BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: David Stiles on June 16, 2020, 04:11:59 PM
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Can anyone tell me how to add fresh water to my holding tank. I have looked everywhere for a inlet source but no luck. I only have a city water connection and a black waste wash. I also was not able to fine a valve to divert the city water. Thanks for your help. David Stiles
2005 beaver monterey 38'
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See if you have a 'Fresh Tank Fill' switch in your wet bay or by the kitchen sink. If so, hook up city water, hit the switch and watch your Aladdin tank monitor to see when the fresh tank fills.
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From the Owners manual:
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I bought all the parts to make a gravity fill for our '04 Monterey but sold it before I finished the job. I even bought a $20 Harbor Freight right angle drill motor to reach into the tight space!
The essential component was a bulkhead fitting called a "Uniseal". You use a hole saw to cut a hole in the top of the tank, put the Uniseal in the hole and slip in a piece of the right sized PVC pipe. Last you fabricate what you want for a hose connection or fill port.
This is the part: https://www.amazon.com/UNISEAL-Flexible-Tank-Adapter-Bulkhead/dp/B071JWJ2J6/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=1+1%2F2%22+UNISEAL+Flexible+Tank+Adapter&qid=1592324854&sr=8-3
Randy can show you how it works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU99xsNyB2Q
Google for the brand "Uniseal" and you can find more.
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Bill,
Why would you want / need to add a gravity fed fill? The OEM system looks pretty fool proof with a single On/Off fill valve (mechanical I assume).
Steve
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Speed and I was jealous of lesser rigs that had it.
At the great Oshkosh fly-in and airshow there is an 8 station dump site. At the peak there can be 5000 rigs camping. Hence a line up in the dump and water lanes. The potable water hoses didn't have 3/4" hose fittings. It was assumed you could rapidly, at full volume low pressure, get your water and get out of the way for the next guy. The basic method was to "stick the hose in the hole".
Not for this Beaver! First I had to find the right hose fittings and clamps to adapt the supply hose. Then, hooked up to the water inlet, I had to wait while the restricted flow trickled about 90 gallons of water into the tank. And wait. And wait some more. In between the waits, I got to "make friends" with owners of the lesser rigs behind me as we discussed the values of having a premium class A diesel pusher!
Our new little Tiffin has both the Beaver style water manifold fill and a hole in the back for "gravity" fill. It is only 30 gallons, but I can get water in it fast!
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Thanks everyone for your help. I looked at both diagrams and I could not fine anything that came close. In the wet bay there is no switch. Other then drilling a hole into the tank to fill, could there still be something that I'm missing to check? Thanks again for everyone's help. Dave
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Dave,
I found the Service Center layout in the 05 Owner's manual. You are right, the tank fill switch is not there. My guess is that they located it by the fresh tank, but not sure. Maybe an owner of an 05 Monterey will enlighten us. In any case, I would not cut any holes etc. The valve is there somewhere, you just haven't located it.
Steve
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What about looking in the enclosure where your freshwater pump is located? That's where the Red Hat Valve is located for us that have an electric Fill Switch.
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Dave,
Think I found it. If it's like a 2006, the valve is located in the upper right corner of the manablock as you look at it in the service bay. You need to use the key to turn it. The 2006 owners manual shows it labeled while th 05 manual doesn't have labels.
Steve
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I feel dumb. I didn't read Dave's first post well enough. I thought you were looking for a gravity fill! Steve is exactly right. The built in manual fill valve for our '04 Monterey was the top valve on the right in the collection of valves in the water bay. Quarter turn right with the key will fill. Unlike other Beavers there was not an auto fill or auto shut off. When it overflows leaving a puddle in the middle on the ground, it is full.
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As others mention, it’s likely the top right valve on your manifold. In the photo, mine has the red key/knob on the valve and in the “off” position where “city” water goes straight to your faucets. Turn it 90 degrees and it lets city water flow through to your tank.
Joel
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Thanks to everyone for your help. I will check this out tomorrow and will let everyone know if this problem of mine is resolved. I just cant thank you enough. Dave
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I can’t guarantee your ‘05 is the same configuration as our ‘06, Dave, given what the manual pages that Mike provided above imply. The manuals commonly differ from the actual coach due to mid-model year changes that make it into coaches but not into the manuals.
Regardless, you should follow the directions Mike’s document supplies regarding watching the remote tank fill gauge in the water bay and shutting off the valve as soon as, or before, you hear and see water splashing out of the overflow under the coach; on ours the overflow is on the opposite side of the coach, but is a pretty hard-to-miss gusher.
Joel
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Good morning or afternoon to everyone depending on where you are at. Great news, the problem is solved. As Joel sent me the diagram of my manifold block and with the labeling of which valve is for what (which the prior owner felt that I would not need and removed all the labels) I was able to test the valve on my RV and I was able to see and hear the water filling my fresh water tank.
Again my deepest thanks to all you great and wonderful people who take your time to solve all are problems. My special thanks to Joel Ashley for sending me the information that I needed.
ALL i CAN SAY ABOUT YOU ALL IS THAT YOUR ALL NUMBER ONE IN MY BOOK AND i HOPE THAT SOME DAY THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO THANK YOU IN PERSON. YOUR FRIEND DAVID STILES
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My '05 Monterey has the Manablock manifold labeled as per Joel's photo above. I've found that the restriction in flow caused by the spring loaded back flow prevention device in the 'city water' inlet connection, the diversion valve in the manifold and likely right angle fittings between the manifold and the tank makes tank filling a tedious job particularly with other campers waiting not so patiently behind you in line.
Another issue I’ve found is that many trailers that depend on gravity flow to fill their tanks find the the threaded fitting on the end of the campsite water supply prevents them from inserting the hose into the trailer fill orfice so they just cut the threaded fitting off the hose. Our Beavers require a threaded connection. To solve this problem I carry a water thief or water bandit.
To speed up the tank fill I’ve drilled a 1.5 inch hole in the water tank near the top and glued in a female hose connector. The tank is filled as quickly as the water source can provide. My Monterey is a Laguna IV with the water tank readily accessible in the curb side bin adjacent to the HydroHot.
Water Fill Port & Garnet SeeLevel (http://beaveramb.org/forum/blob:http://beaveramb.org/def51d6c-9adc-4c11-8f96-a7a947a5f407)
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Thanks are due Steve, Mike, and Bill, for spurring me to take a photo for you, Dave. Not sure why the pages supplied by Mike image an apparent Tank Fill handle (if that’s what it’s supposed to be) with “ON” being the vertical position, and “OFF” being horizontal; it’s just the opposite. And the system diagram shows the valve separate from the Manablok. My ‘06 manual’s water pages does not show the same diagram(s). Again, as per the ‘05 manual it’s a case where the coach build changed and they didn’t opt to reprint the manual accordingly.
For a relative owners manual, check the Home menu here above and drill through the Private BAC Members Only area to our Coach Assist section. Water Systems info begins on pg. 177 of my ‘06 Monterey manual. But there is an ‘05 manual there also. Consulting both may be necessary to get relatively correct instruction regarding any one specific component, feature, or procedure.
Joel
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(which the prior owner felt that I would not need and removed all the labels)
Mine fell off after about a year.