Your Favorite Funnel

[nomad297]

If you have to fill your fresh water tank using containers of water, what do you use for a funnel? There's got to be a perfect one out there for this purpose. I have a couple different funnels I am going to try, but if there's something really spectacular out there, I'd like to know.

Thank you,

Bruce

[Photogirl]

Try a long neck funnel from WalMart in automotive for filling trans fluid.works great.

[jerryliving]

Or buy electric/12 volt water pump

[rather_b_camping]

I bought a $40 12V water pump from Harbor Freight that I connect to my battery. It pumps up to 260g per hour so I can pump my two, 5 gallon water jugs in a little over a minute each and dont have to hold them up while dealing with a funnel. A little more work up front hooking up the pump but worth the effort with how easy it fills the tank.

[cpaulsen]

Can you use the ones they sell at rv stores? Faucet fitting on one end and a clear 4 or 5 inch clear tube on the other end which goes into the fill hole?

[ryand]

On our very first trip ever in a rental we ran out of water the 1st day. I used a 5 gallon bucket and one of those thin plastic cutting boards and formed it into a funnel. Since we have graduated to a few of the 5 gallon tanks with a built in "Funnel" it fits perfectly in our gravity tank fill. See attached photo. one person can accomplish this task. If you have one of the new style tank fillers, you will need to pump it in i assume.

[Shanks12]

Originally Posted by cpaulsen

Can you use the ones they sell at rv stores? Faucet fitting on one end and a clear 4 or 5 inch clear tube on the other end which goes into the fill hole?

I wondered about this. I have one that I hook to a hose, but I need to try and find an adapter so to put on my water jug. Not sure if they make one or not.

[AquaMan]

If you have a winterizing suction line that is accessible outside and an outside shower, you can use your existing water pump to suction from container to your FW tank via the shower hose.

[Pipeman]

Not on the question...but... many moons ago when we first started out camping and later on as we progressed into bigger and better TTs and 5th wheels, we brought about 10, 5 gallon containers with us when we dry camped. We would stop and get water before we went into the bush. Got tired of holding 5 gallon containers up and pouring into a funnel. Water would spill and run down arms and legs creating wet clothes, etc. We graduated to using air pressure to pump the water into the fresh water tank on the trailers. We installed regular air valves into the tops of the 5 gallon containers, running a hose from the containers so we could just stand there and fill the tank that way. It doesn't take a lot of pressure to do that. I can't remember the equation. That worked with 12 volt compressors and then on to 120 volts compressors, as we moved up in the world and had the room to haul a bunch of extra stuuf. We also got rid of all the 5 gallon containers and got a 45 gallon plastic orange juice container. Cleaned it up, took off the top of the container and installed an air valve on it and used that for quite a while. So as the years passed and the light bulb went on over my head, I said aha and decided to look into a 45 gallon plastic container that would fit under the tonneau cover and go in front of the 5th wheel. Found one, installed a tap at one end, down low, and started to use a 12 volt pump, as stated above in another post. It works great. I also got one of those collapsible 45 gallon containers from CW and use it the same way as the solid one. Now, I have a long bed dually so it all fits. The collapsible one goes behind the 5th wheel and in front of the Tgate. I put it on a furniture blanket to keep it from being punctured by whatever. We dry camp about 95% of the time so all this comes in handy for us. Just a thought, if you're interested in giving your arms a rest. We did use a large mouth funnel that fit into the filler hole, by the way.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by AquaMan

If you have a winterizing suction line that is accessible outside and an outside shower, you can use your existing water pump to suction from container to your FW tank via the shower hose.

Would never work on my rig unless I extended the shower hose 25'.
Shower/antifreeze port on front, left side and FW fill port on rear, right side.

I could however, use the antifreeze port to pull the water into my system.
The limitation being my FW capacity would be reduced to the 5 gallon container. A larger bladder tank or hard plastic tank in the bed of the truck would cure that dilemma.

[5picker]

Pipeman,

Do you fill your FW tank with the set up you mentioned?

Alternately, you could hook to the city water port (using your aux pump) or hook to the antifreeze port (if equipped) and use the on-board pump to draw water into your system.

[Pipeman]

Yup I fill my FW tank all the time, that way. I do have a gravity feed fresh water port on my 5er but if you have the new kind, where you turn a valve to go from city water to fill your FW tank, the 12 volt pump will fill that type also. My plastic tank has a cap on it with a hole in it that has a spring loaded button the allows air to enter as the water is being sucked out. The collapsible one has a valve that you open to fill to let air out and it also lets air in as the water is sucked out. I had to make up a couple of hoses to be used in conjunction with the 22 volt pump.Just cut potable water hoses and added the male or female fittings. I also found a 12 volt fitting that plugs into the rear outlet of the truck. I made up a cigarette male end to fit into the female socket of that and then to the pump. I fpund this at a local auto store, 7:5 & 4-Way Blade:Flat Multi-Tow® Trailer Adapter with 12V Socket | Princess Auto

[Scubanut]

I use a 8 gallon water jug, and use hand pump similar to this one that screws right onto lid of jug.


2012 F150 FX4 Crew 5.0 3.73

2012Coachman Freedom Express 292BHDS (outdoor Kitchen)

[B and B]

Originally Posted by Pipeman

Not on the question...but... many moons ago when we first started out camping and later on as we progressed into bigger and better TTs and 5th wheels, we brought about 10, 5 gallon containers with us when we dry camped. We would stop and get water before we went into the bush. Got tired of holding 5 gallon containers up and pouring into a funnel. Water would spill and run down arms and legs creating wet clothes, etc. We graduated to using air pressure to pump the water into the fresh water tank on the trailers. We installed regular air valves into the tops of the 5 gallon containers, running a hose from the containers so we could just stand there and fill the tank that way. It doesn't take a lot of pressure to do that. I can't remember the equation. That worked with 12 volt compressors and then on to 120 volts compressors, as we moved up in the world and had the room to haul a bunch of extra stuuf. We also got rid of all the 5 gallon containers and got a 45 gallon plastic orange juice container. Cleaned it up, took off the top of the container and installed an air valve on it and used that for quite a while. So as the years passed and the light bulb went on over my head, I said aha and decided to look into a 45 gallon plastic container that would fit under the tonneau cover and go in front of the 5th wheel. Found one, installed a tap at one end, down low, and started to use a 12 volt pump, as stated above in another post. It works great. I also got one of those collapsible 45 gallon containers from CW and use it the same way as the solid one. Now, I have a long bed dually so it all fits. The collapsible one goes behind the 5th wheel and in front of the Tgate. I put it on a furniture blanket to keep it from being punctured by whatever. We dry camp about 95% of the time so all this comes in handy for us. Just a thought, if you're interested in giving your arms a rest. We did use a large mouth funnel that fit into the filler hole, by the way.

Nice ideas.. noting Ontario where do you dry camp? We spend all time in Provincial Parks ourselves, i too would like to put a tank in front of the fifth wheel hitch.

[Pipeman]

B & B, we dry camp in northern Michigan and have been going up there, in the same place for 37 years. Last year the forest where we go was mostly clear cut and the roads were left in terrible condition. "Our" camping spot was left alone but across the trail we use was where they started. It's a State Forest, nothing there, if you want it you bring it. We also dry camp in The Rockies of Alberta every other year. We meet our two kids, almost middle aged, who live in Edmonton, in the mountains and then migrate to the Edmonton area for a month to bond, again, with our grandsons. Last time there we dry camped for 3 weeks in the mountains. We did dry camp once near Ompah, Ontario. It's almost an 8 hour drive from here. The Michigan site is approx. 4.5 hours from here. Myself and family and a few friends dirt biked up in Mich. There are a lot off off road trails up there and we did that for many years. We'll be heading out west in June until Sept. this coming summer if the world doesn't cracks up completely

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Pipeman

Yup I fill my FW tank all the time, that way. I do have a gravity feed fresh water port on my 5er but if you have the new kind, where you turn a valve to go from city water to fill your FW tank, the 12 volt pump will fill that type also. My plastic tank has a cap on it with a hole in it that has a spring loaded button the allows air to enter as the water is being sucked out. The collapsible one has a valve that you open to fill to let air out and it also lets air in as the water is sucked out. I had to make up a couple of hoses to be used in conjunction with the 22 volt pump.Just cut potable water hoses and added the male or female fittings. I also found a 12 volt fitting that plugs into the rear outlet of the truck. I made up a cigarette male end to fit into the female socket of that and then to the pump. I fpund this at a local auto store, 7:5 & 4-Way Blade:Flat Multi-Tow® Trailer Adapter with 12V Socket | Princess Auto

So do you find the 'fill the fresh water tank' method a better alternative than either of the alternatives I mentioned and why?

Thinking of doing something along these lines myself and just figured that hooking the hose (via my antifreeze port) to the truck tank and bypassing the step of transferring from that tank to the FW tank would be simpler.

[Pipeman]

5Picker, I find it easier, for me. I don't have to lean into the bay and then to my right to grab the anti-freeze hose. It's not long enough anyway. Then my wife would have to get involved by turning the FW pump in the 5er, on & off. The 12 volt pump I use at the truck pumps more gpms then the one in the 5er, therefore faster. I just use this to fill my FW tank from the 12V pump and the aux tanks. I also use it to fill my tank from a fresh water spigot. You're actually doing what I do, just in a different manor. As I said I have a separate gravity feed port.

[5picker]

Thanks Pipeman. I understand you have no outside antifreeze connection now.

I too have a separate FW gravity fill but by hooking my water hose from the truck tank to my outside antifreeze port, I could just as easily draw water from the truck tank as I could from the fresh water tank by simply turning my easy to reach antifreeze valve. In one direction the on-board pump would draw from the FW tank, (until empty) flip the valve and the on-board pump would draw from the truck tank. No refilling of the FW tank necessary and no second pump to contend with.

[Dave Lyon]

Originally Posted by ryand

On our very first trip ever in a rental we ran out of water the 1st day. I used a 5 gallon bucket and one of those thin plastic cutting boards and formed it into a funnel. Since we have graduated to a few of the 5 gallon tanks with a built in "Funnel" it fits perfectly in our gravity tank fill. See attached photo. one person can accomplish this task. If you have one of the new style tank fillers, you will need to pump it in i assume.

X2 - the green jug fits/works perfectly....if your filler hose takes that style.

[Sistahazel]

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