Fresh water tank fill - Montana Owners Club

triplebvalp · 06-03-2020, 01:35 PM

Hey Folks,

Other RV's that we have owned had a way to fill the fresh water tank without having a pressurized source IE gravity fill or water pump siphon fill.

Is there a way to fill the fresh water tank in our 2020 MHC 295RL without a pressurized supply source? I was think that you might be able to fill through the overflow on the side of the MHC.

bleedmichigan · 06-03-2020, 01:39 PM

Pretty sure you need pressure.

Here is a link to The same issue

https://www.montanaowners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76648

DutchmenSport · 06-03-2020, 05:12 PM

All my previous travel trailers had the gravity fill fresh water port, but my current MHC does not. I wasn't too disappointed though, because I had made provisions for a way to fill my fresh water tank when not close to a water source (which is they way most Indiana State Parks are set up).

We purchased a water tank from Tractor Supply (TSC) and a small water transfer pump. The transfer pump is 120 v, but we also have a 400 watt inverter that plugs into a cigarette lighter in the vehicle in the event we do not have an AC power source.

With my previous travel trailers, the pump pumped the water into the open fresh water fill port and gravity did the rest.

With my MHC, the pump now adequately pumps the water, under pressure to the fresh water tank.

For us, this works. As long as we have somewhere to fill the 35 gallon water tank we can always transfer it now.

I don't have a photo of the tank and pump in use with the MHC fifth wheel, but here's some photos when my system was used on my previous travel trailer. The really, really nice thing about using a tank and a transfer pump is the fact you never have to lift a heavy jug of water to fill the trailer tank.

Here's a photo of our MHC fifth wheel. I now carry that tank in the front storage compartment. When I need to fill the water tank on the camper, I just put the transfer tank and hose in the back of the pick-up truck and fill it. Then transfer to the fifth wheel, just like hooking-up to a water spigot. It really makes camping anywhere possible. We don't have to be on any site with water hook-up any more.

prndl · 06-03-2020, 05:49 PM

Sweet solution to the problem

Only problem I see is other people wanting to borrow it.

Jeffrey · 06-03-2020, 06:54 PM

You should be able to fill through the vent on the left rear of your rig!

Mikendebbie · 06-03-2020, 07:27 PM

Does the vent cap come off? How do you fit a garden hose thru to fill the tank?
Frankly I don’t need to fill my tank - just following this thread and curious.

Mikendebbie · 06-03-2020, 07:33 PM

Here is a pic of the vent just to be clear....

Daryles · 06-03-2020, 07:46 PM

I have not done this but I have read about it...

Filling freshwater tank using winterizing port.
Take 5 gal bucket of freshwater. Connect a pickup hose to the winterizing port (sometimes you have to use 2 washers to make a good seal). Put the open end into the bucket of water. Turn winterize valve to "ON". Connect the shower hose to city water connection. Turn "Normal flow/Fill" valve to "Fill". Turn water pump on and open cold water side of shower. Water will draw from 5 gal jug go thru shower hose into city water connection right into tank.

Dam Worker · 06-03-2020, 09:18 PM

What Jeffery said, the vent breather cover will come off if you pull up. My fresh water tank is in the very rear of my unit. Vent hose is probably only 12-16 inches long. It is a long run from the water tank to the water pump.

Tom Marty

DmaxDually · 06-03-2020, 10:42 PM

My 2012 has a gravity fill port in the convenience center.Why would they get rid of it? I guess the people at keystone, that design campers, never actually use them.
I use my gravity fill port to pour in the solution to clean /sterilizing my water tank and system once or twice a year. Plus I like the fact that I can gravity fill the tank if needed.

rohrmann · 06-03-2020, 11:34 PM

I do the same as DutchmenSport, except I use one of those 40 gallon bladders, and can store the bladder and 12 volt pump in my pass-through. Even though I do have the gravity fill, using the pump is much quicker and I don't need to hold up the bladder to fill the tank. I've also used this setup to fill other newer rigs that don't have the gravity water fill. This is the pump I use and have replaced the battery clamps with a plug that fits the seven way trailer socket in the bed of the truck. I also installed an ON/OFF switch on the pump. https://www.harborfreight.com/12V-DC...GPH-63324.html

triplebvalp · 06-04-2020, 07:33 AM

Thanks for the reply folks. Since the manual explains to use the vent port to sanitize the system, it could probably be used to "country fill/gravity fill" the tank. It would probably be slow going but I'm certain that it would work.

tooth ferry · 06-06-2020, 03:58 PM

It is slow,heavy work but it can be done through the vent with a funnel and 5 gallon cans. Much better with a container and an electric pump.

mtlakejim · 06-06-2020, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daryles

I have not done this but I have read about it...

