What is normal for fresh water filling?

[Vista]

2019 SLX 175 RD Baja. New to me and very lightly used.

Brand new RVer. Did a test run this weekend and have just a few questions, This is about the fresh water fill process. (Not city water connection) ...

First job was to sanitize the fresh water tank and plumbing. Eventually, got that done as well as rinsing of grey and black water tanks.

Anyway, I quickly learned (and read) that you should open a faucet in order to be able to fill the fresh water tank - that makes sense. It helped significantly.

Even still .... filling that tank was a pain. I have one of those flexible filler tubes with shut off, but frankly the fill opening on the trailer is a mess and disaster. It looks like there is white silicone caulk everywhere in the fill tube, confirmed by the fact that it got all over my clear flexible filler tube. Eventually, I was able to achieve some sort of "acceptable" fill, but it was a mess. I can not imagine trying to get any water in there using gravity/a jug. I think I would be 25% successful.

1) Is this normal?

2) Why is there a bunch of white caulk looking material in there?

3) It looks like there is a sort of coarsely threaded wide fitting on the RV filler tube, almost like a fuel can spout would have. Is there a fitting you can buy to ease this process?

Thanks for any help.

[turbo130]

I don't know about the white chalk material but I have a fitting that I purchased from camco which screws onto my garden hose that I fit in the fresh potable water fill it comes with a shut off so you can shut off the water after filling. I also put a filter on the end of the hose to take out any contaminates.

[Vista]

Originally Posted by turbo130

I don't know about the white chalk material but I have a fitting that I purchased from camco which screws onto my garden hose that I fit in the fresh potable water fill it comes with a shut off so you can shut off the water after filling. I also put a filter on the end of the hose to take out any contaminates.

Thanks turbo, you are fast.

I use a filter.

Can you find a link to the fitting you use? You aren't taking about this type are you? It's what I have and described above:

https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Fresh-Wa.../CAM40003.html

[Screwby]

I’m not sure why opening a faucet would make a difference filling the water tank. It’s not a pressurized system and the faucets are all on the output side of the pump so it would have no effect on the plumbing to fill your freshwater tank. If there’s white silicone everywhere I’d be suspecting the breather valve for your fill is plugged and your building pressure as the system is trying to “burp” out the fill port.

My freshwater hose just sets down a couple inches inside the fill port and it fills no problem. A gravity fill port should as easy as stick the hose in and watch it fill.

[norty1]

That inlet is supposed to have a coarsely threaded cap that just keeps trash out.

Here is one. The whole thing can be replaced ore just the cap.
https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-Whit...2169940&sr=8-2

[turbo130]

sorry about the delay I have very slow internet. The device that you showed me is what I use, it really makes filling my portable water tank a breeze.

[Vista]

Thanks guys. based on your input above, this gravity fill inlet is screwed up. I am fearful to think of what someone tried to fix and how the silicone caulk is part of the equation....

This was certainly not as easy as "inserting hose/tube and turning on water".

[norty1]

You may want to get a new outside piece and replace the contaminated hose.

[CAG]

Are you still under warranty?

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by norty1

You may want to get a new outside piece and replace the contaminated hose.

Kind of what I was thinking. If the silicone is so prevalent it’s getting in and on your fill hose I’d hate to imagine the rest. Hopefully there aren’t gobs of it all down the fill tube.

[Vista]

It's well under two years, so it should be under warranty but (obviously) I am the second owner. Will have to see how that goes.

The end of the filler tube I have which now has silicone caulk on it can attest that it's "in there". I will definitely have to take the filler assembly apart when I get the chance.

[Jagiven]

Being used it is out of warranty.

Check under the tt, and look to see if the overflow tube, is blocked. The former owner possibly put a shut off valve to prevent siphoning of the FW tank.

Filling the FW tank via a jug is messy. I use my pump and outside shower to fill my FW tank.

[Vista]

Former owner never did anything to it, I talked with them last night. This trailer has taken one (approximately 3000 mile) trip in it's entire life ... they filled the fresh water tank twice on that trip. No modifications obviously.

On these Bajas, the under belly is covered, so I could not take a quick glance at the time. It will be a project for the near future...

[RichR]

When filling the water heater you need to leave a hot water faucet on to take air out of the tank and lines. Filling the fresh water tank doesn't require that. However, you will have to turn on the pump and fill the lines once you get the tank filled.

