Water tank nozzle

[soohma]

Am I correct that you should have some kind of pressure sensor gadget on the hose when putting water in the tanks? I saw, on RV Tips, (but can't find it since) a homemade device where she cut off something she got in a hardware store and attached it to the hose, and it shut off automatically when the tanks were full. How else do you know, other than when they overflow, that they are full?

[markopolo]

I've never seen one that shuts off automatically.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by soohma

Am I correct that you should have some kind of pressure sensor gadget on the hose when putting water in the tanks? I saw, on RV Tips, (but can't find it since) a homemade device where she cut off something she got in a hardware store and attached it to the hose, and it shut off automatically when the tanks were full. How else do you know, other than when they overflow, that they are full?

You may be thinking of a pressure regulator for when you're connected to "city" or "shore" water. My Roadtrek
didn't come with one, so I bought one at a local RV Centre for around $15-$20. It keeps the potable water supply
from a campground tap from blowing up your plumbing with excess pressure when you're connected to it.
It's a flow through pressure valve that I can attach to the van's city water connector, and then attach a garden
hose to it. They have a male and female end and sometimes look like this (the one I have does).

If you're just filling your fresh water tank, you don't really need any kind of pressure sensor on the hose,
unless you can divert water from the city water connection to fill your fresh water tank. Roadtrek has a plumbing
valve setting/position that allows me to do that if I want. Or, there's a fresh tank fill hole in one of the door
frames for filling by a garden hose at home. When I fill that way, I just wait until it overflows, or I can listen for
it gurgling, or I can check on the monitor panel, so that I know when it's almost full.

Does that make sense?

[soohma]

It does make sense and thanks. I have a Coach House, but the concept is the same.

[Mike]

Pretty much. The overall idea is make sure the regulator is between the city supply and the van's plumbing
to protect it from damage. It's not likely to ever happen, but better safe than sorry. In an older vehicle
(before pex type tubing use) the plumbing connections may be more rigid or even brittle and possibly more
prone to leaks due to pressure spikes in the city system. I'd guess most leaks are at connections and not the
actual tubing, unless it's been weakened by improper winterizing and freezing water expansion.

When camped with a city supplied hookup, many folks use a special (white) potable water hose to hook up
to city water, and don't use it for anything else for hygienic reasons. Since we don't drink our fresh water,
I'm not as fussy about the fill hose, although I do have a potable water hose.