Any handy gadgets for manual water filling?

emjrhb
emjrhb Forum Participant Posts: 11
edited June 2016 in Motorhomes #1

Just wondering whether anyone has found a handy gadget to transfer water - battery operated or otherwise - when having to use a big plastic container and funnel to refill fresh water tank.

We were well away from a hose fill station and had little to choice but to trolley the fresh water to the motorhome. It was a very heavy lift to hold a full canister to the height of the fresh water infill and also needed a second person to hold the funnel. 

 

Comments

  • Randomcamper
    Randomcamper Club Member Posts: 1,062 ✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #2

    I use a Garmin sat nav suckery thing temporarlily stuck to the side of the van and an elastic band to hold the funnel in place, allowing me to hold the water container with both hands.....

  • Skyerod67
    Skyerod67 Forum Participant Posts: 40
    edited June 2016 #3

    Our European friends simply use a watering can and keep topping the tank up with that.

    Not a bad solution!

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,485 ✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #4

    As above, or a 5 litre container.

    300 siggy photo 6b161378-22ab-47bd-97dd-22af5e8f67ba_zpsbtkpqljt.jpg

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,389 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #5

    I think I have tried them all. A couple of collapsible containers tipped in using a funnel, rigid 5 gallon container again using a funnel, as you say very heavy. In both cases I used suckers to hold the funnel in place. I have also tried a 12volt submersible pump into the above rigid container but I have now got rid of all the above in favour of two 10 litre watering cans. Easier to carry one in each hand and tip into the tank. Tailor the size of can to what you can carry.

    peedee

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited June 2016 #6

    Watering cans x2 "balance"

  • emjrhb
    emjrhb Forum Participant Posts: 11
    edited June 2016 #7

    Thank you all for the responses.  I think watering cans it is.  The large plastic containers are just too heavy to hold up high when filled and usually the person holding the funnel - i.e. me - is the one who gets a soaking when everything starts to wobble
    with the weight.

  • peegeenine
    peegeenine Forum Participant Posts: 548
    edited June 2016 #8

    I use a 10ltr water can and a large tomato sauce bottle as a funnel. One side (the narrow side) of the bottle has a section removed into which the water is poured and the neck of the bottle is a snug fit into the vans filler neck. It holds itself in place
    and of course is food grade and cheap.

  • TonyIshUK
    TonyIshUK Forum Participant Posts: 296
    100 Comments
    edited June 2016 #9

    I have a pump that fits a 30 litre rectangular water carrier , open kitchen window, plug in 12v lead, switch on and 5 mins later the 30 litres is in the m/home tank.

    I use a collapsable sack barrow trolley to fetch the water, and To carry a black grey water container and cassette loo.

    All a lot easier than moving a motor home to the taps.

    rgds

  • Aspenshaw
    Aspenshaw Forum Participant Posts: 611
    500 Comments
    edited June 2016 #10

    We can access our water tank from inside the van as it is under the floor. We also carry a 15m food grade hose which is split 5m/10m with hoselock joining connections. For filling from outside, we use a clean and empty pop bottle with a big hole cut into
    one side and pour water into the bottle from a container. Many motorhomers top up with water cans as already said.

  • mhparking
    mhparking Forum Participant Posts: 155
    edited June 2016 #11

    Heosafe connector and submersible pump. See
    Here
    .

    Graham

  • QFour
    QFour Forum Participant Posts: 442
    edited June 2016 #12

    Watering cans x2 "balance"

    Universal filler .. Fits all known taps .. Fool proof .. Future proof .. X 2 as easier to carry and you only have to walk half the distance.

  • norseman
    norseman Forum Participant Posts: 1
    edited July 2016 #13

    i agree with mhparking,25 litre canister,submersible pump with cigar lighter plug,small collapsible trolley(£5)cigar lighter extension-no lifting and pouring just stand there on your own  and let it all happen plus less trips!

  • petertr
    petertr Forum Participant Posts: 199
    edited July 2016 #14

    We had 2 different techniques.

    1 - Aqualroll filled and lifted onto the passenger seat - Then a simple gravity syphon to fill

    2 - Bought a submersible pump and a cigarette-lighter adapter.  Using the same aquaroll, and some hosepipe, I rigged up a simple pump.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,146 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #15

    You must be fit and able to do the first!

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,866 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #16

    We still use our 40lts Aquaroll from our caravanning days. We are lucky in that our Bailey has a Whale fitting that is set up for pumping the water from the Aquaroll to the main tank. It does depend on how long we stay on site, two days or less we just use
    the main tank.

    David

  • EJB986
    EJB986 Forum Participant Posts: 1,153
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    edited July 2016 #17

    Funnel with large sucker and a fixed bendy pipe.

    Collapsible 10 Ltr container.

  • JD6620
    JD6620 Forum Participant Posts: 202
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    edited July 2016 #18

    I use an Aquaroll as well, that we had left over from our caravanning days.  I then pump it on board with a 12v submersible pump.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #19

    A couple (or even three) very long hoses that can be joined together, usually close enough to a tap for this to work, or move the van and refill to brim in one go, rather than spend forever scuttling about with barrel etc.

    its much easier to Mohammed to the mountainWink

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #20

    We have 2 long hoses on reels that can be joined together, failing that we also have a whale fitting like DK (Bailey M/H) so if its just a top up we use a couple of 10l buckets and the whale pump.