Fresh Water Tank Overflow

[Zmax73]

2001 H345 Vantare. Connected water supply & turned on, fresh water fill switch not operating, about 5mins later water overflowing from fresh water tank. Went to connect sewer hose & found fresh water (I assume) draining thru discharge line with black & grey water tank valves closed. Anyone got a direction for me to take for troubleshooting ?
Got water at faucets & toilet flushes also.

[aggies09]

I had similar problem and found that you need to recalibrate the sensors that tell your auto fill to turn off. Mine are headhunter sensors if I remember correctly. Your manual should give you a detailed process for recalibrating. Fairly simple process.

[Pete]

Make sure if you have fresh water flush valves on your grey and black tanks that they are shut off. If not, you can fill your tanks with fresh water and it can back up into your shower, ect.

[Pete]

ZMAX, what did you determine was the problem? Just curious and would like to know.

[Zmax73]

Tony,
Thanks for the reply. I don`t have manuals on these. Searched the headhunter website for them but since they`re older models none found. Do u have the them? These are 2Q models with a reset button on the bottom & no adjustment.

[Zmax73]

Thanks Pete for that advice. Yes they`re closed.

[Zmax73]

Spoke to Headhunter rep today & he said to use model WTS on their website as the calibration technique. He mentioned the TS1501 box which houses the pump control circuitry. I have`nt found the box yet & wonder if iIhave one or the calibrating of the tank sentry`s will do the trick?

[BenC]

Vantare does not use the tank monitor model that controls pump or fresh fill. The unit is strictly for tank level indicating and is located in the upstairs MDP cabinet. There is a float switch near the top of the fresh water tank that shuts off the auto-fill valve circuit. Also, to calibrate the Headhunter units, the adjustments are on the back of the display, not on the sending unit located on the side of the tanks. Hope this helps.

[Zmax73]

Thanks guys. I`ve got it on the operating table now and the doctor should know the verdict today. I`ll report back with diagnosis & fix.

[michaeldterry]

Vantare does not use the tank monitor model that controls pump or fresh fill. The unit is strictly for tank level indicating and is located in the upstairs MDP cabinet. There is a float switch near the top of the fresh water tank that shuts off the auto-fill valve circuit. Also, to calibrate the Headhunter units, the adjustments are on the back of the display, not on the sending unit located on the side of the tanks. Hope this helps.

Ben - the tank monitors on our 96 Vantare have not worked since we bought the coach. The tank level display is located on the main electrical switch panel between the galley and the bathroom. The level indicator scale is lit (red) all the way up all the time regardless of how full/empty the tanks are. Is there anything that can be reset to make the monitors work again? Where/what is the upstairs MDP cabinet where the tank level unit is located? Would I know it by another name/description maybe?

[michaeldterry]

Ben - the tank monitors on our 96 Vantare have not worked since we bought the coach. The tank level display is located on the main electrical switch panel between the galley and the bathroom. The level indicator scale is lit (red) all the way up all the time regardless of how full/empty the tanks are. Is there anything that can be reset to make the monitors work again? Where/what is the upstairs MDP cabinet where the tank level unit is located? Would I know it by another name/description maybe?

Big DUH! I think I may have answered my own stupid question! Could it be that MDP stands for "Main Distribution Panel" and be the same thing as the "main electical switch panel' that I allude to above?

[Prevost.Rick]

Sorry, I am on Rick's login, but this is Ben. In Vantare lingo, MDP=Main Distribution Panel, which is the main electrical panel area always at the end of the Galley on Vantare coaches. There is no "reset", but rather, if it always reads FULL, there could be a bad sending unit (the pumping unit on the tank), or bad module in the MDP display unit. The sender in the bay on the output wire gives a 0-5vdc signal (empty to full, respectively), that the display needs calibrated to. To simulate empty, pull the air line off the sender in the bay, and it should read 0vdc, and with tank full, should give a 5vdc signal. Hope that helps narrow down the problem. Also, Headhunter Inc in Ft Lauderdale, FL is always very nice and supportive of there product, and you can buy repair parts directly if you so desire. Feel free to give me a call anytime, as sometimes it takes a while for me to get the time to check in on here. 813-830-8619.

Sincerely,
Ben
Coach Worx LLC

[Zmax73]

Ben,
you`re right Headhunter is very supportive in that they will sell u the complete unit only for $508/ tank sentry , no repair parts because it`s a sealed unit ! Ouch. All three of mine went south even after trying the recalibration steps ,etc. I`m only replacing the black tank for now with the logic that fresh water will fill as needed and shut off when connected to water supply and i know from usage abt when grey tank needs a dump. Fresh water fill valve was removed, cleaned and nothing, needs replacing also $189.

