The original potable water system consisted of a small (12 gallon) aluminum water tank under the front window and copper tubing over to a hand operated siphon pump by the sink. Since this trailer is meant to be self-contained, a much bigger system was needed, and tanks were placed up front under the new dinette, connected to a quiet 12v demand pump, that supplied pressure to both the hot and cold water systems. A quick fill feature was added allowing pressure fill from the city water system
The core of the supply: pressure fill valve, pump, accumulator, potable water tank level gauge sender and one of the tanks .
Potable Water Tanks & Pump
The Ronco tanks arrive by UPS with fittings spin welded in the locations specified when I ordered them.
The right hand tank installed under the dinette bench seat. These are stock tank configurations, and the cutout was a handy place to install under seat storage.
The two tanks are interconnected with 1 1/2″ PVC piping. You can see the gravity fill fittings on the RH tank.
The LH tank. On top of each tank is a 3/8″ fitting and tubing to overboard vents.
Close up of the fittings on the forward end of the RH tank and continuing around to the drain valve and vent fittings that go down through the floor to daylight.
The LH tank outlet is connected to the 12v Shurflo Whisper King demand pump, connected to a pressure accumulator, which is in turn connected to the supply line that runs back to the cold and hot water plumbing. Also at this point is the pressure fill valve (red handle) and the overboard water system drain valve (yellow handle). By opening the fill valve when connected to city water pressure, you can fill the tanks in a mater of minutes. When the water comes out the overboard vents, you are done.
The See-Level capacitive sending unit mounts on the outside of the tank.
Close-up of the pump and accumulator. The accumulator stores pressure from when the pump runs and then extends the time in between when the pump has to run again. It is not uncommon to be able to fill 5 cups of water without the pump coming on.
The rebuilt electric water heater “Hub” reborn as the water pump on-off switch. The original was melted from a short circuit, so I rechromed the plate, and installed a new indicator lens and LED bulb, rocker switch and outlet (all from ebay).
The rechromed potable water gravity fill port. The patch covers the location where the old filler was, and demonstrates the increased capacity of the new tanks.