# Fiendish water filler connection on new A-S motorhomes



## Perseus

New A-S mhs have an awful new filler for getting fresh water into the tank. 

The mhs come with a hose with a clip on one end that in turn clips into a receptacle on the wall of the mh. That's fine, if you are filling at home before a journey, or are near a tap on site.

But what about when the tap is on the other side of the field and you are all set up and you need to fill up again? 

And what happens if you want to fill up from a container while en route?  It's absolutely impossible....unless someone on here has come up with an equally fiendish solution?

Any ideas, please?

John


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## Jented

Hi.
One way would be to get an Aqua-roll,as per caravanners,however these take up space,when we had an AS Broadway we overcame this problem with part filling the tank at home,and carrying a 15ltr plastic container and topping up frequently and carrying it back to the M/h.
We did ask prior to ordering at the NEC,if we could have the ordinary side cap and were told yes..... It came with the fitting you so well describe. It is not impossible to alter this,but you may need to make anothe hole,best of luck. Our Broadway,we sold it,(Not because of the "Water filler") LOL.
Jented.


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes

Buy a cheap £10 odd 12v submersible pump, piece of hose, same connector and just drop it in container and then pump it in

Peter


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## Chas17

JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> Buy a cheap £10 odd 12v submersible pump, piece of hose, same connector and just drop it in container and then pump it in
> 
> Peter


We have an Autocruise Stargazer with what sounds like a similar connector and were supplied with two hoses one long one with a tap connector on one end and the van connector on the other and one with a submersible pump on one end and the van connector on the other. The connector also carries the electrics to the submersible pump which operates from the "external" position on the control panel. I think ours is a"Crystal" socket in the van but it appears identical to the one in this link.

http://www.johnscross.co.uk/products/Ep9212-Watermaster-Plug-and-Pump-.html


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## Zebedee

Hi Perseus

Without wishing to sound smug ( :roll: ) before I ordered our new van I was fortunate to be aware that they were fitting what I consider to be a caravan accessory. :roll: 8O 

I specified a standard Fiamma filler instead of the caravan gadget, and am very pleased I did. Our trusty watering can can be used all the time for convenient topping up.

The conversation I had with one of the A/S technicians may help you. He said that another option would be to have the Fiamma filler fitted as an extra. He said it's no problem to install a second filler and hose into the tank, and I don't think it would look at all out of place on the van.

Just an option you may want to consider.

Dave


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## park

We looked at a new Symbol and this came with the tap system and a submersible pump which could go into a plastic jerrycan type container and thence into the onboard tank. Bit of a faff but it would be possible, though this was one of the reasons why we didn't buy it. Interestingly it seems that Eldiss (who use the same system) are changing back to a proper filler next year.


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## thegreatpan

On my new Northants, I have to use the caravan style submersible pump and a 10 litre water container which has the filler apperture opened wide enough to take the submersible pump.

This is activated by the pump fill setting on the control panel, which turns the pump on for a minute which is long enough to empty the 10 litre.

The hose gizmo is for serviced pitches if you stay at them (we don't).

If I knew then what I know now, I would pay and get a removeable cap and go back to the hose/watering can method.


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## padraigpost

I have just p/xed my Surrey which had the standard Fiamma style filler and bought a Suffolk which has the new style Truma electric filler which is a complete waste of time and money in having to buy water containers, what was wrong with the "watering can" filler.
A/S should learn "if it aint broke dont fix it"


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## cabby

dont know what all the fuss is about, either specify what you want, or have the extra fitted.simples.

cabby

with tin hat on,dont tell them your name spike :lol: :lol:


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## duxdeluxe

Had a conventional fill system in my old Lunar Newstar which had an external plug for a pump so I made one up. It worked really well. 

It was therefore not a great leap of the imagination to adapt this to the Truma fitting on the A/S when I got it - just needed to buy another pistol. Could have done it without by putting a joint in the existing hose but it looked to be a bit untidy. Once again, not ideal (best of both world is both fittings but retrofit of this is a bit awkward) but it does work well when I use it. 

