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Filling Water Tank - Have to wait for air to "sputter".

OlenaOlena Member Posts: 103
in Heating/Plumbing & Winterizing
I searched through a bunch of threads and couldn't find any advice for this problem: When I start to fill the fresh water tank (from empty) it often won't start to fill (for what seems like a long time as it overflows back out of the spout) until the air sputters and burps out of the little hole above the fill spout. I use several methods to get it going - blowing air through a straw, running around to the drain valve and opening it to purge the air, but none are foolproof. I see people fill the tanks on their big rigs in a fraction of time it takes me to fill the little T@B tank. Any advice out there? What is my problem? Once the burping and sputtering is done the tank fills fast and there is no problem.
2021 T@B 400 Boondock Solo
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Comments

  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,548
    Sorry to tell you, @Olena, but your problem is pretty much everyone's problem. I suspect it's inherent in the design of the FW tank--the side-mounted location of the fill and vent lines just seems to invite splash back and burping that impedes filling the tank quickly.
    There are several discussions here about this issue. Blowing out the vent-line with a straw (as you have already tried) sometimes provides a temporary fix. Others have suggested filling the tank with the front of the trailer tipped up; a good idea but not one that is always convenient.
    Something else you might check is the routing of the soft vent hose. Mine was partially pinched and kinked in a few places between the tank and where it went up through the floor of the T@B. Fixing that did seem to help a little. Unfortunately, accessing that area to check the line might be a little more difficult if your model has the under belly protector added in later years.
    2015 T@B S

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  • OlenaOlena Member Posts: 103
    Thanks, that what I suspected - it's the design.
    2021 T@B 400 Boondock Solo
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    We use an adapter on the end of the hose that allows for turning off or slowing the flow.  The key is slower rather than faster.  Our best method while using a jug is to place the jug on the front tub (reinforced with something flat) and use a silicone siphon from Amazon.  Fast, easy and without the water backup.  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • DalehelmanDalehelman Member Posts: 2,410
    edited January 2019
    Long story short. I found that  raising the front of the trailer as high as possible solved the air lock problem. It also allowed me to fill the tank with an additional 3-4 gallons of water. I also use a short length hose to get farther into the filler. Also fills much faster.
    1. Hash  T@B Fun
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  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,548
    My suspicion is the bigger rigs--having the luxury of space--probably fill and vent from the top of the tank. In effect, this is what you are duplicating when you tip the front of the trailer as high as possible.
    My issue is that I'm almost always filling when the T@B is either hooked up to tow, or set up in camp. Neither circumstance lends itself to upending the trailer just to mitigate a little hassle.
    I do agree that using a short length of filler hose with a valve to slow down the flow does help.
    When filling in camp, I might have to give that siphon idea a try. Holding a six-gallon jug chest height while waiting for that water to trickle into the tank is getting old!  :-)
    2015 T@B S

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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    @ScottG, that siphon is the best - especially with 5-6 gallons of water.  Even holding 2-3 gallons of water is a chore.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • ChanWChanW Member Posts: 3,160
    edited January 2019
    @Olena, I bought one of these, when we first got the Tab and I was trying to 'get everything we might need' (of course we ended up not needing it, because ours fills easily).
     (at Camping World)

    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
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  • DalehelmanDalehelman Member Posts: 2,410
    ChanW said:
    @Olena, I bought one of these, when we first got the Tab and I was trying to 'get everything we might need' (of course we ended up not needing it, because ours fills easily).
     (at Camping World)

    That’s the one we use works very well
    1. Hash  T@B Fun
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  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,548
    That's what I use, too. The trick (as Sharon_is_Sam suggested) seems to be to keep the flow rate low enough to reduce the spash back in the tank. It's also easy to turn the flow off if needed to let the burping subside.
    2015 T@B S

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  • mickietucsmickietucs Member Posts: 714
    @Sharon_is_SAM - would you be able to provide a link to the siphon hose you use? Did you cut it shorter and if so, what length if the container is sitting on the front tub? I'd really like to try one instead of holding containers of heavy water. Thanks!
    Michele, Tucson, AZ. TV - '13 F150 & '16 T@Bitha special order.


    You never really travel alone. The world is full of friends waiting to get to know you!

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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    @mickietucs, this is what we use.  We just left the hose intact. 
    https://www.amazon.com/Siphon-Self-Priming-Aquariums-Drinking-FDA-Grade/dp/B00MVAIL76

    A 5-6 gallon jug sitting directly on top of the plastic tub is too much weight for the lid.  To disperse the weight,  we either put a small piece of plywood across the length of the tub or we collapse our little Walmart table and use that.  Then just put the jug on the wood/collapsed table and siphon it from there.  It works well with our 2.5 gallon jugs, too.  


    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • mickietucsmickietucs Member Posts: 714
    @Sharon_is_SAM - Thank you very much! Also for the info on dispersing the weight. I'll be traveling for 3 months this summer and this would make it so much easier for filling the tank. Appreciate it.
    Michele, Tucson, AZ. TV - '13 F150 & '16 T@Bitha special order.


    You never really travel alone. The world is full of friends waiting to get to know you!

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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    @mickietucs - and no wet shoes to boot!
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Mellow_YellowMellow_Yellow Member Posts: 337
    edited March 2021
    I recall @Tabaz mentioning that a "safety siphon" works really well. I got one with a 3/8" hose so that it won't fill "too fast". I tried it out indoors and it seems to work best if the water level is deep (so you don't get air in the valve) and if the water container is higher than the filling port. I'll be trying it out this coming weekend. Fingers crossed!

    2014 T@B 320 S "Sunny" - 2015 Toyota Sienna LE - British Columbia, Canada
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