T@G Water tank modification links

WilliamA

There's been a lot of traffic recently relating to the water tank mods that a few of us have done to empty the tank, so I think it's worth adding a link page just for that. The links are still active (I just checked a few) so let's gather up our mods discussions and post the links to them here. Mike? Maybe a sticky or something. Not sure how that works but it's for the moderators to figure out what's what.

Here's mine:
http://teardrop-trailers.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/159/getting-all-the-water-out-of-the-water-tank#latest

WilliamA

tagurit

Thanks, William.
This is my take on how to make all the water in the tank available. Basically, I switched the overflow and pickup lines so I could pull water through the top of the tank instead of the side. I drilled out the inside of the bottom of the threaded barb fitting for the vent/overflow bung to 5/8 inch and glued in a section of 1/2 inch CPVC, cut it to fit the total depth of the tank and then drilled several 1/8 inch holes at the bottom and filed them open to create a scalloped effect. I had to rasp out the top bung for the CPVC to fit. The only part I had to buy was a plastic 1/2 in PEX 1/2 FIP fitting to switch out with the right angle fitting on the intake side of the pump to make the run to the intake easier. A piece of hose just long enough to connect the end of the pump fitting to one of the elbows from the original intake line just about perfectly lines up the pump to the intake. After reassembly, I leveled the T@G, filled the tank about half way and turned on the tap. As it emptied it sputtered for a second or two before going dry. I turned it off and got down with my flashlight and could see no water in the tank where I would usually see and inch to an inch and a half! I have cleaned some plastic shreds from the pump filter a few times, I knew there would be some even though I vaccuumed and rinsed it the best I could before reassembly. Other than that it works great and was well worth the effort.

The first link is to my "after" picture with the intake and overflow lines swapped out. The second is to a drawing of the pipe that I inserted into the tank. At the bottom is a link to the fitting to attach the intake hose to the pump.
https://us.v-cdn.net/6030201/uploads/editor/j1/nsvqzdnifvla.jpg
https://us.v-cdn.net/6030201/uploads/editor/re/qm4vk30cv9t0.jpg
https://www.lowes.com/pd/SharkBite-1-2-in-dia-Brass-PEX-Female-Swivel-Adapter-Crimp-Fitting/1000182933

mikewingo1955

tagurit, I'm just seeing this and it looks like an excellent solution. I'm working on this problem also. How has this worked out for you? Any particular reason that you used CPVC instead of plain PVC?

tagurit

It continues to work perfectly. I used CPVC because that's what I had laying around!

mikewingo1955

Tagurit, I made these modifications but now my pump won't prime. I can't see any way that the modifications would affect the inability to prime. I've tried everything I can find. I'm at a loss.

tagurit

Have not had that happen since I swapped the hoses but before I did, had a priming issue once after de-winterizing, I ended up applying "siphon" suction to the faucet to get the pump primed, this has worked for others with priming issues as well.

GulfCoast

mikewingo1955, did you resolve your priming problem? tagurit, is your new plumbing arrangement still working well?

Is there a possibility that the priming problem might be related to having the vent line below the water level in the tank? Or does the filler neck leak enough air that the vent line doesn't even come into play?

I'm considering tagurit's clever mod on our 2017 T@G.