refilling water tank when dry camping

DonF

We have a 2022 T@B 400 and when we need to add water when dry camping, it seems the pump/siphon function on the Nautilus system is slow to add to the tank.  Will reversing the screen on the city connection to release the check valve help or will that damage the system?  Has anyone tried a water transfer pump to pull water from a jug and fill the tank at typical hose pressure?  Thanks for any advice and thoughts on this.

MuttonChops

While I have no direct experience,
Have you Considered using a Jerry Can to Gravity Fill via the City Water inlet?
{ aren't typical electrical RV water pumps limited to 2+ to 4 gallons per minute }

As for the City Connection Check Valve - - - I don't see it as an issue

While doing a Gravity Fill allows maximum water flow rate (for plumbing hose size) if 'one' can lift a  5-gal (40'ish pound) Jerry can. . . . .

jmcgonig

I have from 5 gallon tanks.  Takes about a minute to suck most of it up.  Wouldn't expect it any faster.

SLJ

I fill from 5 gallon jugs. It takes a couple of minutes per jug. The time doesn't bother me. It helps if the jugs are set on something so they are close to the height of the Nautilus system. The pump doesn't seem to work as hard.

bergger

Yeah I’ve had no issues using the nautilus system to add water to the tank. I also use a 5 gallon jug. It does take a few minutes but just walk away and do something else while it’s filling. Having had to pour or siphon water into a gravity feed on my last trailer I thing the nautilus siphon mode is great. 

Binghi

bergger said:

Yeah I’ve had no issues using the nautilus system to add water to the tank. I also use a 5 gallon jug. It does take a few minutes but just walk away and do something else while it’s filling. Having had to pour or siphon water into a gravity feed on my last trailer I thing the nautilus siphon mode is great. 

Do you siphon water from the jug into the fresh water tank  using the Nautilus Sanitize mode?

Sharon_is_SAM

“ Has anyone tried a water transfer pump to pull water from a jug and fill the tank at typical hose pressure? ”

Great that the 400 siphon works for so many, but DonF says his is too slow.  

So has anyone used a portable pump instead of the built in Nautilus pump?

If not, any tricks to make the siphon work better?

bergger

@Binghi Yep. That pulls water right into the tank.
@DonF I don’t see why you could not use the power tank fill mode and use a transfer pump instead of a city water connection. As long as it’s under 50 psi when entering the system. But I don’t know anyone who’s done this.  Just curious if your siphon mode is slower than it should be or if it’s normal and still just too slow for you? 

DonF

Thanks, everyone for your comments and information!

If I could get 5 gallons into the tank using the sanitize mode in a few minutes I wouldn't have even asked the question.  Tonight I filled a 5 gallon bucket and it took 10 minutes to pump maybe half in.  I had the bucket raised and that may have helped some but my transfer rate is far slower than what I'm seeing in the posts.  Reversing the screen on the city fill so the check valve was held open seemed to increase the fill rate but it doesn't reasonable to do that each time.

I saw a YouTube video where the lady was filling a 320 with what appeared to be a different Nautilus set up and the fill rate was good.  Any further thoughts on what is "normal" or what else may be the issue will be appreciated.

SLJ

DonF said:

Reversing the screen on the city fill so the check valve was held open seemed to increase the fill rate but it doesn't reasonable to do that each time.

You're not trying to fill from a bucket using the hose in the city side are you? You should be filling from the sanitize/other side.

DonF

You're not trying to fill from a bucket using the hose in the city side are you? You should be filling from the sanitize/other side.

Our T@B 400 appears to have a different Nautilus system than the 320s.  It has one point of connection for potable water and that is what I am using.

bergger

It should not take that long. Is your pump primed or is it sucking water and air? 

rfuss928

A large diameter, short siphon hose helps a lot.  I have a 1" hose about 2 feet long.  I empties a 5 gallon bucket in 1-2 minutes

DonF

It should not take that long. Is your pump primed or is it sucking water and air? 

A large diameter, short siphon hose helps a lot.  I have a 1" hose about 2 feet long.  I empties a 5 gallon bucket in 1-2 minutes

I added about 8 gallons of water to the tank and the pump was supplying water to the faucets no problem so I think the pump was primed.  I used a 1" diameter hose to try and siphon water into the freshwater tank and it pulled water very slowly and there was a buzzing sound at the city water connection that may have been coming from the check valve.  Last week I tried reversing the filter screen such that the check valve was depressed and the siphon rate was only a little faster.  Any ideas?

Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions!

rfuss928

DonF said:

 I used a 1" diameter hose to try and siphon water into the freshwater tank and it pulled water very slowly and there was a buzzing sound at the city water connection that may have been coming from the check valve. 

I have only one place to connect a hose.  The city water connection is where I connect the siphon hose.  

Binghi

Try replacing the screened hose washer in the city water inlet with a non-screened hose washer. That may help speed up the water flow. Make sure your siphoned water source is free of debris.

rfuss928

The hose connection has to be air tight.  Was the buzzing sound air leaking at the fitting?

DonF

No, I am pretty sure it was coming from inside the city water inlet in the area of the check valve.  This makes me think the check valve may not be opening up enough when trying to siphon fill the tank.  nuCamp tech support said the check valve can be replaced so I may try that along with removing the screen for less total resistance.  Thanks to all for your suggestions, etc!

lkc001

I have a 2017 Tab 320S and have had to fill from water containers while dry camping.  I set my water container on a stool close to the water fill and use this battery operated pump to siphon water into the trailer tank.  I works good and is easy.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00318D7K8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1