Dry camping/getting water

Flygirl · 05-21-2015, 04:13 PM

Hi campers!

We will be dry camping for the first time in our 27.5BHS this weekend and cannot figure out how to get water into the tank from external water jugs. We have the water system where there's one hole with a switch to switch the valve from city water to fill water. The hole has a mesh screen and won't accept water from a jug as we pour it in. Is here a way to use our water pump? The manual is less than helpful. Please help! We leave tomorrow.

Tharrison · 05-21-2015, 04:54 PM

I believe that you run a hose/tube from the fresh water intake to the jug/tank with water. You also run the water pump simultaneously. Here is what it says in my manual:

Dry camping
You can gravity fill the fresh water system if you do not have access to city water; however, allow extra time to fill the fresh water system if you are using this method.
Follow the steps listed above; however, at step 3 put the other end of the non-toxic drinking water hose into your container of fresh water, and turn ON the water pump (instead of turning ON the water at the water source.) When the fresh water tank is full, shut OFF the water pump and disconnect the non-toxic drinking water hose.

Here is the "step 3" referred to above:

To use the city water fill
1. If needed, sanitize the water system.
2. Remove the connection cap and attach a non-toxic drinking water hose to the inlet.
3. Turn ON the water at the water source. Enter the RV and open the cold water supply faucets to bleed air from the water lines. When the water lines are nearly full, you may experience some "air pockets." Allow them to escape before closing the cold water supply faucets.
4. The water heater will fill first, followed by the supply lines and faucets.
The fresh water connection should be unplugged (i.e., the non-toxic drinking water hose disconnected) when the RV is left unattended for any amount of time. If something would happen to the water system, this may help limit water damage to a smaller area.
To disconnect the city water fill
5. Shut OFF the water at the water source.
6. Disconnect the non-toxic drinking water hose and reinstall the connection cap.

RoyBraddy · 05-21-2015, 05:13 PM

Need to look around for a GRAVITY FILL INLET to add water to the FRESH WATER from a water jug. This is NOT the city water port.

Every diagram I have ever seen always shows a GRAVITY FILL INLET...

My FRESH WATER FILL INLET looks like this google photo

I carry a 5-gallon JERI-CAN to use for getting water when camping. We always look for a water source before going into the NATL FOREST dry camping spots. There is usually a rest room facility somewhere not too far away along the Forest Service Roads...

Roy Ken

Tharrison · 05-21-2015, 08:52 PM

Not all units have different outlets for city versus gravity fill. My 2015 Eagle 5w doesn't. The layout on mine sounds like the unit the OP described.

Quahog · 05-22-2015, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flygirl

Hi campers!

We will be dry camping for the first time in our 27.5BHS this weekend and cannot figure out how to get water into the tank from external water jugs. We have the water system where there's one hole with a switch to switch the valve from city water to fill water. The hole has a mesh screen and won't accept water from a jug as we pour it in. Is here a way to use our water pump? The manual is less than helpful. Please help! We leave tomorrow.

On my 2014 Eagle HT 27.5BHS, the gravity fill is on the opposite side (awning side) of the trailer from the City Water connection.

Flygirl · 05-22-2015, 08:57 AM

We just got off the phone with Jayco. Spent about 40 minutes talking to their technicians. It is impossible to put water into the water tank from external water jugs on a 2015 27.5BHS. TERRIBLE DESIGN!! We are very disappointed with Jayco right now.

Thanks to all of you who tried to help.

Hattie · 05-22-2015, 09:23 AM

Seems all water jugs have different-sized 'mouths' and with/without threading. I may not be suggesting the "optimum fix" to your problem, but how about looking into a garden-hose adapter solution? Add a shut-off valve, drinking-water hose, and get a lid from the local big-box store, and you've got an 'end2end' solution. Vendor is BUCKETAPE, the solution was designed for rapid tile grouting - but the concept of water-in/water-out is what it seems you need.

sask934 · 05-22-2015, 09:34 AM

Would a hose attached to a water jug attached to the fresh water tank work?

sask934 · 05-22-2015, 09:45 AM

Something like this...

clubhouse · 05-22-2015, 11:05 AM

A buddy of our has this same design, and I agree it is not a good design. They ultimately got a 12v water pump and use a water hose from the pump to trailer. They also have a ~50 gallon bladder they use to carry the water to the trailer. The external pump pushes the water just like it was from a pressurized city supply. However they engage the TT water supply switch to fill the tank and then the onboard pump draws from the tank and pressurized the system.

We have borrowed their bladder and pump to fill our gravity fill because it much easier to haul a 50 gallon bladder in the truck the pump it in compared to filling 5 gallon jugs and lifting them to dump in the gravity fill port.

I am pretty sure the pump is from Harbor Freight and the bladder was purchase from Amazon.

Flygirl · 05-22-2015, 04:28 PM

Ok so Jayco makes a kit that they will install for free through camping world. It doesn't help us for this weekend but it will (hopefully) for the rest of the summer. My husband thinks it maybe a bit like the 12 volt pump described earlier. Ugh! What a pain!!

