Water System

[Forrest747]

I am having an issue with filling the water tank. I really do not want to put a filler port on the side of the body. I am planning on running a hose hook up while at the campsite to bipass the water pump to save the battery. Was thinking about using a 3 way valve to connect the hose to fill the tank up, when filled up move the valve to off. did a drawing kindof what i am thinking.

Has anyone seen anything like this.

[Dale M.]

IT will wprk.... If tank has a vent on it the water pressure from hydrant (land based water system) should have enough pressure to fill tank... You just open water system valve and valve to tank and watch vent line till water flows out..... With check valve (towards pump) and bypass valves you can pressure faucet directly....

All you need is hose connector some place under body for easy access.... the rest is just plumbing and valves (you do not even need a three way), several single "ball" valves would work...

Years ago (in the 50's) my parents had a small TT that had a pressurized water tank (schrade valve in filler cap) and dad discovered it you drained tank, and closed off all the valves and filled tank from "water system" there was usually enough pressure (water against air bubble in tank) to keep tank water flowing for almost whole tank full of water... But the early TT did not have a battery back up power or a water pump... Camping was tough then...

Dale

[bdosborn]

Most RV style water pumps have a check valve built into them. It's pretty common for RVs to have a city water connection that is plumbed ahead of the pump and another water connection for filling the tank. That's how I'm doing mine but I wish I'd thought of a 3 way connector

Bruce

[Forrest747]

My little quirk is the fact I do not want it to have a city water connection and a filler door. I want it to look as much like a jeep as i can, and less like a RV. I plan on doing a city water connection in the front utility box, running the water line in a piece of 2 inch square tubing i welded underneath, giving it some protection.

I am likeing Dale's idea of several ball valves. Thinking maybe a manifold to select the water source and filling. will play with it and have some time to figure it out. Thanks for the input.

[danlott]

You could modify a gas tank fill assembly from a jeep to use as a water connection. Replace the gas cap and hose piece with a city water connection. You would have to modify it slightly, but it would look like a jeep.




Dan

[Forrest747]

I like that idea Dan, I could use a fuel door cover to concel the city water connection. Will have to look at the depths and such. thinking I will go that route. thanks.

[eamarquardt]

I got a really cool SS water fill at a marine store. I think it will add to the appearance of a teardrop not detract. Don't have a picture handy but could post one if anyone is interested. It was twenty bucks.

When I had a sailboat all of our water came from two internal SS tanks. One 55 gallon and one 25 gallon. Even with four of us on board for a week, a Navy shower for each each night, and normal dishwashing (but I used salt water for the wash just rinsed in fresh water), and rinsing of our scuba gear with fresh water at the end of the week , we never used more than 55 gallons a week. Of course, we didn't drink the water, ha.

We had a Shurflow pump (also had one for a salt water wash down pump) and it worked great. The normal pump valves will act as a check valve so no external check valve is required. Drain on the battery was minimal. It drew less than ten amps (can't remember how many but never tripped a ten amp breaker) and would pump over 3 gallons per minute. So, to pump a 20 gallon water tank dry would take less than 10 minutes and less than two amp hours of juice. Minimal, IMHO.

I'd be a little concerned hooking a hose up to a fitting to fill a water tank w/o a pretty good sized vent hose or restrictor to keep the flow down a bit. W/O a good vent the pressure will build quickly when the tank becomes full and you might blow it up if you aren't careful. I once started the engine w/o opening the exhaust port and it was a pretty good explosion as the muffler blew up, ha! Pretty much the same concept.

I like using separate ball valves rather than a three way valve as they offer more flexibility.

Finally, in the event that city water pressure is a lot higher than the valves of your pump or check valve can handle, you might consider putting an in line regulator in the circuit to ensure you don't over pressurize your system and blow a valve.

Hope these thoughts help.

Cheers,

Gus

[afreegreek]

an old trailer I bought had a rubber foot ball shape thing in the water system.. it was old rotten rubber so I never got a chance to use it but the old owner told me it's called an accumulator and supplied some pressure to the taps. I never bothered replacing it so I never figured out how it really worked.