1) Tap - simply screw in the hose and plug in
2) No tap - fill a couple of collapsible containers and use that, pumping up from them. 

To be honest, I've only used option (2) once, but it would have been just as awkward to lug the same containers back to the van (used a collapsible luggage trolley) and lift plus tip through a funnel

In conclusion I have got used to the system and am quite happy with it


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## Zebedee

duxdeluxe said:


> In conclusion I have got used to the system and am quite happy with it


I think that's the secret Dux. :wink:

It's a crap system for a motorhome, but as somebody else said, there's no option but to get used to it or have a Fiamma filler fitted.

Topic more or less completed, so I digress . . .

What about the latest damn fool fad . . . the rooflight over the cab. What a daft idea!!! 8O 8O

Where do you store the duvets??? That really would be a big inconvenience if they had to be dragged out of the underbed lockers to make the bed. :evil:

May not be such a problem on a bigger van, but ours is a bit short on storage space anyway, and to lose the whole of the overcab locker seems pretty stupid to me . . . just to follow the latest fad!!

Dave 

_(Incoming fire no doubt . . . flak jacket at the ready! :lol: :lol: )_


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## Rosbotham

Simple solution on that Dave...buy an Autotrail. That way you can choose between overcab bed ("hi-line"), overcab cupboards ("lo-line") or overcab rooflight ("super lo-line").


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## Zebedee

Easier still Paul . . . ask Messrs Autosleepers to build in the overcab locker instead of the rooflight! :wink:

They will do it quite willingly . . . but they never seem to advertise that certain aspects of a build can be "bespoke". :?

Rather short sighted I think, and I said as much (_politely of course_) to one of their top men at the last NEC show. I said, quite genuinely, that we would not buy a new Nuevo if we were forced to have the rooflight.

He was surprised that we would be put off so completely by what he considered a trivial detail, so I tried to explain, but I'm sure he was still not convinced.

Just goes to show that the manufacturers never actually use their motorhomes, or they would be more aware of our needs and would not make such daft mistakes.  

Dave


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## Rosbotham

Must admit the only thing I'd change on my van is to have an overcab rooflight to be honest Dave. Pity Autotrail don't go the whole hog and make that component a bolt-on one so you can switch from hi-line to super-lo-line if that takes your fancy....


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## Vita

*Fiendish Water Filler Connection*

Thank goodness for Motorhome Facts! We have just got a new Broadway and were stumped when it came to filling up with the tank cleaner - now we know! Thank you all you knowledgeably guys out there. Vita


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## Zebedee

Hi Vita

Lovely van, the Broadway. Ours is the circumcised version . . . all but identical except for shorter side benches. It would have been a Broadway but we couldn't get the extra length on the drive.  

Why are you cleaning the water tank on a new van?

They come with a cleaner already in - and if you are unlucky you will have to put up with a chlorine taste for the first several outings in it.

Dave


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## Vita

*Fiendish Water Filler Connection*

Well ,I never knew that! The Book of Words says clean tank b4 use - are you sure I don't have to?

We are going to have a trial couple of days at Stover as there are lots of new to us things to play with. Anything I ought to know?

We think it is a lovely van too!


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## Zebedee

*Re: Fiendish Water Filler Connection*



Vita said:


> Well ,I never knew that! The Book of Words says clean tank b4 use - are you sure I don't have to?


I didn't, and the water was tainted with chlorine for quite a few weeks. I asked Messrs AutoSleepers about it - and they said the tank was pre-sterilised.

We always drink straight from the tap if we want a glass of water or cordial. I know a lot of people don't, and I can quite understand if they bought a second hand van, but having it from new you know its history. We have never suffered any ill effects and I only clean the tank once a year at most. I can't stand the taste of chlorine, and it's difficult to clean the tank without leaving a lingering taste in the water.

