Fresh water tank modification, new suction line.

[KarenLukens]

 REED – my guess is that you will find your gravity fill design will take X-longer time to fill with the design you guys are going back and forth on, while the port is on top, the actual fill is located at the bottom of the tank...

It won't be using the fill tube, it will be filling thru the 1" Tee and flowing around the fill tube that will dip in thru the Tee from the other side. So the fill tube will be a 1/2" obstruction in the tee, but will have minimal effect because the tee simply connects to the top of the tank. Then if we can run a hard line straight to a port on the back, the bumper will provide the needed lift for the gravity fill or you could put a stack of blocks under the jug for more height.

I remember your pictures and the over flow area would be a pain to work in, where the rear is easily accessible by removing the bed for installation. Filling with the pump will still be an option but filling thru a 1" pipe is a lot faster and it could even be poured in, in under a minute. With the 1" gravity port installed, even filling with a hose will be faster then using the fill port under the basement. If it works, it will be a real big time saver all the way around :)

 

[Try2Relax]

Ahhh, now I have the visual (in my mind) of what you mean. Interesting.. look forward to the first prototype. Only concern 1/2" OD .625 1" ID .875 hopefully it works well enough.

 

 

 

 

Hmmmm.. Can you draw how the tee works? If the 1/2" is only in the down tube and the top T's are the gravity fill and the other side the trailer draw, then won't the trailer draw suck the air from the top of the tank? How do you break the 1/2" out of the 1" AND keep it a closed system and "pressurized" along the inside tube. That sounds like a completely special built fitting.

 

Disclaimer-I have limited plumbing knowledge..

[Try2Relax]

Nevermind, I get it now, rotate the T and everything is copper not PEX so thinner walls. I'm back to can't wait to see it work

[Raspy]

Randy,

 

 

 

Maybe this sketch will make it more clear:

 

The dip tube is the water pickup for the fresh water to the trailer. It is 5/8" OD and is currently what I have in my Ollie to pick up the tank water.    The suggested modification to this would be to add a tank fill through the same tank port.  This would be done by adding a 1" Tee around the dip tube with a 1' pipe that screws into the top of the tank.  Then the dip tube would reach down through the 1" pipe Tee and on down into the tank to pick up the water, as before.  The side of the Tee is connected to a fill pipe that goes outside and gets water poured into it.  The incoming water enters the tank through the space between the dip tube and the inside of the 1" pipe.  It's just a way of using one fitting for two purposes and I'm not sure we'll ever do it, but it's a nice idea if space is limited.  Tank venting is still done with the stock vent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Try2Relax]

John, thank you for taking the time. That sketch is perfect and clears it all up. What a great work around for the problem.

[Mainiac]

No problems yet, but put me down for the 'approved' upgrade.

 

Going to have to look at 'through the hull' fittings. Think live well fittings? Like the full port idea as well. Maybe another winter project...

 

 

[ScubaRx]

I am  really unclear on why anyone would want to POUR water into their freshwater tank when there is such an easy and elegant method already available to PUMP it into the tank. I can fill my tank in 15 minutes without ever having to hoist the weight of a water can.

 

I did replace the manual valves with electric ones so that I do not have to manually turn them after crawling down under the bed. From then it's a simple matter of dropping my custom sump hose into the Scepter water cans and turning on the pump.

 

We have all already got all the equipment needed installed in our trailers without any modifications whatsoever.  Please feel free to enlighten me if I am missing something.

[Try2Relax]

I did replace the manual valves with electric ones so that I do not have to manually turn them after crawling down under the bed. 

 

This interests me, could you please provide the details of what you used. Thanks

[KarenLukens]

I am really unclear on why anyone would want to POUR water into their freshwater tank when there is such an easy and elegant method already available to PUMP it into the tank. I can fill my tank in 15 minutes without ever having to hoist the weight of a water can... Please feel free to enlighten me if I am missing something.

Hi Steve, basically it's all about time and effort. We have to add another 5 minutes to pull the bed apart and put it back together to get to the valves. It's just an unnecessary step. We either fill from the back of the car or usually wheel the can to the back after lifting it out of the car parked in front. It's an 8 gallon container. As is, I move Karen's Art gear, extra blanket, etc... from the bed, pull the topper over to the center of the bed by the corner, pull out the long bed cushion and lay it over the topper to hold it in place and uncover the valve access cover, remove the cover and place it on top of the cushion, reverse the valves, go outside, put the hose in the water can, go back inside and start the pump, go back outside to hold the hose in the bottom left corner of the tank until totally empty. Usually about 4 minutes later the 8 gallon can is empty, then either transfer the hose to the next can or go back inside, shut off the pump, switch the valves back, slide the cover back in place while holding the red handle up, put the long bed cushion back, lay the topper over, tuck the sheets back in, put the blanket back on, straighten the bed, put the Art supplies back in order, put the spare blankets, books, etc... back in place. Usually it will take 20 minutes if I use 4 cans of water.

