Water Fill on new Leprechaun

[LarryinID]

Originally Posted by Loggenrock

Hi Larry - it does sound like your leprechaun is set up the same as my Prism - right down to the valves behind the screwed on panel...! I think if you try it you will find that you connect a hose (you get a length of clear tubing with a white-ish plastic male garden hose fitting on one end?) to the water inlet (I only have a single one, too), set the blue lever to tank fill/winterize vs city water, that you will find you can draw water into your system as long as you shut the valve behind the screwed on panel that goes to the fresh water tank. You are not able to fill your onboard fresh water tank this way, just add water/antifreeze to your lines. ST

I tested the earlier suggestion of just pouring it back into the hose before connecting and filling. It worked.

I don't think mine has the "winterize" connection. I don't see how the pump would pull on the fill connection as the tank fill goes to a vented tank and the pump pulls from the bottom of the vented tank...so won't pull from the connection.

I put three tablespoons of bleach into about a quart of water for normal fills with my home well water. It seems to work and not smell.

I use six tablespoons at beginning of season to sanitize. My wife can smell it so I usually drain and refill.

[CharlesinGA]

Proper sanitizing of a water system is rather involved.

Here is a pretty good discussion on doing this.

https://www.sanidumps.com/sanitizerv...atersystem.php

It will require about a cup of bleach and about four gallons of water, mixed, to start with.

Since you cannot pour this large of a mix in the hose, it would require a "rig" of some sort to do this. One thing that may work is a NEW garden hose pesticide sprayer such as THIS ONE from ACE (terrible reviews however) or THIS identical looking Husdon branded one (which has no reviews) which will allow the fresh water to siphon the bleach in as you fill, It has hose connections on each end.

For simple maintenance during the year, simply pouring some bleach straight into the hose (drained of water first) and then connecting to the faucet, works fine, it gets mixed in the tank just fine.

Charles

[LarryinID]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

Proper sanitizing of a water system is rather involved.

Here is a pretty good discussion on doing this.

https://www.sanidumps.com/sanitizerv...atersystem.php

It will require about a cup of bleach and about four gallons of water, mixed, to start with.

Since you cannot pour this large of a mix in the hose, it would require a "rig" of some sort to do this. One thing that may work is a NEW garden hose pesticide sprayer such as THIS ONE from ACE (terrible reviews however) or THIS identical looking Husdon branded one (which has no reviews) which will allow the fresh water to siphon the bleach in as you fill, It has hose connections on each end.

For simple maintenance during the year, simply pouring some bleach straight into the hose (drained of water first) and then connecting to the faucet, works fine, it gets mixed in the tank just fine.

Charles

Thanks!

So now I'm on to preparing to winterize. I opened the "low point drain" screwed access port to find a chrome handle attached to the fresh water tank. I opened by aligning to the pipe. Nothing happened.

I reached inside and followed the pipe to find a tee and another valve (which I learned they call a T handle) that was on a tee leading down and twisted it. NADA.

So I called Forest River. They explained there are actually three T handles, one for hot, one for cold, and one for drain. They operate by pulling up, not by turning. So with the chrome handle aligned and the downward T handle pulled up water began to flow from the tank! 😁

I haven't yet located the other two T handles. They are not in plain sight.

I asked for a diagram of the system. They don't have one.

They are emailing me winterization instructions. Foolish to think they might have included in the manual or paperwork package.

Sheesh. I've owned at least a dozen RVs and never had one as incompetently designed and described as this Leprechaun. My impression is this shoddy work might extend to all Coachman or perhaps even Forest River products.

Live and learn.

[LarryinID]

Coachman sent the instructions...which apply to all the above. They aren't bad.

Between the instructions and inspection I was able to sketch up attached diagram of water system. I now can see why those who claimed you can pump into the system are correct...if you close the chrome valve inside the low point drain access area.

I blow my system with compressed air. But I will follow the instructions to ensure antifreeze in the pump; i.e. close the chrome valve and use a short hose to pump from the antifreeze bottle. They have a pump switch in the panel with the fill connection to facilitate.

[firedoctor]

Originally Posted by LarryinID

Coachman sent the instructions...which apply to all the above. They aren't bad.

Would you mind attaching the instructions here? I'd find them useful.

[Loggenrock]

You can find them on the Coachmen website, too. ST

[stinkyfeet]

Originally Posted by DaveS52

I am very appreciative of this thread as I have a 2015 Leprechaun 319 and having an issue with filling the fresh water tank. My unit has 3 hose fittings: Black tank rinse, City Water and Fresh water. There is no valve for redirecting the water from city to fresh water tank.

