Information of potential issues from a failed water check valve.

[saflyer]

A recent article in RVTravel.com was about a water check valve that went bad. The issue came to light when the fresh water tank was emptied while driving down the highway when the pump was left on, the valve failed and the water was pumped out the fresh water hose. Their advice is to carry a spare. My questions are do I have that valve and if so where is it located?

Actually, I can’t imagine how the plumbing would be designed to connect the fresh water fill hose to the pump. I’d think they would be very separate.

2005 HR Ambassador

[jacwjames]

My coach has one that is part of the Swann "City Fill" valve.  Mine started to fail, allowing the pump to put water back into the fresh water tank, I didn't loose any water but the pump started to cycle on a very rare frequency!!

Here is the Swan Quick fill valve 

https://swanindustries.com/collections/retail-customer/products/copy-of-wsv150st-quick-water-fill

You can see the check valve on the left side of the block.

Here is the check valve I bought, check around for the best price,   I paid ~$14  3 years ago, much higher now.

https://jrproducts.net/product/62195/

 

 

[cbr046]

There's a valve on both hot and cold water circuits for dumping / winterizing the lines.  If either CW or HW are left open and pump is on it will empty the tank.  Not a failure item IMO.

edit - OK, didn't consider higher end coaches.  Endeavor / Diplomat are pretty basic. 

- bob

Edited May 1 by cbr046

[Dr4Film]

Every coach can be plumbed differently.

it is the owners responsibility to research their own coach as to how it is plumbed and wired.

What may be correct for one coach may not necessarily be how it is plumbed or wired in ALL coaches.

That was one of the very FIRST things I did once we got our Dynasty back home from Salt Lake City. As a result I found that the consignment dealership had mis-installed and mis-wired the two GFCI Circuit Breakers in my main power panel. That mistake could have cost us one of our lives! I also found that there was no water check valve on the inlet side of the shore water hose when the water pump is active. I generally have the water pump on ALL the time regardless of whether we are hooked to shore water or not.

[Benjamin]

Exactly.  The plumbing is always connected, there is one pressure water system, that supplies the cold and hot sides that go to the bath and kitchen.  The pump comes on, that will flow out the city water connection if it can, the check valve is the only thing keeping the water from running backwards out the city water connection unless there's a manual valve or plug that you use in addition to the check valve.  Even IF you bought the RV new, it could be different from the next one on the assembly line. 

I purchased a very well used RV from a very meticulous owner, and still find obvious mistakes from the factory that were never identified in 100k miles and who knows how many hundreds or thousands of hours of working on the various systems.  Quality control and reliability on RV's are not even in the same universe as cars and most other consumer products these days. 

[saflyer]

2 hours ago, Dr4Film said:

Every coach can be plumbed differently.

it is the owners responsibility to research their own coach as to how it is plumbed and wired.

What may be correct for one coach may not necessarily be how it is plumbed or wired in ALL coaches.

That was one of the very FIRST things I did once we got our Dynasty back home from Salt Lake City. As a result I found that the consignment dealership had mis-installed and mis-wired the two GFCI Circuit Breakers in my main power panel. That mistake could have cost us one of our lives! I also found that there was no water check valve on the inlet side of the shore water hose when the water pump is active. I generally have the water pump on ALL the time regardless of whether we are hooked to shore water or not.

OK, I'll keep looking for it but not exactly sure where to look.

 

[Tom Cherry]

23 minutes ago, saflyer said:

OK, I'll keep looking for it but not exactly sure where to look.

 

OK... using your cell phone UNDER the panel where the FILL VALVE is...so you can see behind....Shoot a Picture.  Otherwise, a WISE investment (less than $30 ) is a SPY CAM with a 6 ft semi rigid probe.  I changed out a heater fan in my GS's GF's Ford Escape last night.  Had watched the YouTube and pulling apart plastic panels and such on a car is something that I will do...carefully and have experience on maybe 10 different cars over the years.

I had to use my camera to see WHERE the hidden one (in the rear and up) was and then guided my Torx bit into the recess.

If you had one of this....ODDS ARE...your Check Valve is attached to the City Fill Valve. That is how MOST Monaco's or at least the ones that I have read about or seen or such have.  The system is simple.  A standard Fill Valve is just a TWO WAY valve. Monaco attached a Check to the side of it.  There was a guy out west that had cornered the market and bought up the OEM valves and the OEM Checks.  Probably $30 total.  He SOLD the completed OEM Monaco assembly for $85 or so.  I passed.

