Water leaking out of overflow tube

aprille4

New Tab owner.  We have a 2018 TAB s.  We were hooked up to city water for 2 days, on third day water came flowing out of overflow tube.  Unhooked the hose and now when we put the water pump on, water comes out of the overflow hose again.  Also, no water coming out of hot water faucet.

aprille4

Me again, I am not sure if the black hose/tube under camper is the overflow tube

Ratkity

When there is no water coming out of the hot water side, I suspect the water valves are not in their correct positions. Please check those first...

Now... water sources and inlets

There are two inlets for water.

1. One is for city water. You'll need a pressure regulator to drop the water pressure to <50 psi. A seasonal water filter is optional, but I know you'll wish for one when you camp in some state or national parks with a sulfur odor in the water (harmless) or even tiny bits of sand it the water (just crunchy). When the pressure is too high, the over-pressure valve in the Alde engages and it looks like your T@B is peeing from the center of the bottom of the trailer. You don't have to run the pump when you are on city water.

2. There's a tank water inlet for water. It looks like a flap (unless they changed the inlet - someone will let me know with a picture). When the water overflows from the correct overflow tube, the tank is full. Then you use the pump. It's best to fill the water tank inlet at home, run the faucets to fill the Alde and get all the air out of your lines and the Alde. Then top off the water tank. Remember, the pump stops running by itself when it reaches pressure. To be miserly with power even prevent the pump from running dry by accident, lots of people turn off the pump when not using any water source.

pthomas745

The popular yellow valve.  Under the driver side bench.  Use a screwdriver to open the wooden panel, and the Alde plumbing will be revealed.  These threads talk about the Alde Relief Valve, which might have popped open if  you did not use a pressure regulator.

https://www.google.com/search?ei=ls6SW8CBBtDKsQXY3JCgBA&amp;q=yellow+valve+site:tab-rv.vanillaforums.com&amp;oq=yellow+valve+site:tab-rv.vanillaforums.com&amp;gs_l=psy-ab.3...6993.23328..24070...0.0..0.103.2455.27j1......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71.DQC0eYpafz0

BrianZ

No screwdriver needed - the yellow valve next to the Alde is under the rear seat on driver side.  If the yellow lever is sticking straight up, the valve is open, so flip it sideways so it is horizontal or closed.

If it's draining from the location shown in this photo, the yellow valve is open..


If it's from the largest black tube farther to the left in this picture close to the drivers side of the trailer, then it may be from the Alde pressure relief valve that drains from a clear tube attached to the Alde pressure relief valve, which might be bad or stuck open.  

ScottG

Even if the valve is not visibly open (yellow handle straight up) excess pressure can still result in water coming out of the valve. If the valve is indeed closed (yellow handle down), and your other valves are in the correct position, and you have properly used a pressure regulator at the inlet, than the valve may be faulty. Seems its happened a time or two in the past.

aprille4

So we didn't have the pressure regulator on when we hooked up.  Newbie's mistake.  Thanks everyone for the feedback.  I am sure I will be on here again.

Sharon_is_SAM

If water is still spilling from the overflow hose after the hose was disconnected, I suppose the plumbing could still be under excess pressure.  I would push my finger into city water connection (hose) valve and relieve some of the pressure.  I agree with Scott, after 3 days of excess pressure, the valve may be damaged as well.  So, why no water coming out of the hot water faucet?  Did so much water drain that it emptied the Alde?  Was it leaking all along?

Ratkity

The Alde won't fill if under excess pressure, hence, no hot water. Hope all valves are alright and you are ready to camp!

BrianZ

@aprille4, can you confirm which tube the water was draining from, and whether/how your situation got resolved, if it did?  Would be nice to know so we can all learn something from your experience.  Thanks.

Sharon_is_SAM

Wow, @Ratkity.  You would think by opening up the hot tap that it would allow air to come out and the Alde would fill.  It's not a closed system, but if they had an air lock in the Alde water tank, then nothing would flow from the hot tap, no?  I know there is the automatic air bleeder, but if that is not patent or kinked?

Ratkity

@Sharon_is_SAM, I'm sorry, I was referring to the folks not using a pressure regulator and all the water was tinkling out of the overflow Alde valve. No water would go to the Alde because it is protecting the unit, hence no hot water.

ScottG

I don't think that is how the pressure relief valve works. It's also the drain for the Alde HW tank, so even when it is open to the outside, there is still flow to/from the Alde. I.e., the valve doesn't actually block anything, it just releases excess pressure in the system to ptotect the Alde.

