Filling Water Tank In Down/Folded/Closed Position AND Filling HOT WATER HEATER

Here is an easy way to fill your 20 gallon water tank AND 6 gallon water heater AND all the pipes.
This uses the two drains by the water tank as Inputs!
Boondock with maximum water! This should also work for flushing the tanks or sterializing.

FIRST: ( to repeat and summarize previous threads)
Cut your small overflow hose near the wall (it's part of the fill port). (Leave large fill tube untouched.)
Plug it at the wall so anyone filling at the fill port can't splash into TM.
Now run the cut overflow hose down thru the floor - the other end comes out of the top of the tank.
You may have to extend it or replace with a longer tube.
(My TM has a big hole in floor for drain tubes and the extra space is filled with putty?).

Outside - attach a female garden hose part to tank drain under TM.
This tube goes from bottom of tank thru floor and hangs under TM with a valve at the end.
This is also called the low pressure drain.

Look at Bill's plumbing system schematic: http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...1&d=1264621902

See Also for pictures and more details:
...... Filling fresh water tank w TM closed http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=7484
...... How to fill water tank with TM folded http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=4568
...... Filling Water Tank In Down Position http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=8471


SECOND:
Now for the NEW IDEA - (maybe some else thought of it - but I couldn't find it.)

Attach another female garden hose part to high pressure drain under the valve. (It is the tube hanging down near low pressure drain.)

DONE!

-----------

To Fill : (note that your TM can now be down/closed/folded to do this.)
Connect garden hose to first drain - fill until overflow runs out bottom of trailer. Water tank is now full.
Connect garden hose to second drain - open the other two drains under back of trailer - turn on the house water
- shut off cold water drain when it starts running
- shut off hot water drain when it start running.
- Hot water tank and pipes are now full!

To Sterilize:
Empty the garden hose - pour chlorine into hose - attach to TM and your house.
Ditto above section "To Fill"
If you can go for a drive this would slosh and clean the inside top of the tank.
Open and empty all four drains. Close. Jump back up to section "To Fill"

-----------
ps. I guess this mod is still theory because my TM is 1000 miles away but next month I'll be back doing this modification.
pps. Regarding the sterilizing section - you will have to open TM and run all faucets if you want them also sterilized.

[ThePair]

You know, I've always opened the TM so I could fill the hot water tank when filling the fresh water tank, run the water throughout the system and pressurize so that I was getting maximum capacity. I had read the threads on filling the water tank, and it simply never occurred to me to do what you're suggesting. Using the other two ports as vents for the high pressure side relieves my concern of over-pressurizing that side with fill water. I had previously thought of using the city water port whilst open to quickly fill the hot tank and lines, but loathed the idea of getting a pressure regulator out just to do so--using those other drain ports is a nifty idea!

I'm going to have to give this some serious thought. Not that popping the shells open is that big a deal, but a few less steps is...a few less steps!

Now, to see how this can integrate with that other water modification...

[OneMoBear]

This is one sweet modification! I can't believe we waited this long to do it. Having to open the TM to put water in it is the most ridiculous manufacturing oversight IMHO.

Anyway, it's a good thing we can see Home Depot from our front porch because it took a few trips but ultimately, super simple.

We did find that we needed 7/16 tubing rather than 3/8, which is kind of a wierd size. We have tested it and wahoo! We have only done the low pressure side so far and I can't bring myself to go to Home Depot one more time today for the other two clamps but we're going to do the high pressure side too. Starting with an extra six gallons sounds pretty darn good to us. We didn't change the overflow yet but we can see it if we leave the curtain open and as someone else said in one of the posts linked above, really who cares if a little water hits the wall. If we change our minds about that, it will be an easy fix. Now if we can just come up with some kind of male plug to keep the gunk out, we'll be happy as clams!

Malinda

[ThePair]

Nice

I only did the high pressure side on mine so far, used 3/8 tubing and boiling water, which worked well, plus a 1/2" female hose repair end.

Some places sell little slip-on caps for the ends. I'll take a pic later and post it here.

[OneMoBear]

We tried the boiling water to no avail. I still can't believe that Home Depot couldn't find ANYONE to respond to plumbing . . . I love that we found a metal hose end that turns freely as some of the hose repair ends don't. The "little slip-on caps" sound great. HD was suggesting TWO BRASS pieces . . .

Malinda
.

Two ideas for plugs, try a baggy with a rubber band.
Alternatively, you can buy a replacement hose end and plug it with silicone sealant .

My question is does it take longer to fill than with the TM up??

I think it is a great idea to travel light and fill at the destination if a water site is not available.

Camping World sells a "Water Inlet Plug" for $1.99
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...let-plug/27840
They also sell a "3/4" Water Inlet Plug & Strap" for $1.99
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...ug-strap/27040

The "baggy with a rubber band" is also a good idea.

[ThePair]

The plug/strap is very similar to what I have. Loops onto the hose end so it can't get lost.

[Keith Wire]

The Camping World "water inlet plug" might be the best answer, but...

You could always go to the hardware store and get a "garden hose cap" and a "garden hose coupling", put them together and you have a solid brass "plug" of sorts.

Here are images of what is available. Keith

[ThePair]

Here's mine: