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Topic: Fresh Water Tank Filling (Read 868 times) previous topic - next topic

Fresh Water Tank Filling

#1 Question:  I am wondering if there is a way to fill my fresh water tank through a gravity fill of some kind - like adding 5 or 10 gallons from those water containers by pouring or funneling it in. This would be for boondocking or anytime not having access to "city water." I have read that other RV brands may have this sort of thing. Does my 1990 Foretravel?

When I look in the water/battery bay I do see a short hose coming off the smallest tank (black) in the middle. I think it is for flushing/cleaning out the black tank as it says right on the metal ring caulked to the side of tank: Open valves when flushing. Looks After Market.

#2 Question:  Related to the above question is how do I add bleach to the fresh water tank?

Thanks!


Susan
1990 U280
Bothell, WA
Susan
Chimayo, NM
1990 U280 36'

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #1 –
Susan,

1.  Without modifying the tank I do not know of a way to fill from jugs without a funnel and pouring it in the hose with the fill pump on.

2.  Yes, it's for flushing the tank.

3.  You can do what I do.  Put funnel in fill hose and pour in bleach.  Then fill tank normally. You will have to raise hose up.  Kind rinky dink but it works.

Keith
Keith, Joyce & Smokey the Australian Cattle Dog
1995 U320 SE Extreme 40' WTBI Build # 4780, with a Honda CR-V hopefully still following behind.
Motorcade # 17030
FMCA # F422159

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #2 –
Susan, I don't think your coach is set up to add water any other way than through the fill port (which is actually a check valve). To add bleach we just put some in the water hose, then connect to the faucet, and fill the tank. If we want to add more than what can go in the hose we just fill for a few minutes (gets everything out of the hose and into the tank) then disconnect, drain the water out of the hose, add more bleach, and reconnect. Usually you can fill the tank from a place where the hose/faucet connection is higher than the hose/coach connection, so the bleach would go in there.

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #3 –
Thanks, Keith!
Susan
Chimayo, NM
1990 U280 36'

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #4 –
And thanks, David!

So much to learn... ;)
Susan
Chimayo, NM
1990 U280 36'

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #5 –
You can buy a little pump with hose fittings on either end of it. They even make them to fit on an electric drill. You're probably carrying an electric drill with you anyway. You can probably get one at Harbor Freight, Northern Tools, or Tractor Supply. You'll be able to pump water into your tank from any source you can get the pump and hose to. I suppose you could park next to a lake or creek and pump water into your tank. Don't drink the water without treating it first. It would probably be okay for showers and definitely okay for flushing the toilet. You should probably boil the water before washing or rinsing dishes with it. If you ever decide you want to drink the water directly from your tank again you can chlorinate the tank, drive around and let the chlorine slosh all over the inside of the tank, then drain it and flush the chlorine out with clean water a few times.
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #6 –
I use an old water pump mounted on a small board with a fuse and an on/off switch. I purchased a 45 gallon bladder to fill my fresh water tank when dry camping. The pump is rigged with hose fittings. Simple, cheap and effecient. If you are interested I will pst some photos of my pump set up.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #7 –
Here is how we (and others) gravity fill & pour in bleach into our fresh water tank. I assume your tank setup is quite different than our coach.
Water Tank Gravity Fill

An easy way for everyone to 'gravity' fill & add bleach, is to use a spare water pump or $10 drill pump, with pump's output hose connected to coach city water inlet. Stick a short input hose into a pail and pour water & bleach mixture into pail. We use this method when we dry camped at Kenny & Ann's Lemon Quartzsite 10-day rally.  We carried 5 new Lowe's 5-gallon covered pails filled with water.

We add 1-2 ounces of bleach for most water tank fills, by adding the bleach into a quart container filled with water to dilute the bleach.

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Susan –

#2 Question:  Related to the above question is how do I add bleach to the fresh water tank?

Thanks!


Susan
1990 U280
Bothell, WA

Another way to do the bleach is, if you have a free standing water filter, if it hooks into your water hose between the hose bib and the coach.  You can unscrew the top, pull out the filter, fill with the measured amount of bleach you need, then replace the top, and turn on the hose.
Dave Cobb
Buckhorn Lake Resort The Club, #6202, Kerrville TX
check the map.  I do rent it out when I am traveling!
2001, U320, 36' #5887, in Kerrville, FT Club #17006, (7/23 to present)
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Summit, white
EX: 98 U295, 36' #5219, (mid door), (4/13-10/23)
EX: 93 U225, 36' (4/11 to 4/13)

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #9 –
You could probably rig up a T into the tank overflow (and vent) pipe. This would probably be the simplest and not require any pumps, etc.
1998 U270 34'

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #10 –
We purchased a 12 volt pump from Harbor Fright many years ago, (four RV's ago) for boondocking it is stainless steel and self priming. 12 Volt Marine Utility Water Pump.  Works great.

Al
Leisure Travel
Unity (MB)
2009 Smart Car

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #11 –
Using a water filter housing does not assure that the water/bleach in the housing is 'pumped' out, as the new water coming in could just flow right out, although with some mixing with what is in filter housing.

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Westwinds –
We purchased a 12 volt pump from Harbor Fright many years ago, (four RV's ago) for boondocking it is stainless steel and self priming. 12 Volt Marine Utility Water Pump.  Works great.

Al

Thanks al.

Bought one.  $50 shipped  with tax.

What badder did you use?
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #13 –
Bob, I use a 5 gallon bucket at the Forest Service camp ground hand pump well.  If it is close to the RV I use a fill hose from the bucket at the well.  If not then carry the bucket to the RV (many times).  My favorite camp site on the Salmon River in Idaho, has the well within 50 ft of the parking pad.

Al
Leisure Travel
Unity (MB)
2009 Smart Car

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Westwinds –
Bob, I use a 5 gallon bucket at the Forest Service camp ground hand pump well.  If it is close to the RV I use a fill hose from the bucket at the well.  If not then carry the bucket to the RV (many times).  My favorite camp site on the Salmon River in Idaho, has the well within 50 ft of the parking pad.

Al

Thanks. 

Years ago my buddy had a spare plastic water tank on the roof of his 1982 Foretravel and gravity fed the already filled tank to a mounted pump then pressure filled the coach.

My thoughts I expressed to customers was that the pressure fill only got chlorinated water into the coach systems more often for sanitary and legal? reasons
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #15 –
One of the best mods I've done was to install an auxiliary fill fittting directly into the upper part of the water tank. A permanently attached hose is connected to this.  The tank will fill much more quickly from a pressure source vs using the reel hose, plus you can easily gravity fill or add water from a hand pump. 
"Not so  long ago we were a nation of risk takers, riding five million pounds of  thrust straight into space."  Joe Gresh
Chuck Pearson
1996 U295
2018 Can Am X3 TurboRS
 

Re: Fresh Water Tank Filling

Reply #16 –
I add bleach like many others - just pour it in the fill hose and hook it up. Re the direct fill, if you have a reel you can have it both ways. I have my reel water hose hooked up with a quick-connect to the direct fill. If I want to use the factory fill valve, I just pop it off and connect it to the factory fitting. Don't really need that one anymore but I do it once in awhile just to exercise it. I've found that the direct fill is much faster than the fill valve method.
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