Potable Water

[murphy38]

We will be heading out the first of April for 7 months of camping and we are looking for a way to refill the fresh water tank in the MH while parked without hookups. Some where I saw a post where a small bilge pump was added to one of the 5 gallon water tanks like the ones sold at Walmart but do not remember the name of the pump or how it worked. If anyone has any ideal I would love to hear them. Having a bad back I can not lift the tanks up to the water fill.

[zman-az]

Do you have a Antifreeze inlet tube?

If so, hook up your water to that, open the antifreeze inlet valve, turn the RV water pump switch to on, turn your hose water inlet valve to fill/city and the pump will draw the water into your RV. No need to waste money and storage for an extra pump if you have the antifreeze option.

[pnichols]

truckcamperonmymind wrote:
SCVJeff wrote:

I'll let 2OLDMAN find this in the archives since he can do it in his sleep. But there has been reference made about drawing water out of a POTABLE carrier through the RV anti-freeze suck tube, and re-entering it to the RV tank through a jumper on the outside shower faucet. Sounds confusing but it works great if you have the necessary facilities.


Brilliant!

Here's another forum discussion thread touching on that very same method:

http://forums.trailerlife.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/26921170/srt/pa/pging/1/page/1.cfm

It would especially work for us because our outside shower hose is just inside the outside storage cabinet right by the fresh water filling port. This was probably brilliant design on Winnebago's part ... but the problem is they didn't tell me about filling our FW tank this way using it's built-in winterizing system anywhere in their literature that came with our motorhome. (Winnebago even put a remote water pump ON/OFF switch right next to the outside shower hose valves.)

[RetiredBob]

What about using a blue porta-tote (Normally used for emptying black and gray water--new or thoroughly sanitized, of course)and a pump? Pull by hand or toad, they come in various sizes.

[mlts22]

Are the water pumps that use an electric drill for power even worth considering? That might be an answer, although I do like the idea of just using another Sureflo pump because it can replace the main pump if it breaks.

[truckcamperonmy]

SCVJeff wrote:
I'll let 2OLDMAN find this in the archives since he can do it in his sleep. But there has been reference made about drawing water out of a POTABLE carrier through the RV anti-freeze suck tube, and re-entering it to the RV tank through a jumper on the outside shower faucet. Sounds confusing but it works great if you have the necessary facilities.

Brilliant!

[azjeffh]

This is my setup, it's an Attwood livewell aerator pump. I added a pvc extension to it so it would reach the bottom of the jug. I use my flojet macerator switch to trigger it on/off but that's overkill. You would have to lay the jug on its side until the pump primes itself, but once going you can stand it right-side up.

[TUCQUALA]

Turkey fryer oil pump. Find on eBay, uses "D" cells, empties a 7 gal blue jug in aboot 4-5 mins. May have to put jug on chair or folding table or lengthen hose to reach your water inlet?? Usually cost about $8-$12.

[2oldman]

OP is gone.

[zman-az]

Does your RV have a antifreeze inlet on it. If so you can use the water pump in the RV to draw in the water from your container. I carry two of these. They fold up nice for storage.

[Lowsuv]

Do what ProfDanT139 does :
Rig a broomstick to hold a water jug .
We dry camp frequently .
We carry 3 of the 5 gallon coleman blue colored water jugs .
I took one of the coleman screw on spigots and modified it so that it had a 2 foot garden hose affixed to the throat of the water jug .
I got a VERY large Carabiner and I loop that through the 5 gallon jug .
I took a sturdy hardwood broomstick and installed a hook on one end .
I place the other end of the broomstick on the ground .
I rest that end of the broomstick against the arch of my foot .
I hook the hook through the Carabiner/Jug .
I then tilt the stick up with the water jug hanging from one end .
The jug is now above the trailer tank fill , being held by the broomstick .
I insert the garden hose into the TT water tank fill .
Much easier than holding 5 gallons up with my arms .
My description is poor .
However , I anticipate ProfDanT to be along anytime now with a slide show AND a YouTube clip showing this process ...

[beemerphile1]

A search on Amazon will reveal many battery powered bilge pumps that could be used for transferring water from an Aquatainer.

For use with my trailer, I set the Aquatainer on the spare tire and use a shaker siphon. No pump needed in my case.

Aquatainer


Shaker siphon

[wbwood]

We bought a couple of the 6 gallon water totes and walmart and just pour them into the tank. A pump would be nice, but takes more time.

[Robbies_grandpa]

You can find small pumps that fit inside the 5 gallon water jugs at Grainger. Very reasonable and work great.

[2oldman]

SCVJeff wrote:
I'll let 2OLDMAN find this in the archives since he can do it in his sleep.

Hehe.

I found most information in posts over 1 year old.

Bilge in posts in Boondock over 1 year old.