desertcamper
Escondido, CA
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I have a 2006, 33 ft Rampage by Skyline, and while filling the fresh water tank with a hose the other day, There was a very loud noise that came from underneath the trailer. The all thread support bolt and supporting L brackets had broken that hold the tank in place. This event was so violent, that it pushed the floor up inside the trailer and caused cabinet and counter top damage from the floor being pushed up. I took it into the dealer where I bought it (still under extended warranty)and they said that it was my fault for "overfilling the tank". They asked if I had left the hose unattended while filling. I said yes, I always fill it this way. They said the over expansion of the tank caused the floor to buckle. I thought that was what the vent or overflow was for. I have searched the owners manual and the internet and I cannot find anywhere where it says you can easily overfill a fresh tank and have this kind of failure.
Has anyone out there heard of such a thing?
I am waiting for the Skyline factory rep to get back to me as I don't buy what I am hearing from the dealer service manager.
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sasha_j
On the Road USA
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I am unclear on how you can over fill a tank. Once it gets to it's capacity the rest drains out pretty much automatically. This kind of lame excuse is yet another nail in your dealers coffin.
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NorCalDuner
Marysville, Ca.
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You can't over fill the tanks, they only hold so much water. That dealer is plain stupid
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Henry Wang
Vancouver BC
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If you are filling your fresh water tank and did not leave a way out for the water, you will easily surpass the structural integrity of the tanks and water line. Which is why you need to have a pressure regulator on your city water line.
It says that in every owner manual I've ever read and every RV self help book as well.
Do not fill your potable water unattended. Do not jam the hose in to the water filler which would not allow excess water to escape.
I phoned Northwood Manufacturing one time on a unrelated subject and the tech stressed very clearly not to over fill the fresh water tank because it WILL expand and explode. He could not make it any clearer that you CANNOT attach a city water line to the potable water inlet and not have some way for the water to escape. The little air hole on the side is only used to let excess air escape so air pocket does not get trapped.
I use a common Water filler attachement which allows the over flowing water to escape easily ( I don't jam it in to the hole, I hold it about an inch away and let the water flow in to the tank and I NEVER step away while I am filling it up.
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knparker
Vacaville,CA
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Henry Wang wrote:If you are filling your fresh water tank and did not leave a way out for the water, you will easily surpass the structural integrity of the tanks and water line. Which is why you need to have a pressure regulator on your city water line.
It says that in every owner manual I've ever read and every RV self help book as well.
Do not fill your potable water unattended. Do not jam the hose in to the water filler which would not allow excess water to escape.
I phoned Northwood Manufacturing one time on a unrelated subject and the tech stressed very clearly not to over fill the fresh water tank because it WILL expand and explode. He could not make it any clearer that you CANNOT attach a city water line to the potable water inlet and not have some way for the water to escape. The little air hole on the side is only used to let excess air escape so air pocket does not get trapped.
I use a common Water filler attachement which allows the over flowing water to escape easily ( I don't jam it in to the hole, I hold it about an inch away and let the water flow in to the tank and I NEVER step away while I am filling it up.
Bigfoot said something similar in the owners manual, there MUST be a enough space around the filler for air to escape as it is displaced by the water. This space is in conjunction with the vent line. I fabricated something similar from parts I procured at a hardware store and am always in attendance while filing.
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BigSilly450x
Elk Grove, CA
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Henry Wang wrote:If you are filling your fresh water tank and did not leave a way out for the water, you will easily surpass the structural integrity of the tanks and water line. Which is why you need to have a pressure regulator on your city water line.
It says that in every owner manual I've ever read and every RV self help book as well.
Do not fill your potable water unattended. Do not jam the hose in to the water filler which would not allow excess water to escape.
I phoned Northwood Manufacturing one time on a unrelated subject and the tech stressed very clearly not to over fill the fresh water tank because it WILL expand and explode. He could not make it any clearer that you CANNOT attach a city water line to the potable water inlet and not have some way for the water to escape. The little air hole on the side is only used to let excess air escape so air pocket does not get trapped.
I use a common Water filler attachement which allows the over flowing water to escape easily ( I don't jam it in to the hole, I hold it about an inch away and let the water flow in to the tank and I NEVER step away while I am filling it up.
I've always just pushed the hose in the tube and when it fills all the way it kicks the hose out via water presure. I did have my supports under the tanks bend but I added some more angle iron and made them twice as thick. I think they bent while pulling off road with full water. Over expanding and destoying the floor and cabinet sounds like BS! Got pics? Does your hose screw on or just push in?
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Henry Wang
Vancouver BC
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BigSilly450x wrote:Henry Wang wrote:If you are filling your fresh water tank and did not leave a way out for the water, you will easily surpass the structural integrity of the tanks and water line. Which is why you need to have a pressure regulator on your city water line.
It says that in every owner manual I've ever read and every RV self help book as well.
Do not fill your potable water unattended. Do not jam the hose in to the water filler which would not allow excess water to escape.
I phoned Northwood Manufacturing one time on a unrelated subject and the tech stressed very clearly not to over fill the fresh water tank because it WILL expand and explode. He could not make it any clearer that you CANNOT attach a city water line to the potable water inlet and not have some way for the water to escape. The little air hole on the side is only used to let excess air escape so air pocket does not get trapped.
I use a common Water filler attachement which allows the over flowing water to escape easily ( I don't jam it in to the hole, I hold it about an inch away and let the water flow in to the tank and I NEVER step away while I am filling it up.
I've always just pushed the hose in the tube and when it fills all the way it kicks the hose out via water presure. I did have my supports under the tanks bend but I added some more angle iron and made them twice as thick. I think they bent while pulling off road with full water. Over expanding and destoying the floor and cabinet sounds like BS! Got pics? Does your hose screw on or just push in?
Bigsilly,
Just want to clarify when I said "Do not jam the hose in to the water filler which would not allow excess water to escape". I meant do not push the hose in to the inlet in a fashion that would not allow the excess water to escape. Obviously the way your hose fits in your inlet allows the hose to pop out smoothly. I was referring to a situation where someone jammed a hose in to an inlet that DID NOT allow that to happen and excess water was not able to flow out.
But you probably knew that. 
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dirtengineer
Alaska
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The pressure involved could easily buckle and lift a cabinet. Household water is usually at least 40 PSI. Less than that pressure is in passenger car tires. Multiply that by the area of the water tank in contact with the floor and you have quite a bit of force. All it would take is the hose getting bound up and not popping out.
Almost seems like there should be a pressure relieve valve somewhere, come to think of it...
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JJ&kids
North Tustin, Ca
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Wow that's an expensive mistake. sorry
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Danal Estes
Frisco, Texas
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Most vent lines are NOT big enough to allow water from a fully open hose to escape. The vent line is for air. If you have the hose inserted in the fill line so that most of the fill line is blocked, and the tank "overfills" meaning the vent line becomes the only discharge path for water, then the hose pressure begins to flex the sides of the tank.
At 50 PSI and up, the pressure is more than any plastic tank and any mounting system can take. Floor buckle can and does happen. Think of the square inches on a flat top/side of the tank; that can be tons of pressure.
Our owners manual states this, and our dealer warned us about it.
Sorry this happened.
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