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by RichR

When filling the water heater you need to leave a hot water faucet on to take air out of the tank and lines. Filling the fresh water tank doesn't require that. However, you will have to turn on the pump and fill the lines once you get the tank filled.

You can also open the pressure relief valve on the outside, while the pump or city water pressure fills the water heater tank. I am always afraid, I might walk away filling the water heater tank, and fill my grey water tank, and maybe over flow the GW tank.

Once I get a couple gallons into the FW tank, I then start the pump to fill the water heater tank, as it holds 6 gallons.

[Vista]

Originally Posted by Screwby

I’m not sure why opening a faucet would make a difference filling the water tank. It’s not a pressurized system and the faucets are all on the output side of the pump so it would have no effect on the plumbing to fill your freshwater tank.

By the way, according to Page 111 of the 2019 Jay Flight and Jay Flight SLX manual:

"Low point & fresh water tank drains should be closed.

1. Remove the connection cap and insert a non-toxic drinking water hose (or a funnel) into the gravity fill inlet. The other end of the hose goes into a container of fresh potable water.

2. Pour the fresh water into the gravity fill until the tank is full.

3. Open both the hot and cold water faucets, along with outside shower faucets (if so equipped) when filling the fresh water tank to allow air pockets to be forced out of the system.

4. When the fresh water tank on the RV is full, remove the non-toxic drinking hose and container from the gravity water fill. Replace the connection cap. This cap should always be installed if the water fill is not in use."

[Vista]

Originally Posted by RichR

When filling the water heater you need to leave a hot water faucet on to take air out of the tank and lines. Filling the fresh water tank doesn't require that. However, you will have to turn on the pump and fill the lines once you get the tank filled.

Hi Rich.

According to Page 111 of the 2019 Jay Flight and Jay Flight SLX manual:

"Low point & fresh water tank drains should be closed.

1. Remove the connection cap and insert a non-toxic drinking water hose (or a funnel) into the gravity fill inlet. The other end of the hose goes into a container of fresh potable water.

2. Pour the fresh water into the gravity fill until the tank is full.

3. Open both the hot and cold water faucets, along with outside shower faucets (if so equipped) when filling the fresh water tank to allow air pockets to be forced out of the system.

4. When the fresh water tank on the RV is full, remove the non-toxic drinking hose and container from the gravity water fill. Replace the connection cap. This cap should always be installed if the water fill is not in use."

Maybe the manuals, in addition to being vague, are just plain wrong as well.

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by Vista

By the way, according to Page 111 of the 2019 Jay Flight and Jay Flight SLX manual:

Yeah that makes no sense, it’s a closed system that needs to be able to build pressure and hold pressure on the outlet side of the pump. If there was free flow of air and water between the fresh water fill and the faucets then there would be no way for the pump to build and hold pressure.

The pump draws water from the freshwater tank using a suction line and pumps water to the faucet side of the system and builds water pressure and then it shuts off. When you open a faucet it senses water pressure loss and kicks on trying to create pressure. Pressure is reached when you shut the faucet back off and it stops again. The pump has a one way valve to hold pressure in the system/lines and the freshwater tank has pressure relief and overflow systems to “burp” air from itself.

Once a camper has been sitting for awhile or has been winterized there is the need to turn on the pump or hook up city water and build pressure in the lines. Then you go around and open faucets to purge air from the lines that were emptied during winterization.

Maybe someone will chime in and make realize something I’m missing but mechanically those instructions from Jayco make no sense.

[kblast523]

Originally Posted by Vista

Maybe the manuals, in addition to being vague, are just plain wrong as well.

If your tt is anything like the SLX I had, the fresh tank is under the bed platform. Remove mattress, unscrew the fasteners to access water pump/winterization/water reservoir. Inspect the hose from the gravity fill to the (about 15 gallon) plastic tank. Insure no kinks or obstructions, verify the vent is properly routed an attached to the fill port. If not, repair either/both. Before reassembly, fill 'er up, you can watch after you get the plumbing problem fixed. Cheers.

[Idaho]

We had the same trailer with same problems. Bought it new and it had the white caulk all over in the fill tube. Our tube actually went up from the outside instead of down. Almost impossible to fill the tank. Jayco wouldn’t do anything about it. Since we bought it for boondocking this was not acceptable. After owning 3 Baja Jaycos with similar problems, we gave up on the brand.