Water pressure regulator/tank fill valve mystery solved

[Richard Gideon]

On our recent visit with Ralph and Charolette in our 89FC35, Ralph and
I performed the obligatory 'walk around' of our coach. I opened the
utility hookup door, (street side rear) and Ralph immediately spotted
the non standard piece of garden hose added by a PO. Ralph's comment
was "get rid of that" as I tried to explain I was not the guilty party
responsible for this re-engineered method for filling the pure water
tank via a 1/2" hose protruding through a 1" hole bored through the
backside steel bulkhead of the utility compartment.

Now settled down after our South Texas travels, I'm doing preventive
maintenance on the bird, 3208 & ZF service, AD4 dyer rebuild, new D2
air governor.

We've had this 35FC 18 months now and that dangling piece of fill hose
has bugged us long enough...previous owner told me that's the only way
to fill the fresh water tank. Turns out, the first night we spent in
the coach when bringing it home from GA, the regulator /fill valve
leaked like a sieve (through the 2 small holes where you insert snap
ring pliers for service) and the first repair I made to the coach 18
mos ago was replacing that regulator assembly. This fixed the leak.

Previous owner related he did not ever hook to 'city water' but in lieu
always filled the tank through this stupid hose and like a dummy I've
continued to use the "hose thru the wall" instead of filling by
flipping the fill switch to energize the sporlan valve. Hose is gone
now and I plugged the hole with a chrome plug purchased at Lowe's.

My lesson here is simple; try to keep the original systems fully
operational when practical! This case of the water hose added to
bypass the factory regulator could have been avoided by merely doing
the preventive maintenance on the regulator and the city water function
as well as the electric fill function could have remained intact.

Ralph, thanks for helping us keep the Blue Bird systems working; also
thanks to all who contribute to the forum.

Dick Gideon
Freedom Bird
1989 35FC
Rolla, MO

[Gregory OConnor]

The mystery is why was the garden hose installed?

The potable water tank fill is an appliance on the citywaterhookup
line. like an icemaker or sink. On 91 and newer birds the sporlan
is a diaphram valve like a automatic lawn sprinkler valve. the valve
is closed passivly then opened when the valve is energized by the
switch. the problem with the notion that it is closed all the time
is that when there is no pressure pushing into the input side of the
sporlan tankfill valve, the diaphram that keeps the valve closed
floats open. since ther is no pressure, water doesnt pass but air
gets in the valve.

when the plumbing system in the bus is not hooked to city water and
the automatic 12 volt pump is turned off, some one is sure to open a
sink valve and depressurize the plumbing lines which will float the
valve open. when this happens and the bus sits for a month or two,
scum builds up on the rubber and the valve will not shut closed. if
the valve does not shut closed, hooking up to city water the potable
tank will overfill. with the valve failed open, running on the
12volt pump you will keep removing water from the tank and refill
the tank with that water so removed.

Fulltimers have frequent or constant pressure up against the valve
thus have not this problem but us monthly or bimonthly users
welcome your "hose through the wall upgrade"

One caution I see with filling the potable tank too fast via a non
Bird-engeneered design is if you fill it faster than the air or over
fill pipe can exhaust the air or water you build pressure in
the 'not designed to be pressurized', plastic tank. This may cause
the potable tank to split. talk about wetting the bed!

GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Gideon"
wrote:
>
> On our recent visit with Ralph and Charolette in our 89FC35, Ralph
and
> I performed the obligatory 'walk around' of our coach. I opened
the
> utility hookup door, (street side rear) and Ralph immediately
spotted
> the non standard piece of garden hose added by a PO. Ralph's
comment
> was "get rid of that" as I tried to explain I was not the guilty
party
> responsible for this re-engineered method for filling the pure
water
> tank via a 1/2" hose protruding through a 1" hole bored through
the
> backside steel bulkhead of the utility compartment.
>
> Now settled down after our South Texas travels, I'm doing
preventive
> maintenance on the bird, 3208 & ZF service, AD4 dyer rebuild, new
D2
> air governor.
>
> We've had this 35FC 18 months now and that dangling piece of fill
hose
> has bugged us long enough...previous owner told me that's the only
way
> to fill the fresh water tank. Turns out, the first night we spent
in
> the coach when bringing it home from GA, the regulator /fill valve
> leaked like a sieve (through the 2 small holes where you insert
snap
> ring pliers for service) and the first repair I made to the coach
18
> mos ago was replacing that regulator assembly. This fixed the
leak.
>
> Previous owner related he did not ever hook to 'city water' but in
lieu
> always filled the tank through this stupid hose and like a dummy
I've
> continued to use the "hose thru the wall" instead of filling by
> flipping the fill switch to energize the sporlan valve. Hose is
gone
> now and I plugged the hole with a chrome plug purchased at Lowe's.
>
> My lesson here is simple; try to keep the original systems fully
> operational when practical! This case of the water hose added to
> bypass the factory regulator could have been avoided by merely
doing
> the preventive maintenance on the regulator and the city water
function
> as well as the electric fill function could have remained intact.
>
> Ralph, thanks for helping us keep the Blue Bird systems working;
also
> thanks to all who contribute to the forum.
>
> Dick Gideon
> Freedom Bird
> 1989 35FC
> Rolla, MO
>

[Richard Gideon]

Greg: All good points; the sporland is working just fine; my guess
is that the PO installed the bypass hose setup simply because the
check valve within the external water fill/regulator needed a good
cleaning...I chose to replace the water fill/regulator because of my
lack of knowledge for disassembly for service. Just adding my 2
cents regarding "quick fixes" to solve a problem and thereby possibly
introducing a new problem or inconvenience. Kinda like some of those
temporary fences I used to build on our farm years ago...many of them
are still being used!

Dick Gideon
Freedom Bird
1989 35FC
Rolla, MO

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gregory OConnor"
wrote:
>
> The mystery is why was the garden hose installed?
>
> The potable water tank fill is an appliance on the citywaterhookup
> line. like an icemaker or sink. On 91 and newer birds the sporlan
> is a diaphram valve like a automatic lawn sprinkler valve. the
valve
> is closed passivly then opened when the valve is energized by the
> switch. the problem with the notion that it is closed all the time
> is that when there is no pressure pushing into the input side of
the
> sporlan tankfill valve, the diaphram that keeps the valve closed
> floats open. since ther is no pressure, water doesnt pass but air