[Zmax73]

Pete,
Had a bad fresh water fill solenoid valve. $189 ! Tried to clean it up & adjust ,but no luck. 2001 Vantare with valve located on generator side inside the water manifold & water pump bay. It`s mounted just behind the panel inside bay & relatively easy to access. Hope this helps.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

My .02 worth on this is if you don't have auto fill and I do, I still choose to fill my tank manually and dump at the same time. I turn the water off at the supply manually. This is not an inconvenience just the way I do it. My methods gives me peace of mind and no problems, unless I get to talking to someone around the park and I forget to turn the water off. If you didn't pick it up above, I run off the bus water pump and not the supply pressure, it can take it and I don't have to worry about over/under pressure problems should the pressure regulator go south or the park supply go dead. Just my way of doing things.

JIM:)

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I'm with Jim.

[phorner]

We use the fresh water tank supply also.

A few years ago, we were camping in Virginia when the campground well pump died.

On a long holiday weekend.

That meant no public water at all... no toilets, no showers, no nuthin'...

Guess who had a full tank of fresh water to get them through the weekend ??? :cool:

[michaeldterry]

Vantare does not use the tank monitor model that controls pump or fresh fill. The unit is strictly for tank level indicating and is located in the upstairs MDP cabinet. There is a float switch near the top of the fresh water tank that shuts off the auto-fill valve circuit. Also, to calibrate the Headhunter units, the adjustments are on the back of the display, not on the sending unit located on the side of the tanks. Hope this helps.

Yesterday, I opened the MDP and examined the back of the tank monitor display. I didn't see anything to adjust there. What exactly am I looking for? Can you describe what I should be seeing on the back of the display?

[rahangman]

I'm with Tuga (and Jon). Having come back from a 2 month trip, and stopping a several locations overnight as well as campgrounds, I think it just makes sense to use the fresh water tank for its purpose...gimmee water NOW. Especially when pulling into locations just for night. Why bother. With my fresh water tank full I doubt that I am loosing very much performance. Also, being a lowly owner of an older coach, I have to manually hook up and unhook as well as hauling a heavy 50amp cord around, so, hook up for elec and not to worry (at least for a couple days). If laundry or dishes, are in line, yup, hook up and use direct feed .

[Zmax73]

I`m confused Jim. With the park water supply on, water pump on & considering all things are properly working, would you not auto fill the fresh water tank as you use it therfore keeping a full tank all the time ?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

The autofill on my Liberty is either a Headhunter or a Headhunter modified by Liberty. With the switch set to auto the pump takes the water tank down to 20% at which time the auto fill feature opens the solenoid valve and at 80% the valve closes.

On our Libertys (Jim's and mine and others) we can use municipal water and not draw from our tank or use the pump, but the pump we are equipped with delivers a very high flow of water so we can be using multiple sources of water and there is no reduction in flow. We are not assured of ample flow on a municipal supply.

So our tanks, even when on autofill can have as much as 80% capacity, or as little as 21% capacity. When I fill manually I always dump the holding tank so I am also assured I will never have an issue with an over full tank. If I rely on autofill there is not that assurance and we are then relying on the Headhunter tank ,monitor warning us of a full tank condition. I would rather avoid what could occur if the sensor system should fail by just doing things manually because there is no automatic dumping feature for the holding tank, although we can dump via the air operated valve or macerator without stepping outside the coach.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

I`m confused Jim. With the park water supply on, water pump on & considering all things are properly working, would you not auto fill the fresh water tank as you use it therfore keeping a full tank all the time ?

Everything that Jon said with the addition that my way of doing things also includes being outside and paying attention when I dump. I have seen too many campers have their hose rip or somehow come out of/off of the campground sewer pipe. Very funny when it's not me. As far as I am concerned the inside button is for the other guy that looks for a dark country road :cool:

JIM :D

[Prodriver]

Pete,
Had a bad fresh water fill solenoid valve. $189 ! Tried to clean it up & adjust ,but no luck. 2001 Vantare with valve located on generator side inside the water manifold & water pump bay. It`s mounted just behind the panel inside bay & relatively easy to access. Hope this helps.

I just ordered this valve today, apparently it in bay 5. I tried changing the tank level sensor as we thought it might be cooked and it controls the GND to the valve. No Joy, so now we will change the valve.

[Donnie Myers]

I just ordered this valve today, apparently it in bay 5. I tried changing the tank level sensor as we thought it might be cooked and it controls the GND to the valve. No Joy, so now we will change the valve.
99% of the time we remove the four screws from the top of the solenoid and remove diaphragm. There are two small holes opposite of each other in the diaphragm that allow water pressure to get to the opposite side and seat it to stop the flow of water. These holes get a calcium build up. There is a spring that you need to be careful not to lose and make sure to get back I place. Usually takes about 20 mins if I get phone calls while doing it!

[Prodriver]

Sounds like I will have a spare! Thanks Donnie for that info, maybe I can clean up the original one.