Filling Your Water Tank

[WayneLee]

Just a quick question for the pros here. I just took delivery of my new coach (see my signature), and during the PDI, I had a question of the service person but he did not know the answer. So, here it goes.

On my coach, there is a gravity water spigot on the passenger side, back from the door. On the back cap, there is a water spigot labeled "city water" which has a female threaded hookup.

So, if I want to put water in the tank before leaving on a trip, am I limited to the "gravity" fill only? Or, will connecting my white hose to the "city water" also fill the water tank?

[Ford Idaho]

Typically city water should NOT fill the tank, it has been known to happen due to a bad check valve.

From what you posted I will guess the fresh tank fill and city are two separated systems so city will likely not fill the tank.

[BooBoo23]

Here is what you need. You can get it from Amazon, Walmart, Camping World and any RV dealer.
Water Tank Filler with Shut-Off Valve - Camco 40003 - Fresh Water Pumps - Camping World

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by BooBoo23

Here is what you need. You can get it from Amazon, Walmart, Camping World and any RV dealer.
Water Tank Filler with Shut-Off Valve - Camco 40003 - Fresh Water Pumps - Camping World

Totally agree!
works wonderfully!

[MNtraveler]

OK, let's stick to basics for starters. Use the city water connection for when you are connected to water at your camp site (or while prepping in your driveway). This does not fill the fresh water tank and you do not use the water pump at all in this mode. Leave it turned off. The water is completely driven by the "city" water line pressure.

When you will not be connected to city water, you will want to fill the fresh water tank before you park at your camp site. (Also just a partial fill for bathroom use along the road - don't fill more than you will need prior to arrival to save carrying weight.) Use the gravity fill port for this. It is not threaded; you just pour water in with a potable water hose until it is full. In this mode, you will be using the water pump to pump water from the fresh water tank into the water lines and fixtures. The pump will run on battery (DC) power when needed on the road (leave it turned off when not needed) and while you are camping without AC power. You will need to run the generator periodically to recharge the battery(s) depending on your overall power usage. When you are plugged in to AC, and when you are running the generator, those will power the water pump but still through the DC system which is being recharged by the AC line power or by the generator as the case may be.

So far, unless something is not working, you should not have to buy any add-ons. But you may find you need or want some accessories as you go along. The one referenced does not involve using the city water port to fill the fresh water tank. It allows you to fill the tank with a hose faster by running a bit of line further into the gravity fill port to prevent splash back or bubble back. You can decide if this is an issue on your model and if you need it. Ours fills up right fast straight out of the hose with no sassy back talk.

[smc]

When using the city water connection (not your tank and water pump), you will need a pressure regulator. City water pressure may be too much for the system and you may cause burst plumbing connections. You should also have a potable water hose, not the standard garden hose.

[MNtraveler]

Originally Posted by smc

When using the city water connection (not your tank and water pump), you will need a pressure regulator. City water pressure may be too much for the system and you may cause burst plumbing connections. You should also have a potable water hose, not the standard garden hose.

Agreed. The potable water hose and pressure regulator came in our starter kit so I did not include those as purchases. But you are correct.


Land of 10,000 Lakes
2016 Forester MBS 2401R

[HikerBob]

Originally Posted by MNtraveler

OK, let's stick to basics for starters. Use the city water connection for when you are connected to water at your camp site (or while prepping in your driveway). This does not fill the fresh water tank and you do not use the water pump at all in this mode. Leave it turned off. The water is completely driven by the "city" water line pressure.

When you will not be connected to city water, you will want to fill the fresh water tank before you park at your camp site. (Also just a partial fill for bathroom use along the road - don't fill more than you will need prior to arrival to save carrying weight.) Use the gravity fill port for this. It is not threaded; you just pour water in with a potable water hose until it is full. In this mode, you will be using the water pump to pump water from the fresh water tank into the water lines and fixtures. The pump will run on battery (DC) power when needed on the road (leave it turned off when not needed) and while you are camping without AC power. You will need to run the generator periodically to recharge the battery(s) depending on your overall power usage. When you are plugged in to AC, and when you are running the generator, those will power the water pump but still through the DC system which is being recharged by the AC line power or by the generator as the case may be.

So far, unless something is not working, you should not have to buy any add-ons. But you may find you need or want some accessories as you go along. The one referenced does not involve using the city water port to fill the fresh water tank. It allows you to fill the tank with a hose faster by running a bit of line further into the gravity fill port to prevent splash back or bubble back. You can decide if this is an issue on your model and if you need it. Ours fills up right fast straight out of the hose with no sassy back talk.

Excellent reply. Very thorough and easily understood without any acronyms to try and figure out. Could use more like this so new members can understand them.

[wana65stang]

Originally Posted by WayneLee

So, if I want to put water in the tank before leaving on a trip, am I limited to the "gravity" fill only? Or, will connecting my white hose to the "city water" also fill the water tank?

Short version : answer to first question -YES
Answer to second question- NO

[WayneLee]

Thanks to all of you for your response...

I guess that I should give you a little glimpse of my background. I have been camping/rv'ing since 1975 in a truck camper, and I made my way up to the big boys when I got my first Class A in 2001.