Unless there was a blockage (or some bypass valves in the wrong position) I would still expect some flow from the HW taps provided the Alde tank was full.

Sharon_is_SAM

@aprille4, are you saying you had hot water and it stopped flowing or are you saying you have not been able to get hot water this trip?

Sharon_is_SAM

I agree with @ScottG re the Alde Pressure Relief valve.  Re the Alde tank, you would think that it was full after 2+ days of a city water connection if they left the hot tap open to let it fill.  And I agree even if the Alde bypass was in place, the water still has access to the red hot water plumbing and out the hot taps as cold water.  The OP says they used the pump, but did not say if they had put water in their fresh tank, so the overflow just picked up where it left off under a still pressurized system.  Hope they reply.

aprille4

Thanks to all for the info.  Since we forgot to put the water regulator on the faucet, that was causing too much pressure.  We hooked up the camper here at home and that what was causing the problem with the camper "peeing" and no hot water.
Again, thanks to everyone for answering and helping us.

pthomas745

Well, it is a yellow valve......

sdenhof

I am still winterized and on bypass. I hooked up to electric to make sure everything looks good. I turned on the alde to make sure heat is working so I can hit the road. After a while everything looked good until I noticed water coming out of the alde bypass hose under the trailer. If I drained everything and ran antifreeze into the system and made sure alde was on bypass why would there be some water coming out?

dragonsdofly

@sdenhof, if the alde is on, the heat causes expansion, liquids inside expand and then have to go someplace, thus the drip. Also, check to be sure your drain toggle is closed, from the winterization process.  If you close the drain, remember to open it again if you're going to flush the system that way. If you flush your plumbing into to gray tank, your drain should remain closed. Good luck, and don't panic. All is probably well.

sdenhof

@dragonsdofly...spent most of my life in Michigan:) Where is the drain toggle? 

dragonsdofly

@sdenhof, the yellow toggle (or flapper switch) is in the alde compartment, under the rear sofa seat, drivers side. I believe you had to flip the toggle up to drain the water lines, and have to flip the switch down to close the drain. I'll look to see if I can locate a picture of it .

dragonsdofly

@sdenhof, here's a pic of the lines in camping mode. Found it in another alde thread. The yellow toggle switch is near the top a little to the left of center and clearly visible. Flipped up it allows the water lines to drain. Flipped down, as in the photo, the lines are closed, so water stays in the plumbing, "camping mode". Hope this helps. -Denise.

dragonsdofly

ScottG

The thing is, if the Alde is correctly bypassed and the Alde tank is drained, there shouldn't be any water coming out of that yellow flapper valve regardless of whether it is open or closed.

Can you clarify the exact location of what you call the "alde bypass hose under the trailer?" The bypass itself does not specifically have a drain under the trailer. However, in addition to the yellow flapper valve dragonsdofly mentioned, there are also hot and cold water drains, as well as a drain and overflow line for the Alde glycol.

How much water is actually leaking out? Is it continuous? Are you hooked up to city water or running the pump?

sdenhof

@ScottG. I opened all 3 drains to drain the water, set it in bypass mode and then winterized it. I never touched the yellow flapper valve. The trailer is still winterized and I am leaving soon so I plugged into power, checked lights, fridge etc. Turned the alde on and turned up the heat to make sure all is good. It ran fine and after an hour or so I noticed warm water coming out from a overflow tube located under the trailer under where the plumbing and alde sit. It ran for 20-30 seconds and stopped. 

sdenhof

What does glycol look like? water? coud that have been what was coming out?

lino

The glycol I got from the factory is yellow

sdenhof

it was clear and warm so I think there must have been water in the alde even though I drained, bypassed and winterized?????

ScottG

Yep, glycol is a distinctive yellow or bright green. Alternatively, RV antifreeze (if you used it to winterize) would probably be pink or red. Neiother should look like water upon careful inspection.

I'm not as familiar with the valves and drains on the 400, but based on your additional description I'm gonna' guess there was a little residual water in your Alde HW tank (or somewhere nearby in the system). Once everything got good and warm, expansion pushed that water to an open drain, or maybe to the yellow flapper valve which would open automatically if pressure were sufficient. Once the T@B, um, relieved itself, all was well. Basically, the same as what dragonsdofly suggested originally.

As long as everything still seems to be working, I would just double check to make sure all the drain valves are closed and camp on!

sdenhof

Thanks everyone....I'll let you know how things go:) Off to Moab!

lkc001

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but according to what I understand don't you HAVE to flip the yellow valve up in addition to opening the hot & cold water drains otherwise you're leaving water either in the alde hot water lines or between the yellow valve & alde somewhere?