Filling freshwater tank using winterizing port.
Take 5 gal bucket of freshwater. Connect a pickup hose to the winterizing port (sometimes you have to use 2 washers to make a good seal). Put the open end into the bucket of water. Turn winterize valve to "ON". Connect the shower hose to city water connection. Turn "Normal flow/Fill" valve to "Fill". Turn water pump on and open cold water side of shower. Water will draw from 5 gal jug go thru shower hose into city water connection right into tank.

This will work and we actually did it on a friends rig. However I found it easier to simply buy an inexpensive transfer pump and use a couple of 5 gallon buckets.

It should be noted that the hole on some vent line caps is too small for a hose to fit inside of. You might try making a fitting out of stainless steel tubing though. Other option would be to add a separate hose to top of tank and run it to the side of the trailer with one of the old style big hole filling ports. But all this sounds like a lot of work compared to just buying a transfer pump.

Volvomack · 06-10-2020, 02:37 PM

Don't know about my Montana. But on my silverback I reversed a few lines and used my water pump on trailer.

lj_cox · 06-10-2020, 02:48 PM

On our 2017 Montana, the vent port works to add water... sort of. Cover lifts off, screen pops out easily, and I can fill about 2 gallons and then it starts spitting back. I suspect the vent hose is positioned to allow a siphon effect. Don't really want to tear it all apart to check.

MontanaMan294RL · 06-10-2020, 04:02 PM

I am going to try to put a small peice of pex tube off the fresh water tank drain and then put a pex to garden hose adapter on that. Then I should be able to hook the garden hose from my portable bladder to that. Since the bladder will be in the back of the truck it will be higher than the fresh water tank in the trailer. Open the drain valve and gravity should work to fill the tank, however I expect it to be slow as there will not be a pump involved.

bcrvman · 06-10-2020, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by triplebvalp

Hey Folks,

Other RV's that we have owned had a way to fill the fresh water tank without having a pressurized source IE gravity fill or water pump siphon fill.

Is there a way to fill the fresh water tank in our 2020 MHC 295RL without a pressurized supply source? I was think that you might be able to fill through the overflow on the side of the MHC.

Yes, lift off the cover on the overflow then put in a funnel or use one of those Camco filler hose things.

bcrvman · 06-10-2020, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DutchmenSport

All my previous travel trailers had the gravity fill fresh water port, but my current MHC does not. I wasn't too disappointed though, because I had made provisions for a way to fill my fresh water tank when not close to a water source (which is they way most Indiana State Parks are set up).

We purchased a water tank from Tractor Supply (TSC) and a small water transfer pump. The transfer pump is 120 v, but we also have a 400 watt inverter that plugs into a cigarette lighter in the vehicle in the event we do not have an AC power source.

With my previous travel trailers, the pump pumped the water into the open fresh water fill port and gravity did the rest.

With my MHC, the pump now adequately pumps the water, under pressure to the fresh water tank.

For us, this works. As long as we have somewhere to fill the 35 gallon water tank we can always transfer it now.

I don't have a photo of the tank and pump in use with the MHC fifth wheel, but here's some photos when my system was used on my previous travel trailer. The really, really nice thing about using a tank and a transfer pump is the fact you never have to lift a heavy jug of water to fill the trailer tank.

Here's a photo of our MHC fifth wheel. I now carry that tank in the front storage compartment. When I need to fill the water tank on the camper, I just put the transfer tank and hose in the back of the pick-up truck and fill it. Then transfer to the fifth wheel, just like hooking-up to a water spigot. It really makes camping anywhere possible. We don't have to be on any site with water hook-up any more.

You can also get 12V pumps and water bladders so they take up almost no room.

KirkFess · 06-10-2020, 07:22 PM

I purchased a 12 volt bilge pump for a boat from Walmart. I made wiring long enough to reach my batteries in the coach, and attached a 10 foot piece of water hose. Drop the pump in a cooler full of water, hook up hose to the inlet and let it run. Kept adding water from jugs to the cooler. Dry camped in Colorado mountains for 11 days and used this method to keep my tank full. I hauled water in 6 gallon jugs from my water source. Very little weight and space required.

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