how to gravity fill fresh water tank Vibe 268 RKS

[Wingdreamer]

Just did my second weekend out in my new trailer. Both weekends, I filled the fresh water tank with the hose provided at the filling station in the park. This past weekend, we ran out of fresh water, so I took 2 of my blue plastic 6 gallon containers over to the nearest tap, filled them and lugged them back to my site. (did the math: 44 gallon tank = 7 full 6 gallon cans....)
Put the white plastic spout in place on the container, lifted it up to the fresh water fill plug and realized then that it was only a fill line by garden hose! What the He#@!!!!!! Where is my gravity fill ???????? I went out and purchased a short garden hose and a funnel, cut the hose to about 18", screwed the one end of the hose onto the fill neck and the other end attached to the funnel. Hoisted the 50 lb jug of water up onto my shoulder while my wife held the funnel (and I got soaked). It took us 40 minutes to get 12 gallons of water in through that friggin' fill line ( we gave up after this).

We CANNOT be the only people who dont have a gravity fill?????? Whats up with this???? I'm ready to phone Forest River and start screaming (nicely of course)

[Happy Vibe]

I don't have a gravity fill on my vibe. I rigged up a fitting so I could hook up the hose to the water jug, it still takes a while to fill. I don't use a lot of water, no showers, so I only need to add a couple of jugs every 3rd day. I am looking at rigging up a 12V pump so I can fill it easier.

[vinmaker]

Ah yes. Welcome to the wonderful world of RV engineering.

You pretty much figured it out on your own. If you are not hooked up to city water or a pump, then you simply have to use the funnel method.

Pour carefully or you may spill some.

Vin.

[Ford Idaho]

The lite does not have a gravity fill.

Buy a water pump.

https://www.google.com/#q=rv+water+pump

Get a four pin connector to match the one on your TV.

A simple on off toggle switch.

Mount pump and switch to a board, wire the switch between the TV and pump.

Then connect the pump outflow side to your trailer like you would to a faucet, then just stick another hose into you water container.


Something like this.

[BobHanke]

Bought a small pump that is powered by an electric drill. Use primarily to introduce chlorine water mix for sanitizing the water tank. Must elevate supply above inlet on RV. Easy to rest supplying tank on a step ladder.

[tomfmcs]

I also bought a pump the same one that is in my TT so I have a spare. As I dry camp a lot I haul 4-6 6 gal containers and my hand truck/dolly sometimes have to drive a bit to get water. When near a tap in campgrounds I load up 3 cans on the dolly and use it beats lugging them. We use water and not worry about usage. Takes about 4 min per can to empty. Here is my kit.
Nice switch and pump mount. I will have to do that if I can fit it into my container.

[JPSPete20]

First, I went to a local car wash and asked for a used detergent drum. These are 15 gallon plastic drums and they toss them away. Wash the drum out carefully. Then I use two short hoses and a spare 12 volt water pump that may be substituted in the trailer if needed. I power the pump from the trailer connector on the truck. I fill the drum/s in the truck, pump them into the trailer and never handle them when full. Thirty gallons in very quickly.

[Thebottlesniper]

There should be a rise in the tank fill line that reaches above the highest level of the tank. This will prevent unintentional draining by siphoning. This would also preclude feeding the tank by gravity, unless the funnel is sealed against the fill connector and the level of the filling liquid is higher than the tank level..discounting for venting, of course.

[moondog2000]

I use a nice stainless steel marine pump with 2 short hoses . I bought all from Harbor freight. two 6 gal jugs from Walmart Is what I pump in every day as it seems thats what my wife and I use. I have a elect cord set up from my TT battery to power the pump. When I get the time I'm going to have the tank increased to 40 gal from 27 gal and have a gravity feed installed. 95 % of my camping is dry camping.

[Wingdreamer]

Looks like a pump is the way to go for now. I plan on owning and hauling this trailer for the next 10 years, so I am going to see what it will take to install and plumb in a gravity fill line down to the tank. It may not happen this year, but i will do some measuring and see what I can do...

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Wingdreamer

Looks like a pump is the way to go for now. I plan on owning and hauling this trailer for the next 10 years, so I am going to see what it will take to install and plumb in a gravity fill line down to the tank. It may not happen this year, but i will do some measuring and see what I can do...

Just asking.
If you go with a pump for short term why would you install a gravity fill later?

[camper1999]

This is what I came up with

[Wingdreamer]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

Just asking.
If you go with a pump for short term why would you install a gravity fill later?

