Blogs

I have often thought that some of the tasks surrounding connecting water to a RV are unnecessarily complicated. Wouldn’t is be easier to connect one water hose and direct water to where it is located, just like the RV maker does once the water enters the water system?

The addition of a simple one-way backflow prevention valve and a switchable water valve and quality quick hose disconnect fittings can make dealing with water in its various areas very simple.

On our latest RV, it was simple to plumb in a multi shut-off manifold to direct water to where it is needed. One shut-off directs water from the incoming water hose (Green arrows) to the RV freshwater inlet through a dedicated shut off valve. (Yellow arrows). Another connection through its own shutoff valve feeds water to a black tank flush fitting connected to the RV’s black tank flusher. (Red arrows). The water hose is also equipped with brass quick disconnect fittings that mates to the appropriate fitting on the RV (in this case it is on the newly added water manifold) (orange arrows). The other end of the hose connects to the water regulator which is connected to the campground water system.

It is possible to install quick connects on these exterior fittings to make it simple to break down the parts into small manageable pieces for storage when travelling.

The beauty of using the same fittings as on the water hose is that should there ever be a need to connect a hose directly to the flusher system, the mating fitting can be installed on the fitting and the water hose that can be directly connected to the flusher system. In this RV there was not enough room in the compartment to allow a lot of extraneous fittings. The primary reason for using a manifold was to reduce the unnecessary additional hose connections. If one desires to connect the hose directly to the fitting, you should retain the safety of the backflow prevention device and connect it to the hose.

For safety, a backflow prevention device (see Double Blue arrow) is incorporated in this water line to eliminate any risk of water contamination from the waste tank flush water backflowing into the water lines. The water in this prevention device and associated water line drains to the floor of the compartment when the water pressure is reduced as the water control valve is turned off. This is a small amount of water that either drains out the drain holes in the compartment floor, or if left in the compartment evaporates away.

Black Tank Flushing is simply a matter of rotating a shut-off valve to direct water to the connection feeding the tank flush line when needed. Two additional connections are left capped; should water be needed somewhere else, it is simple to remove the cap, attach a hose and control water flow with the associated valve.

Using this system combined with the RV’s Sani-Con eliminates all hose handling when dumping, thereby preventing cross contamination of the fresh water that can occur from handling the wastewater hoses and then the freshwater hoses. The water manifold allows one incoming RV water hose connection to distribute water to all necessary places in the RV. Since all other connections are permanent, an incoming water hose with quick-connect connectors on it, makes it simple to connect or disconnect the hose and the manifold makes it very efficient to move water where it is needed.

Note: The first photo shows the incoming water hose being directly connected to the manifold. On this coach, the location of the Coach water inlet presented clearance issues that made it difficult to connect the freshwater hose directly below the manifold when the manifold was installed. By installing a short hose that extends below with the quick connect fitting on it, the water supply hose can easily be attached to the manifold using quick connect fittings. This setup allows water to be connected and easily distributed throughout the various places where water is needed.