One thing to bear in mind if your van has the same main lighting as ours, several hundred LED lights in three great long strips. They will cane your battery if you use them off hook-up. Don't be fooled into thinking LEDs take very little power - period. That is true of course, but when there are so many of them . . . . . . 

Dave


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## Vita

*Fiendish Water Filler*

I've always used Puriclean - it doesn't leave a taste. Thanks about the lights - there is always something new to learn.

Vita


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## gaspode

Hi Vita

Have you read this reply on the thread you started yesterday?

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-1223589.html#1223589

The solution to the filler problem is so cheap and simple if you follow the advice.


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## stepps110

I have a new AS cotswold coming, all this info is great however there seems to be a lot of negative comments regarding AS. Hope we havent made an expensive mistake!


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## Zebedee

AutoSleepers are OK. Better than most in fact, although there will almost certainly be a few initial niggles - as there are on almost all vans (_except Hymers of course!!_ :lol: :lol: ). They are a disparate collection of bits and pieces assembled by humans, so you can't expect the robotic perfection we have come to rely on with cars.

If you have any problems call Mark at their Service Centre. He's a real expert and very helpful.

Dave


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## stepps110

I had a few issues with my Hymer and there have been a few with the current Chausson so I expect something. Just dont want to be going back and forth on warranty claims etc.

They look great, and hopefully all will be well!


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## ob1

Beware anyone considering buying a Bourton/Norfolk model as Auto Sleepers have taken the daft water filling system to a whole new level. 

Like a lot of people I specified a Fiamma bigger bore straight through filler to overcome the agonisingly long fill time with their standard system. Auto Sleeper fitted this but in their wisdom they have now fitted two fresh water tanks, one internal, one external, to these models and guess what? Well the connecting pipe between the two tanks is the original pencil thin type which restricts the water flow to the bottom tank and thereby completely defeats the object of having the bigger bore in the first place. What happens is you fill the top tank for approx two minutes, the water back-fills out of the filler, you turn the water tap off, wait approx four minutes as the water filters down to the bottom tank, fill for another two minutes, it back fills, tap off, wait four minutes, and on and on. It's a nightmare and I am not brave enough to go anywhere near a service point as people will think that I'm a complete twit, to say nothing of the wait they can expect behind me.

We have just returned from the factory having this and other faults looked at but the filler problem has them stumped. We are now looking at having just one larger internal tank fitted which would solve a lot of the problems, including winter use. We will lose some internal under bed storage but much of this has been taken up already by the existing tank, charger, and other bits and pieces. Wherever do they get these ideas from, they are certainly not user friendly.


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## stepps110

I have not seen mine yet so I may be talking rubbish! but is it not possible to plug the small hose in and hold a funnel at the other end to pour in from watering can?


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## zappy61

Hi John,
I use the Fiamma Roll Tank with a cheap submersible pump from ebay, I had to put a 12v socket in the toilet cassette compartment to plug in to but it works very well. You can see some picks of it in this article here although it is another subject. I also have the waste tank too useful if you don't want to keep moving the M/H to empty the waste.
On another note I lost my filler cap whist in France a couple of weeks ago and it cost me £22 to replace so I have fixed it for the future by attaching the cap to the filler pipe with a length of window blind cord.

Regards,

Graham


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## Zebedee

stepps110 said:


> I have not seen mine yet so I may be talking rubbish! but is it not possible to plug the small hose in and hold a funnel at the other end to pour in from watering can?


Probably, but who would want to??

The hole is only hosepipe sized so it would take forever, and standing there with a heavy can supported by only one hand is not my idea of fun. The plonker whose idea it was to use that filling system should be horsewhipped! :roll:

As I suggested somewhere else, in your position I would speak to the dealer about getting a secondary Fiamma type filler fitted. When I spoke to AutoSleepers about it they said it was not a problem, but would be time consuming and therefore not cheap . . . but nothing is cheap from A/S (_although they do an excellent job_).