> gets in the valve.
>
> when the plumbing system in the bus is not hooked to city water
and
> the automatic 12 volt pump is turned off, some one is sure to open
a
> sink valve and depressurize the plumbing lines which will float the
> valve open. when this happens and the bus sits for a month or two,
> scum builds up on the rubber and the valve will not shut closed. if
> the valve does not shut closed, hooking up to city water the
potable
> tank will overfill. with the valve failed open, running on the
> 12volt pump you will keep removing water from the tank and refill
> the tank with that water so removed.
>
> Fulltimers have frequent or constant pressure up against the valve
> thus have not this problem but us monthly or bimonthly users
> welcome your "hose through the wall upgrade"
>
> One caution I see with filling the potable tank too fast via a non
> Bird-engeneered design is if you fill it faster than the air or
over
> fill pipe can exhaust the air or water you build pressure in
> the 'not designed to be pressurized', plastic tank. This may
cause
> the potable tank to split. talk about wetting the bed!
>
> GregoryO'Connor
> 94ptRomolandCa
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Gideon"
> wrote:
> >
> > On our recent visit with Ralph and Charolette in our 89FC35,
Ralph
> and
> > I performed the obligatory 'walk around' of our coach. I opened
> the
> > utility hookup door, (street side rear) and Ralph immediately
> spotted
> > the non standard piece of garden hose added by a PO. Ralph's
> comment
> > was "get rid of that" as I tried to explain I was not the guilty
> party
> > responsible for this re-engineered method for filling the pure
> water
> > tank via a 1/2" hose protruding through a 1" hole bored through
> the
> > backside steel bulkhead of the utility compartment.
> >
> > Now settled down after our South Texas travels, I'm doing
> preventive
> > maintenance on the bird, 3208 & ZF service, AD4 dyer rebuild, new
> D2
> > air governor.
> >
> > We've had this 35FC 18 months now and that dangling piece of fill
> hose
> > has bugged us long enough...previous owner told me that's the
only
> way
> > to fill the fresh water tank. Turns out, the first night we
spent
> in
> > the coach when bringing it home from GA, the regulator /fill
valve
> > leaked like a sieve (through the 2 small holes where you insert
> snap
> > ring pliers for service) and the first repair I made to the coach
> 18
> > mos ago was replacing that regulator assembly. This fixed the
> leak.
> >
> > Previous owner related he did not ever hook to 'city water' but
in
> lieu
> > always filled the tank through this stupid hose and like a dummy
> I've
> > continued to use the "hose thru the wall" instead of filling by
> > flipping the fill switch to energize the sporlan valve. Hose is
> gone
> > now and I plugged the hole with a chrome plug purchased at Lowe's.
> >
> > My lesson here is simple; try to keep the original systems fully
> > operational when practical! This case of the water hose added to
> > bypass the factory regulator could have been avoided by merely
> doing
> > the preventive maintenance on the regulator and the city water
> function
> > as well as the electric fill function could have remained intact.
> >
> > Ralph, thanks for helping us keep the Blue Bird systems working;
> also
> > thanks to all who contribute to the forum.
> >
> > Dick Gideon
> > Freedom Bird
> > 1989 35FC
> > Rolla, MO
> >
>

