Filling water tank without gravity feed possible?

KL7j · Oct 6, 2010

I recently winterized my 2011 3055RL. While going thru the motions I switched the bypass valve to allow the pump to intake from the antifreeze bottle.

It then dawned on me that this hose likely leads to a tee between the water tank and the pump intake. You have to close this intake valve (in the central utility compartment) to again get the pump to intake from the water tank.

Reason I am interested is a few years ago I owned a Montana 5th and it had a valve to allow filling the water tank using the city water connection instead of a gravity fill.

If there is no backflow preventer between tank and pump input, a mod could be install a tee on the city water side with a valve to allow filling ones water tank via a tee in the antifreeze intake hose.

So... anyone know if one could actually fill the water tank by using this antifreeze hose or is there a backflow preventer between it and the water tank?

JohnDar · Oct 6, 2010

Dunno, but it seems to me it would be easier to just use a gated wye on the end of the hose from the pedestal in the UDC and run one line to the city water inlet and the other into the gravity fill port for the tank. Less likely to get antifreeze into your fresh water tank.

Or fabricate a manifold and just poke a line into the tank fill when you need to.

View attachment 10545

Ray LeTourneau · Oct 6, 2010

I have a set-up similar to JohnDar, only I used brass "Y" garden hose diverters as valves. Depending on which valve I open or close, I can use city water normally, switch over to flush the black tank or fill the fresh tank.
I don't know how well the fresh tank would fill by using the line between the tank and pump because you would be filling the tank from the "bottom". It might work but the way most of us do it, there is no access to the area behind the UDC needed.

ChopperBill · Oct 7, 2010

I use one of these from Harbor Freight all the time as we have no water hook up in the summer. This is the second trailer we have used it for hundreds of gallons and it has been flawless.

hoefler · Oct 7, 2010

In the basement behind the panel that has the valves you switch to use city, tank, winterize, or power drain. I installed a Tee in the city water line and a Tee in the line from the tank. Hooked them to gether with a valve in the middle. While hooked to city water, I can now fill the tank and filter it as well. Less than $10 in parts and about 10 minutes to figure out witch lines go where, and 5 minutes to do.

KL7j · Oct 9, 2010

hoefler said:
// I installed a Tee in the city water line and a Tee in the line from the tank. Hooked them to gether with a valve in the middle. QUOTE]

Putting a Tee in the city water and a valve is an easy source alright.

So you put a Tee in the white corregated gravity fill line or the tank vent line?

Either would fill and the other vent the tank from the top.

In this BH 3055 apparently those are the only lines leading to the water tank before the pump or any one way check valve.

hoefler · Oct 10, 2010

KL7j said:
howler said:

// I installed a Tee in the city water line and a Tee in the line from the tank. Hooked them to gather with a valve in the middle. QUOTE]

Putting a Tee in the city water and a valve is an easy source alright.

So you put a Tee in the white corrugated gravity fill line or the tank vent line?

Either would fill and the other vent the tank from the top.

In this BH 3055 apparently those are the only lines leading to the water tank before the pump or any one way check valve.

Click to expand...

More specifically, the line that you hook to to use city water ( not the gravity fill corrugated line ) that pressurizes the system. I installed a Tee in the line. The line between the water pump and the tank I also installed a Tee. Hooked them together with a valve in the middle. In my Landmark, inside the left side basement door, there is a panel with access under the shower. I have a manifold that allows you to select city water, tank water, power drain of the tank, or winterize. I traced these lines to there source/destination and figured out which one does what. I used about 12" of line and installed my mod just inside the access panel, I can reach it from outside very easily.

KL7j · Oct 15, 2010

hoefler said:
KL7j said:

More specifically, the line that you hook to to use city water ( not the gravity fill corrugated line ) that pressurizes the system. I installed a Tee in the line. The line between the water pump and the tank I also installed a Tee. Hooked them together with a valve in the middle. In my Landmark, inside the left side basement door, there is a panel with access under the shower.

Click to expand...

Thanks.
After your post I removed the cover in the basement to look behind the central utility hookups compartment.

I could do the same as you posted and it's all soft flex tubing so very easy with a barbed Tee before the pump intake and at the city water line. Now to find a single valve with a mounting flange and a long shaft to reach thru the utility compartment wall similar to the mounting of the antifreeze intake valve.
I checked Lowes but none with a mounting flange and long shaft for the handle.

Looks like 8 hose clams, two barbed Tee's, 2' of flex pressue hose, and a valve is all that's required. My former 5th, a Montana had this feature so I may have to search out their valve supplier.

Thanks again.

Will have to look in some catalogs.

Duramax1 · Oct 16, 2010

retired4fun said:
I use one of these from Harbor Freight all the time as we have no water hook up in the summer. This is the second trailer we have used it for hundreds of gallons and it has been flawless.

Using the external shower hose, I simply remove the shower head and insert the hose into the water storage tank inlet. Then using the water tank bypass mode, I use the antifreeze hose to suction water from a portable water container. Turn on the pump, open the shower faucet and you are pumping water into the storage tank.

ChopperBill · Oct 17, 2010

Duramax1 said:
Using the external shower hose, I simply remove the shower head and insert the hose into the water storage tank inlet. Then using the water tank bypass mode, I use the antifreeze hose to suction water from a portable water container. Turn on the pump, open the shower faucet and you are pumping water into the storage tank.

Great idea DMax!

hoefler · Oct 18, 2010

You do not want to use hose clamps and barbed fittings. You will never get them tight enough and stay tight. We have a Pex water system that requires special fittings, crimp rings and crimp tool. You can get these at Lowe's. You can also use the slip on fittings like Shark Bite, they cost substantially more, you probably can buy the tool for about the same money and have it for future repairs or mods.

MJordan · Oct 18, 2010

Can you send a picture of how you have this setup?

Ray LeTourneau said:
I have a set-up similar to JohnDar, only I used brass "Y" garden hose diverters as valves. Depending on which valve I open or close, I can use city water normally, switch over to flush the black tank or fill the fresh tank.
I don't know how well the fresh tank would fill by using the line between the tank and pump because you would be filling the tank from the "bottom". It might work but the way most of us do it, there is no access to the area behind the UDC needed.

Filling water tank without gravity feed possible?

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