Fresh water tank -- how do I add water manually?

[Richard Cooper]

Again, I have a 2001 Marquis 40JSP.  I cannot yet locate any way of putting water with a hose into my fresh water tank.  Yes, I have a switch inside above the dining table to fill it electrically.  But I want to actually put a mixture of chlorine and water into the tank and fill with fresh water to clean and purify it and the water lines in my coach.  Surely there is a way to do this.

I have a clean funnel, a gallon jug container to mix the chlorine bleach in.  I have regular bleach.  I was going to mix it 1/4 cup bleach for every 15 gallons of the tank capacity.  So, 100 gallons would be above 1.67 cups bleach.  It's been suggested to me to double that for good measure and a good cleaning, but I will wait on your advice there.   I was told that this is to be run through all the faucets, toilet, etc. and then let sit overnight.  Next morning -- drain it.  So -- drain it?  I think I know where the tank drain is, but I wonder about 90-something gallons being drained below my coach where I am parked because the campground has some really nice lush green grass they have manicured and maintained adjacent to the coach site.  I would hate to ruin their grass.

After draining I am to refill the 100 gallon tank with fresh water and add some small amount of chlorine bleach to that.  And again each time the tank is refilled.  

I will abide, however, by what you all say instead.  

The key is where the darn input is to even do this.  There is nothing I've found on the exterior of my coach to do that.  In the water dept there are 2 inlets -- one for fresh water while camping and the other to clean out the black water tank.

What am I missing here?

Also, I have a bottle of a solution by Camco called "Drinking Water Freshner".  Is that good to use?  Would need a way to get that in the tank as well.

[Dick Simonis]

Just a thought...if your purpose in doing this is to "sanitize" the tank, you can accomplish the same thing by simply filling it from a municipal water supply that has been treated with a biocide such as chlorine.

Another approach would be to use a garden hose attachment of the type used to treat plants and the such where the flow from through the hose "pulls" the solution into the water stream.

[Tom and Pam Brown]

Before you hook up the empty hose pour the solution in the hose and connect.  Just make sure the other end of the hose held above the end you are filling.

A simple redneck way here in the south.

[Gerald Farris]

Richard,
There is no way to pour anything into your fresh water tank.
The only way to add bleach to your tank, is to hook-up a empty hose (all water drained out) to the facet and pour the bleach into the hose before you connect the other end to the coach. Then fill the tank as normal and the bleach will be flushed into the tank with the incoming water.

If disinfecting your tank makes you feel better, then do it. I have been fulltiming in my coach for nine years, and I have never bleached the tank. My feeling is that the chlorinated city water that I fill the tank with is an adequate safeguard.

Gerald

[Frank Bannert]

You can also do this with a garden hose sprayer and put the clorox or whatever and feed it in like you would spraying. You will need a sprayer with hose connectionx on both ends, You can buy them at any garden supply. Put it in and run water thru all faucets etc. and then run till the clorox smell is gone.

[barbhalsell]

Before you hook up the empty hose pour the solution in the hose and connect.  Just make sure the other end of the hose held above the end you are filling.

A simple redneck way here in the south.

Ha Ha! Thats how we rednecks up North do it too!

[Richard Cooper]

Well, you know I was going to include in my original post above that I was considering putting the chlorine into the hose, but I decided not to say that because I thought you would tell me how ridiculous that was.  

All good ideas here and thanks.  But why on earth can't there be an inlet?  What if the pump that brings it into the tank goes bad?  Someone else here was saying something about their switch above the dining table not working.

By the way, the water where I am camped is well water, not city water.  I could talk to the owner of this place.

[Joel Weiss]

But why on earth can't there be an inlet?  What if the pump that brings it into the tank goes bad?  Someone else here was saying something about their switch above the dining table not working.
 

Sometimes when I listen to you Marquis owners talk about all that "fancy stuff" that doesn't always work the way it should, I'm glad my Thunder doesn't have all those bells and whistles.  We don't have an inlet for fresh water either, but all it takes is the turn of a valve to get water into the tank.  No switches, no pumps, etc.  