So my question is how do I fill my tank from my 7 gallon jug for when I don't want to unhook and drive my rig back to the fill station and/or can't reach a park water line? As stated before there is no option for gravity fill.

I did purchase a drill pump but for some reason I have not been able to get that thing to move any water with my cordless drill, much less fill my tank with it.

Any ideas?

Here's a way to add water (or water/bleach mix) to your water tank via antifreeze suction line and outside shower hose (assuming your MH has both). This diagram is from a member of another forum. When sanitizing our water system I use the "add bleach to hose, then gravity fill water tank". Easy and effective.
Hope this helps!

[LarryinID]

Originally Posted by stinkyfeet

Here's a way to add water (or water/bleach mix) to your water tank via antifreeze suction line and outside shower hose (assuming your MH has both). This diagram is from a member of another forum. When sanitizing our water system I use the "add bleach to hose, then gravity fill water tank". Easy and effective.
Hope this helps!
Attachment 176020

As mentioned in my initial post THE LEPRCHAUN WILL NOT GRAVITY FILL.

There is only one fresh water hose connection. There is a valve to enable pumping antifreeze into the lines. It requires shutting off a valve to the fresh water tank, convieniently located behind a screwed shut panel.

Thanks for the try, though.

[LarryinID]

Originally Posted by firedoctor

Would you mind attaching the instructions here? I'd find them useful.

How would I do that from my ipad iBooks?

[4x4van]

The city fill valve, on most RVs, does NOT divert water to either the tank or the system lines... It instead is simply a valve that opens and allows water in the lines to flow into the tank. Think if it as just another faucet or shower head that leads to the tank.

I've posted this numerous times, but here it is again:. TEST: With no water hose attached to your city water hookup, turn your valve to "tank fill". Now turn on your RV's water pump. Does the pump run continuously without shutting off? Perfect! That means that the tank fill valve is just like another faucet on your pressurized system that dumps into the tank. The pump is pulling water from the tank, pushing it into the water lines, and dumping it back into the tank (through the tank fill valve. All you need now is to allow the pump to draw from something other than the tank, which is exactly what the winterizing valve does.

To fill your tank from an outside source (bucket, etc), simply turn the city valve to "tank fill", turn the winterizing valve to "winterize", drop the winterizing tube into your bucket, and turn on your water pump. The pump will draw water from your bucket, push it into the system, and dump it into the tank.

I have yet to find an RV with a city tank fill valve and a winterizing valve that this won't work on. There is likely no need to construct complicated contraptions with drill pumps and additional lines/fittings. Try the test above, and then simply follow the instructions.

[Loggenrock]

Hi 4x4 van - with all due respect, there are rigs out there that are set up differently. My former Roadtrek would work as you described, but my present Coachmen will Not. His leprechaun, which is where this thread began, is also a Coachmen product, so apparently they do plumb this different than others. I can leave my valve set in either tank fill/winterize, or city, and the pump will only run if it calls for water. So there are reasons other methods might be required! Thanks! ST

[4x4van]

Originally Posted by Loggenrock

Hi 4x4 van - with all due respect, there are rigs out there that are set up differently. My former Roadtrek would work as you described, but my present Coachmen will Not. His leprechaun, which is where this thread began, is also a Coachmen product, so apparently they do plumb this different than others. I can leave my valve set in either tank fill/winterize, or city, and the pump will only run if it calls for water. So there are reasons other methods might be required! Thanks! ST

Interesting. I personally haven't seen any that it wouldn't work, and oftentimes people think it won't work and are surprised to find out that it will. But I do acknowledge that some may be plumbed differently, which is why I suggest the easy test (no city hose, valve on "tank fill", water pump on). And of course, even if the city water/tank fill valve is plumbed to allow it, they still need a winterizing valve too.

So, on your current Coachman, if you hook up to city water and turn your valve to "tank fill" with your water pump is turned off, you have no pressure at the faucets?

[Loggenrock]

Hi 4x4 van - was boondocking - had to wait until I could connect to water to try! As I thought, when connected to city water, but in tank fill setting, no pressure at faucets with pump off.... Feel free to try and sketch that schematic out! ST

[4x4van]

Good to know. Still pretty easy to sketch out; While my tank fill valve is simply an additional valve in the pressurized system that opens to the tank, yours instead diverts the city water into EITHER the water system or the tank.