[Forrest747]

I plan on a 3/8" vent line. I do have some 1/4" tubing i had lying around. But i dont think it will be big enough. So using the 3/8 that I am going to use for the drain/ backup line (in case no power). Hooked up 3/8 from the tank to one side of the pump last night. Waiting hopefully for a faucet as my fathers day gift. Thanks for all the input.

[Shadow Catcher]

Couple of things, you can get recessed covered lockable inlets, you do not necessarily want to pressurize your water tank or even to have water in it when using an external water supply, if you do pressurize your tank you have to be able to shut off the vent or use a valve into it. Be sure you have a tank drain to empty it.
We have a separate tank fill and vent and a shore water inlet, the tank is not filled unless needed and drained after camping if it is.

[Trackstriper]

Ditto what Gus said about vent line size. I have a 40 gallon rectangular poly tank mounted in my work van. It fills from a standard 5/8" water hose hooked to whatever faucet I can find. The water coming into the tank usually has a pretty good flow rate and is under some pressure, although not as much as if it were restricted. The restricted part is where you have to be concerned. I use a 1-1/2" overflow hose, overkill maybe, but no basic problems over ten years.

A 3/8" size vent line would probably be fine as long as it's only venting air. But if it's trying to vent excess water you might have a problem. You'd have to stay right on top of the filling process and not let the tank fill more than 100%. Gravity filling does not have that problem.

Most of the RV style tanks will have some 3/8" NPT fitting bosses and a 1-1/4" fill "barb" (for lack of better term). For pressure-fill you could use the 3/8" as the input line and vent with the 1-1/4".
For gravity-fill use the 1-1/4" as the input and vent with 3/8".

[eamarquardt]

Ditto what Gus said about vent line size. I have a 40 gallon rectangular poly tank mounted in my work van. It fills from a standard 5/8" water hose hooked to whatever faucet I can find. The water coming into the tank usually has a pretty good flow rate and is under some pressure, although not as much as if it were restricted. The restricted part is where you have to be concerned. I use a 1-1/2" overflow hose, overkill maybe, but no basic problems over ten years.

A 3/8" size vent line would probably be fine as long as it's only venting air. But if it's trying to vent excess water you might have a problem. You'd have to stay right on top of the filling process and not let the tank fill more than 100%. Gravity filling does not have that problem.

Most of the RV style tanks will have some 3/8" NPT fitting bosses and a 1-1/4" fill "barb" (for lack of better term). For pressure-fill you could use the 3/8" as the input line and vent with the 1-1/4".
For gravity-fill use the 1-1/4" as the input and vent with 3/8".

Yup!

Cheers,

Gus

[Forrest747]

went to lowes on the way home this morning, thinking about all the possibilities and hoping to do something this afternoon. settled upon using a quarter turn valve that has a 3/8 inch bard and connecting it with a braided water line with a 1/2 threaded output. then get a PVC threaded to slip joint and build up to 3/4 pipe which is 1 1/4 wide. then the nosey associate wanted to help in a bad way and told me the PVC was a bad choice for drinking water and so i walked out all frustrated.

(I am short tempered as of late and know why and do my best not to be that way with the kids)

well doing some research online i found that PVC is ok with drinking water.

will do a drawing later of what i am thinking and maybe hitting the Home depot later to build it out. I am going to do a city water connection with a fuel door cover. I even have been playing with the idea of using a jeep fuel filler neck, the diameter is 1 1/4 and it has a built in vent line. Put a gas cap on it and bam very cool looking water fill point. just dont get them mixed up at the gas station. get them new so no fuel contamination.

[bdosborn]

I used PEX for my plumbing. Its pretty easy to work with and it's what they use in RVs now. Its supposed to expand enough that it won't burst if the pipes freeze (but I hope to never have to rely on that). They carry it at the big box stores and you can get tool-less connectors as well (shark bite).

Bruce

[Forrest747]

Here is the latest. will do a city connection on the side which i will hide with a Jeep fuel door. I will run the water line directly to the faucet.

I will tee off this line to feed the 3/8 opening for the fill.

i will use a quarter turn valve that will feed it directly into the 3/8 fill opening in the tank.

I will use the 1 1/4 line as the vent caping it off under the countertop with an RV fill connection. Use that as a back up if needed.

Drain line will also get a quarter turn shut off.


thanks for all the help.