Currently, I am in the midst of downsizing from my last coach, a 36' Holiday Rambler with a 400hp Cummins engine, to my coach in the signature line. Still, there are a quite a few things that I need to learn about my new coach.

In my other coaches, there was one water inlet and you chose whether to fill your tank or directly connect to the campground by turning a knob. My question was to determine if the same setup was in my Sunseeker, which I see that it is not thanks to your responses.

In some ways, it's exciting to get a new coach, but I have to really decide what I really need to carry in the new one. For example, I carried 75' of white drinking water hose (3 x 25'), 50' of 50 amp extension cords (2 x 25'). I obviously don't have enough room for all these and the Sunseeker uses 30 amp service. Most of my extra stuff has been sold on Craigslist or given away to my RV friends.

I may be new to this forum, but I am a grizzled, old veteran of RV's with my share of horror stories to tell, just like the movie with Robbin Williams.

[Retired Air Force]

I own a 2014 3050DS, I imagine the layout is most likely the same. The fill is on the side of the trailer. It is a gravity filler for the FW tank. That is how you have to fill it. City water fill bypasses the FW tank. My FW tank drain shutoff is behind a panel in the storage area below the fill on the side. Same area my water pump is located. I hope they put a winterizing kit on the pump on the new model. Mine calls for draining the FW tank and then putting a few gallons of RV antifreeze in the tank to winterize. The way my pump is in I can't get at the pump inlet to put a winterizing kit on it.

[rockfordroo]

You MAY be able to fill you FW tank with city water IF your plumbing is set up appropriately. IF you have an anti-freeze (AF), aka winterizing, connection and IF you have separate suction valves to your water pump, one from the FW tank and one from the AF connection, you can fill the FW tank with a hose. Attach your city water hose to the AF connection and open BOTH suction valves. Water will now flow from the hose, through the AF connection and suction valve, then through the FW tank suction valve to the FW tank. This will fill your FW tank fairly quickly, so be CAREFUL. Use either valve to regulate the flow. You don't want to blow up your FW tank because you filled it too quickly. You don't want to fill faster than it can vent, and it will vent more slowly once water gets to the vent line.

When you're done, close the AF suction valve, leave the FW suction valve open.

When the RV folks started adding these AF connections, they used the 2 valves described above. However, they've lately figured out that a single 3-way valve, that selects either the FW or the AF suction, is cheaper and easier.

I've done this FW tank fill several times on my Roo, which had separate suction valves. My Micro-Lite has the single 3-way valve; I haven't had a chance to try it to see if I can put the 3-way valve half-way between the two suction lines and still get flow.

See attached for a pictorial.

[MNtraveler]

You can also fill the FW tank with a potable water hose by putting the hose up to the FW tank fill port. KISS approach.


Land of 10,000 Lakes
2016 Forester MBS 2401R

[CWElliott]

Short answer is (as my dealer would tell you), any dealer salesperson worth their salt would have been able to tell you this, immediately!

[RvBill3]

Originally Posted by Retired Air Force

I own a 2014 3050DS, I imagine the layout is most likely the same. The fill is on the side of the trailer. It is a gravity filler for the FW tank. That is how you have to fill it. City water fill bypasses the FW tank. My FW tank drain shutoff is behind a panel in the storage area below the fill on the side. Same area my water pump is located. I hope they put a winterizing kit on the pump on the new model. Mine calls for draining the FW tank and then putting a few gallons of RV antifreeze in the tank to winterize. The way my pump is in I can't get at the pump inlet to put a winterizing kit on it.

Here's how I added winterizing kit.
Before:


After:


Everything that was added came with the winterizing kit, except some new clamps for the (shortened) white water line.


2012 Forest River Sunseeker 2300 Chevy

[dan-nickie]

Originally Posted by Retired Air Force

Mine calls for draining the FW tank and then putting a few gallons of RV antifreeze in the tank to winterize.

I'm not sure everyone read the question accurately.
Are you wanting to put AF in your FW tank?

[wana65stang]

dan-nickie, the original (!) question was can the owner fill his fresh water tank from the city water connection on a 3050 c-class sunseeker ,the answer is - no you can't. ( unless your pump check valve is defective)

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by wana65stang

dan-nickie, the original (!) question was can the owner fill his fresh water tank from the city water connection on a 3050 c-class sunseeker ,the answer is - no you can't. ( unless your pump check valve is defective)

I'll admit that I've only read this single post. But, for filling me FW tank when hooked up to city water- I'll take the end of my outdoor showerhead off and use its hose into the fresh water fill. Easy peasy for me since everything is in a single water bay.

[wana65stang]

Originally Posted by ependydad

I'll admit that I've only read this single post. But, for filling me FW tank when hooked up to city water- I'll take the end of my outdoor showerhead off and use its hose into the fresh water fill. Easy peasy for me since everything is in a single water bay.

Hey Ependydad, no can do on a 3050, shower and FW fill are on opposite sides

[dan-nickie]

Originally Posted by wana65stang

dan-nickie, the original (!) question was can the owner fill his fresh water tank from the city water connection on a 3050 c-class sunseeker ,the answer is - no you can't. ( unless your pump check valve is defective)

I don't know what the heck I was reading. Apparently I answered the wrong thread. Excuse me! :-)