Gravity Fill

ddrueckh · 03-05-2015, 09:47 AM

I went to sanitize the fresh water tank for the first time on our new 26BHS and ran into a problem. Luckily, I first tried to pour some water through the funnel instead of the bleach solution. When I poured it in, it all came back out. I finally figured out that the gravity fill pipe goes up before it goes down to the tank. It only goes up an inch or two, but enough that I can't pour water into the tank. I then figured out that with the hose on high, water will go into the tank without much spilling out. For a quick fix, I poured the bleach into the hose and quickly turned it on sending the bleach and water into the tank. Not the best solution, but it worked. I hope I can access the hose without unscrewing the gravity fill from the side of the trailer to adjust and then have to reseal. If I need to do this, what should I reseal with? Butyl tape or dicor? Maybe I can carefully take a big screwdriver, put it in the gravity fill, and gently push the pipe down... Thanks.

klpoppe · 03-05-2015, 10:33 AM

Can you get to the hose from inside the camper? I have a 264BH and if I remember correctly I can see the hose under the kitchen sink area. May have to remove the drawers to get to it.

klpoppe · 03-05-2015, 10:37 AM

I just remembered your kitchen is on the opposite side of mine. Was thinking you had the 26bh. Duh. Maybe get to if from underneath?

ddrueckh · 03-05-2015, 11:02 AM

I might be able to get to is from under the sink. The problem is that is it behind the oven and there is a partition that I will need to remove. I will first try to gently move it by putting something into the tube from the outside. If that doesn't work, then I will try to gain access to the tube from under the sink.

tjpolsin · 03-05-2015, 11:43 AM

I have the 2008 version of the same trailer - and had the same problem (and then some)

- the panel between the sink and stove is held in by a few staples and the front end of the cabinet and screws on the bottom and the back. I recommend carefully removing the staples and replacing with some small wood screws.

- take the panel off and locate the gravity fill hose.
- remove the hose clamp the connects the hose to the fill connection.
- with a utility knife, shorten the fill hose.
- inspect the connection fitting to see if it had been damaged during initial construction, and replace if necessary ($5 or so from trailer store). THIS is the problem I had.

Frequently I would notice water underneath my sink and would panic trying to find the source. Finally it dawned on me that I only noticed the water after I had filled my water tank. Sure enough, the gravity fill connection had collapsed enough during construction when the factory tightened the hose clamp to cause a gap and a leak. I replaced the connection, shortened the fill hose a couple of inches, used plumbers tape and reconnected the line.

Now it doesn't leak inside the trailer, nor does the water run back out when I fill it.

I put the panel back in good as new.

Tim

ddrueckh · 03-05-2015, 11:46 AM

Great info ^^^^. Thanks!

tjpolsin · 03-05-2015, 11:50 AM

take a look at my undersink mods on this.

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...ods-20261.html

I got rid of the antifreeze fill connection (not used where I live) and added some silencing mods. being able to easily remove the panel between the stove and sink is a simple mod.

nunyadamn · 03-05-2015, 02:31 PM

My 32BHDS does this as well. I use water "freshener" from walmart and have a hard time getting it in the hose. I will have to see if I too can shorten the hose a couple of inches and get the angle I need.

chrismoore701 · 03-06-2015, 06:39 AM

I took a Pennzoil quart bottle and cut the side of it out. Ran it thru the DW dishwasher a couple times to be sure it is good and clean and wallah a good funnel that will stick into the gravity hole and stay there and have enough elevation to force the water into the tank

good luck

ddrueckh · 03-06-2015, 11:10 AM

I fixed my problem. After contorting under the sink and not being able to access the hose, I realized that I could access it if the stove was removed. All it took was 6 screws and I was able to slide the stove forward and access the hose (propane connection was flexible hose so I didn't have to remove it). I cut about 6" off the hose and ran it under the wiring that it had previously been ran over. I did have a problem with a slight leak when filling the tank. Even though the clamp was tight, it still dripped a little. I realized that Jayco had put some sort of silicon sealant on before they clamped the hose on. I cleaned things up and put a little silicon on the pipe that comes out of the wall. I then slid the hose on and clamped it. I think that should take care of the slight leak. I put everything back together for now, but will check for leaks the next time I fill the tank.

tjpolsin · 03-06-2015, 01:50 PM

As for adding water freshing or sanitizing beach, I usually dilute the chemicals in a plastic Gerry can I keep in the trailer. Then just dump that down the gravity fill connection.