If I'm gone for a week or two and my pump quits, then I'm stuck with the painfully slow method of filling it.
I look at things this way:
"long term problem = long term solution"
If I have a gravity fill, and run out of water just before I am getting ready to pack up, I can quickly dump a jug in without having to set up the pump and hoses. I really like having the option, and am disappointed that Forest River decided to make the decision for me as to how to fill the tank. Is there a true engineering reason as to why they did this?

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Wingdreamer

If I'm gone for a week or two and my pump quits, then I'm stuck with the painfully slow method of filling it.
I look at things this way:
"long term problem = long term solution"
If I have a gravity fill, and run out of water just before I am getting ready to pack up, I can quickly dump a jug in without having to set up the pump and hoses. I really like having the option, and am disappointed that Forest River decided to make the decision for me as to how to fill the tank. Is there a true engineering reason as to why they did this?

Okay I get the pump failure issue so I can see the need for the gravity option.

As for why it is this way I have no clue, never had a problem filling the tank on my old Bell slide in camper using the gravity port.

[Wingdreamer]

Originally Posted by Thebottlesniper

There should be a rise in the tank fill line that reaches above the highest level of the tank. This will prevent unintentional draining by siphoning. This would also preclude feeding the tank by gravity, unless the funnel is sealed against the fill connector and the level of the filling liquid is higher than the tank level..discounting for venting, of course.

Anyone have a picture or diagram showing the typical layout of the water tank and lines? I have 3 small white lines that exit below the underbelly in between the 2 axles. One has a black plastic valve (tank drain?), the other two are bare with no caps (overflow lines if tank full?) If the other 2 are overflow drain lines, where would my "low level drain"? line be located?
The first time I filled the tank with a garden hose, only one of the two white lines had water running out of it...

The last 2 times when I was leaving the camp ground, I opened the black valve and only about 2-3 oz of water came out then completely stopped(so the freshwater tank wouldnt drain. We pulled out of the campsite. Ninety minutes later I stopped for a coffee on the way home and it was gushing fresh water out of the black valve. I am thinking that the drain line is plugging up with some residual debris in tank from manufacture or assembly?

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Wingdreamer

Anyone have a picture or diagram showing the typical layout of the water tank and lines? I have 3 small white lines that exit below the underbelly in between the 2 axles. One has a black plastic valve (tank drain?), the other two are bare with no caps (overflow lines if tank full?) If the other 2 are overflow drain lines, where would my "low level drain"? line be located?
The first time I filled the tank with a garden hose, only one of the two white lines had water running out of it...

The last 2 times when I was leaving the camp ground, I opened the black valve and only about 2-3 oz of water came out then completely stopped(so the freshwater tank wouldnt drain. We pulled out of the campsite. Ninety minutes later I stopped for a coffee on the way home and it was gushing fresh water out of the black valve. I am thinking that the drain line is plugging up with some residual debris in tank from manufacture or assembly?

Debris is one possible the other is leaf cutter bees or mud wasps have plugged the open ended tubes.

[awellis3]

Originally Posted by Wingdreamer

Looks like a pump is the way to go for now. I plan on owning and hauling this trailer for the next 10 years, so I am going to see what it will take to install and plumb in a gravity fill line down to the tank. It may not happen this year, but i will do some measuring and see what I can do...

My Rockwood has an inlet for antifreeze. Does your trailer have this winterizing feature?
When I ran out of tank water, I hooked a hose up to the antifreeze pick up fixture, turned the valve at the water pump and pulled directly from my water container. You must elevate the container because this set up doesn't have a check valve so the hose empties.
Easy-peasy!

[Deadheadmatt]

This is what my father in law uses on his fifth wheel.

Robot Check

That plus a drill, chuck it up and connect with two small hose lengths and away you go. Less than $10 (unless you need to buy a drill).

Matt

[tmhudg]

Originally Posted by Deadheadmatt

This is what my father in law uses on his fifth wheel.

Robot Check

That plus a drill, chuck it up and connect with two small hose lengths and away you go. Less than $10 (unless you need to buy a drill).

Matt

The reviews on this are terrible. I also wonder if it is safe for potable water.

[a054357]

I carried a pump that ran from a drill for a long time. after I upgraded the RV I tried to use it. the rubber wheel inside had deteriorated and would not pump.


The only point is to check the gear that you do not use on a regular basis.