Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I have a 15 gallon Valterra water tank (ABS) and need a fill kit. I'm a bit confused by Valterra's web site, they show fill kits with 1 1/4" barbed fill fittings, but (here's the part I don't understand) how does the fill fitting install? These tanks have 3/8" fittings pre-installed (clearly for drain and vent).


Anyone with experience with this?


Here is one example of the various kits available.

I have a Valterra tank, and is slightly smaller, 12 gal (I think). I purchased a fill valve like this from http://www.valterra.com:

I cut a hole in the side of the tank, and used a potable PVC glue. I used a potable water hose to attach the fill connector to the outside wall.

from West Marine.

Note: Make sure your fill inlet is higher than the tank itself. The previous owner did not, and I have to use a bit of pressure to fill the tank due to the fill inlet is slightly lower than the top of the tank. I had few choice words to myself when I learned of this mistake made by someone else.

I did it with boat parts like Cliff. Works OK mounted on the side of the trailer, would work better if it was mounted on the top behind the hatch. I use a short piece of cut off garden hose with a valve on it stuck into the tank through the deck fill to fill the tank, less spillage that way.

cuyeda wrote:I have a Valterra tank, and is slightly smaller, 12 gal (I think). I purchased a fill valve like this from http://www.valterra.com:

I cut a hole in the side of the tank, and used a potable PVC glue. I used a potable water hose to attach the fill connector to the outside wall.

from West Marine.

cool, so you just make a hole and glue the filler into it. Thanks!

A simple system and is totally invisible is to put a female hose connector and a valve in connected at one of the lower tank fittings....

What I have done is come off bottom of tank and put a valve on outlet to act as a drain. Also on drain valve I put the female hose connector.... Simply connect hose to connector and turn supply faucet, open valve into tank and let "water system" pressure fill tank through "drain".... OF course you do need a VENT at top of tank....

IF you have a a metal tank that can be pressurized, water system pressure will also fill tank and pressurize system at same time.... IF you keep "any" vent at top of tank closed.

Dale

Dale M. wrote: snip.... OF course you do need a VENT at top of tank....
snip...
Dale

Like Dale mentioned, you need a vent at the top of the tank with either fill connection style you choose. I looped the vent tube height above the actual tank, and routed it pass the floor/frame under the trailer. When filling the tank, I watch for the overflow from the vent tube on the ground. Then I know the tank is full. Of course you knew that already, but I wanted to mention it, in case others reading this did not.

OK, I have my fill kit, one more question: the vent. How can I rig the vent so that I don't get shmut in the tank?Maybe a valve somewhere that's easy to access?

I got confused the tank in question is abs but one of the posters referred to pvc cement. I am not sure that there is a glue that works to connect abs to pvc. Shouldn't the assembly be all abs or pvc an and appropriate glue used?

Just a thought.

Cheers,

Gus

eamarquardt wrote: Shouldn't the assembly be all abs or pvc an and appropriate glue used?

Gus

Sorry, I just used the term PVC, technically I don't know the difference, but whatever the proper plastic and glue is, make sure it is for potable water.

Nikwax,

I am sure others will chime in with good advice. I merely just looped the vent tube so that it arched up and higher than the tank. Then secured it pointing down and underneath the trailer. Provided that your fill tube is higher than the tank and relief hose.

My thoughts for my installation when filling the tank via a pressured hose, the tank will fill and overflow onto the ground. That's when I know it's filled. If you are more comfortable with making it air tight when not in use then put a simple valve on the end of that hose.

You will need an open relief valve when you fill it, and also the same relief will allow the water to flow when pumped during use. This will prevent a vacum in the tank. At the end of a trip, I open a separate drain valve and empty the tank. The next day I will close the drain valve when it's empty. Does that help?

cuyeda wrote:
Nikwax,

I am sure others will chime in with good advice. I merely just looped the vent tube so that it arched up and higher than the tank. Then secured it pointing down and underneath the trailer. Provided that your fill tube is higher than the tank and relief hose.

My thoughts for my installation when filling the tank via a pressured hose, the tank will fill and overflow onto the ground. That's when I know it's filled. If you are more comfortable with making it air tight when not in use then put a simple valve on the end of that hose.

You will need an open relief valve when you fill it, and also the same relief will allow the water to flow when pumped during use. This will prevent a vacum in the tank. At the end of a trip, I open a separate drain valve and empty the tank. The next day I will close the drain valve when it's empty. Does that help?

perfect, thanks! that gives me a good idea for how to do the vent.

eamarquardt wrote:I am not sure that there is a glue that works to connect abs to pvc. Shouldn't the assembly be all abs or pvc an and appropriate glue used?

Just a thought.

Cheers,

Gus

I believe there is one that works on all of them, at least that is what the can says and they can be a combination of different flavors. I couldn't vouch for the strength of the joint this way but I don't think that would be a major concern in this situation.

I have the same filler as cuyeda, was stumped a bit as to how to manage the 1-1/2" deck filler to 1-1/4" tank filler. West Marine had everything to do this:


1867548 Barbed Hose adapter 1 1/4" to 1 1/2"

214934 1 1/2" water hose, clear flex

282301 1 1/4" bilge hose, semi-flex


add some hose clamps, and you're in business.

A tip for working with tubing in colder weather (or maybe in any weather) is to soften it up with a heat gun or hair dryer before working with it. It is much more flexible and easier to get on to the fittings.

Are these tanks like the valterra above designed for pressurized water like the water lines in a house.

I guess what I am asking is when a water system is installed and the hose connected does the pressurized water also pressurize the water tank? I know they have a vent and that would suggest the tanks are not pressurized but could the vent not have a valve on it? Perhaps a valve is installed "before" the tank and can be switched for filling the tank and switched the other way for pressure to the water lines.

How is this done??


john

I also have a water tank. My vent is always open. No valve what I did was put a small air filter on the end of the vent hose. Found the filter at a aqurium fish store. Hope this helps. Ken