[Gregory OConnor]

Dick, Farmers across the country had a crisis when nylon string
replaced bailing wire in hay packaging. I found a professional
bailing wire device at Quartsite 07 and returned this year to buy it
because my 07 statement "I can make one of these" never put metal to
mill. I was disapointed when the vender didnot show up this year.
Forum member, Dick Hayden found one of the tools earlier this month
and sent it to me in the mail. This is a got to have tool for
everyone. I will find a web site or take pics and post soon. A big
thank to DickH for my much loved ClampTool

GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Gideon"
wrote:
>
> Greg: All good points; the sporland is working just fine; my
guess
> is that the PO installed the bypass hose setup simply because the
> check valve within the external water fill/regulator needed a good
> cleaning...I chose to replace the water fill/regulator because of
my
> lack of knowledge for disassembly for service. Just adding my 2
> cents regarding "quick fixes" to solve a problem and thereby
possibly
> introducing a new problem or inconvenience. Kinda like some of
those
> temporary fences I used to build on our farm years ago...many of
them
> are still being used!
>
> Dick Gideon
> Freedom Bird
> 1989 35FC
> Rolla, MO
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gregory OConnor"
> wrote:
> >
> > The mystery is why was the garden hose installed?
> >
> > The potable water tank fill is an appliance on the
citywaterhookup
> > line. like an icemaker or sink. On 91 and newer birds the
sporlan
> > is a diaphram valve like a automatic lawn sprinkler valve. the
> valve
> > is closed passivly then opened when the valve is energized by
the
> > switch. the problem with the notion that it is closed all the
time
> > is that when there is no pressure pushing into the input side of
> the
> > sporlan tankfill valve, the diaphram that keeps the valve
closed
> > floats open. since ther is no pressure, water doesnt pass but
air
> > gets in the valve.
> >
> > when the plumbing system in the bus is not hooked to city water
> and
> > the automatic 12 volt pump is turned off, some one is sure to
open
> a
> > sink valve and depressurize the plumbing lines which will float
the
> > valve open. when this happens and the bus sits for a month or
two,
> > scum builds up on the rubber and the valve will not shut closed.
if
> > the valve does not shut closed, hooking up to city water the
> potable
> > tank will overfill. with the valve failed open, running on the
> > 12volt pump you will keep removing water from the tank and
refill
> > the tank with that water so removed.
> >
> > Fulltimers have frequent or constant pressure up against the
valve
> > thus have not this problem but us monthly or bimonthly users
> > welcome your "hose through the wall upgrade"
> >
> > One caution I see with filling the potable tank too fast via a
non
> > Bird-engeneered design is if you fill it faster than the air or
> over
> > fill pipe can exhaust the air or water you build pressure in
> > the 'not designed to be pressurized', plastic tank. This may
> cause
> > the potable tank to split. talk about wetting the bed!
> >
> > GregoryO'Connor
> > 94ptRomolandCa
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Gideon"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > On our recent visit with Ralph and Charolette in our 89FC35,
> Ralph
> > and
> > > I performed the obligatory 'walk around' of our coach. I
opened
> > the
> > > utility hookup door, (street side rear) and Ralph immediately
> > spotted
> > > the non standard piece of garden hose added by a PO. Ralph's
> > comment
> > > was "get rid of that" as I tried to explain I was not the
guilty
> > party
> > > responsible for this re-engineered method for filling the pure
> > water
> > > tank via a 1/2" hose protruding through a 1" hole bored
through
> > the
> > > backside steel bulkhead of the utility compartment.
> > >
> > > Now settled down after our South Texas travels, I'm doing
> > preventive
> > > maintenance on the bird, 3208 & ZF service, AD4 dyer rebuild,
new
> > D2
> > > air governor.
> > >
> > > We've had this 35FC 18 months now and that dangling piece of
fill
> > hose
> > > has bugged us long enough...previous owner told me that's the
> only
> > way
> > > to fill the fresh water tank. Turns out, the first night we
> spent
> > in
> > > the coach when bringing it home from GA, the regulator /fill
> valve
> > > leaked like a sieve (through the 2 small holes where you
insert
> > snap
> > > ring pliers for service) and the first repair I made to the
coach
> > 18
> > > mos ago was replacing that regulator assembly. This fixed the
> > leak.
> > >
> > > Previous owner related he did not ever hook to 'city water'
but
> in
> > lieu
> > > always filled the tank through this stupid hose and like a
dummy
> > I've
> > > continued to use the "hose thru the wall" instead of filling
by
> > > flipping the fill switch to energize the sporlan valve. Hose
is
> > gone
> > > now and I plugged the hole with a chrome plug purchased at
Lowe's.
> > >
> > > My lesson here is simple; try to keep the original systems
fully
> > > operational when practical! This case of the water hose added
to
> > > bypass the factory regulator could have been avoided by merely
> > doing
> > > the preventive maintenance on the regulator and the city water
> > function
> > > as well as the electric fill function could have remained
intact.
> > >
> > > Ralph, thanks for helping us keep the Blue Bird systems
working;
> > also
> > > thanks to all who contribute to the forum.
> > >
> > > Dick Gideon
> > > Freedom Bird
> > > 1989 35FC
> > > Rolla, MO
> > >
> >
>