He may STILL be out there or is listed on some OTHER forums.... not here, I think.

SO, do some detective work. Have you read the WATER section (6 or so...memory) in the manual. It usually has details.  SOME manuals actually have a schematic at the end.

Your Manual, Research and Google will usually, in that order, solve 75% of the questions here....  Past that....then tap into the knowledge base here...

Let us know what you find during the "Exploratory" phase....

[96 EVO]

Stopped travelling with the water pump on many years ago after reading a thread on IRV.

Owner of a brand spanking new, top of the line Tiffin, on it's maiden voyage! Owner didn't know anything was wrong till his first stop, a wave of about 50gal of fresh water rushed to the front of the coach 😮!

[Tom Cherry]

1 minute ago, 96 EVO said:

Stopped travelling with the water pump on many years ago after reading a thread on IRV.

Owner of a brand spanking new, top of the line Tiffin, on it's maiden voyage! Owner didn't know anything was wrong till his first stop, a wave of about 50gal of fresh water rushed to the front of the coach 😮!

That's a BIG 10-4, BUDDY.

Never leave on the water pump whilst driving.  Turn on and off if someone is cooking or needs to wash their hands when MH is moving. Just chiming in and PILING ON to a good piece of advice...

[Dr4Film]

3 hours ago, saflyer said:

OK, I'll keep looking for it but not exactly sure where to look.

 

Or, you may be looking for something that you don't even have in your coach.

[jacwjames]

On some coaches they mounted the valve behind the white panel in the wet bay, other times they mounted it on the outside.  And or they could have used a standard water valve and just put a check valve in the line between the fitting you attach your water hose to and the valve. 

In my case the valve is mounted on the outside of the white panel, but to be able work on it I removed.  They put finger nuts on the water lines behind the panel so I could reach up behind and unscrew the two finger nuts.  I then was able to put the valve in a vise to hold it so I could replace the check valve, which on the left side of the valve.  

[Tom Cherry]

1 minute ago, jacwjames said:

On some coaches they mounted the valve behind the white panel in the wet bay, other times they mounted it on the outside.  And or they could have used a standard water valve and just put a check valve in the line between the fitting you attach your water hose to and the valve. 

In my case the valve is mounted on the outside of the white panel, but to be able work on it I removed.  They put finger nuts on the water lines behind the panel so I could reach up behind and unscrew the two finger nuts.  I then was able to put the valve in a vise to hold it so I could replace the check valve, which on the left side of the valve.  

Sometimes you ought to thank whatever power or such that you respect, for the charmed life of having easy access to the “USUAL” Monaco madness.  Too many here, based on reading posts for 15 years are in my boat.  My “white” panel was put in my an 800 pound trained mammal.  It has to be warped with the strength of an  “ATLAS”.  Most folks that have issues must pull it out.  But even after removing all the peripherals, then it has to be bent and wedged in.  

I know maybe 5 or so Camelot owners…..one or two finally got a weight lifter or such to bend it….and the others split it with a saw and then reconnected with s plastic or aluminum strap or plate.

I used my phone (technically in today’s vernacular “up skirt” and saw the whole mess.  One of these days, I’ll use my probe or spy cam and video it.  Ease pr access and Serviceability are not terms to be used.

That is why, I adamantly use a washing machine screen filter and flush my hose and the faucet prior to hookup…

 

[Georgia Mike]

I always put a cap on the end of my fresh water power reel hose end. If the check valve fails it won’t empty your tank when your driving down the road.

 

[Bill R]

10 hours ago, jacwjames said:

 

On some coaches they mounted the valve behind the white panel in the wet bay, other times they mounted it on the outside.  And or they could have used a standard water valve and just put a check valve in the line between the fitting you attach your water hose to and the valve. 

 

I installed a 1/4 turn ball valve in between the fresh water hook up and 3-way valve.  Easy to access and I keep it closed if I am not hooked up to shore power.   Just an option if it does not already exist.  

[Donflem]

I just replaced the check valve on my Dynasty a few weeks ago. I was able to get to it without removing anything. I went through the slide out tray compartment.

Don

[Georgia Mike]

It’s always fun laying down inside there trying to reach behind yourself for tools and such 😄 I feel like a contortionist.