Fresh water tank fill auto shut off

[Scott & Heather]

Having to fill my 100 gallon fresh tank every three days this winter so as to stay disconnected from park water spigot. Takes sometimes 15 minutes to fill tank. I've walked away and already overfilled and flooded my luggage bay twice now. Any recommendations? I don't want to just merely install an overflow tube as that will make an icy mess around the coach. If I retrofit an auto shut off fuel nozzle from northern tool for $60 will that work?


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[Sean]

Scott,

If you already know how long it takes to fill, then probably the cheapest, quickest, and easiest solution is a mechanical garden-hose timer, such as this one:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/16564903

Set it for, say, 95% of fill-time and then top off manually.

That said, if you really want positive shut-off on fill, you'll need a ball-float valve in the tank.  Systems that work on back-pressure, such as the fuel-nozzle shut-offs, will not be calibrated properly for a vented tank.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[TomC]

My 130gal tank is under my bed. So if I walk away, my bedroom gets flooded.  It's only 15 minutes out of your life. Just stay there and watch it-seems simple? Good Luck,TomC

[gmcbuffalo]

what about rigging up a electrical solenoid valve to the water inlet.  The solenoid would close when activated by a low voltage current signalled from the tank monitors Full sensor.    You could also put in two sealed screws in to the tank so that when water reaches them they complete the voltage circuit to the shut off solenoid or signal a buzzer to warn you.

[Len Silva]

The problem with standing outside in the cold with water running is that you just have to go pee so bad you can't stand it.

[goutoe]

I seem to have that problem forgetting to shut of water around the house, I bought a cheap little timer at radio shack I clip it to my belt, I have had it several years it has saved me alot of greif, I suppose my cell phone has a timer but probably too hard to figure out how to use it! HTH. John.

[usbusin]

What is wrong with overflow tubes?  I have 80 gallons under the bed and 40 gallons under the couch; both have over flow tubes to the outside.  Shut the water off when it starts to overflow.  Just my way and I'm sure others as well.

[Iceni John]

Shouldn't the overflow/vent go to the outside anyway?   If you topped up your tank in cold weather, then had hot weather later, you're going to lose some of the water from its expansion.   This happened a few years ago one winter when I topped up my fuel tank, a few days later we had a 90-degree day (in winter!), and diesel was coming out my tank.   The yard's owner didn't see the humor in it.   Damn, winters are tough in SoCal, especially when the temperatures plummet down into the 70s . . .

John

[usbusin]

Iceni John asks;

Shouldn't the overflow/vent go to the outside anyway?

I would think so, but apparently TomC's doesn't per above.

[Lin]

One could make a fairly elaborate system to deal with this issue, but it seems there are better ways to spend resources.  Sean's suggestion of a cheap sprinkler timer is about as complex as I would let this get.

[robertglines1]

we use a stock (cattle) tank level shut off on the steam engine tank. Would have to rig a external mini tank to mount it in reading same level as your tank.We have ours mounted inside our storage tank and hook a garden hose to it.  Bob   PS not on bus ! we are mostly pole to pole and stay warm! Steam Engine!!!  Water supply tank...    Not that young and hardy.  Some type of mechanical shut off.    Bob

[wg4t50]

Geez, Poor design, run the over flow outside and carry a pee bottle with a big coat.
Dave

[robertglines1]

Dave; modified my post. Was refering to some kind of mechanical shut off. We have Steam Engines and use that at shows to leave a hose hooked up to supply tank to keep it from running over.  I don't do cold winters in bus! Worked outside in midwest all my life. No reason to do that anymore.   Bob

[Scott & Heather]

Hmmm all good stuff reading on here. Thanks for understanding the whole "gotta go" when you're standing in the cold thing. Sooo true. I like the sprinkler timer shut off idea. I also know I need a vent/overflow tube and might just have to do that. If I overflow though, I floods already super soggy ground and I'm standing in mud to fill my tank now. It's muddy on that side of the bus unless it gets a chance to dry out. Thought this would be easy. I'm not averse to standing there the whole time, but I get distracted easily by something else and end up inadvertently wandering off like a lost child. 45 minutes later I remember . And we have Noah's ark all over again. Sheesh. I'm a mess...I know.


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[Dave5Cs]

They probably make a "Nap' for that, LOL

Dave5Cs