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Old 05-02-2019, 01:57 PM   #1
Michelleinbrookings
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Where are our freshwater tank fill and drain?

Brand new to RVing and have a 2015 Cougar 283RETWE. We’ve been in full hookup parks so far and feel reasonably sure regarding hookups and tank dumping. Now we’re ready to find, sanitize and flush our fresh water tank. Does anyone know where the connection and drain might be? I’ve searched the generic Keystone manual, the online new owners guide and have watched lots of YouTube videos. Thanks in advance for your help.
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Old 05-02-2019, 02:27 PM   #2
LHaven
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I don't know from the 2015s, but here's a typical connector from a 2019:



The fresh tank fill is the one that is open.

Chances are huge that your tank is located somewhere in the immediate vicinity of the fill, so look underneath in that area for something that looks like this:



That's your drain valve. Just unscrew the cap.
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Old 05-02-2019, 02:29 PM   #3
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I'm not sure about the draining . My 15 impact has valve I can turn if I decide to fill the fresh water tank from city water hook up. I have the manual fill on the left side with a small door and cap to fill manually.
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Old 05-02-2019, 03:25 PM   #4
Michelleinbrookings
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https://www.keystoneforums.com/forum...re.php?albumid
This is our convenience panel.
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Old 05-02-2019, 03:31 PM   #5
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I can't see because it's behind the hose, but what's that black circle right underneath the city water connection? You may just be missing the label.
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Old 05-02-2019, 04:43 PM   #6
Michelleinbrookings
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I opened it and I think it’s the fill. Thanks to your help Ihaven! I also found blue and red hoses near the tank. I’m hoping the blue one is the tank drain and the red on is for the water heater. Thanks so much!
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Old 05-02-2019, 05:53 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michelleinbrookings View Post
I opened it and I think it’s the fill. Thanks to your help Ihaven! I also found blue and red hoses near the tank. I’m hoping the blue one is the tank drain and the red on is for the water heater. Thanks so much!
Chances are the two hoses you found are: Blue one is cold plumbing low point drain and red one is hot plumbing low point drain. They are to drain the plumbing lines, not the water tank or water heater. There will be another capped hose under your trailer for the fresh water tank drain and you need to remove the anode rod (Suburban) or plastic drain cap (Atwood) to drain the water heater.
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Old 05-02-2019, 06:03 PM   #8
Michelleinbrookings
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OK. I’ll look for it tomorrow. Halfway there!
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Old 05-04-2019, 07:59 AM   #9
Michelleinbrookings
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Found them in a surprising location. On this model they are in the back just beyond the driver’s side living room slide. To my embarrassment the water inlet was clearly marked. I must have walked past it a bunch of times. Under the trailer in the same general area is the tank drain. That extra hose hookup under the city water inlet in the convenience panel is the septic tank flush! It is full with a bleach solution and I’ll drain and refill it today.
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Old 05-04-2019, 08:15 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Michelleinbrookings View Post
Found them in a surprising location. On this model they are in the back just beyond the driver’s side living room slide. To my embarrassment the water inlet was clearly marked. I must have walked past it a bunch of times. Under the trailer in the same general area is the tank drain. That extra hose hookup under the city water inlet in the convenience panel is the septic tank flush! It is full with a bleach solution and I’ll drain and refill it today.
Good to know you found your FW fill and the low point drains. Those little decals can blend in so well that they aren't visible to most, but then WHAM, there it is .... LOL

As for the bleach solution in your black tank (septic tank) flush. BE CAREFUL !!!!! There is a one way valve (anti-siphon valve) located in that line. It's usually under the vanity sink and looks like this photo. Notice that it's "WAY UP TOP", close to the faucet connections, so you'll only see it when you stand on your head with a flash light. It is a "very fragile (cheaply made) device with a latex diaphragm in it. Bleach will dry that out and cause the device to fail. When it does, you'll "flood your vanity" (or maybe the trailer) with water. It'll be "clean water" from using the flush port, but still a mess to clean up. The ONLY thing that should go into the black tank flush system is "clear, clean water".
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Old 05-04-2019, 09:08 AM   #11
Michelleinbrookings
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Sorry for the confusion. Our fresh water supply tank is what I’m cleaning with mild bleach solution. Will drain and refill it today. That tank has not been used and had 1/3 tank full when we purchased the Cougar in March. I don’t know how long it had been in the tank before purchase. Thanks for the tip on my next scavenger hunt under the sink. I hope to understand at least the basic gizmos by fall. I don’t think I’d want to use a bleach solution for the septic tank. It. Counts on bacterial breakdown to keep odors down right? Just water there seems like the best thing.
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Old 05-04-2019, 09:40 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by Michelleinbrookings View Post
Sorry for the confusion. Our fresh water supply tank is what I’m cleaning with mild bleach solution. Will drain and refill it today. That tank has not been used and had 1/3 tank full when we purchased the Cougar in March. I don’t know how long it had been in the tank before purchase. Thanks for the tip on my next scavenger hunt under the sink. I hope to understand at least the basic gizmos by fall. I don’t think I’d want to use a bleach solution for the septic tank. It. Counts on bacterial breakdown to keep odors down right? Just water there seems like the best thing.
You're correct in not using bleach in the black tank, but not for the reason you state. Don't use bleach in the black tank because it will "leach out the oils" in the rubber valve seals. Once they're dry and cracked, you'll always have "poo leaks" through the valve seals.

Secondly, you're misinformed about the black tank. It is NOT a septic tank, it's a "chamber pot" so to speak. Its only function is to hold waste until you dump it. Septic systems and their bacterial action are "long term working systems". Most RV black tanks are full in 2 or 3 days and there's just not enough time for bacterial action to break down any of the waste. So, just clean water, and if you have odor problems, there are several commercial products available to "odorize" the contents. We use TST Orange, a couple capfuls (maybe 1/4 cup) if we're in a hot, humid area and will have the trailer "closed up for a day or two". Otherwise, we don't notice any offending odor with normal use. I do dump the contents every other day. If the black tank isn't full, I use the toilet flush valve to fill the black tank and dump it anyway.

There are a number of different methods of maintaining a black tank. Some are very involved, some are so simple that they actually don't include anything other than dumping. All have people who swear by them and all have people who will tell you that their way is the only way..... If you consider the black tank a "chamber pot" and don't let it "sit too long before you take it out of the bedroom" the room won't smell.... Whatever method you use, the black tank isn't a septic system and you don't have any significant "bacterial breakdown" occurring....
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Old 05-04-2019, 01:13 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by Michelleinbrookings View Post
That extra hose hookup under the city water inlet in the convenience panel is the septic tank flush!
Wow, that's a location I wouldn't have expected. That makes your missing label even more crucial than I thought.

Just to double-check, the septic tank flush tends to have a female hose fitting on it, while the fresh tank fill port tends to be just an undecorated plastic hole.
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