I need some help or I just could be loosing my marbles. We have a new to us 2014 Winnebago Vista 30T, we ripped out this humongous entertainment center to make more room and we love our plush coach. Our one issue is we cannot figure out the fresh water system. We just spent 6 days overlooking lake Winnipesaukee with our boat tied up right out front. We had no sewer hookup so our gray tank was pretty full by the time we were leaving. Before we retracted our jacks we just happened to note the fresh water tank looked to be more than half full. Here is where things went crazy. We retracted the jacks and instantly water started draining onto the ground from what appeared to us to be the fresh water drain hose. We were embarrassed that this busy place people would think we were dumping gray water. Water came out forever no matter what valve we turned. Finally it stopped and our fresh water tank looked empty. We then went and dumped our black and gray tanks and went on our way. Here is the real kicker. Now there is fresh water back in the fresh water tank which does have me wondering about my marbles....years spent in a class C and nothing was like this. One other thing, I fill the fresh water tank and within no time I have hot water without even turning on the gas or elect hot water. .........Bruce
Mystery water issues
- Thread starter Bruce M.
- Start date
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John Canfield
Site Team
Yeah, that's pretty weird. Download and print your plumbing diagram(s), then use different color highlighters to trace fresh/gray/black plumbing. That will help understand how it's supposed to work and what might be causing your particular issue.
Alfa38User
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2007
- Posts
- 6,678
Are you sure you mean hot water from the fresh water tank and not the water heater?? ... If you did not drain the HW tank or if you meant the hot water tank and not the fresh water tank then the hot water question is simple: In many cases, the water can be heated by the engine through a built-in heat ex-changer while underway, without the need for electric or propane . You can check the make and model of the water heater to confirm that or check the plumbing.
Of coarse, the hot water tank will fill from the fresh water tank once the water pump is activated.)
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I can't explain how water got back into the fresh tank after draining, but the tank gauge is not a reliable measure of actual tank levels. Especially while the jacks are deploying or retracting. I think it likely that you are seeing faulty gauge readings that make it hard to guess what is happening. I'll also note that it seems unlikely you would have a 1/2 tank of fresh water remaining after 6 days without a water hook-up. And the waste tanks showing near full.
Your fresh tank has an air vent and overflow tube (may be combined in one) and sometimes it is possible to get a siphon action started that will drain the fresh tank. It's usually a faulty vent/overflow installation that enables this, but it's not a rare complaint.
John & Stu gave good advice; start there and do some further diagnosis.
Your fresh tank has an air vent and overflow tube (may be combined in one) and sometimes it is possible to get a siphon action started that will drain the fresh tank. It's usually a faulty vent/overflow installation that enables this, but it's not a rare complaint.
John & Stu gave good advice; start there and do some further diagnosis.
