help/clarification on the "no gravity water fill"

[Mark N.]

I've searched the forums about filling from an external jug or tank of water when you need to add a few gallons while boondocking. So as I read it, (I have a '13 3400 rl) I can hook a short hose from the jug to my winterize fill, turn the selector knob to fill and turn the pump on. I've missed something. This doesn't work on my Monty. It pressurizes then the pump stops. Is it the city fill as opposed to the winterize port I should be pumping through? There must be something simple I am missing here...

[bncinwv]

If the pump is not picking up, it usually helps to add an additional
Hose washer at the connection. They tend to suck air there and not pump.
Bingo

[BB_TX]

The winterize connection and pump only pressurizes the pipes to the faucets and toilet. The only way I can see that working would be to connect a hose from the outside shower connection to the fresh water connection and select fresh water fill.

But I could easily be wrong. My older model does have the gravity fill port.

[WaltBennett]

Hate to say it, but that 'power fill' or whatever they're calling it now will only fill the fresh water tank from a pressurized hose attached to the coach. Don't know how you could get the pump to pull water from the outside and put it into that tank without re-plumbing something. I'd just buy a gravity fill assembly, cut a hole somewhere appropriate and put plumb it in.

[boat391]

I have never used this method for filling and I boondock all of the time. I have another shur flo 12 volt water pump on board and use it to fill my fresh water tank from the extra water tanks I bring with me. I had the pump from another application I use it for a water pump on my race boat so I converted it to this application works great. It's a very easy set up for this use. I have read from others that they use the winterizing port but I haven't tried to figure that out maybe another will give you a good explanation on this. If you need a hand setting up something like I have give me a PM I'll send you a pic.

[dieselguy]

I hope Keystone is looking in on this post and others referring to the deletion of the fresh water fill port that used to be on the rear near the fresh water tank. For those of us who wander away from full utility RV parks ... we're pretty UNDERWHELMED with the $20 manufacturing savings by deleting the external fresh water fill. If there is a way to fill without carrying a spare pump that I haven't figured out ... I'll gladly wipe the egg off my face.

[WeBeFulltime]

I guess I lucked out. Our 2012 model has both methods of filling fresh tank.

[Rondo]

Paul Kelpe(jpkelpe) put an fitting on the drain line and can connect a hose to it and can fill his fresh water tank by filling it from the drain line in the bottom of the tank. Thinking of doing that to mine because I really don't like the convenient center fill either.

I'm with dieslegy about hoping Keystone is reading these posts like this one. I can tell you one thing they will be questioned on this come the Fall Rally. There are to many MOC members having problems with this and the sanitizing the tank and linesalso.

[Mark N.]

quote: ...I can tell you one thing they will be questioned on this come the Fall Rally. There are to many MOC members having problems with this and the sanitizing the tank and linesalso.

And ask them for me: "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?!?!"
...and, for good measure, ask them if ANYONE in the design department has ever once been dry camping in one of their own designs without a gravity fill?

[Pugtracker]

I HAVE been wondering the same thing with our new 3850FL i. Have my answer. This was a question I asked at our walk around tech said use the winter pump. Still have not figured that out. I have a spare pump and rig a 1/2 inch wAter line with. Two male ends what a pain. Will be following this topic , I think they should have fulltime on the design board

[1retired06]

Our 2015 has a separate gravity fill in the convenience center, so guess Keystone addressing that issue.

[artfuldodger]

I have used the gravity feed 0 times on our 2008 3605, so its absence would not be noticed by us. I have used the sanitize method 2 or 3 times a year, including a 50 gal. fill up at Quartzite from my pickup bed bladder. Sometimes though, there is a priming glitch that I don't have when when winterizing. I am thinking that if I started the water flowing through an inside tap,like when winterizing, then closed the tap and opened the tank fill valve that this would get around the priming problem. Sure beats the gravity feed or having to buy and carry an extra pump.IMHO

[Charli]

We have a '15 and no gravity fill. I'm thinking that using the "winterizing" connection with the pump has the water flowing in the lines to each of the faucets, shower, toilet, etc and not into the freshwater holding tank but I haven't tried this. We try to get full service or at least close to a water tap so I can run a long garden hose to fill up the fresh water holding tank. Pressure from the tap should be sufficient to fill up the tank.

[Jimmer]

It seems that I read somewhere that you could remove the air vent cover at the rear of the coach and could fill the fresh water tank . Has anybody else heard that?

Jim Bonhote
2014 Montana 3582RL
2006 Ford F350 Lariat 4X4 Crew Cab, B & W Hitch, Firestone Air Bags

[jfaberna]

quote:Originally posted by Jimmer

It seems that I read somewhere that you could remove the air vent cover at the rear of the coach and could fill the fresh water tank . Has anybody else heard that?

Jim Bonhote
2014 Montana 3582RL
2006 Ford F350 Lariat 4X4 Crew Cab, B & W Hitch, Firestone Air Bags

Here is a topic that has pictures of the vent cap fill on a 2014 3402RL

http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=57632

[HOOK]

The vent on the rear drivers side can be easily removed. It just pops off. Easy to fill there.

[poloace]

2013 285rld
I have both fills. I bought a 30 dollar harbor freight 12 volt pump, and pump water in there at the water closet. I try to save my back, by not lifting the water jugs. I even have a collapsible 2 wheel dolly i got at Sams to haul the water jugs around, as we do a lot of dry camping.

[Pugtracker]

I'm wondering if I could just replace the vent with a fill fitting for gravity feed, guess I will be popping that off in the morning. I have a spare pump but would rather have the water flow on its own

[cmanger319]

It seems to me you could use the winterizing port with the pump on and attach the conv. center shower hose to the fresh water fill. Turn on the shower and volia you are filling your fresh water tank with out an extra pump

[Charli]

With the older style gravity feed there is an input hole for water and a vent to allow air to escape. These new ones just have the air vent. If u use the vent to fill in water how does the air escape? Could this cause a pressure problem or do u just fill the water slow enough to allow air to come back up the same tube