New 5th wheel water system question

[RocklovesLinda]

Hi,
I have a 2018 Cedar Creek 5th wheel. The water system with the 5 different bypass vales is new to me. The water fill is a hose connection, not the style where a hose is placed into the fill hole on the fresh water tank. There is a handle to fill the fresh water tank or use city water, and then there are the 5 different valves. I have two issues.

First: I was silly and did not take a pic or draw a diagram of the valve setting before I started trying to winterize the hot water tank. Now when I try to use the on-board pump to pull water from the fresh water tank nothing happens. The pump runs just no water in the coach. I apparently have a valve set in the wrong position. When I am on city water everything works fine.

Second: How do you get the on-board pump to pull water from a 5 gallon can and pump it into the fresh water tank with this new system?

[Bama Rambler]

I'm sure someone will come along that can explain exactly how to set the valves, but it may be helpful if you posted a pic of how they are now.

It may also be helpful if you posted the model number of your RV.

[spock123]

This is a picture of my water system now that I have winterize the camper

[spock123]

I always take a picture of before

[spock123]

I’m having trouble seeing the pictures that I post on this site. Not just my pictures but all pictures. What am I doing wrong

[SilhouettePenny]

Help is on the way, however, please note that I only have 3 weeks experience with this as I try to figure out your system with you. Having said that, I don't think you can pull from a 5 gal container and pump into the tank. The check valve on the pump prevents this. Put your thumb in the hole on the left inside black panel and give yourself access to the pump and backside of the red, white & blue water pipes so we can start to understand the plumbing routes.

[Joe_GA]

The last pic posted by spock123 is how your valves should be set for normal use. You cannot fill your fresh water tank any other way than by flipping to fill valve while hooked up to a city water connection.

[SilhouettePenny]

Originally Posted by RocklovesLinda

First: I was silly and did not take a pic or draw a diagram of the valve setting before I started trying to winterize the hot water tank.

You dont want to winterize the hot water tank with antifreeze, you should drain it. Open T&P valve up top on the water heater to release the pressure then remove the drain plug at the bottom of the hot water tank. Put your valves in the configuration shown to essentially bypass the water heater. Look around behind the panel you removed to help understand what's happening when you turn the valves. Inline with the pipe is open/flowing and perpendicular is closed.

[SilhouettePenny]

Look at my pic and let's number the pipes from top to bottom. 1&2 are red, 3&4 are blue and 5&6 are white. Therefore 2red is closed and 3blue is closed so the hot water tank is now isolated. Drain the hot water tank, wire brush the anode rod, put teflon tape on the threads and snug it back into the hot water tank. Presto, hot water tank ready for winter.

[SilhouettePenny]

On Spock's first picture 2 red and 3 blue are closed for winterizing. Leave them that way so we dont pump pink antifreeze into the hot water tank.

[Grumpy7159]

Drain your hot water tank as others have said. I built a spare pump to pump out of a 5 gallon water tank into my on board fresh water tank. Connects to my batteries and has a toggle switch to control it. Inlet hose goes directly into the 5 gallon jug and the outlet is connected to the city connection. The gravity tank is selected on that valve if you have one.

[Indymule]

Originally Posted by RocklovesLinda

How do you get the on-board pump to pull water from a 5 gallon can and pump it into the fresh water tank with this new system?

OK this question comes up frequently, you can use the onboard pump to put fresh water into your tank. Here’s how it is done.

Hook your outside shower up to the city water connection. Put the valve in the fill position and turn on the cold water at the outside shower.

Now at the winterizing lines, turn off the valve that goes to your tank and turn on the valve to your hose line used for winterizing. (this will cause the water pump to draw from the antifreeze hose) Put that hose into your can and turn on the pump. Water will be drawn from your can through your water lines, out the shower and into the tank.

People will say it can’t be done, but trust me it can!

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Indymule

OK this question comes up frequently, you can use the onboard pump to put fresh water into your tank. Here’s how it is done.

Hook your outside shower up to the city water connection. Put the valve in the fill position and turn on the cold water at the outside shower.

Now at the winterizing lines, turn off the valve that goes to your tank and turn on the valve to your hose line used for winterizing. (this will cause the water pump to draw from the antifreeze hose) Put that hose into your can and turn on the pump. Water will be drawn from your can through your water lines, out the shower and into the tank.

People will say it can’t be done, but trust me it can!

You bet it can!

I do it basically the same way except instead of adapting the outside shower hose to connect to my city water inlet, I added garden hose shut-offs to my low point drain tubes. I can then connect a garden hose from there to the city water connection. All else is the same.

When boondocking though, I don't add the water from my jugs to the fresh tank. I simply use out of the jug and then switch to another jug. When conserving battery power, I see no sense in pumping the water twice. (out of the jug into the tank and then out of the tank) Saves precious battery reserves when boondocking. Someday I plan to get a small bladder (15-20 gallons) for the back of the truck and pull from it instead of my jugs.

I also use the low point drains connections for other things such as adding water to my Uncles fresh water tank when he forgot to fill his on a boondocking trip. Also a secondary place to attach a hose other than the hose bib at the pedestal, dog washing, trailer/vehicle washing (if allowed) and on and on.

At full hook-up sites, I'll often hook up my black tank flush to the HOT low point drain and use the remaining hot water in the water heater to flush the black tank.

[RocklovesLinda]

Thanks everybody for your help, I did solve the question of how to set the valves, I found a dealer nearby who had one on the lot and I took a picture and set mine accordingly and it solved my problem. Someone else answered my other question about pumping fresh water into the tank.

[5picker]

Great!
Thanks for reporting back with the good news.
Happy Camping!

[Joe_GA]

Originally Posted by 5picker

You bet it can!
At full hook-up sites, I'll often hook up my black tank flush to the HOT low point drain and use the remaining hot water in the water heater to flush the black tank.

I like those valves. Where did you buy them?

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Joe_GA

I like those valves. Where did you buy them?

McMaster-Carr

Garden Hose Ball Valve NPT Female x Threaded Garden Hose Male




Others with different connections *HERE*

I like that they have a 5/8" diameter flow hole!

The 3/4" NPT female end needs an adapter but that is easy.

[Joe_GA]

Thanks 5picker!

[RocklovesLinda]

Hi Jay,
Thank you for your helpful information. I have a 2018 Cedar Creek Hathaway 36CK2 with the 5 valve system as pictured above. What line goes into the fresh water tank?
Thanks,
Rock

[SilverbackMel]

Here’s a LONG TERM TIP....I forget every season Soooo, I drew the procedure on a 3x5 card, covered it in clear tape and mounted it in the compartment wall for ez reference.