How to add water when boondocking?

[BarbandFrank]

We purchased a 2016 Landmark Key West earlier this year. We have taken several trips (not full timers yet) where we had water hook ups. We are planning to Boondock next year and would like to know how water gets added from a portable tank to the RV holding tank. We attempted adding water in our driveway at home, but could not get the water into the tank - water just leaked out from the portable tank. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Barb and Frank

 

[danemayer]

Hi BarbandFrank,

Congratulations on your new Landmark and welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.

The water inlet has a built-in check valve that prevents water from spurting out when the pump is running. When adding water, it takes a little pressure to open the check valve. Connecting your external tank via gravity feed doesn't apply enough pressure.

Some people have purchased an inexpensive 12V DC water transfer pump to do what you're trying to do. Here's one from Amazon. Harbor Freight also carries them for around $40.

 

[BarbandFrank]

Thanks so much for the info. Sounds like an easy and fairly inexpensive solution. We appreciate your help.

 

[Oregon_Camper]

Thanks so much for the info. Sounds like an easy and fairly inexpensive solution. We appreciate your help.

We dry camp most of the time and need to fill the tank. We tried a lower cost pump and it failed after a few times.

I then bought a higher quality pump and love it. Works great....

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CPZTEK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Funny...in my signature picture can see the green 7 gallon tank I used to fill my RV. (I have 3 of them).

 

[BarbandFrank]

We dry camp most of the time and need to fill the tank. We tried a lower cost pump and it failed after a few times.

I then bought a higher quality pump and love it. Works great....

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CPZTEK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Funny...in my signature picture can see the green 7 gallon tank I used to fill my RV. (I have 3 of them).

So where do you plug in the pump?

 

[Oregon_Camper]

So where do you plug in the pump?

Good question..

Because we dry camp, I carry a separate power source. I charge this before leaving home and keep as a backup. It can jump start truck..fill a flat tire (limited pressure) and charge devices via USB.

I just carry this over the UDC area can connect to the pump.


https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-J7CS...=8-7&keywords=battery+portable+12v+compressor

 

[BarbandFrank]

Good question..

Because we dry camp, I carry a separate power source. I charge this before leaving home and keep as a backup. It can jump start truck..fill a flat tire (limited pressure) and charge devices via USB.

I just carry this over the UDC area can connect to the pump.

View attachment 47971
https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-J7CS...=8-7&keywords=battery+portable+12v+compressor

Thanks - much appreciated!

 

[danemayer]

So where do you plug in the pump?

If you get a pump with spring-loaded clip-on wiring, you connect it to your battery terminals. Or you can run wiring across the RV basement and put something closer to the water connections. Or you can get a 4 or 7 pin connector that plugs into your truck and set up the pump to plug into the truck power.

 

[rnewk52]

We use a 30 gallon bladder, a separate 12v pump with the necessary hoses and fittings,
and I installed 12v (cigarette lighter) socket in the UDC and the matching plug on
the pump wires with an on/off switch near the pump.

 

[Duramax1]

I do the following:
1. I follow the same procedure as I do for putting RV antifreeze into the system ie. close the valve which allows water to be drawn from the on board water storage tank and open the valve which allows anti freeze to be drawn through a bypass hose from the antifreeze container.
2. Place the bypass hose into the portable water container
3. Using my outdoor shower, I remove the shower head and place the shower hose in the water intake outlet.
4. Turn on the water tap to the external shower.

Just that simple and I do not have to buy a stand alone pump to put water into the RV.

If your external shower hose will not reach the water intake outlet, simply attach a hose to it.

I attach a hose to the external shower to enable me to wash the RV at my rental storage site as the access to a water tap is several hundred feet away.

 

[danemayer]

I do the following:
1. I follow the same procedure as I do for putting RV antifreeze into the system ie. close the valve which allows water to be drawn from the on board water storage tank and open the valve which allows anti freeze to be drawn through a bypass hose from the antifreeze container.
2. Place the bypass hose into the portable water container
3. Using my outdoor shower, I remove the shower head and place the shower hose in the water intake outlet.
4. Turn on the water tap to the external shower.

Just that simple and I do not have to buy a stand alone pump to put water into the RV.

If your external shower hose will not reach the water intake outlet, simply attach a hose to it.

I attach a hose to the external shower to enable me to wash the RV at my rental storage site as the access to a water tap is several hundred feet away.

A 2009 Sundance probably has a separate water inlet for the fresh tank, using a gravity feed.

Rigs with a 4-way Anderson Valve have a single water inlet for use when on city water or for filling the fresh tank or for adding antifreeze.

 

[Lynn1130]

We dry camp almost exclusively and I have a 30 gal tote that fits into the front bed of the truck and I had a 12 volt water pump that I rebuilt after the seals leaked. I put together wires and installed an on/off switch near the pump so that I could the flow. I use two clear fill lines from the tank to the UDC and fill when needed.

 

[Oregon_Camper]

I do the following:
1. I follow the same procedure as I do for putting RV antifreeze into the system ie. close the valve which allows water to be drawn from the on board water storage tank and open the valve which allows anti freeze to be drawn through a bypass hose from the antifreeze container.
2. Place the bypass hose into the portable water container
3. Using my outdoor shower, I remove the shower head and place the shower hose in the water intake outlet.
4. Turn on the water tap to the external shower.

Just that simple and I do not have to buy a stand alone pump to put water into the RV.

If your external shower hose will not reach the water intake outlet, simply attach a hose to it.

I attach a hose to the external shower to enable me to wash the RV at my rental storage site as the access to a water tap is several hundred feet away.

This only draws from the portable tank and never fills the RV's fresh water tank....right?

If you're using the anti-freeze valve, doesn't this bypass the hot water tank? How does your method allow the hot water tank to be filled?

If your method fills the fresh tank and hot water tank than...YIPPEE!! I love it.

 

[Lynn1130]

I tried it and it does not work with my trailer. The bypass valves are back behind the basement wall and a PITA to get to just to do this hence I went to my pump system which works great for me.