Access hole or port to fresh water tank

[James Ellis]

I would like to install a access port into my fresh water tank for cleaning and or adding chem.. A few years back I saw a ad for what looked like a real good one, now all I can find are marine deck plates which to me, don't look like they would take the pressers of the 100 gal of sloshing water.  Any ideas ?
Thanks
Jim

05 Patriot Thunder, Cat c13

[David T. Richelderfer]

Open the fill valve and pump the chemicals in through the water hose.  What chemicals?  Chlorine?

A few years ago we did a fair amount of boondocking for upwards of two to three weeks at a time.  The grey water we could trickle onto the ground.  The black water tank will last for a couple months.  For ongoing fresh water needs we purchased a 110v pump, a 45 gallon blue bladder and a short water hose from Camping World.  The bladder fits perfectly on my folded down backseat.  The pump pushes 45 gallons into the coach's fresh water tank in 10-15 minutes.  If we want to put some chemicals into the fresh water tank, then we could put the chemicals into the bladder with some water and pump it in.

[Bill Sprague]

I found an Australian product called Uniseal.  You cut a hole in the plastic tank, put in the Uniseal and push PVC in which causes it to seal.   It worked well when I created an overflow from grey to black.  With 60 gallon waste tanks, I would start with about 20 in the black and grey empty.  I could use all 100 galons of fresh with out the grey capacity stopping me.

I bought all the parts to create a fast fill for the fresh using Uniseals for both a fill line and a vent line but never installed it.

Aquarium and tank supply companies sell them. 

"Uniseal® is simply the world’s best seal and installing the Uniseal® is a simple process. After cutting a hole in the wall of a tank or other surface, the seal is inserted. Then the pipe is coated with a slippery detergent and pushed into the seal. The Du Pont Alcryn® is the key to the liquid-tight seal. When the pipe is pushed through the rubber-like Uniseal® from the outside, the inside Alcryn® wall becomes thin enough to allow the pipe to squeeze through and then forms a liquid-tight seal. The coefficient of friction with the plastic pipe is roughly three times higher than any other material which allows it to create a better seal than with any other material. In static conditions the seal is good up to 65 PSI. Uniseal® can withstand pressure, and suction, acids, oils, greases, gasoline, sewage, waste, heat and cold. It offers long life, easy installation and reduced labor and material costs."

Google for "Uniseal".  One place is here:  http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=89951

[Keith Moffett]

With most Beavers having the large fresh tank dump which will dump 100 gallons in a few minutes I don't understand the need for holes in the tank.  When I need to add bleach (my manual says use baking soda) or anything else to the fresh tank I empty the fresh hose and back fill it with the additive.  Its simple to then hook it to the city water fill and turn it to tank.

Keith

[Joel Ashley]

I thought of cutting a hole in ours when I first encountered the dilemna, but ultimately determined that wasn't necessary.

Our old coach had the old tank fill port - no problem slowly pouring in bleach or soda solution .  But when we got the Beaver there was none, so I tried the chemicals-in-the-fill-hose technique.  That's okay, but seemed clumsy the first time, and judging by odd flavors thereafter using the hose to fill the tank with potable water, I don't think the hose lining particularly liked the bleach and such.  We had to get a new potable water hose, and the off-flavored water stopped.  Others use the technique all the time, so perhaps our experience was a fluke.

So I went to one of the big box home centers and got garden plumbing for the task, as seen in the pix, which I've posted here before when I first thought of it some years ago.  Putting the chemical in the fertilizer dispenser and turning on the valve is less messy and safer than funnel in a hose or other method;  if you configure it as in the photos, it's easy to pour in chemical, and later soda.  And I don't have to go back and forth to a faucet, because of the added black ball valve on the hose end.  But if you are more adept at things than I, adding chemical via the hose certainly requires less equipment.

-Joel

[Bill Sprague]

....I don't understand the need for holes in the tank.  .....

Kieth,

The dilemma for me was related filling speed.  If you are at a facility where rigs have to share water, wait in line or even use a water truck, our Beaver was slow.  Going through the small 3/8 inch system is what slows it down.  "Regular" RVs have a hole for the hose and the hose can run wide open. 

The huge annual airshow at Oshkosh is one of those places.  Thousands of RVs share 8 fill stations.  My plans always included having our Beaver there for 10 days.   I bought the parts, but never executed the plan.  The "motorcabin" has a smaller tank and a regular RV hose fill so I won't have the problem if I finally make it!

[Bob Stone]

Bill I would be interested in knowing what your plan was to install a direct fill.
I haul water in a bladder to where I dry camp in the desert for five months. I've bought four differ pumps to try to reduce transfer time with little success. My thoughts are to tie into the city water connection downstream of the check valve but fear part of the restriction may be in the distribution manifold. I'd appreciate any comments. Thanks.

[neil omalley]

Bill: do you still have the parts?

[Bill Sprague]

Bill: do you still have the parts?

I might, but I'll have to look on a shelf in the garage at the condo.  We may have to meet for a bowl of Pho in Fife so I can give them to you.

[Bill Sprague]

Bill I would be interested in knowing what your plan was to install a direct fill.
I haul water in a bladder to where I dry camp in the desert for five months. I've bought four differ pumps to try to reduce transfer time with little success. My thoughts are to tie into the city water connection downstream of the check valve but fear part of the restriction may be in the distribution manifold. I'd appreciate any comments. Thanks.

It was a combination of what I could reach and a little backyard engineering.  I standardized on 1" PVC pipe and fittings.  The top of my fresh tank was accessible on one end and with a "right angle" drill, I could cut two holes in the top for the Uniseal bulkhead fittings.  Those would each get the required 1" PVC pipe.  I found flexible PVC pipe at Home Depot that is typically used for hot tubs, but works in all the PVC fittings and with PVC glue.  One hole, and attached hose, was to  be fitted with a female 3/4 hose fitting so I could directly attach a common water supply hose.  When not connected to a supply, it would have a threaded plug to seal it.  The other hole and hose was to ensure venting.  I didn't want city water pressure at full flow going into the tank without the air coming out.  Monaco put in a vent and overflow, but I could never figure out how big it was.  The vent hose was going to get a 1" PVC fitting for a screw in plug, also to seal it when not in use.  Both of these 1" hoses were to be zip tied to the overhead in the storage bay so that they were at least slightly above the top of the tank.   

When not in use, both hoses would be plugged.  For filling both plugs would be removed.  The vent hose was to be extendable past the bay door in case of over flow.  The fill hose would be attached to the water supply.  Water should have flowed at full pressure and speed into the tank.

This would all make sense if I could lay out the parts and show you what I had in mind.  But, I can only write about it!

It would have been a lot easier if Monaco would have put in the type of fill all the cheap RVs have.  Because of limited access to the tank, I couldn't figure out how to install a "regular" fill.  Apparantly, Beaver needed something automated and sophisticated!

[Bob Stone]

Thank you Bill. I'll have to crawl into the bay adjacent to the water tank to determine if I can access the top of the tank.  Monaco apparently forgot the KISS principle. Perhaps they never envisioned our coaches being used in such primitive circumstances.
What I have found at some National and State parks is there are campers with gravity water fill that don't like the threaded fitting on the water service so they cut it off to allow the hose a better fit in their water fill port. In such cases I use a rubber multi port adapter.


Thanks again for sharing your ideas.

[Jerry Carr]

Bob/Bill,  by 06 the Beaver PT did come with a top fill that is a 1.25" hole it works great, it's located in our service bay 

[Bill Sprague]

Bob/Bill,  by 06 the Beaver PT did come with a top fill that is a 1.25" hole it works great, it's located in our service bay

That should be a minimum RVIA standard! 

[Bill Sprague]

Thank you Bill. I'll have to crawl into the bay adjacent to the water tank to determine if I can access the top of the tank.  Monaco apparently forgot the KISS principle. Perhaps they never envisioned our coaches being used in such primitive circumstances.
What I have found at some National and State parks is there are campers with gravity water fill that don't like the threaded fitting on the water service so they cut it off to allow the hose a better fit in their water fill port. In such cases I use a rubber multi port adapter.


Thanks again for sharing your ideas.

Some state parks don't even have threads on the spigot.  For those, I cary a "Water Thief"  http://smile.amazon.com/Camco-22484-Water-Bandit/dp/B000EDOSKG/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1443708393&sr=1-1&keywords=water+thief

[neil omalley]

Bill: reading your woulda been adaptation, maybe you could get a part time job with Monaco engineering. That is precisely what I want (need ) to do . It's nice to have all this sophistication but when the fan gets hit it's REALLY nice to be able to do an "emergency" fill.