Need Photos of fresh water tank vent connection

**powerscol** · 08-10-2018, 09:49 AM

I am working on a better design to prevent water loss during travel other than remembering to open or close my valve I currently have on the vent line.

Does anyone have any actual pictures of this connection at the tank - especially for a Reflection 220RK. I want to have my parts in order before pulling the belly material.

Thanks
Keith

On edit - this is a picture of the 220RK and 230RL tank https://www.granddesignrv.com/proxy....941&photo=true

Being as thin as it is, its no wonder we loose water while traveling. Still don't know where the vent fitting is. I have an email into AMERI-KART to see what information they can provide

**DaveMatthewsBand** · 08-10-2018, 11:01 AM

Well now I understand why it all sloshed out!
Geez that’s much thinner than I thought it would be.
With that design it doesn’t really matter where the vent is, all the water is going to escape without a valve.

Also explains why even being a tiny bit off-level results in a lot of water drainage.

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**powerscol** · 08-10-2018, 11:35 AM

I am hoping there is room above the tank vent fitting and there it room to work. Based on where I think it is, its possible. Steps appear to be over this area, but my trailer is at the dealership right now so I cant check. To work I need to have the air/vac fitting I am considering completely above the tank. Emily was going to try and help when she gets back.

**DaveMatthewsBand** · 08-10-2018, 02:11 PM

Maybe just leave the fresh fill cap off?
Or poke a hole in it?

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**TucsonJim** · 08-10-2018, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by DaveMatthewsBand

Maybe just leave the fresh fill cap off?
Or poke a hole in it?

It has a docking station on the 220RK. There is no "fresh fill cap" per se.

Jim

**WhittleBurner** · 08-10-2018, 02:58 PM

Always wondered why some people have this problem of losing water and some don't, could the valve settings in the docking station have anything to do with it. Like leaving the cap off if they had one.

**TucsonJim** · 08-10-2018, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by WhittleBurner

Always wondered why some people have this problem of losing water and some don't, could the valve settings in the docking station have anything to do with it. Like leaving the cap off if they had one.

Same here Gary. On my 2014 337RLS, I never lost a drop. But on my 2017 297RSTS, I lose 1/3 to 2/3 of a tank if I don't close the shut off valve I installed. The 337 had a Kantleak panel, and the 297 has a Nautilus panel. But I have no idea why that would make a difference.

Jim

**Cate&Rob** · 08-10-2018, 03:20 PM

For water to get out of the tank, air has to be able to get in. We have discussed this in the past and unless there is another air inlet, the overflow has to be operating in two directions. First allowing slosh pumping to push water out and then the built up tank vacuum pulling air back in.

Unless . . . the Nautilus panel allows another source of intake air which the Kantleak did not

. On the Kantleak, if the valve is turned to "normal" this blocks the direct city fill to tank connection and connects the line to/from the tank to the pump intake. If the Kantleak valve is left in the city fill position, tank vacuum could draw air in. Is there an arrangement of Nautilus valves that leaves the line to the tank open to air intake?

Rob

**Country Campers** · 08-10-2018, 03:43 PM

Rob

I would have to say on the nautilus panel when I hook up to fill the fresh water and leave the valves in that order when I am towing it is possible that air would be "sucked" into the tank if water was to be going out the overflow. Not sure if I would change the valves to dry camping and have all spigots off if that would not leave any air into the tank, thus not leaving water out. I think this would be the only way to test this. I have installed a valve on the overflow so as not to have a problem. Last weekend we towed 85 miles with lots of hills and with the over flow valve closed I still had a full tank.
Not camping for a while or I would try this.

Brian

**klenger** · 08-10-2018, 04:00 PM

The problem with putting a valve on the overflow line is that when towing in areas with large elevation changes, like in the west, there could be enough pressure on the tank to cause a total failure. For example, I live in Tucson AZ at about 2800 feet and traveled to Flagstaff / Grand Canyon at 7000 feet. 4000 feet of elevation change produces huge pressure changes. A better solution would be to do something like Winnebago does, which is to install an anti-siphon valve on the vent line, but for this to work, the valve needs to be some distance above the tank for gravity to do its job. I wish I understood the dynamics of this problem better, but I'm a wire weenie, not a hydraulics person.