FRESH WATER TANK FILL

[artfuldodger]

This is my first posting of an anticipated many,since my wife and I have just bought a 2008 3605 RL Montana. MMy question is , does the Montana have a way of filling the fresh water tank using the onboard pump? This was really a great advantage with my traded in Jayco.

[H. John Kohl]

Welcome to the forum.
I think the answer is yes, maybe. The Montana has the ability to suck antifreeze fluid out of their jugs at ground level.

We also have a valve that will allow the water line to discharge or dump into the fresh water tank. This is normally used when hooked up to city water but (the maybe part of my answer) it should allow the water being pumped in to be added to the fresh water holding tank.
My biggest concern would be how long the water pump can run before it starts to over heat. Pumping 10 gallons during a shower is a lot different that pumping 35 gallons all at once.

If what I described above works and I think it should there is no shunt off for the pump so you would have to monitor it until you switch the valve back to the holding tank.

Let us know if this helps and what you learn.

[Bill-N-Donna]

What year did they start placing the valve in the Montana’s which will allow you to fill the fresh water tank?

I have had these on older Airstreams that we’ve owned and I haven’t found one on the Montana yet. If I have one I certainly would love to find it, anyone know where to look?

[richfaa]

The convenience center appeared in 2008 as did the valve that shunts fresh water into the fresh water tank.

[iowaone]

This may help me solve a problem I have. Once in a while I need to add a 7 gal jug or two of water to my tank. Very hard to lift up and pour in so if i could pump it in that would be great. I am winterized for now so won't be able to test tell spring so I will be interested if this works. Not sure if that is what you had in mind artfuldoger but it sure gives me that idea. Thanks to you and John for the creative use of the winterizing port. Hope it works.

[pineranch]

A couple of things;
Why would you need to fill your fresh water tank any other way than from the system that has been designed for that purpose?
Do you really intend to pump antifreeze into your fresh water tank?
Just some things to think about!
Mike

[exav8tr]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

The convenience center appeared in 2008 as did the valve that shunts fresh water into the fresh water tank.

I can fill my '06 fresh water tank direct from city water by just turning the valve to fresh water fill.....This valve is in the convenience center.....

[Bill-N-Donna]

Boy I would love to find a valve somewhere that would do that but I don’t think my unit has one (2002). I can now see where there may be another mod coming soon!

[HamRad]

Bill,
I think you and I are out of luck unless we install such a device ourselves. My old 2002 year 3295 does not have a convenient device like the newer models. I think you have an identical model so let me know if you figure something out.

Artfuldodger,
Welcome to the MOC and get out and start enjoying that new rig. Come on down and join the group in Quartzsite, AZ this coming January.

Good luck with the fresh water filling device. I hope your unit has it.

HamRad

[H. John Kohl]

quote:Originally posted by Bill-N-Donna

Boy I would love to find a valve somewhere that would do that but I don’t think my unit has one (2002). I can now see where there may be another mod coming soon!

Bill,
Both valves can be added to your unit.
The biggest problem would be finding a place to mount the "T" switch for the fresh water dump into the tank.

If you have a winterizing kit to suck antifreeze with the pump you have that one.

Oh my 07 built late 06 (sep) has the convenience center.

[hookman]

You can fill the fresh water from city water bypass but not from the pump. The pump will draw from tank or will draw anti freeze through the winterizer system.

[mhs4771]

If you have a hose connected to the winterize connection and drawing anti-freeze you can then switch the valve to power fill and it will pump down the line into the fresh water tank, but as mentioned above I wouldn't want to be running the pump long enough to fill the fresh water tank. I did this to ensure that the power fill line had some anti-freeze to prevent freezing. Hopefully this will be the last year I have to do it as we hope to be somewhere warmer next winter season.

[iowaone]

Michelle, thanks looks like you have done what I would like to do with antifreeze so it should work for me with water.

Mike, It will only pump whatever you have the hose dipped into. antifreeze or water it doesn't know the difference. I want to do it since I often camp with no waterhookup close by and might have to have 7 or 14 more gallons to finish up a few days of camping rather than lifting my 7 gal jug up high to pour it in I can pump it in without a separate pump.

Even if I were pumping more a few gallons at a time I don't think I would be too concerned about the pump overheating. First of all,it won't be pumping against high pressure and second of all these same pumps are used on farm spray equipment under constant use.

[pineranch]

Gary,
Thanks for the explaination. I'll try it on mine since I've been racking my brain figuring out how to get fresh water system cleaner and deodorizer into the tank.
Mike

[nailbender]

I have a spare water pump from our previous Montana I use at Quartzsite to transfer water from a 40 gal water bladder to the water tank. It takes about 10 to 15 min to transfer the water and pump runs fine and does not get hot. I haven't tried Michelle's method, but I wouldn't worry about damaging the water pump.

[CamillaMichael]

quote:Originally posted by exav8tr

I can fill my '06 fresh water tank direct from city water by just turning the valve to fresh water fill.....This valve is in the convenience center.....

Same with our 2010...to artfuldodger, congratulations on your new Montana and welcome to the MOC.

[helmick]

Our 07 also has the fill valve in the convenience center.

[Bill and Lisa]

First the disclaimers:

The system shown is for a 2007 Montana 3000RK, yours may be laid out different.
second, the arrows and labels are my best deciphering of the piping....I may have gotten something wrong.

Based on what this picture shows the pump draws a suction off of the FW tank. That line "appears" to have a check valve preventing flow into the tank through that line. The tank "fill" line is a seperate line that goes into the tank. As best I can tell, there is no connection between the pump discharge and this fill line so I don't think it is possible to fill the tank using the discharge from the pump......If there was a connection it would be difficult to "pressurize" the onboard water system since the water would freely flow back into the tank and pressure would be nil. Just trying to be helpful even if my answer isn't the one you really want to hear.

[stiles watson]

quote:This is my first posting of an anticipated many,since my wife and I have just bought a 2008 3605 RL Montana. MMy question is , does the Montana have a way of filling the fresh water tank using the onboard pump? This was really a great advantage with my traded in Jayco.

My 2008 has a simple valve in the service center labeled "Fresh Water fill" that, when turned to the indicated position, fills the the fresh water tank quite efficiently.

As a matter of fact, just before coming in to check the MOC, I filled my tank in anticipation of a below freezing night. I started talking to a neighbor and forgot that I had turned on the value. Suddenly water started coming out the fill nozzle at the rear of the rig. So yes there is a valve in the service center that will divert water to the fresh water tank, at least there is in mine.

[Bill-N-Donna]

I certainly want to welcome artfuldodger as well! I don’t intend to mislead this thread from your question at all and hope that you have found your answer. This is certainly the best place to find out anything you need to know about your Montana.
I was looking at the lines on our camper last night and I believe it can be easily done. My purpose would be to fill the fresh water tank while hooked up to a fresh shore water source. I would probably install a tee in the fresh water line near the water pump and another tee in the line the pump pulls from. With these two tees’s tied together and a shut off valve in between the tees; I think this would supply fresh water to the tank by just simply opening the new valve. I think this would also work without the need for using the pump at all.
Now with that said are these water lines & fittings something standard? Can we get the parts at a plumbing supply store or do we have to special order anything like this?

Thanks!