Filling fresh water from lower level

geekmama

I am mostly camping in state parks in New England. They often have electricity, but no water or sewer. I fill the freshwater when I drive in directly from a common spout. After about a day I need to fill it again.

The water spout is generally a few dozen feet from my campground. I'd like to be able to buy a water jug, perhaps 5 gallons which I can haul or even roll back to my campsite, but then I don't know how to get the water into the camper. I can't lift it above the fill at that point.

Is there something that I can use to pump water by hand from the water jug on the ground into the water fill? It seems I could buy a water pump like the shurflo, but I don't need fast since it's really not that much water. Is there anything that does this? I looked at some hand water pumps, but I can't tell if the water jug has to be above the water fill inlet.

CrabTab

@geekmama Why not use a smaller water container that you can lift?

geekmama

Because that requires many trips to the water spout, maybe 5. I did that this past weekend and it's a huge amount of work. I'm looking for something to make it easier.

CrabTab

OK, sorry...

Dutch061

If you search on Amazon there are hundreds to choose from. Here is a link to a battery operated unit that may work well.

https://www.amazon.com/TeraPump-TRHD03-Battery-Operated-Buzzer/dp/B00APU2XYG/ref=sr_1_10?crid=2Q8BR7E1GX3G1&dchild=1&keywords=portable+water+pump+battery+operated&qid=1594471130&sprefix=portable+water+pump,aps,284&sr=8-10

You can choose hand operated, battery operated, 12 volt, or 110 volt in your search.

Brad

geekmama

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for.

Sharon_is_SAM

@geekmama - here is a thread that discusses a pump system and a very simple siphon that we and many others use to fill the tank.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/117143#Comment_117143

geekmama

@Sharon_is_SAM that's the one I'm using but the container with the water in it has to be higher than the fill inlet. I need something that can move the water from lower to higher. 

Verna

@geekmama, search Amazon for this “

Milescraft 1314 DrillPump750 - Self Priming Water Transfer Pump

It needs to be powered by a drill, you need to secure the drill (you can take it off to use for other stuff between water fillips) and pump to a secure surface (get a 12”x12” piece of 1/2 “ of 3/4” plywood at Lowe’s, Home Depot or other place, get some appropriate sized muffler clamps to hold the drill and pump in place, plus some screws to hold the muffler clamps in place). 

You can use a normal sized hose for the inlet and outlet. You do also need some silicone grease and you need to apply it to the pump after each use. I have to apply this to my filter on my water softener.

That’s the best I can come up with. I hope this makes sense. 

nhmike

When in that situation I carry two one gallon jugs to the water source (typically bottled water jugs emptied on the trip).  I make a water run when time permits, not waiting for tank to be empty. Others willingly help with the effort.  Jugs are disposable at the end of the weekend so storage is no issue.  Admittedly I lean towards simple and basic.

Michigan_Mike

With Verna’s idea above, I can envision using some large zip ties and a narrow piece of wood or composite material to hold the drill in place.  That would make it easy to store in the trailer or vehicle and you could use it as needed. 

CrabTab

Agree @nhmike. It is not only a matter of lifting to the fill spout, but being able to carry the jugs from source to use area.

We have two 6 gallon jugs that will completely refill our fresh water tank when boondocking. I can heft them around, but they are about 50 pounds each when full.

When my much smaller spouse feels compelled to get water, the jugs only get filled with about two gallons each to make them controllable. 

Sharon_is_SAM

This past outing, we left our 6 gallon jug at home and used 2.5 gallon jugs.  Easier to carry and lift onto the front tub.  The siphon does the rest.  Then we keep one filled for drinking water.

mntrails

I've used these for liquid transfer, they work well, transfer time for 5 gal is  approx. 5 minutes,  the batteries will typically last 6 months or so with occasional use.  They usually only last a year or two but the convenience has been worth it to me.  It does state that they're made of food grade plastic so should be OK for your potable water. The pickup end is long enough to go to the bottom of a typical 5 gallon jug.

Verna

Thanks, @mntrails. I couldn’t quickly find a unit like that this morning. Much simpler than what I found.

geekmama

@mntrails I was looking at those, but couldn't figure out if the "hose" end could fit in the water fill hole. If so I like that the best, looks easy.

Denny16

UK Airstream has a nice rig, it is a barrel shaped 25 gallon tank, that when turned on its side can be rolled on two rubber tyres.  Stand it upright, and insert a wand type Whale pump, that connects to the trailer water tank fill, and pumps the water into the trailer water tank.  Works a treat!
cheers

MischiefBrewing

I have the fortune to be a homebrewer of beer and solved this problem with parts I had laying around. 

