Filling a fresh water tank that requires a hose, while boondocking.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Okay...most of y'all have a way older vintage RV where the freshwater is filled through a spout or whatnot...you stick a hose in it or pour water into it.

But a lot of the later model RVs have only one inlet for water...city water comes in from a pressurized hose, and you fill your freshwater tank from the same pressurized hose by turning an inline valve.

What do you do when you are boondocking and you have to fill your tanks from water jugs or from a bucket?

You go buy a 12 volt water transfer pump.   They are about 30-60 bucks from Northern Tool and Harbor Freight.  They are small, already have hose fittings attached to them, and pump 5 gallons or more a minute, and are self priming.  Way cheaper than adapting a Sureflo that only pumps half the water per minute, and you don't have to modify them!

We are doing a lot of boondocking this winter in New Mexico and Arizona, and had to figure this out.  Now we figured it out for you!

Kev

[LJ-TJ]

Gotta picture?  Hm?

[ClydesdaleKevin]

[JDxeper]

I use a simple version.  D:oH!  hand pump  I already have one for the antifreeze.

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-36003-Hand-Pump-Fitting/dp/B0006IX7YW/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&qid=1321993580&sr=8-31

[HandyDan]

My RV is so old this is what I use to fill it:

[ClydesdaleKevin]

 :)rotflmao HandyDan!  Seriously though, where are the pictures of your awesome Holiday Rambler Imperial?  I wanna see!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

I installed the pump in the sewer/freshwater compartment yesterday.  Pretty easy!  There is a wide open flat spot right under the original freshwater pump and right near a compartment light, so I wired it in with a switch to the light wires, and screwed its base down to the compartment floor.  Now all I have to do is hook up a hose to either side and can now fill the freshwater tank from jugs and buckets if necessary.  Yay!

Kev

[Froggy1936]

Pay Attention to sudden freezing temps (unheated compartment and  fresh water lines) A small electric heater would suffice if you have 110 V avail  This can happen in Florida  Frank

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Thanks Frank.  I bought the coach from a man in Massachussets, who bought it from a guy in Colorado, who was supposedly the original owner.  It already has holding tank heating pads and heat tape on all the waterlines in the sewer compartment.  I'm not worried about the pump freezing at all, since its really small and open on both sides...you can actually see right through it to the impeller...speaking of impeller, in comes with a spare and a spare gasket.

Our first stop apparently is going to St. Mary's, GA, where we are going to stay in my sister's driveway for a couple days and visit her and my mom, and then its down to I-10, straight to Hammond, LA for a week or so.  After that its I-10 all the way through TX, NM, then AZ...not gonna spend too much time in TX, but we'll hit the tourist spots of course.  Shouldn't get down to freezing or below very often in the areas of NM and AZ we'll be in.

Kev