Mystery hose from water tank - vent valve?

Brianpaul77 · May 29, 2015, 02:57 AM

So I went to fill and sanitize our water system tonight, was going pretty well, me standing there with a hose, filling the tank. After a time I thought, boy, sure seems like it should be full by now. Turned off the water and went inside to check the panel and sure enough it was full. Then I noticed there was a small puddle on the laminate flooring near the stove. I opened the access hatch below the oven where the water heater is and discovered a clear plastic hose pouring water. It's gravity fed, as when I pinched it off and brought it above the water tank level, it stopped. I currently have it clamped off and sitting in the end of a portable water tank just in case. The end that is leaking has a broken piece of white plastic nozzle and a clamp around it, and appears to originate directly from the water tank, coming through the same opening that the fill hose uses. I looked all throughout the cabinet for the water heater, but could not see anything this hose might belong to. Wondering if this might be a vent valve and a piece has been broken off. Any other thoughts?

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On another note, bleach water saturated the area underneath the water heater, which unfortunately is still carpeted and damn near impossible to access with the wet-dry vac. Anyone have any suggestions on drying this out and neutralizing the bleach smell?

Elandan2 · May 29, 2015, 07:24 AM

Did you check the gravity water fill on the side of your coach? There is usually a small line right beside the opening where you put water into the tank. That is probably the vent line and the plastic barb has broken off. Rick

Brianpaul77 · May 29, 2015, 09:55 AM

Haven't been down to the RV yet to confirm, but I believe you're on to something Rick. After posting I did a little digging around online and came up with the same conclusion. Now my question is, is this going to be something I'm going to be able to fix with parts I'm going to be able to buy somewhere today? We were suppose to be heading out for our first weekend with the RV. I guess my other option is after I drain the tank and flush it out, just not to fill it completely when we get to our destination.

Brianpaul77 · May 29, 2015, 11:30 AM

Ok, that's definitely the issue. Seems to properly fix, I'm going to need to pull the stove so i can reach to route the vent hose and then not sure what I'm needing to reattach it to the fill fixture? I've really no time to do this if we're still going to get out this weekend, so thinking about temporary solutions and wondering if I'd be able to find a one-way vent that will fit the hose. Anyone have any other ideas?

Rickf1985 · May 29, 2015, 12:10 PM

All that line does is bleed the air out of the tank as you fill it. Once the tank is full it will tend to get water in it but is an air bleed. Just route it somewhere that is out of the way and higher than the tank. Be aware that on a hard turn where the water will be pushing towards that side of the tank it may burp out some water if it is full so put a bucket under it. You can get a slip in connector and add more hose if you have to. Just try to have it sloping back towards the tank or the tank will be hard to fill.

Rickf1985 · May 29, 2015, 12:14 PM

There are many, many fill doors out there. You can probably find a repla ement

Brianpaul77 · May 29, 2015, 12:34 PM

We're on the same page. Just got back from Ace, bought a connector and some extra hose. Don't intend to drive with the tank full, just wanted to be able to flush it good without worrying about flooding the coach. We'll fill our tank once we get to the campground and just fill 3/4 to avoid issue this weekend. Worry about properly fixing it next week.

circleD · May 29, 2015, 08:22 PM

Drill into your sink drain and put it in there then silicon it.

TerryH · May 30, 2015, 02:21 AM

Are you really sure that you would want to or suggest someone should tie a fresh water tank vent line into a grey water drain line? Hm?

Brianpaul77 · May 30, 2015, 09:27 AM

Yeah, don't want to risk contamination. Beast needs a new water fill door anyways, the busted vent nozzle isn't its only issue. The plastic is cracked and brittle as well as not sealing when opened, so an awful lot of water doesn't make it into the tank if I'm pouring it in. Using a hose isn't so much an issue, as if i hold it tightly right at the intake, it mostly all goes in.

Rickf1985 · May 30, 2015, 09:51 AM

You can buy a fill nozzle at the camping store that screws onto the hose and has a smaller piece of clear hose on it that will go right down in the fill line. Saves a lot of splashing and mess. Or you could cut the end off of a hose and then it would fit into the fill hole. The faster you fill it the more air will need to come out that hose in question. The only time water comes out is when it gets full. A lot of the time when the vent line gets installed it get a belly in it that traps water and then you have trouble filling the tank because the air wants to come out the same hose as the water is going in. I agree with the drain, bad idea. That water from the drain would go right down the vent into the fresh water tank.

EldoradoBill · October 05, 2015, 08:27 PM

I have a hose similar to the one in your picture, capped with a brass cap, comes off the water line near the drain valve and loops up and back on itself (about 2 feet). I originally thought this was a vent line but later found where that was (visible in the picture next to the fill hose) still haven't identified the purpose of this other hose...

Bill