Fill water tank by pressure filling

[brugreg]

Have a brand new 25RKS G2 picked up a few weeks ago. The owners manual says you can pressure fill the tank through the city inlet or the gravity fill.

I know the gravity fill method works, but is there a way to fill using the city inlet? The only valve I see is the one near the pump to suck in antifreeze.

[Rustic Eagle]

Welcome to the Jayco Forums.

Maybe it's the terminology, but I'm not aware of the "pressure fill the tank" reference. When using the city water connection, the TT water system will be under pressure, but this process bypasses the fresh water tank.

Maybe they have changed the system since my 2005 Eagle ??

Bob

[Crabman]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

Welcome to the Jayco Forums.

Maybe it's the terminology, but I'm not aware of the "pressure fill the tank" reference. When using the city water connection, the TT water system will be under pressure, but this process bypasses the fresh water tank.

Maybe they have changed the system since my 2005 Eagle ??

Bob

Its still the same way on mine, R Eagle. You fill the tank with the gravity fill, not city water. There`s no valve I`m aware of that will let you fill the tank with city water connection.

[FPM III]

Unless technology has changed, I don't see how it's possible to fill the fresh water tank from the city water outlet unless there is a separate line with shut-off valve that runs directly from the city water line to the tank without going through the water pump.

The water pump will not permit water to flow back into the tank regardless of whether you're on city water or the pump. If it did, your water pump would be constantly cycling on and off when turned on because of the loss of pressure caused by the water flowing back into the tank when the pump shuts off.

I think the reason that fresh water tanks are filled from their own filler rather than from the city water filler is for safety. If, for some reason, the tank's overflow became obstructed, the tank could pressurize and possibly burst if filled from the city water line. With it's own filler, the water simply backs-up in the filler tube until it overflows through the filler opening.

[David472]

Here's what I think Jayco's manual means by gravity vs pressure fill of the freshwater tank;

Gravity fill, you take a 5 gallon pail and pour it thru a funnel into the tank fill cap.

Pressure fill, you take a water hose connected to city water, and run it into the tank fill cap.

For the connector on the side of the trailer marked "city water" there is a check valve to prevent this connection from getting into the fresh water tank.

[22FB2010Tim]

I was also confused reading the owners manual. Here are some direct copy and paste from a pdf version I downloaded and it is the same as my paper copy:

FRESH WATER HOLDING TANK
The fresh water tank can be filled by pressure
filling through the fresh water inlet (called city
water) or by gravity fill. There are plastic
overflow tubes plumbed into the fresh water
holding tank. They allow water to flow out of
the water tank. Occasionally, you may see
water coming from the overflow tubes (located
underneath the RV) when the fresh water
holding tank is filled. This is normal, and is
caused by external circumstances, including
the RV being parked on an incline, or the
motion caused by starting or stopping the RV
during travel.
Do not cap, block or modify the fresh water
tank overflow tubes in any way. Enough water
pressure can build up during the filling
process to damage the plumbing system if the
overflow tubes are obstructed.

There are two types of direct exterior fresh
water connections in your RV: city water and
gravity fill.

To use the city water fill
1. If needed, sanitize the water system.
2. Move the “water heater bypass valve” to
the NORMAL position.
3. Remove the connection cap and attach a
non-toxic drinking water hose to the inlet.
4. 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.
5. Enter the RV and open the cold water
supply faucets to bleed air from the water
lines.
6. The water heater will fill first, followed by
the supply lines and faucets.
When the water lines are nearly full, you
may experience some "air pockets." Allow
them to escape before closing the cold
water supply faucets.
To disconnect the city water fill
7. Shut OFF the water at the water source.
8. Disconnect the non-toxic drinking water
hose and reinstall the connection cap.

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.

This is just ONE example.
I just thought (and still do) - Why can't they get someone who actually USES an RV to write these manuals?

[clutch]

I think I will continue with the slow gravity method. I would be afraid to pressurize the water tank. I saw a black tank split once because the owner was using the pressure flush and didn't have the drain valve open. Apparently his roof vent was plugged. What a mess.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by brugreg

snip........The owners manual says you can pressure fill the tank through the city inlet or the gravity fill. I know the gravity fill method works, but is there a way to fill using the city inlet?........snip

Yep, just a little miss interpretation from the manual on filling the fresh water tank. Manual states: "The fresh water tank can be filled by pressure filling through the fresh water inlet (called city water) or by gravity fill."