Ela1948 · 05-22-2015, 06:45 PM

So it makes you question what the manufacturer was trying to accomplish. Gravity filling a tank is about as simple and straight forward as you can get!! They must have a REASON that they tried to reinvent the wheel!! What were they after??? Obviously, it missed the mark on most of us and all that dry camp. Has anyone read an explanation of there goal??? I personally wouldn't have a system like that unless Im not seeing the whole picture..

wags999 · 05-22-2015, 10:40 PM

Sometimes you wonder if those designing RV's have ever actually used an RV. Seems that would be a good prerequisite. How many times have we seen something and asked ourselves "Really" who would do it like that..and why.

Go Cougs · 05-24-2015, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flygirl

Ok so Jayco makes a kit that they will install for free through camping world. It doesn't help us for this weekend but it will (hopefully) for the rest of the summer. My husband thinks it maybe a bit like the 12 volt pump described earlier. Ugh! What a pain!!

Can you post a link to this kit?
We just bought a 29.5 fbds, and I had noticed that it had no gravity feed while it was still on the lot. I then asked the dealer about it during the pdi and got a blank look. So I found the harbor freight pump and cut up an old garden hose and built my own. But if jayco has a kit I would be interested in seeing what it is.

chlinthi · 06-01-2015, 12:07 AM

You can also use a simple water pump that is fed by the spinning motion of a cordless drill - similar to this one which I have been successful with: Everbilt 300 GPH Drill Pump Kit-PUP63_HD - The Home Depot

Then just put one end in the water container on the ground an another end up in the inlet.

It also makes it a lot easier then trying to hold the weight of a 5-7lb water jug while filling.

rick danger · 06-01-2015, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chlinthi

You can also use a simple water pump that is fed by the spinning motion of a cordless drill - similar to this one which I have been successful with: Everbilt 300 GPH Drill Pump Kit-PUP63_HD - The Home Depot

Then just put one end in the water container on the ground an another end up in the inlet.

It also makes it a lot easier then trying to hold the weight of a 5-7lb water jug while filling.

I used to use one of those to change the oil in my boat. I remember cursing at it a lot.

SMS1115 · 06-01-2015, 05:21 AM

Trailer manufacturers these days are eliminating the Gravity Fill and making you use city water pressure to fill your fresh water tanks. My parents have a 2013 Big Horn, no gravity fill. We were recently out looking at Camping World and found Outbacks to be the same way. Dad had on old RV water pump at the house and finally mounted it in the outside storage area and ran wire to the battery then just drops a hose in his jugs and pumps his water in. Very poor designs on the newer RV's. They are now built for full hook ups, even though us RVer's don't always use them.

mike837go · 06-01-2015, 05:52 AM

My brand new 19RD also has a near useless gravity fill.

It'll take a garden hose or use the outdoor shower (remove the spray handle) while attached to city water.

When boondocking for extended periods, refilling the freshwater from jugs is essential!

Who felt that an unusable gavity fill was a good idea?

3'senough · 06-01-2015, 06:58 AM

This if I am reading correctly, is the same way all the 5'er's have been for several of the last model years. There is one inlet and that is utilized for either city or "country fill" The difference in that of a gravity fill is that you can use your on board water pump to siphon the water out of the container and into the tank. Personally I like this feature as you do not have to lift the 5 gallon jugs up to the fill, but just simply remove the cap and insert the short hose to siphon out. It goes just as fast as a gravity fill.

You can also, like I do, just hook up a bladder directly and turn on the pump.

Now the key to all this is the plumbing. Do you have any valves to turn and direct the water to the tank? There has to be a valve or valves somewhere, because if the pump is turned on it's supposed to draw from the tank, and not the city connection unless selected. Something is missing in the instructions, telling the operator how to direct the water pump valve.

Ela1948 · 06-01-2015, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3'senough

This if I am reading correctly, is the same way all the 5'er's have been for several of the last model years. There is one inlet and that is utilized for either city or "country fill" The difference in that of a gravity fill is that you can use your on board water pump to siphon the water out of the container and into the tank. Personally I like this feature as you do not have to lift the 5 gallon jugs up to the fill, but just simply remove the cap and insert the short hose to siphon out. It goes just as fast as a gravity fill.

You can also, like I do, just hook up a bladder directly and turn on the pump.

Now the key to all this is the plumbing. Do you have any valves to turn and direct the water to the tank? There has to be a valve or valves somewhere, because if the pump is turned on it's supposed to draw from the tank, and not the city connection unless selected. Something is missing in the instructions, telling the operator how to direct the water pump valve.

If what you think is correct, then why are folks hunting for auxiliary pumps??? They certainly wouldn't need a extra pump if they could use there on board pump. The gravity tank on our 5th wheel is simple and will fill at the rate of 8 gal. Per minute. If you're dry camping, it means that you have limited water and limited 12 volt power. Now I am suppose to believe it's a good idea to use my 12 volt power to move water in to my rig as well as well as disperse it thru the camper!! Certainly seems to be made for folks that are hooked up all the time.

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