Filling Fresh Water - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

ckindle56 · 05-01-2011, 11:44 PM

When you fill the fresh water tank at a camp site, do you keep the Hilo up and drive it to the site or do you keep it up long enough to fill the tank, then lower it and drive to your camp site? Just seeing how people handle this..

sam · 05-02-2011, 12:07 AM

It depends on the campsite and where you are in relation to the water faucet. Are you on the road and will be blocking traffic? We carry extra hose with us so that we can fill up with 100 ft of hose. What you describe will work fine. Always use a non-Toxic drinking water hose. We sometime are on the campsite and just run the hose over to the tap. We've helped a few campers by hooking up our hoses to help them make a long run for a water fill. When you check in look on the map for the water location. The Camping world Master catalog shows water accessories on page84&85. We use itemI E-Z Fill with Shut Off. Call1.800.626.5944 to request a free catalog.

sam · 05-02-2011, 12:19 AM

Forgot to answer one of your questions. Never drive with the HiLo up. It only takes a few seconds to raise and lower the HiLo. Just think any one watching gets to see the trailer "grow in size twice" Cute story: This Boy about 8Yrs. old camp to our campsite. He said "I want to trade trailers with you. My Dad has to crank our trailer up and yours goes up real fast" Kids say the darndest things!! I told him we like our trailer a lot and we would be keeping it. Off he went on his bicycle.

JackandJanet · 05-02-2011, 11:06 AM

I just carry two 5-gal water jugs in the trailer and have a small 12V pump to transfer the water from the jugs to the tank. If the water supply is close, I use a folding hand cart to haul the jugs. If the supply is far away, I drive there in my tow vehicle.

- Jack

wvjeepr · 05-02-2011, 06:38 PM

Jack what brand of pump do you have? Am looking for a pump to do just this.

Harry

JackandJanet · 05-02-2011, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wvjeepr

Jack what brand of pump do you have? Am looking for a pump to do just this.

Harry

It's one I picked up at Harbor Freight. Here's a copy of a post I wrote on this in another forum I moderate:

Janet and I like to camp in National Parks or Forest Service campgrounds. These generally do not have "hookups" so you need to rely on your batteries (we have a Honda 1000W generator to keep them charged), propane and, some means of getting water. The places we camp generally have potable water close by - the worst case so far was a one mile trip.

Now, I don't like to tow with the freshwater tank full. It's 300 added pounds near the trailer hitch and that puts more load on the truck than I like. So, how to get water from the source to the trailer?

I carry two 5-gallon plastic containers that live in the trailer. These are easily taken to the water source (in the back of my truck if it's a mile away or I have a neat little folding hand cart that I can use if it's closer, but still too far to carry.)

Cool, now, I have 10 gallons at the trailer - how to get it in the tank? I bought one of these little 12V pumps: http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...?q=marine+pump at Harbor Freight. I've seen similar ones in other places too. I think I got the cheaper one, which is on backorder now, but either would work. also bought the shortest length drinking water hose available and cut it in half and added a female connector to the half that needed it so that I could attach both hoses to the pump.

One hose goes in the plastic water jug, The other goes in the freshwater tank opening. Attach the battery cable to the battery and presto - water is pumped into the tank!

This could actually be "hardwired" to the battery with an ON/OFF switch if you have a "sheltered" place to mount the pump. I don't, so I just keep it in one of the storage bins.

This is a whole lot nicer than trying to pour water though a funnel into the tank!

Even if you tow with full water tanks, I think you'll find you can run out of water pretty quickly, so this makes refilling easy.

- Jack

RichR · 05-02-2011, 09:48 PM

I am going to try a self priming siphon hose to see how it works. If I set the container on the truck's tailgate it should be high enough for siphon action. I found the hose on Amazon.com

Amazon.com: Hopkins FloTool 10801 Shaker Siphon with 6' Anti-Static Tubing: Automotive

sam · 05-02-2011, 09:50 PM

Thanks for the great post.I will printout and keep in mind if we boondock.

cactusjack · 08-30-2011, 10:25 PM

i found one at Home Depot that fits in a 4-5 gal water jug like the ones you see on the top of water coolers! ive used it for a couple trips and boy does it sling out the water! it would work awesome for putting water into your onboard tanks! or even for inside use or whatever purpose uses 2 C' cell batteries and works pretty dang good for 12 bucks!
thanks!

Rolff · 08-31-2011, 12:01 PM

When we head to the desert I always have the tank full and carry 2 6 gallon jugs empty. I then fill them up as needed at some park or campground. Holding the jugs up to fill the tanks kills my bum shoulder so I love the idea of the hose or pumps. Thanks!

RichR · 08-31-2011, 12:56 PM

I must report on the siphon hose that I got. It works great, if you place the water container on the tailgate or higher it only takes a short while to empty it into the tank. No funnels, pouring or lifting required. It doesn't require any 12 volt power either.

So you don't have to back up the page to find what I am talking about, here it is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hopkins-FloToo...4387235&sr=8-3

JackandJanet · 08-31-2011, 04:20 PM

Great feedback, Rich! Thanks.

- Jack

Elaine and Bill · 09-15-2011, 10:55 PM

We put the trailer up just high enough to access the city water valve when we enter a campground. Once the tank is full we then lower the camper before driving to our site. Refilling the tank depends on the site…from a spigot or tank which ever is easiest!

We have never camped longer than 2 weeks and water has always been easily available. Thanks for the great suggestions.