[Richard Cooper]

I decided not to chlorinate my tank and pressing that switch it took only about 20-25 minutes to put 90 gallons in my tank.  So I flipped a switch and you turned a knob.  What's the difference?  

I thought all Beavers were high end stuff.

[Gerald Farris]

There is no pump to fill your fresh water tank. It is filled by city water pressure. The only difference between a Marquis and a Thunder is that the fill valve on a Marquis is an electric one with a switch under the kitchen cabinet and the Thunder has a manual valve in the outside water bay.

Gerald

[barbhalsell]

I decided not to chlorinate my tank and pressing that switch it took only about 20-25 minutes to put 90 gallons in my tank.  So I flipped a switch and you turned a knob.  What's the difference?  

I thought all Beavers were high end stuff.

Actually Richard, some of the Beavs are high end McMansions and some are entry level. Our Patriot is the entry level then you stepped up to the Patriot Thunder and so on. All Beavs are considered well built and solid anyway. I think there were a LOT of systems on these coaches that could have had more thought for convenience and durability. But all the coach companies were trying to pop them out as fast as possible back in the early 2000's when the cotton was high and the livin was good.
For us this is a good starter coach. I have no doubt we will eventually move up to a more suitable coach that has more of what we now know is important to us.

[Richard Cooper]

I am not snobbish in the least bit.  You know, when I bought this coach last April I did not know the pecking order of these Beavers.  In fact, I was envious of a friend's Safari Panther -- I think it was a 2000 year.  But I was very impressed with the comfort and the appointments.  I was searching for a Safari Panther Continental 525.  The only reason I gave the Beaver a second look on the ad was because the interior was very similar to the Safari Panther.

I love luxury and quality, but no way would I shell out half a million for a motor coach.  My previous coach was a '03 Fleetwood Revolution and it was just plain Jane.  In fact, it was a money pit and I regret ever having bought it.  I probably paid too much for this Beaver, but it suits me just fine.  I just hope it doesn't turn into a money pit.

[Peter and Connie Bradish]

As Gerald points out if you continually use chlorinated water you shouldn't have to"sanitize" your tank. More importantly when was the last time you changed your water filters?  We have not found any problem with our water tank. Sometimes the water you take on from a city or CG isn't the best of water (hard, smells funny). Many times just for a night we only hook up the electric and use the water from our tank. Again if you use the water in the tank and continually add chlorinated water you shouldn't have a problem.

About a coach being a money pit. Well, yes it can be, especially if you don't do your routine maintenance. You can't expect with your house going down the road with a mini earthquake happening all the time, not to have some problems. But that's where a well built coach is worth it. A well built coach (Beaver) can take the mini earthquake much better than most less expensive, lower end coaches. In the case of Beaver the cost does include quality.

Beavers have a pecking order? Where? Who? We have a classic Beaver. She is now almost 20 years old. We have always felt welcome in BAC. I think you mistake people talking about what Beaver they have in order to communicate to others what their problem might be or does their coach have this or how do we fix that. They are looking for others with the same year and make in order to share information.  We know we look to others with Classic Beavers for information and suggestions. They understand what we have and have similar problems or know where to look for something.

I think you will find that BAC members and especially the Forum is here to help you. We welcome you and your input and will help you with your Beaver if we can. BAC is a great group. Connie B.

[Richard Cooper]

I agree --- I did not say there was a pecking order.  I merely said I didn't know at the time I bought my rig that it was considered one of their top luxury models.  But it doesn't matter.  I very very very much appreciate all the help I've gotten from such wonderful, generous people as all of you have been so gracious and kind.

[William Harrison]

 Hi Richard,
  I have always carried a 12v pump and aux battery which I use to refill my fresh water tank from 5gal "jerry cans"
we carry with us in our toad.  I have had to chlorinate our tanks several times when I let the coach sit for several
weeks with a partialy filled tank and the water turned brackish.