[mariopatti1]

Hi All
I had a problem filling the water.I fulltime and needed water so I
disconnected the overfill above the tank and filled the water with a
hose. Did not make any permanent modification .Started to look for a
fix.Was advised to clean and lubricate the pressure regulator fill
valve sounded difficult turned out to be very easy ( thanks Ralph )
Nothing modifed still original and works great.

Mario 1985FC35 in MV MA. Coach in SoCal

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gregory OConnor"
wrote:
>
> Dick, Farmers across the country had a crisis when nylon string
> replaced bailing wire in hay packaging. I found a professional
> bailing wire device at Quartsite 07 and returned this year to buy
it
> because my 07 statement "I can make one of these" never put metal
to
> mill. I was disapointed when the vender didnot show up this year.
> Forum member, Dick Hayden found one of the tools earlier this
month
> and sent it to me in the mail. This is a got to have tool for
> everyone. I will find a web site or take pics and post soon. A
big
> thank to DickH for my much loved ClampTool
>
> GregoryO'Connor
> 94ptRomolandCa
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Gideon"
> wrote:
> >
> > Greg: All good points; the sporland is working just fine; my
> guess
> > is that the PO installed the bypass hose setup simply because
the
> > check valve within the external water fill/regulator needed a
good
> > cleaning...I chose to replace the water fill/regulator because
of
> my
> > lack of knowledge for disassembly for service. Just adding my 2
> > cents regarding "quick fixes" to solve a problem and thereby
> possibly
> > introducing a new problem or inconvenience. Kinda like some of
> those
> > temporary fences I used to build on our farm years ago...many of
> them
> > are still being used!
> >
> > Dick Gideon
> > Freedom Bird
> > 1989 35FC
> > Rolla, MO
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gregory OConnor"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > The mystery is why was the garden hose installed?
> > >
> > > The potable water tank fill is an appliance on the
> citywaterhookup
> > > line. like an icemaker or sink. On 91 and newer birds the
> sporlan
> > > is a diaphram valve like a automatic lawn sprinkler valve. the
> > valve
> > > is closed passivly then opened when the valve is energized by
> the
> > > switch. the problem with the notion that it is closed all the
> time
> > > is that when there is no pressure pushing into the input side
of
> > the
> > > sporlan tankfill valve, the diaphram that keeps the valve
> closed
> > > floats open. since ther is no pressure, water doesnt pass but
> air
> > > gets in the valve.
> > >
> > > when the plumbing system in the bus is not hooked to city
water
> > and
> > > the automatic 12 volt pump is turned off, some one is sure to
> open
> > a
> > > sink valve and depressurize the plumbing lines which will
float
> the
> > > valve open. when this happens and the bus sits for a month or
> two,
> > > scum builds up on the rubber and the valve will not shut
closed.
> if
> > > the valve does not shut closed, hooking up to city water the
> > potable
> > > tank will overfill. with the valve failed open, running on the
> > > 12volt pump you will keep removing water from the tank and
> refill
> > > the tank with that water so removed.
> > >
> > > Fulltimers have frequent or constant pressure up against the
> valve
> > > thus have not this problem but us monthly or bimonthly users
> > > welcome your "hose through the wall upgrade"
> > >
> > > One caution I see with filling the potable tank too fast via a
> non
> > > Bird-engeneered design is if you fill it faster than the air
or
> > over
> > > fill pipe can exhaust the air or water you build pressure in
> > > the 'not designed to be pressurized', plastic tank. This may
> > cause
> > > the potable tank to split. talk about wetting the bed!
> > >
> > > GregoryO'Connor
> > > 94ptRomolandCa
> > >
> > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Gideon"
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > On our recent visit with Ralph and Charolette in our 89FC35,
> > Ralph
> > > and
> > > > I performed the obligatory 'walk around' of our coach. I
> opened
> > > the
> > > > utility hookup door, (street side rear) and Ralph
immediately
> > > spotted
> > > > the non standard piece of garden hose added by a PO.
Ralph's
> > > comment
> > > > was "get rid of that" as I tried to explain I was not the
> guilty
> > > party
> > > > responsible for this re-engineered method for filling the
pure
> > > water
> > > > tank via a 1/2" hose protruding through a 1" hole bored
> through
> > > the
> > > > backside steel bulkhead of the utility compartment.
> > > >
> > > > Now settled down after our South Texas travels, I'm doing
> > > preventive
> > > > maintenance on the bird, 3208 & ZF service, AD4 dyer
rebuild,
> new
> > > D2
> > > > air governor.
> > > >
> > > > We've had this 35FC 18 months now and that dangling piece of
> fill
> > > hose
> > > > has bugged us long enough...previous owner told me that's
the
> > only
> > > way
> > > > to fill the fresh water tank. Turns out, the first night we
> > spent
> > > in
> > > > the coach when bringing it home from GA, the regulator /fill
> > valve
> > > > leaked like a sieve (through the 2 small holes where you
> insert
> > > snap
> > > > ring pliers for service) and the first repair I made to the
> coach
> > > 18
> > > > mos ago was replacing that regulator assembly. This fixed
the
> > > leak.
> > > >
> > > > Previous owner related he did not ever hook to 'city water'
> but
> > in
> > > lieu
> > > > always filled the tank through this stupid hose and like a
> dummy
> > > I've
> > > > continued to use the "hose thru the wall" instead of filling
> by
> > > > flipping the fill switch to energize the sporlan valve.
Hose
> is
> > > gone
> > > > now and I plugged the hole with a chrome plug purchased at
> Lowe's.
> > > >
> > > > My lesson here is simple; try to keep the original systems
> fully
> > > > operational when practical! This case of the water hose
added
> to
> > > > bypass the factory regulator could have been avoided by
merely
> > > doing
> > > > the preventive maintenance on the regulator and the city
water
> > > function
> > > > as well as the electric fill function could have remained
> intact.
> > > >
> > > > Ralph, thanks for helping us keep the Blue Bird systems
> working;
> > > also
> > > > thanks to all who contribute to the forum.
> > > >
> > > > Dick Gideon
> > > > Freedom Bird
> > > > 1989 35FC
> > > > Rolla, MO
> > > >
> > >
> >
>