Traveling in an RV is a great way to see the country and spend time with family or friends. However, one of the main challenges of traveling in an RV is ensuring you have enough fresh water for everyone on board.
As a traveller, you may be on the road for extended periods. Therefore, knowing how to take care of your RV is essential to have a safe and comfortable journey. In this blog post, we’ll be discussing how to maintain your RV’s fresh water tank.
What is the RV Fresh Water Tank?
Your RV fresh water tank stores fresh water for you to use while you’re on the road. It is usually located underneath your RV and connected to the plumbing system. When you want to use water from the fresh water tank, you simply turn on the faucet like you would at home.
Your RV will have several different tanks – one for grey water (dishwashing and shower drained water), one for black water (toilet waste), and one for fresh water. Most RVs have a holding tank capacity of 40-60 gallons, but larger rigs can have tanks that hold up to 100 gallons or more.
An average person uses between 30-50 gallons of water per day. This includes necessities like brushing your teeth and taking a shower, cooking, washing dishes, and using the toilet. But, of course, if you’re boondocking (camping without hook-ups), you’ll need to be even more mindful about your water usage since you won’t have access to a fresh water source.
Filling up the Water Tank
Filling up your RV’s fresh water tank may seem daunting, but it’s simple! With this step-by-step guide, you’ll be able to do it like a pro in no time.
#1 Find a Suitable Water Source
The first step is to find a safe and clean water source. If you are at a campsite, there should be a fresh water fixture that you can use. If you are not at a campground, you will need to find a fresh water source nearby, such as a river or lake.
#2 Turn Off the Electricity in Your RV
Before you start fiddling with any hoses or connections, turning off the electricity to your RV is essential. This will help in preventing accidents while working on filling up the tank.
#3 Connect the Hose to the Fresh Water Spigot
Take one end of the hose and attach it to the fresh water spigot. Make sure that the connection is tight so that there are no leaks. Once the hose is connected, open the valve on the spigot so water can start flowing into the hose.
#4 Turn on Your Water Pump
Now it is time to turn on your RV’s water pump. The water pump is what will send water from the fresh water tank into your RV’s plumbing system. You can usually find the switch for the water pump near the fresh water tank. Once you turn on the switch, water should start flowing into the tank.
#5 Monitor Your Progress
It is essential to keep an eye on your progress as you’re filling up the tank so that you don’t overfill it. Most RVs have a gauge that lets you know how full the tank is. Once the gauge reaches its maximum capacity, close the valve on the fresh water spigot and disconnect the hose from both ends. You can now turn back on the electricity to your RV.
Alternative Way to Filling Up Your RV Water Tank
If the water pressure is not too high, you can also fill your fresh water tank with a garden hose. First, you’ll need to attach an adapter to the end of your garden hose so that it fits nicely onto the fill valve on your RV.
Once everything is hooked up, open the valve and let the water flow into the tank until it’s complete. Under normal circumstances, it takes about three minutes for a 40-gallon tank to fill up completely.
However, it could take longer if your garden hose is too small, or the water pressure is too high. Also, remember that city water often has chemicals like chlorine, which can be harmful if ingested. If possible, try filling your tank with filtered or distilled water instead.
In conclusion, filling a typical RV fresh water tank takes between 30 and 60 minutes. However, this will vary depending on the size of your tank and the flow rate of your hose. Remember that you’ll need fresh water for essentials like cooking, cleaning, and taking a shower – so plan accordingly!
The Right Way to Clean Your Tank
It is a good idea to clean your RV’s fresh water tank at least once a month. To clean the tank, empty it and add a mixture of one part bleach to ten parts waters. Let the mixture sit in the tank for 30 minutes, and then flush it with clean water several times before refilling it.
Summing It Up
Traveling in an RV can be a great way to see the country while still having all the comforts of home at your disposal.
And one of the most important things to know when RVing is how to fill up your fresh water tank so that you always have access to clean drinking water.
Following the steps outlined above, you’ll have no trouble filling your tanks and enjoying all that RVing offers!