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refilling water tank when dry camping

DonFDonF Member Posts: 7
in Heating/Plumbing & Winterizing
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.
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    MuttonChopsMuttonChops Member Posts: 1,596
    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. . . . .


    '18 320 S,  pitched axle, 3020HE; PNW based
    TV: '17 Colorado V6 Z71 4x4, Tow Package, GM Brake Controller
    Adventures:  51   Nights:  322  Towing Miles 41,200+
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    jmcgonigjmcgonig Member Posts: 12
    I have from 5 gallon tanks.  Takes about a minute to suck most of it up.  Wouldn't expect it any faster.
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    SLJSLJ Member Posts: 451
    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.
    2021 T@B 320 S Boondock
    2023 Ford Maverick XLT
    The Finger Lakes of New York
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    berggerbergger Moderator Posts: 1,006
    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. 
    2021 T@b 400 BD  "Vixen Gail" 
    2018 Nissan Titan Pro 4X "Big Bird"
    Leadville Colorado
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    BinghiBinghi Member Posts: 270
    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?
    2021 400 BD / 2016 VW Touareg / Austin, TX
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    Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,505
    edited September 2023
    “ 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?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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    berggerbergger Moderator Posts: 1,006
    @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? 
    2021 T@b 400 BD  "Vixen Gail" 
    2018 Nissan Titan Pro 4X "Big Bird"
    Leadville Colorado
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    DonFDonF Member Posts: 7
    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.


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    SLJSLJ Member Posts: 451
    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.
    2021 T@B 320 S Boondock
    2023 Ford Maverick XLT
    The Finger Lakes of New York
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    DonFDonF Member Posts: 7
    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.
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    berggerbergger Moderator Posts: 1,006
    It should not take that long. Is your pump primed or is it sucking water and air? 
    2021 T@b 400 BD  "Vixen Gail" 
    2018 Nissan Titan Pro 4X "Big Bird"
    Leadville Colorado
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    rfuss928rfuss928 Member Posts: 930
    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


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    DonFDonF Member Posts: 7
    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!
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    rfuss928rfuss928 Member Posts: 930
    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.  


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    BinghiBinghi Member Posts: 270
    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.
    2021 400 BD / 2016 VW Touareg / Austin, TX
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    rfuss928rfuss928 Member Posts: 930
    The hose connection has to be air tight.  Was the buzzing sound air leaking at the fitting?


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    DonFDonF Member Posts: 7
    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!
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    lkc001lkc001 Member Posts: 734
    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

    2016 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
    Finally!  New Owner of a 2017 Tab 320S! 
    Woohoo!
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