The Gerry can comes in handy while dry camping. 4 or 5 trips from the campground spigot over the course of a weekend means no rationing. I ran out of water once with no way to refill. never again.

tim

mmwhit · 03-09-2015, 10:47 PM

My new 2015 Jayco 27RLS has this same uphill tubing to fill the fresh water tank. My fresh water tank capacity is 80 gallons. I did not find out about the uphill gravity fill tunnel until I was preparing to sanitize the fresh water system for the season. I made a simple solution to this problem.

I clamped 40 inches (doesn’t have to be exact) of clear vinyl tubing to the end of a clean funnel. I made sure the clamp was snug but not over tight. I can now feed approximately 19” to 20” of the open end of the clear tubing (the end not clamped to the end of the funnel) into the trailer gravity fill tube. This gives me about 20” of tubing left outside of the opening (from the gravity fill opening to the end of the funnel). This isn’t an exact measurement; one can make it shorter, just make sure you have enough tubing outside the trailer gravity fill to create good gravity pressure and enough tubing inside the gravity fill opening to go up over the incline in the trailer gravity fill hole. Hold the funnel as high as the tubing will reach above the opening of the gravity fill hole. Poor the solution of Clorox and water (I use 1/4 cup Clorox to one gallon of water as recommended) into the funnel and allow it to drain through the tubing into the gravity fill opening. Gravity will empty the contents of the funnel down into the tubing, up and over the trailer's gravity fresh water entrance tubing and into the fresh water tank. I repeat pouring the solution of Clorox and water into the fresh water tank until I have finished adding the correct amount of solution into the fresh water tank. There will be a small amount of solution in the clear vinyl tubing at the end of the process. I have a funnel that I can unscrew from the tubing and gently blow the remaining solution out of the vinyl tubing into the fresh water tank. If you can't unscrew your funnel you will probably spill a small amount of the solution at the end of the process. This would be the small amount remaining in the tub and the end. Most experts’ instructions and my trailer manual say to add one gallon of this solution for each 15 gallons of fresh water tank capacity. For example, if your fresh water tank is 30 gallons you would add two gallons of the solution to the fresh water tank for sanitizing purposes (solution is the combined ¼ cup Clorox to a gallon of water). Then you would finish filling your fresh water tank and follow the rest of the water system sanitizing process from this point to properly sanitize the fresh water system.

To simply add fresh water to through the trailers gravity fill opening into the trailers fresh water tank, one can use a special adapter you can buy at a RV supply store. This can cause some water back flow and spillage when the gravity opening goes uphill at the opening. Or do as I did and create a special adapter that I think does a better job of filling these types of gravity fill openings (openings with the fresh water fill tubing that goes up from the gravity fill opening before turning down going into the fresh water tank). To make my own adapter I clamped (snugly but not over tighten) a barbed garden hose connection fitting that has a 3/4'’ female garden hose end into one end of 19” to 20” of clear vinyl tubing. I can now attach the ¾” garden hose end to my white water supply hose and fill the fresh water tank. I feed the open end of the clear tubing “up and then down” the gravity fill tubing. I turn on the water and fill the fresh water tank. I can use this same adapter any time I want to fill my fresh water tank.

I purchased all the materials to make the funnel tool and the fill adapter from Home Depot. I’m sure you can also find these materials at other similar retail home supply stores. The supplies that I purchased: my funnel end was ½” so I purchased clear vinyl tubing that was 5/8” OD and ½” ID (OD = outside diameter and ID = inside diameter). I used ¼” to 5/8 “stainless steel clamps (you can use a size larger 3/8” to 7/8” if that works better for you). I used ¾ x ½” brass adapter fitting that is barbed.

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