 

With gravity flow, you put the 8 gallon can in place, put the hose in, pump 3 times and 1-1/2 minutes later you go to the next can. 4 cans is 6 minutes then add a minute for starting the siphon 4 times for an empty tank and you have 20 minutes with the pump / 7 minutes with gravity. For us it's either just move a tank for gravity, or move and tear apart the bed to get to the valves to use the pump, then go inside and outside to still deal with the water can. Usually I do it alone, unless Karen is here, then she turns the pump on, which adds a second person for the pump and inside. Gravity is quick and simple :)

 

Reed

[bradbev]

I'd like information on the electric valves also.

 

Brad

[Hikegsm]

Raspy, I am so impressed by your fix and the trouble you have gone to to post pictures and describe how to do it for others.  You are very considerate person. Hopefully Oliver will put your design to use in future Ollies. I will be asking Jason about it tomorrow.  Maybe when we come back in the fall it will be an option.  Thank you !

 

Yvonne

[bradbev]

Yvonne,

 

Please let us know what kind of response you get from Jason.  Also, let us know what they say about the ZAMP controller.

 

Brad

[Raspy]

Raspy, I am so impressed by your fix and the trouble you have gone to to post pictures and describe how to do it for others. You are very considerate person. Hopefully Oliver will put your design to use in future Ollies. I will be asking Jason about it tomorrow. Maybe when we come back in the fall it will be an option. Thank you ! Yvonne

 

Thanks for the kind words Yvonne.  Please let us know what Jason says.

 

John

[Hikegsm]

Unfotuntately, I was delayed at home and my husband took the camper for service without me. I did not arrive at Fall Hallow until after 7 pm... to late to talk to Jason about the water issue. The Zamp was part of our service visit. Jason told my husband that according to Zamp, the pattern we are seeing on the Controller is normal for the "new" software which evidently ours has. So I guess it is working correctly. I hate I missed talking to Jason about the water tank pickup. Sorry guys.

Yvonne

[Commanche]

We were at the plant last Wednesday and brought up the water situation with Jason. He said there was some hoops to jump through to get it approved by whoever approves that stuff. he thought it would have to be a DIY mode for now.

 

We did get a set of the new style LP gas cover clamps, which will be a DIY project. Hated the old ones, just too hard to deal with.

 

Stan

[Overland]

We were at the plant last Wednesday and brought up the water situation with Jason. He said there was some hoops to jump through to get it approved by whoever approves that stuff. he thought it would have to be a DIY mode for now.  

 

Grrr.  I assume that's the RVIA certification once again?

[SupersizeLIFE]

Dang! As I was reading the thread I was so excited thinking mine (which went into production a week ago) might make the cut for the new modification. Maybe things will work out sooner than later.

[KarenLukens]

John came over to our trailer here today at the Fiberglass RV Rally in Bandon Oregon and installed the pick up tube in our Goldilocks :) We no longer have 38% of unusable water in our tank. It took maybe an hour to 1- 1/2 hours and everything went in smooth. It really is a very simple yet perfect fix :)

 

Movie to come in a week or so :)

 

Reed

 

[KarenLukens]

 

 

 

One other thing that John noticed was that the water spin weld fitting that was put in at the factory or by the manufacturer of my tank is about an inch off of the bottom; where on his 2015 Elite II it's approximately 1/2" or as close to the bottom as is practical. So things definitely changed this year. Where it was not as much of an issue in previous years, the 2017 models have really opened a few new doors with all of the changes that were made in the last 8 months or so.

 

The good thing is that the water tank doesn't need to be an issue for anyone ever again. We are heading up to Karen's mom's house tomorrow and I will be able to upload the installation videos with her internet. There's going to be 2 short videos on the complete installation, the first being the prep up to and including the spin weld. We also had a small shop vac with a 3/4" hose taped to the vacuum line to clean all of the plastic shavings out of the tank. I had my tank almost completely dry before installation by putting a stack of blocks under the tongue jack and raising it up to around 20° from level. I let the pump suck as much water out as it could being that we are in a park right now, then opened the drain valve and got the rest of the water out. I also had the trailer tilted just a touch to the curb side so that everything would flow to the corner where the pipes are. Then after it was drained as much as possible, I took the tongue jack back down to a little below level with the nose down to keep what little water was left in the tank up in the front of the water tank and away from the work area.

 

Reed

[KarenLukens]

Here's the installation videos

 

Part 1 -

 

 

Part 2 -

 

 

 

[Free2Roam]

Connected with Anita today about the water tank mod. Our trailer goes into production week after next and was curious if it could be included. She said that Oliver is working with the tank mfg-er  to work out a fix, so it is being addressed. Holding out a thread of hope that maybe it is worked out before our tank goes in ????

 

Angela

[Overland]

Same story here. I talked with Jason today and he said we have a frame and a shell but no axles so hopefully they get the tank sorted soon.

[Spike]

I love the idea of combining a western-state Ollie rally with this tank modification.

 

I think it is important for us to keep up asking Oliver how and when the fix of this issue will be handled. I'm supposing that current owners comprise one of the most powerful promotional tools in the company's tool box. One they don't want to lose.

[Overland]

I was at the factory yesterday.  The fix is close - I'm sure they'll make some sort of announcement about it soon.

[John E Davies]

I love the idea of combining a western-state Ollie rally with this tank modification.

That is brilliant. Durango CO in late Spring 2018 works for me!

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA