Filling Water, without moving

Murmaids · 03-15-2017, 10:01 PM

Hi!

We just purchased a 2017, Cougar, 30RLI. The trailer we used to have, we were able to just put a water jug nozzle into the fresh water fill.

This new trailer you have to fill by connecting the white hose to the fresh water fill. How do any of you fill your fresh water tank without moving your trailer each time you need fresh water?

We're two women, we usually camp 7 to 15 days, no water hook-up sites in most of our Michigan State Parks.

Thanks in advance!

hdxbonez · 03-16-2017, 02:35 AM

I used to use a 12volt marine transfer pump and 2 short water hoses to fill my Cougar. It has a gravity fill inlet however, and I pumped from 7 gallon jugs to the camper.

ctbruce · 03-16-2017, 03:09 AM

Just curious, but what are you doing with your black and grey tanks? Totes?

Chip Bruce, RPh
Kansas City, MO
2016 Fuzion Impact 312
2017 3500HD Silverado LTZ

Murmaids · 03-16-2017, 12:19 PM

Hi!

Yes, we use a tote. Or as we call it, our little gray honey wagon.

xrated · 03-16-2017, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murmaids

Hi!

We just purchased a 2017, Cougar, 30RLI. The trailer we used to have, we were able to just put a water jug nozzle into the fresh water fill.

This new trailer you have to fill by connecting the white hose to the fresh water fill. How do any of you fill your fresh water tank without moving your trailer each time you need fresh water?

We're two women, we usually camp 7 to 15 days, no water hook-up sites in most of our Michigan State Parks.

Thanks in advance!

You could still do it that way. Just buy a short piece of the hose and cut off the end that doesn't attach to the fresh water fill. Buy a funnel that will fit into the cut end of the hose and you're ready to go. If a hose bib isn't too far away, just get another section of hose to add onto your existing hose

canesfan · 03-16-2017, 07:15 AM

If you've got one of the "new and improved" versions where Keystone decided it was advantageous to NOT have a gravity fill, you have some work to do. With no water hookups and no gravity fill you will need a source of water (blue 6 gallon water jugs from Wmart or elsewhere or a bladder) and a pump and some extra hose.

Or...

There have been several discussions on here about this very thing. It has been discussed at length about filling the tank through the tank vent. That way you might be able to fill it like you were doing previously. Find your tank vent, take the little screen out of the opening, get a couple feet of small plastic tubing that will fit into the vent opening, making sure it is not wide enough to fill the entire opening, you need room to let air escape at the same time water is entering. I fashioned a hookup from a blue water jug to the plastic tubing by removing the spout and getting a plastic nipple to replace it and slid the tubing over the other end. This way I can dump water into the vent from the blue water jug. It's awkward because you have to lift 50 lbs of water almost shoulder high. With two of you you might be able to use the tubing and a funnel instead of what I described.

Good luck, it's a hassle, but it's doable.

canesfan · 03-16-2017, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrated

You could still do it that way. Just buy a short piece of the hose and cut off the end that doesn't attach to the fresh water fill. Buy a funnel that will fit into the cut end of the hose and you're ready to go. If a hose bib isn't too far away, just get another section of hose to add onto your existing hose

No, that won't work if they have the setup I'm thinking of. There is a check valve on the city water inlet that needs water pressure to open it. Pouring water from a jug through a hose isn't going to open the check valve. I stay in a woman's yard twice a year who has such low water pressure even using her water supply won't open the check valve and I have to fill through the tank vent.

xrated · 03-16-2017, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canesfan

No, that won't work if they have the setup I'm thinking of. There is a check valve on the city water inlet that needs water pressure to open it. Pouring water from a jug through a hose isn't going to open the check valve. I stay in a woman's yard twice a year who has such low water pressure even using her water supply won't open the check valve and I have to fill through the tank vent.

She/they didn't reference the city water inlet, they were talking about the fresh water fill.

canesfan · 03-16-2017, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrated

She/they didn't reference the city water inlet, they were talking about the fresh water fill.

I read "connecting the white hose to the fresh water fill" as the city water inlet. Since that is the only "fresh" water connection on a lot of newer models. It supplies a connection for both "city" water and to fill your tank all in the same port. There is no "gravity fill". Do you have a separate gravity fill? Maybe they brought them back after all the complaints.

PARAPTOR · 03-16-2017, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrated

She/they didn't reference the city water inlet, they were talking about the fresh water fill.

Yes think the OP is talking about the city water connection, As canesfan was saying older rigs like mine and as stated by the OP her old one have/had a fresh water tank fill inlet on the curb side of the camper. Unlock the little door and pour the water in with a spout. As canesfan stated Keystone has removed this feature

and if I recall replaced it with just a small screened tank vent. Also as stated by canesfan we have had this discussion before on the forum and members have suggested different work around including canesfan. Do a search say on fresh water fill.

I assume on you newer unit you do not have a gravity fill??

canesfan · 03-16-2017, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PARAPTOR

Yes think the OP is talking about the city water connection, As canesfan was saying older rigs like mine and as stated by the OP her old one have/had a fresh water tank fill inlet on the curb side of the camper. Unlock the little door and pour the water in with a spout. As canesfan stated Keystone has removed this feature

and if I recall replaced it with just a small screened tank vent. Also as stated by canesfan we have had this discussion before on the forum and members have suggested different work around including canesfan. Do a search say on fresh water fill.

I assume on you newer unit you do not have a gravity fill??

I beg to differ

, they didn't replace it, they removed it altogether. The vent was and is still there. They haven't figured how to take that away...yet.

Hmm, maybe we should talk about tires...

Edit - maybe they can vent it out the roof like the other tanks. That way we would need to climb on the roof to add water. Of course if it rained we could just put a giant funnel up there...

Murmaids · 03-16-2017, 12:31 PM

Thanks, we did think about doing the funnel trick.

xrated · 03-16-2017, 10:00 AM

I'll double check mine when I get home but I think I've got a city water hookup, which of course requires a water hose...AND another port where I can just stick the end of a hose in the opening and let it flow (gravity feed)

xrated · 03-16-2017, 02:31 PM

OK.....an update for what I posted in #11. I did check when I got home and on my Toy Hauler (Impact 303), there is a city water fill with a small screen in it and you have to hook a hose to it. Further up towards the front of the trailer is a lockable hatch door and there is where the fresh water fill is. It's a cap that you take off, stick a nozzle or water hose or ???? down inside it and let 'er rip....totally gravity fed. Right next to that fill port, in behind the same door, is a vent for the tank. I was 99.9% sure, so I didn't know!

PARAPTOR · 03-16-2017, 04:41 PM

Yeap. That is a thorough description of the Gravity Fresh Water Fill.. To test it

and as described in the Manual "How to know FWT is Full".

Connect a water hose to city water connection and turn the selector valve to FILL. Turn on the water to the connected hose, walk to the curb side of the rig, unlock that little Gravity Fill compartment and take that little cap off. Go do something else for a long time (110 gallons). If you come back and water is only coming out the Gravity Fill. All is Good.and more important your FWT is now Full

Added. Do not tell canesfan

canesfan · 03-17-2017, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrated

OK.....an update for what I posted in #11. I did check when I got home and on my Toy Hauler (Impact 303), there is a city water fill with a small screen in it and you have to hook a hose to it. Further up towards the front of the trailer is a lockable hatch door and there is where the fresh water fill is. It's a cap that you take off, stick a nozzle or water hose or ???? down inside it and let 'er rip....totally gravity fed. Right next to that fill port, in behind the same door, is a vent for the tank. I was 99.9% sure, so I didn't know!

You're lucky. Guess they started putting them on again after a lot of us fussed. Nah, they never pay attention to what we have to say. They know better than we do. That's why you hear so often "what the !$#*??? were they thinking???"

dutchmensport · 03-17-2017, 03:35 AM

We purchased a 35 gallon tank from TSC (Tractor Supply Company) and a transfer pump from Lowe's. When the on-board tank gets low, it's very simple to take the take to the closest fresh water fill station, fill it, then return to the camper and fill the on-board tank. This gave us the freedom to select campsites, virtually anywhere now, without being tethered to a water spigot. Of course, you have to run water from your on-board water pump, but this works.

xrated · 03-17-2017, 06:25 AM

This one is my very first ever camping trailer, so I thought they were all like the one I've got...........who knew? Well, I guess y'all did, but I sure didn't.

itat · 03-17-2017, 10:24 AM

In provincial parks up here, the taps located throughout the park do not have threads so unless the water bandit will work, we can't connect a hose to that tap.

I use 2 or 3 blue 6 gal water jugs, cart them back to my site on a folding hand truck, and pump the water into my gravity fill port.

I wanted to upgrade my water pump so I replaced it with a new SHURflo pump and rigged the old one up on a board with a switch in a weather-proof box, and used battery clamps to connect to my TT's battery. This setup should give you enough pressure to fill the tank.

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