PORTABLE WATER MOD

Just yesterday, I discovered that if I turn the handle on my "Waterworks Utility Panel" to the "Sanitize/Winterize/Drain" setting, the on-board pump will fill my fresh water tank by suctioning out of a container connected to my city fill port. I pulled up ten gallons in about four minutes, and the Flojet 2.9 GPM pump wasn't even warm to the touch. This will come in very handy in August, when I'm boondocking for two weeks straight. :)

Dutch_12078 wrote:
And your "uncomplicated" solution requires pulling out a pump and hoses, hooking it all up and then disconnecting and putting it all away again every time? Okay...

Interesting ... I don't "hook up" anything as my Fresh Water Transfer Pump is mounted on the trailer tongue so all I do is stick the intake draw tube in an Aquatainer of fresh water which is already sitting in the back of my truck and turn on the pump.

"Uncomplicated" Fresh Water Transfer

about 10 years ago, I purchased an FDA water tank - and the company put one port on the tank. After several trips to home depot, I found a livewell bait pump that was safe for water for less than 20.00 (again, it was 10 years ago). I still have the pump and use it a few times a year. It takes me about 10 minutes to pump 30 gallons from the tank in my trunk to the fill neck on my 5er.

To make it easier, I've put a tow hitch plug on the end that way when I plug it into the truck, I pump the water.

I've pondered using the trailers pump to do the same thing, but I've always been successful with the Keep it Simple method. Sure, it's a little more manual, but it's a lot less if it doesn't break.

just my two cents!

josh

SoundGuy wrote:

westend wrote:
An easier solution is to use a transfer pump--12V transfer pump.

Yeah, that's the pump I'd use too but we don't have Harbor Freight here in Ontario where both I and the OP are located ... about the cheapest similar pump is this Marine Utility Pump from Princess Auto. One of the first mods I've always done with any camper we've owned is to upgrade the water pump to a Whisper King or most recently to a Revolution, which in turn left me with the original I could then use as a Water Transfer Pump. Although it may be a bit of overkill for the purpose it does work perfectly and makes use of a pump I'd otherwise just have sitting in my workshop doing nothing anyway.

That Princess Auto pump looks almost identical to the HF pump (only three times the price).

Yes, replacing the Shurflo egg-beater would be my choice, too. You get a lot less noise and gain a transfer pump. I gotcha'.

SoundGuy wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:
With a pair of 3-way valves (the type used for a water heater bypass) and a few plumbing fittings, you can configure the pump to fill the tank using the same line that it normally uses to draw water from the tank. One valve goes in the pump inlet line to connect a suction hose to the pump while blocking the tank output line, while the other goes in the pump outlet line to redirect the pump output to the tank outlet line, using it as an inlet. A switch mounted near the pump provides local pump control.

What an overcomplicated waste of time, especially when the simple solution is to just leave everything as it is and instead use a second pump that can be mounted anywhere one wants it - on the trailer, in the trailer, in a stand alone box, whatever, and powered from any convenient 12 vdc source, whether simply clipped on to the trailer battery, or hardwired, or even powered from the TV's 7-pin Bargman. 12 vdc potable water pumps can be purchased anywhere and even for cents on the dollar in the used market so there's just NO advantage at all in cutting into and modifying the trailer's existing water system, particularly when one also considers that to use such a system the valves must be set correctly each time it's used, then reset again for camping use, and during the time you're using the pump for transferring water it can't be used by anyone else in the trailer for normal use. :S

It takes me about 15 minutes to pump 15 gallons of water into my coach's fresh tank using the onboard pump and turning two valves. I think we can survive that long on our 2-gallon accumulator tank if need be. Three or four fittings and maybe an hour's work to make a permanent solution that requires twisting two valves is "over complicated"? And your "uncomplicated" solution requires pulling out a pump and hoses, hooking it all up and then disconnecting and putting it all away again every time? Okay...

How many gpm pump will the water fill take? I know it's burped a couple times with just a garden hose which I can't imagine is much more than 5gpm.

Wow, you guys have great input!!! I agree to all. 1st of all I have 2 3way bypass valves so thought I'd put them to use, which could be done quite easily now that I've looked into it a little more....however, yes I agree that purchasing another pump is the most simplest way, but just want to save a few bucks because I can't find anything descent for under $75.

westend wrote:
An easier solution is to use a transfer pump--12V transfer pump.

Yeah, that's the pump I'd use too but we don't have Harbor Freight here in Ontario where both I and the OP are located ... about the cheapest similar pump is this Marine Utility Pump from Princess Auto. One of the first mods I've always done with any camper we've owned is to upgrade the water pump to a Whisper King or most recently to a Revolution, which in turn left me with the original I could then use as a Water Transfer Pump. Although it may be a bit of overkill for the purpose it does work perfectly and makes use of a pump I'd otherwise just have sitting in my workshop doing nothing anyway.

Yeah, I don't get this either, way too much futzing around and potential risk to the established fresh water system.

An easier solution is to use a transfer pump--12V transfer pump. I have this pump and have used it occasionally around the house. It has a stainless steel housing so impeller replacement is about the only repair, if ever needed. Mine is about 6 years old.

Dutch_12078 wrote:
With a pair of 3-way valves (the type used for a water heater bypass) and a few plumbing fittings, you can configure the pump to fill the tank using the same line that it normally uses to draw water from the tank. One valve goes in the pump inlet line to connect a suction hose to the pump while blocking the tank output line, while the other goes in the pump outlet line to redirect the pump output to the tank outlet line, using it as an inlet. A switch mounted near the pump provides local pump control.

What an overcomplicated waste of time, especially when the simple solution is to just leave everything as it is and instead use a second pump that can be mounted anywhere one wants it - on the trailer, in the trailer, in a stand alone box, whatever, and powered from any convenient 12 vdc source, whether simply clipped on to the trailer battery, or hardwired, or even powered from the TV's 7-pin Bargman. 12 vdc potable water pumps can be purchased anywhere and even for cents on the dollar in the used market so there's just NO advantage at all in cutting into and modifying the trailer's existing water system, particularly when one also considers that to use such a system the valves must be set correctly each time it's used, then reset again for camping use, and during the time you're using the pump for transferring water it can't be used by anyone else in the trailer for normal use. :S