Fresh water tank question

[Crawfordville]

We have never used our fresh water tank. I have a couple of questions about it. When camping at a campground that was water hook up can you still use the fresh water tank as well as the campground water? Or does it have to be one or the other? I'm assuming that it has to be one or the other.

[D_and_A_plus_6]

Someone on here posted one time, when you get to a campground always fill your fresh water tank, if for some reason the campground water supple went down, you would still have water. I do this, never have had a issue where I go, but the one that posted the suggestion stated it had happened to him several times over the years.

[mosseater]

Install a 1/4 turn ball valve on the end of your hose and go turn the city water off, and the pump on, when you want to use the tank water. That or just use the gate valve on the campground connection when you don't want city water. I agree sometimes campground water is very chlorinated, but tank water has a taste too. Use bottled for cooking and coffee if the taste bothers you. Your call.

[fallsrider]

mdamerell wrote:
May not be that simple. If the water pressure is higher in the CG, your pump will not turn on unless you shut off the city water. Plus you'd have to flush the lines to clear the "city water".

We normally run off city water and use bottled water for coffee and drinking. If the city water pressure is low, we will fill our FW tank and use the pump to get a better shower pressure. If the forecast calls for freezing weather we will unhook the city water and run off the FW tank. Also keep some water in FW tank to flush toilets when we travel. Don't like public restrooms.

Exactly. Most likely the pump will never come on.

We have a 2 gallon container and a 6 gallon container for coffee/fresh water, depending on the length of trip. We bring water from the tap at home.

[mdamerell]

May not be that simple. If the water pressure is higher in the CG, your pump will not turn on unless you shut off the city water. Plus you'd have to flush the lines to clear the "city water".

We normally run off city water and use bottled water for coffee and drinking. If the city water pressure is low, we will fill our FW tank and use the pump to get a better shower pressure. If the forecast calls for freezing weather we will unhook the city water and run off the FW tank. Also keep some water in FW tank to flush toilets when we travel. Don't like public restrooms.

[Crawfordville]

cruzbill wrote:
Your trailer should (must) have a check valve at the city (campground) water inlet, its there to prevent your pump from pushing water out thru the city water inlet. The check valve only allows city water in, not fresh tank water to be pumped out. Easiest way to think about it is this: if you have your pump on, you are drawing water from your fresh water tank; if your pump is off and you still have water at your faucets, you are connected to city water and your fresh tank is not being used. Sanitize your tank (follow your owners manual) before you use it.

Thanks for replies. I didn't realize that the key was the pump being on. That's good to know. If I understand correctly, we can shower with the campground water when the pump is off. Then turn the pump on and cook/make coffee with the tank water. We've been using a 5 gallon refillable coleman water jug and using that for cooking/coffee as we don't like the taste of the vast majority of campground water.

Appreciate the feedback.

[Cobra21]

Don't hook the hose up if you want to use your own tank water. You can refill your tank with the hose. Or... hook the hose to your rig and don't turn the water pump on, this is what most of us do.

Brian

[2oldman]

Crawfordville wrote:
When camping at a campground that was water hook up can you still use the fresh water tank as well as the campground water?

Not sure what you're asking..you want to mix them?

[cruzbill]

Your trailer should (must) have a check valve at the city (campground) water inlet, its there to prevent your pump from pushing water out thru the city water inlet. The check valve only allows city water in, not fresh tank water to be pumped out. Easiest way to think about it is this: if you have your pump on, you are drawing water from your fresh water tank; if your pump is off and you still have water at your faucets, you are connected to city water and your fresh tank is not being used. Sanitize your tank (follow your owners manual) before you use it.

[Artum_Snowbird]

We camped last week and we were connected to shore water plus we had water in the tank. After three days I noticed that the water pump was turned on. It would appear that the pressure in the shore line never got low enough to stimulate the water pump to pump up the pressure.

However, sometimes it is advisable to disconnect your shore water hose if there is danger of freezing, or if you are planning to be away from your rig.