Started with a 30-gallon blue barrel (former fermenter) with a ball valve and stainless dip tube (to get siphon from the bottom of the barrel) strapped into the bed of my TV (2017 toyota tacoma).  The ball valve has a quick disconnect (https://www.brewershardware.com/1-2-Cam-and-Groove-Coupler-X-1-2-high-flow-Hose-Barb.html) and I have an 8' silicone hose with the QD on both sides.  That attaches to my chugger pump (https://www.brewershardware.com/Chugger-Stainless-Steel-Inline-Pump-CHUGGER-SS-230.html) that plugs into the bed outlet in the truck.  I attach my RV hose to the other side of the pump and have 25' to get to the T@B.  That little chugger puts out a lot of pressure and I'm able to move 30 gallons in less than 10 minutes.  Also good at my local waste dump site that doesn't have rinse water, able to use any remaining fresh water in the barrel. 

Since my partner and I are water hogs (love to shower after hiking the mountains), it has been an absolute must have add-on.

Marceline

geekmama said:

The water spout is generally a few dozen feet from my campground. I'd like to be able to buy a water jug, perhaps 5 gallons which I can haul or even roll back to my campsite, but then I don't know how to get the water into the camper. I can't lift it above the fill at that point.

If you can lift the water carrier onto the propane cover at the front of the tub you can use a siphon to run the water from the water carrier to the fill port. It's a lot easier to lift it the water jug once rather than holding it up and pouring. If you use a siphon you won't have to carry around a pump.

Marceline

CrabTab said:

Agree @nhmike. It is not only a matter of lifting to the fill spout, but being able to carry the jugs from source to use area.

We have two 6 gallon jugs that will completely refill our fresh water tank when boondocking. I can heft them around, but they are about 50 pounds each when full.

When my much smaller spouse feels compelled to get water, the jugs only get filled with about two gallons each to make them controllable. 

If I know that I'm going to have to haul a big water jug for any distance I bring a folding hand truck.

mntrails

@geekmama, the hose end is approximately 1/2" in diameter on the outside.  I can measure it and the length of hose if you'd like - it will take me a couple days before I'm where it is but I'd be happy to do it.

We came across these for volunteers to fill the fuel tanks of snowmobiles and ATVs for XC ski trail grooming in the winter.  Its often cold and dark when you're filling up the tank.  Our volunteers are young, old, male, female,... and virtually everyone likes not having to lift up a 5 gal. fuel jug.  Seems like a simple thing but very handy.  As I said, they aren't a high quality item but since I have a couple for my own summer use, I've noticed they last longer in the warm weather. 

I don't know the specific answer about fitting in the T@B water inlet.  My 2021 has a different system (Nautilus) where the pump suctions up the water.  Good luck with your search for a solution.  As we can see, people have found a lot of novel ways to solve it :-).

GibW

We use a 3 gallon jug with pour spout that we got at REI. Much easier to handle than a 5 gallon jug. 

geekmama

So I'm basically working to get used to empty nesting. I used to travel with two tall, strong teenage boys. I'm re-working how to do everything myself as a shorter, not as strong, not a teenaged woman. I settled on a drill pump and two collapsible 5-gallon water jugs. I figure I can fill each with less than 5 gallons if I want. I have a trip planned in a couple of weeks so I'll see if this set-up worked for me.

MischiefBrewing

geekmama said:

So I'm basically working to get used to empty nesting. I used to travel with two tall, strong teenage boys. I'm re-working how to do everything myself as a shorter, not as strong, not a teenaged woman. I settled on a drill pump and two collapsible 5-gallon water jugs. I figure I can fill each with less than 5 gallons if I want. I have a trip planned in a couple of weeks so I'll see if this set-up worked for me.

I love the idea of a drill pump but they are not food safe, which is a red flag for me for using for fresh water.

geekmama

Good point @MischiefBrewing. I just read another thread about this https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/8944/adding-fresh-water-with-a-drill-pump. I do filter all the water I drink so I'll consider that. I also checked the tub height compared to the fill inlet and it's slightly higher. Does anyone know if that's enough or does it need to be much higher to use that shaking siphon hose?

Sharon_is_SAM

We use our 2.5 or 6 gallon jug on top of the front tub - that is an adequate height above the fill port from use of the siphon.  

Marceline

Sharon_is_SAM said:

We use our 2.5 or 6 gallon jug on top of the front tub - that is an adequate height above the fill port from use of the siphon.  

Agree. As long as the bottom of the water jug is higher than the fill port a siphon should work.

KCode

I was wondering the same thing...how to fill the fresh tank while boondocking. Could you do it using the Nautilus system set on Winterizing and put your hose into a full bucket of potable water set on the ground? I have a 2021 T@B 320S 

Denny16

Yes, I do not see why not.  You are basically using the water pump to pull the water back into the tank.
cheers

mrdeepfryguy

@KCode yes that works on the 2021 320S exactly as you stated. Did this operation last week.

MarkAl

@mrdeepfryguy I have a question on another thread about how long the pump works pulling water into the tank. So since you just did it... How much water and did you pump it continuously? I assume 2-5 Gallon jugs were used? Since I have an empty tank from sanitizing I'll be trying this technique this weekend instead of using the hose. Thanks