Water Tank capacity down to 25L

[TimR]

Hi
Has anyone experienced a reduction in the usual 30L water tank capacity?
I thought my tank was filling too quickly with my usual containers so I completely drained the tank and then measured out 10L x 3. The tank was full and overflowing after 25L of water.

I'm thinking there must still be water in the system and the pump isn't draining the last 5L.
Does anyone have any experience of this and know of any fixes?
Cheers
Tim

 

[Loz]

Maybe the pump has got caught up and isn't on the bottom, have you had a look inside?

 

[TimR]

Cant see much from looking through the cap. Is there another way get a look in?

 

[Hotel California]

I'm pretty sure mine holds 30l as i put in 7x my 5liter foldable bucket (not complete full on the edge) .
To look in the fresh water tank , acces the lid under the large wardrobe .
Next problem ....how to open the lid ?

 

[TimR]

Thanks will try to get into the lid. Yeah definitely not right, I even measured my 10L container to check that!

 

[MichaelB]

I find being on a slope affects the amount of water it take to overflow. Made sense when I thought about it. Where you on a slope when you filled up? Even a relatively shallow slope seems to affect it

 

[TimR]

I find being on a slope affects the amount of water it take to overflow. Made sense when I thought about it. Where you on a slope when you filled up? Even a relatively shallow slope seems to affect it

Yeah can understand that but no slope when I did the test.

 

[WelshGas]

Yeah can understand that but no slope when I did the test.

Sorry, maybe its me, but if you drained the tank presumably by using the drain tap, why should the position of the pump have any effect?

 

[Sad]

Have you drained it with the cap off? Just a thought...

 

[TimR]

The cap was on when I drained it, with drain tap open so the waste tank is clear. Pump is whirring when the sink tap is on so pump seems to work okay. As Loz has suggested the only thing I can think is that the position of the pump (hose) has moved in the tank so there is 5L swilling about at the bottom. I need to have a look inside though.

 

[Wesel]

If there is 5L at the bottom of the tank, and the pump in a wrong position, then there will be 5l of water that will flow out if you open the drain valve located at the bottom in the rear cabinet.

 

[TimR]

If there is 5L at the bottom of the tank, and the pump in a wrong position, then there will be 5l of water that will flow out if you open the drain valve located at the bottom in the rear cabinet.

Ok thanks for that. Is that valve under the safe which has been fitted?

 

[Wesel]

Ok thanks for that. Is that valve under the safe which has been fitted?

It is the valve that is located near the lid of the gas cylinder

 

[TimR]

Brill thanks for the photo

 

[Loz]

Sorry, maybe its me, but if you drained the tank presumably by using the drain tap, why should the position of the pump have any effect?

He didn’t say he had drained, just that he pupmed it out and refilled...with 25L therefore there’s ~5L under the pump...
... however not draining is a different question, now answered by the looks of it

 

[WelshGas]

He didn’t say he had drained, just that he pupmed it out and refilled...with 25L therefore there’s ~5L under the pump...
... however not draining is a different question, now answered by the looks of it

I thought my tank was filling too quickly with my usual containers so I completely drained the tank and then measured out 10L x 3.

I didn't think anyone would drain the Water Tank using the Water Pump. Never even crossed my mind..

 

[Loz]

I thought my tank was filling too quickly with my usual containers so I completely drained the tank and then measured out 10L x 3.

I didn't think anyone would drain the Water Tank using the Water Pump. Never even crossed my mind..

I'm thinking there must still be water in the system and the pump isn't draining the last 5L.

its all in the detail

 

[WelshGas]

No wonder people are having pump problems if they are using the pump to drain the tank. No matter if the pump is touching the base of the tank it will never be able to drain the tank.
I know the VW handbook is not the best but quit honestly I wonder why they even bother to publish one. Maybe its just me but Handbooks and Manuals were essential in Theatre and Intensive Care. We live and learn.

 

[marchugo]

Hi
The tank was full and overflowing after 25L of water.

The fresh water tank may in theory contain 30 Liters, but looking at the inlet pipe of the tank, which sits about an inch under the top surface of the tank, you will quickly understand that by law of nature you cannot fill it to the brim. See image, the plastic inlet is protruding at the left side.

There are ways to achieve a marginal better fill, such as parking with the filling side wheels on a sidewalk, or by holding a water container above the inlet (law of communicating barrels), and fastly closing the cap when water is pouring over your hand, but I I'm not sure if wet feet are worth the effort to get some drops extra.

Aquatic regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[Loz]

VW may quote 30L as the volume up to the filler?

 

[WelshGas]

Doesn’t really matter what the capacity is or how much is left in the tank when the pump runs dry. What is more important is draining the tank correctly via the Drain Tap to avoid retaining water that:
1. Could get contaminated.
2. Freeze over winter and damage the tank or Drain Valve.

 

[Mark13]

Never managed to get more than about 25 in ours . . . we just tend to leave the tank drained when it looks like it might be cold, and carry more when it's needed.

 

[TimR]

Have checked and when releasing the red tap a good amount of water came out - probably 3-4L. With the tank completely empty I then put 2L back in. Tried the electric tap - nothing. Released red tap and 2L came back out so pump is definitely not emptying the tank. Which is a bit of an issue for contamination. Is there a way of getting into the tank as I am hoping it will be a simple case of repositioning the pipe which sucks the water up.

 

[WelshGas]

Have checked and when releasing the red tap a good amount of water came out - probably 3-4L. With the tank completely empty I then put 2L back in. Tried the electric tap - nothing. Released red tap and 2L came back out so pump is definitely not emptying the tank. Which is a bit of an issue for contamination. Is there a way of getting into the tank as I am hoping it will be a simple case of repositioning the pipe which sucks the water up.

Undo the Screw Cap to the water tank.
Open tailgate.
Open rear wardrobe.
Remove bottom shelf.
You will see the Gas Storage compartment. Now look in front of the Gas Lid, towards kitchen. White plastic screw cap to the water tank + electrical wires to pump and water outlet pipe.
Might need a length of wood and hammer to get the cap loosened to unscrew it.

 

[andyinluton]

Why is it a contamination issue? you've got a tap to empty it completely if needed. You never have the tank outlet right at the bottom in a domestic situation to allow any sediment to just remain at the bottom.