It would just be another filler cap on the side of the van and need not look out of place at all. It only involves fitting the filler, fitting another spigot onto the top of the tank, and joining the two with a length of convoluted hose. Not difficult, but (_as they said_) fiddly and time consuming because the tank would have to come out.

Not a lot of help to you, but at least there is an alternative if it really gets on your wick!

Dave


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## jonasw19

Just one vote FOR the plug in system.
We have both the passive unpumped hose, and also the pump in a bucket option . Both supplied when we bought the van s/h.
Initially sceptical, but it works fine.
More significant was this Easter on a flooded and snowy airfield in Slovenia. We could not move off the pitch to refill water. The nearest hose point was 100m away, just above the very smelly poo pit. Enter the hero of the next 1/2 hour the external pump into a recently acquired watering can. Six round trips to the shower block which was clean, and we were fine. Perhaps a collapsible container would have been easier. We are not blessed with that much room for aquarolls or the like, and this system worked a treat.
We actually forgot our fears, which were mostly generated by reading doom laden threads, after the first couple of goes after we got the van.

Jon


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## DrRoger

If it is still the Truma Ultraflow the 'Pump Assembly' for about £50 & a large watering can was the answer for us with our AS Devon. Seem to be a lot of odd taps particularly on French sites...


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## ob1

Aque Rolls, buckets, submersible pumps, power for the pump, external pipe with a restricted flow - they are simply not necessary. What's simpler than just a hose pipe or container? Less items, nothing to go wrong, no power needed and three times as quick (assuming you have a sensible sized inlet bore that is). Talk about a sledgehammer to crack a walnut.

Ron


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## Zebedee

ob1 said:


> Aque Rolls, buckets, submersible pumps, power for the pump, external pipe with a restricted flow - they are simply not necessary. What's simpler than just a hose pipe or container? Less items, nothing to go wrong, no power needed and three times as quick (assuming you have a sensible sized inlet bore that is). Talk about a sledgehammer to crack a walnut.
> Ron


Spot on Ron. :wink:

The KISS principle escapes some designers when they have their head buried in the computer CAD system!! :roll:

Send the dozy buggers out in a van for a few days, and a whole raft of design features would become "user friendly" overnight!

Dave


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## DrRoger

ob1 said:


> Aque Rolls, buckets, submersible pumps, power for the pump, external pipe with a restricted flow - they are simply not necessary. What's simpler than just a hose pipe or container? Less items, nothing to go wrong, no power needed and three times as quick (assuming you have a sensible sized inlet bore that is). Talk about a sledgehammer to crack a walnut.
> 
> Ron


Given the fact that the Truma Ultraflow is a sealed system=the Ultraflow connector locks into place, tell me how a hosepipe or a container helps in any way.


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## Zebedee

DrRoger said:


> Given the fact that the Truma Ultraflow is a sealed system=the Ultraflow connector locks into place, tell me how a hosepipe or a container helps in any way.


It won't if you have one of those daft caravan systems installed on your van. :roll:

Ron's comments were pointing out how shortsighted it is to install such a complicated filler, which brings with it so many caveats and limitations.

He (_and I_) were strongly advocating a simple hole in the side of the van. Then there are plenty of options, by far the simplest and quickest being either a length of hose or a trusty watering can.

Dave


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## DrRoger

If you buy 2nd hand as we did you get on with what you've got-we didn't have anything installed & I agree it's a daft system.

We now have a run-flat hose & a Hymer!


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## duxdeluxe

Well, nearly 18 months on from my original reply and still no problems with it. When Mrs Deluxe and I go away, we simply chuck a couple of the very small (23 ltr) fiamma rolling containers in the washroom and deal with FW and GW as required. Most times the hose will reach but used the FW one twice last year - Coniston Hall and Garlieston Bay. The latter because I simply could not be @rsed to move


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