Fresh water for boondocking

[Rebecca]

If I am camping somewhere with only a handpump well for fresh water, how do I fill my water tank in trailer? (X23B) I have a 5 gallon bottle, but how do I get the water into the trailer? Is there an adapter (do I use a funnel) I hope this isn't a silly question, but we're newbies, and learning as we go. Thanks!

[Rustic Eagle]

I use a 6 gallon water container that has a screw-on flexible plastic nozzle that fits into the fresh tank fill opening, works for me. Looks like this:



Bob

[Rebecca]

Thanks Bob! Great help!

[Whistler]

I have a 35 gal tank from the CO-OP, would put it in the back of the truck and fill it up. When needed, I used to use to refill my old trailer 30 gal RV tank by normal gravity from the back of the truck. Slow, but it did finish.

[Tpratt83687]

If you can raise the container a little above the inlet port for your fresh water tank, you could use your "white hose" or any short hose to siphon into your tank.

[Rebecca]

I went out and found that container Bob! Got a few, and also thanks for the advice about siphoning. I learn something every day!

[31dslbguy]

We have 6 of those exact ones in Bobs picture...we used to have 8. They have proven priceless at times.
Bear in mind that they are made of plastic and if put on rocks too often can develop a leak or split the bottom seam a tiny bit. It is probably rare but we have had it happen to 2 of them before realizing what the cause was. Now I simply avoid storing them directly on the gravel pad and we have had no further failures.

[nylyon]

If you do this often, I would go with a little more automation.
You could get an inexpensive RV water pump and configure it to pump from the container to the fresh tank inlet. If your well is in close proximity, you could pump into your container and simultaneously turn on the pump to fill the water tank. This way you could also pump through a filter to remove any potential solids.

[clutch]

Go to Harbor Freight and get a marine transfer pump. They are very reasonable in price. I run our pump off the trailer battery or sometimes the truck battery. It sure beats trying to hold up my 6.5 gal blue tanks while they trickle into the trailer tank. Sometimes I can just leave the tanks on the tailgate and siphon the water into the trailer.

[Rebecca]

Thanks! Checking out the pumps right now!

[Brownie]

If your camper has the winterizing kit built in, you already have a pump. Just carry the jugs inside, switch your water pump over to winterizing mode, and fill your house tank with the antifreeze hose. My old trailer only had a 20 gal. fresh water tank and no winterizing kit, so I've had to hand pour to fill the tank more than a few times. The winterizing kit is just one of the things I really like about my Eagle. It's a whole lot easier than trying to hold 45 or 50 lbs. of water above your waist for 8-10 minutes!

If your rig doesn't have the winterizing kit, you might think about using one of those water pumps that fits on the end of your electric drill. Their only $10.98 @ Home Depot.

[Jayco 228]

Originally Posted by Brownie

If your camper has the winterizing kit built in, you already have a pump. Just carry the jugs inside, switch your water pump over to winterizing mode, and fill your house tank with the antifreeze hose. My old trailer only had a 20 gal. fresh water tank and no winterizing kit, so I've had to hand pour to fill the tank more than a few times. The winterizing kit is just one of the things I really like about my Eagle. It's a whole lot easier than trying to hold 45 or 50 lbs. of water above your waist for 8-10 minutes!



If your rig doesn't have the winterizing kit, you might think about using one of those water pumps that fits on the end of your electric drill. Their only $10.98 @ Home Depot.

That would only fill the lines with water not the tank wouldn't it? I'm pretty sure my winterizing hose feeds from after my fresh tank to the pump. I would have to leAve the water jug sitting on the floor and the pump would suck out of it. Or am I missing something?

[Brownie]

Originally Posted by Jayco 228

That would only fill the lines with water not the tank wouldn't it? I'm pretty sure my winterizing hose feeds from after my fresh tank to the pump. I would have to leAve the water jug sitting on the floor and the pump would suck out of it. Or am I missing something?

Could be, 228. I guess I shouldn't have espoused a theory without having tried it. My bad.

[Jagiven]

I use the blue jug. But I add a water bandit to the end of the pour nozzle on the jug. This helps from getting so much water on my legs and feet.

[Jayco 228]

Originally Posted by Brownie

Could be, 228. I guess I shouldn't have espoused a theory without having tried it. My bad.

No problem Brownie. I liked your thought process just couldn't figure out how it would work.

[tjpolsin]

I have one 6 gal jug. with 7 of us camping, I would have to make 5 trips from the campground faucet to top off my tank over the course of a 3 day weekend.

30 minutes of toting and filling for the minimal cost of a jug and no extra frills. (good excuse to relax and have a beer afterwards).

my dad has multiple adapters and 200 ft of hose to top his tank off when needed.

[andrewe]

I ran in to this problem too and wanted a cheap solution. Here's what I came up with.

I bought the winterization kit that installs near the water pump to allow you to pumpin antifreeze. I bought a Pex fitting to match the one on the kit and attached a longer hose whichI ran out through the pass through storage.

You put this hose in to the jug and flip the valve on the winterization kit. The pump now draws water from the jug. You could quit there but I wanted to fill my onboard tank. I simply placed the hose from the outside shower in to the water fill and turned on the cold tap. Water is sucked from the jug and ends up in the FW tank.

[Seann45]

From Camping world and similar places you can puchase a 45 gallon water bladder (the look like water bed bladders) it can go on the bed of the truck on on the roof (drive slow). If put on the roof it will gravity feed into your freshwater holding tank. If from the bed of the truck it will need a pump. I used an old RV water pump when I up graded.
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...45-gallon/1605

[Imnaha.Mansion]

With my TT I used ten 5 gallon Jugs and my back would get sore pouring it into the trailer fill spout. My father in law bought a cheap 12 volt Pump and switched to 15 gallon Barrels. My new 5th wheel has a Country Fill feature sucking water out of containers so I bought four 15 gallon Water jugs for myself.

[kjohn73]

I have a ragtag assortment of water jugs to carry for boondocking. I went to the good old Co-op and made up a odd looking "funnel" from various parts in the plumbing section. A couple of rounds of duct tape and away she goes! I managed to find a chunk of clear reinforced hose that fits fairly good in the filler hole, and attached the "funnel" to this. Works just fine, but I've learned to not have too big a jug!