Refilling fresh water tank

[Centex]

... Little pump attached to a cordless drill! Got mine from Lowes but they’re available several places. Quick and easier than heavy jugs. ...

The similar $18 USD Harbor Freight version works like a champ. Standard hose fittings, self-priming, compact to carry, KISS solution. At ~12GPM it makes quick work of the chore.

 

[randynjill]

We use a jiggle siphon.

 

[Scambo1]

Just curious what people are using to refill their fresh water tank while camped. On our recent maiden voyage, I had to refill the fresh water tank using water jugs and it was quite a pain....when pouring water into the tank from my jug, at least 2/3 (maybe more) of the water would pour right back out onto the ground. Didn't matter if I poured slowly or fast...the water would back up in the filling port and dribble down the side of the camper. Yet, there is no problem at all filling from a garden hose. I found this to be strange, as I had no such problems with our previous camper.

Here's the jug I was using to fill the camper:
https://www.igloocoolers.com/produc...bhh8EdzfRprt7sZzR5Hah0Vf0jrBCkdJRAD0lUFEfFDMK

Any suggestions? I've read here that others are using similar jugs without issue...has something changed? A check valve perhaps? (though I didn't see one when I looked from underneath, unless it's built into the filler port).

I use a small d cell powered pump just like this. It works well. I got mine on Temu (cue the haters) for $6

https://www.ebay.com/itm/31565035509...3ABFBMivCtl6pk

Cam
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[CamperCamper]

CAHeaton, you might take a look at the fill hose inside the camper as it goes from the fill port to the tank. It’s possible that the hose arcs up a bit before going down into the tank. If that’s the case you can refit the fill hose or put an extension piece of hose on a funnel that reaches in beyond the arch. Just a thought.

I see that you too have a newer trailer so I am sharing my experience. This was my problem. I recently picked up an E23 and caught the problem before leaving the factory. Of course they rerouted the hose but it took a while to do since the fill hose is hidden under cabinets. The alternative fix is to always use a fill hose that you can push in far enough past the arc or bend in the fill line.

 

[Paul B]

Drill pump for water transfer

Just curious what people are using to refill their fresh water tank while camped. On our recent maiden voyage, I had to refill the fresh water tank using water jugs and it was quite a pain.

Any suggestions?

We use one of these... Milescraft 1314 DrillPump750 - Self Priming Water Pump Attachment for Drills - Water Transfer Pump - Uses Common Garden Hose - 750 Gallons per Hour https://a.co/d/dU1fGjB

 

[bnorman53]

Awesome gadget! I'm going to order myself one! I use the funnel and water jug to fill up my tank if need be while out camping. Thanks for the video and tip, Thane.

 

[brjohnso]

I've posted the details elsewhere, but I built a transfer pump using a self-priming oscillating pump like the one in the trailer. They are fairly cheap, about $50 on Amazon. I power it from a 12v cigarette lighter plug. It will empty a 5 gal water can very fast, and I use the same hose and fill adapter that I use when filling from a normal garden spigot.

 

[Vic Harder]

I must be missing something... why not a potable water hose from the potable water spigot through a Camco carbon filter and into your tank?

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

I must be missing something... why not a potable water hose from the potable water spigot through a Camco carbon filter and into your tank?

that assumes there's a spigot within hose range. sometimes there isn't.

 

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

I must be missing something... why not a potable water hose from the potable water spigot through a Camco carbon filter and into your tank?

No, it's a forum so many simple tasks are dissected and made more complicated than they need be.

The OP seemed to have an issue with water not filling properly from a jug. It then turned into a "how to fill your tank with the least amount of effort" discussion.

I fill my 20L/5g jug at any given water tap in the park, walk it to my trailer, pour it and and am done. No shaking, no plugging in, no syphons. It works for me and zero issues filling ,water backing up or not going into the tank .

I never use a hose after the initial fill at the specified location upon park arrival. The taps around the parks are for single use and it's unfair to other campers to sit and use it to fill your fresh water tank. Plus, many don't have connections on them. It's actually not allowed to fill your tank from the taps around the park in Ontario.


The water taps also cannot be used to fill the water tank of your RV. Instead, this can be done at the trailer fill

 

[hugh]

No, it's a forum so many simple tasks are dissected and made more complicated than they need be.

Yup, welcome to the Internet.

 

[Iowa Dave]

Many corps of engineers parks in the USA have a potable water fill protected by backflow preventer near the dump station. Some have a fill in the same general area marked potable water. In addition many COE Campgrounds have potable spigots scattered around the campground loop. These are intended for use by folks needing water for an initial fill, top off, or auxiliary use. They are not intended for hookup directly to campers. However, sometimes folks put a splitter on them and hookup to their camper. The camp host or ranger may or may not stop by and order the service hose disconnected. I’ve seen both.

Personally the only thing I do not like about dispersed water service sites are the jerks who wash their dishes at one. Food scraps rotting on the ground are animal attractants, they stink and are not good environmentally, and not neighborly. I’ve see a number of women and a few men wash their hair under them, doesn’t bother me.

In the city parks I’ve installed many drinking fountains, one model had a lower hose bib, not threaded for a hose. We would put these back from the edge of the road so people would not use the “jug filler” hose bib to wash their vehicle which was prohibited by ordinance. Those were not threaded for a hose hookup.

We had one near the 18th hole of a long 18 hole disc golf course. On hot summer days when grass had gone dormant or the ground was sandy and players were wearing crocs or sandals or flip flops about every player would stop and wash their feet on the concrete pad with a few blasts of cold water. You could see the pleasure and relief on their faces. We went to calling them foot washers instead of jug fillers. Spring loaded turn handle, larger concrete pad, crowned for cross fall in all directions, green grass from runoff. Win win.

Oh, and in the spirit of staying Germaine to the topic I use a Zodi pump in a one gallon ice cream bucket, powered by my battery pack, and nursed by a tipped five gallon jug of water setting on the ground. I set in my camp chair orchestrating the operation in my Rube Goldberg T shirt and short pants. Works for me. YMMV

Have a great Labor Day.
Iowa Dave Lifetime UFCW ( Amlgamated Meatcutters and Butcher Workmen of the World and former Molders and Foundry Workers, AFL CIO.

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