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Old 08-15-2016, 12:03 PM   #1
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Water tank water Level A122

Does anyone have a method for monitoring the amount of water left in the fresh water tank?

Spent a long weekend in Yellowstone and on the last morning ran out of water in the tank. Wasn't a problem as we were packing up and just washing a few breakfast items. Really didn't feel like we went through 25 gallons but we obviously did.

Do they make/sell a gauge? What do you do to monitor the level?
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Old 08-15-2016, 12:16 PM   #2
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My wastewater goes into a 7 gallon jug, when I've emptied it 3 times, I know I'm getting close.
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Old 08-15-2016, 04:18 PM   #3
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I've run into that same situation thinking we did not use 25 gallons of water. In fact we didn't as it was more a matter of not having the tank completely filled. One thing I realized is that if my camper is not level or leaning forward and also leaning to the service side of the camper, then the tank never gets completely filled.


Water will pour back out the fill tube before the water fills the secondary portion of the water tank.


When I fill my tank, I usually try to have the camper slightly tilted back and away from the service side of the camper to get the water tank completely filled. You can also look under the camper and see the water level in both portions of the water tank.


This might help you a little.


Terry
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Old 08-15-2016, 06:50 PM   #4
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Here is what I do. Use the "Water Level" principal from carpentry work. Need to "Calibrate" the level shown in the clear tube since it will not be linear due to the irregular shape of the storage tank. Level rig, have some water in tank and then run pump till it starts to spit air. Tank is essentially empty now. Push tube up into drain valve and turn on valve. Refill tank using a "calibrated" 1-gallon container marking tube as more water is added till tank is full. Tube should be attached to a rigid plastic strip or yard stick that attaches to trailer sidewall with Velcro. I use the bottom edge of the wall as a corresponding reference point to the tube for re-attaching the guage when arriving at camp spot.

Tom
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Old 08-16-2016, 09:08 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tommytraveler View Post
Here is what I do. Use the "Water Level" principal from carpentry work. Need to "Calibrate" the level shown in the clear tube since it will not be linear due to the irregular shape of the storage tank. Level rig, have some water in tank and then run pump till it starts to spit air. Tank is essentially empty now. Push tube up into drain valve and turn on valve. Refill tank using a "calibrated" 1-gallon container marking tube as more water is added till tank is full. Tube should be attached to a rigid plastic strip or yard stick that attaches to trailer sidewall with Velcro. I use the bottom edge of the wall as a corresponding reference point to the tube for re-attaching the guage when arriving at camp spot.

Tom
A-122
Nice, a manometer
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Old 08-16-2016, 09:09 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Red Camper View Post
I've run into that same situation thinking we did not use 25 gallons of water. In fact we didn't as it was more a matter of not having the tank completely filled. One thing I realized is that if my camper is not level or leaning forward and also leaning to the service side of the camper, then the tank never gets completely filled.


Water will pour back out the fill tube before the water fills the secondary portion of the water tank.


When I fill my tank, I usually try to have the camper slightly tilted back and away from the service side of the camper to get the water tank completely filled. You can also look under the camper and see the water level in both portions of the water tank.


This might help you a little.


Terry
I think some of this is possible, I'm going to try to make the fill port the highest point next time I fill it.
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Old 08-16-2016, 11:27 AM   #7
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On my 2012, A-122 I have a 20-gallon water tank. The pump inlet is attached to the side of the tank, not the bottom. So, as the tank empties and the pump starts sucking air, there is still about 2 or 3 gallons of water still left in my tank that the pump has no access to. So I have only 17 gallons of "accessible" water on board, not the full 20.

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Old 08-16-2016, 01:31 PM   #8
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Mine is set up the same Tom regarding the few gallons left at the bottom of the tank that can't get used.


Also consider if your hot water heater has or has not been drained. If you fill up your fresh water tank and then pull from that to fill your hot water heater, you'll not have the total stated capacity of your fresh water tank to pull from. I think the hot water tank holds 5-6 gallons of water.


During our short trips where I carry water to the camp ground, I fill the tank and then run the pump to fill the hot water heater. My last action is then to top off the fresh water tank as I described in my earlier reply. I'm able to have both the main and secondary tanks almost completely full that way. (the secondary part of the tank sits above the main tank and can't fill up if your camper is tilted forward and also tilted to the service side of the camper....water runs back out the fill tube opening on the service side of the camper before water can fill the secondary tank).


Terry
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Old 08-16-2016, 03:02 PM   #9
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X2 on brc...a great point....thx
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Old 08-21-2016, 08:32 PM   #10
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There are electronic sensors that can be inserted through a hole drilled in the side of the tank. But a site glass like Tom's seems to be the easiest.

Since I tend to wash up using the outside shower, the grey water tank trick doesn't work for me. Personally, I just top off every day or two using my fresh water jug.
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Old 08-22-2016, 11:31 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tommytraveler View Post
Here is what I do. Use the "Water Level" principal from carpentry work.
Tom
A-122
I like this idea. I may have to come up with something similar on our unit.
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