe wrote: |
I fill from the inside too.
But I always spill a little and forget to rag the rim... I hate seeing that water drip down...
How do y'all fill it and ever, always, rarely spill?
I need a big funnel.
KM |
Get one of those shut-off adapters that fit on the end of a garden hose. Home Depot or a good hardware store will have several different types to choose from. |
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iiigoiii
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Joined: January 05, 2008
Posts: 307
Location: Bay Area, CA
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| Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 12:40 am Post subject: |
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can anyone tell me offhand if the filler hose that goes from the exterior utility flap to the water tank can be replaced without pulling the cabinets and/or the fridge?
i noticed that mine has a very slight leak where it joins the tank; i'd like to fix it with the least hassle possible, but then again it's a quarter-century old hose so if i can replace the hose also, so much better....
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pnwkayaker
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Joined: April 01, 2008
Posts: 920
Location: Sammamish, WA
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| Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 5:17 am Post subject: |
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| iiigoiii wrote: |
can anyone tell me offhand if the filler hose that goes from the exterior utility flap to the water tank can be replaced without pulling the cabinets and/or the fridge?
i noticed that mine has a very slight leak where it joins the tank; i'd like to fix it with the least hassle possible, but then again it's a quarter-century old hose so if i can replace the hose also, so much better.... |
yes, no problem at all, I just did that this week (replaced all water hoses since they were very dirty inside). Just make sure that you unplug the old hose, tepe/join the new hose togethet with the old one, and pull from the old hose (lot easier than try to thread the new one). Did this for the 3 hoses that end up in the tank.
I could not find a true replacement for the filler hose (it has a weird thread along with the filler neck in the tank), and ended up using a very close replacement. Problem is, I found that now it leaks very slightly, so I'll have to remove it and try to seal it somehow. Any ideas ? Could I use Teflon or an o-ring somehow ?
Hugo
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Sheesh
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Joined: October 18, 2007
Posts: 394
Location: New Pine Creek, Orygun
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| Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 7:06 am Post subject: |
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iiigoiii: Get some new gaskets (van cafe / go westy) when you replace the plastic box. I also used shoe goo on top of that to seal it tightly to the van. This prevents water from leaking in between the panels when it rains or you wash your rig. One way for galley rust to start!
pnwkayaker: I did the same and had the same results when I redid my interior. I got a new O ring from my local hardware store (the old one was compressed and hard) and screw clamp (the old clamp was "bolt action" and didn't do the job), then tightened the hell out of it. Before putting the screw clamp on, I wrapped gorilla tape around the hose to protect it. That stopped my leak. If it continued to leak, I was going to wrap teflon tape around and around and around until it didn't (but, it didn't).
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