Filling through the "fresh water inlet", not through "the city inlet".

When I pressure fill the fresh water tank it consists of holding a city water hose at the fresh water inlet and filling (no seal or connection made).

Thanks '22FB2010Tim' for posting the owners manual text.

Bob

[jpeake]

you can fill the fresh water tank using the water pump, if I read the manual correctly.

1) Connect a hose to the city water connection.
2) other end of hose goes in your fresh water container
3) turn on the water pump

This will pump water into the fresh water tank from your container.

Why you would do this instead of just pouring it into the gravity fill, I don't know.

[Terry]

Originally Posted by jpeake

you can fill the fresh water tank using the water pump, if I read the manual correctly.

1) Connect a hose to the city water connection.
2) other end of hose goes in your fresh water container
3) turn on the water pump

This will pump water into the fresh water tank from your container.

Why you would do this instead of just pouring it into the gravity fill, I don't know.

The manual is somewhat confusing on the pump and I have never understood what they are talking about. The city water connection is on the outlet side of the pump, so there is no way it can pull water in. I know they also talk about using a hose to suck water from the gravity fill....dont understand that either - you cant get a seal so the pump will just suck air....It would require pump modification to pull water from a source.

[grantsoo]

Originally Posted by tafische

The manual is somewhat confusing on the pump and I have never understood what they are talking about. The city water connection is on the outlet side of the pump, so there is no way it can pull water in. I know they also talk about using a hose to suck water from the gravity fill....dont understand that either - you cant get a seal so the pump will just suck air....It would require pump modification to pull water from a source.

I just got my TT and am puzzled over the seeming option to fill the tanks via a hose from the city water connection to a container of water and then starting the pump.
It seems from this thread that no one thinks it's possible, but the manual sure indicates it is.
Has anyone tried it or had any further experience to indicate it's not possible?

Thanks
Grant

[altar1]

Originally Posted by jpeake

you can fill the fresh water tank using the water pump, if I read the manual correctly.

1) Connect a hose to the city water connection.
2) other end of hose goes in your fresh water container
3) turn on the water pump

This will pump water into the fresh water tank from your container.

Why you would do this instead of just pouring it into the gravity fill, I don't know.

Weight. A 7 gallon jug is heavy. When I had my Bounder, it had the ability to suck water out of a jug. It also would fill the water tank frm a hose connected to the city water connection. I used both a lot, and really miss that feature on the Jayco. It did require some valves being turned, though.

Tom

[grantsoo]

Originally Posted by altar1

Weight. A 7 gallon jug is heavy. When I had my Bounder, it had the ability to suck water out of a jug. It also would fill the water tank frm a hose connected to the city water connection. I used both a lot, and really miss that feature on the Jayco. It did require some valves being turned, though.

Tom

Do you remember what valves needed to be turned? The manual instructions do not say this.

Thanks
Grant

[Quahog]

Originally Posted by grantsoo

I just got my TT and am puzzled over the seeming option to fill the tanks via a hose from the city water connection to a container of water and then starting the pump.
It seems from this thread that no one thinks it's possible, but the manual sure indicates it is.
Has anyone tried it or had any further experience to indicate it's not possible?

Thanks
Grant

I tried this and never got it to work either. So what I do is stick the hose into the gravity fill and fill it that way.

[grantsoo]

Originally Posted by Quahog

I tried this and never got it to work either. So what I do is stick the hose into the gravity fill and fill it that way.

I guess why I'm so interested in this is that I can't park my TT at home. So my first night on the road is when I have to sanitize etc.. I thought if this worked, then I could take water to the RV storage area and do some prep work ahead of time. But it's starting to look like what the manual says is not possible regarding sucking water from a container.

Thanks
Grant

[norty1]

Depends on your setup. Mine does it just fine. When I winterize, I can pull water right out of the jug into the system.

[clubhouse]

Originally Posted by norty1

Depends on your setup. Mine does it just fine. When I winterize, I can pull water right out of the jug into the system.

You can pull with the water pump to the fresh water holding tank or the presssurized plumbing lines past the hold tank? I can pull into the plumbing to winterize, but I havn't found a way to use the pump to fill the holding tank.

[SecretCoveDave]

Just a thought, in the SAR system up here you can not find anything not clearly labeled. I believe the military/fire follows the same rule.

Why not label the RV valves to prevent confusion?

Dave.