Cheap IBC Vs Heos water filler

[Canucks]

Hello folks. I'm new to MoHo Fun and Moho full stop.
I've picked up a couple of tips from these threads so I thought I'd share some of my ideas to save a few £.
We have a Knaus with dedicated services compartment accessible from outside on the nearside of the van.
The first couple of times filling the water tank, I thought what an almighty p.i.a standing like a lemon holding the filling hose. So then I read about Heos filling adapter but couldn't make it work on our water filler due to the threaded lid.
Then I found an IBC threaded cap on Amazon for about £8 - it works result!!
My observation is that this will work for course threaded water filler caps and I think other continental vans might use these as well as Knaus.
Whilst I don't need to hold the hose, there's no "auto shut-off" so I still have to keep an eye on water levels or else the overflow will dump the the water.
Because the IBC filler cap is not sealable it has to be removed, because it sits on a vertical plane I cannot fill above the bottom of the filler neck, so my fresh water cannot be filled above about 90%, maybe I doing something wrong?
I'm adding some pictures, hopefully this might help others, the blue cap is the original and black is the IBC from Amazon with hose lock adapter (I added PTFE when I screwed the hose lock piece into the cap).

John

 

[Gaston aires]

I always used to fill up until it overflowed. No problem. I have a different system now but overflow still deems it full.
Phil erup

 

[Wombles]

Hi & welcome! Good to see alternative options - is this the correct link Amazon product ASIN B01HBPHLDK as could be useful for anyone considering this? Good tip about adding PTFE tape too.

 

[Spriddler]

Chill, John. You'll soon get into the swing of motorhoming.

Having retired after many moons of rushing around I'm quite happy to hold or keep an eye on the hose.

 

[Canucks]

Hi & welcome! Good to see alternative options - is this the correct link Amazon product ASIN B01HBPHLDK as could be useful for anyone considering this? Good tip about adding PTFE tape too.

Yes that's the one. Thanks

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[the1andonly]

Always more than one way to skin cat. I never fill to overflow because it overflows onto the floor then dribbles down the overflow pipe. I use the thin sqirty hose from a £1 set. Drilled out of course. It sit in the filler a treat, so have to monitor it hands free.

 

[cmcardle75]

I put a mini toilet fill valve on mine. It turns itself off when full (OK at 90%). If you want more than 90% (of 210 litres), you can bypass the valve, but you have to watch it carefully.

 

[Lenny HB]

At first I thought what's wrong with stuffing the hose down the filler neck and leaving it there like I do. Then I saw your photo, that is a terrible design for a Motorhome, any overfill will flood the van even with your adaptor when you take it off it will come gushing out.

Is there enough room to fold the hose down with the door closed? If so you so you could have a short length of hose with an inline tap and hose connector left permanently connected.

 

[L' Hobo]

At first I thought what's wrong with stuffing the hose down the filler neck and leaving it there like I do. Then I saw your photo, that is a terrible design for a Motorhome, any overfill will flood the van even with your adaptor when you take it off it will come gushing out.

Is there enough room to fold the hose down with the door closed? If so you so you could have a short length of hose with an inline tap and hose connector left permanently connected.

I too am of 'the stuff the hose down he filler neck', I tried one of those Heo things and it blew it, and the filler neck off their fixings, never again!

 

[Googlebot]

Does the tank have a vent?

Even if it does, be careful. The Heos is designed to back vent any pressure. If you have a good supply it can blow your tank up without something letting the pressure out, don’t ask me how I know…….

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[EuroTrotters]

At first I thought what's wrong with stuffing the hose down the filler neck and leaving it there like I do. Then I saw your photo, that is a terrible design for a Motorhome, any overfill will flood the van even with your adaptor when you take it off it will come gushing out.

Is there enough room to fold the hose down with the door closed? If so you so you could have a short length of hose with an inline tap and hose connector left permanently connected.

Yes, I thought it was a bad design.

Simone needs to use their K-Naus

 

[L' Hobo]

Because the IBC filler cap is not sealable it has to be removed, because it sits on a vertical plane I cannot fill above the bottom of the filler neck, so my fresh water cannot be filled above about 90%, maybe I doing something wrong?

I thought most caps had seals and a breather hole of some description?
Keep it simple and stick with the hose method, if it's good enough for Lenny HB , it's, usually good enough for anyone!
If these complicated new fangled bits do not work correctly, it can cause even greater problems and the last thing you want, especially in winter, is water splashing around inside your M/H?

 

[Canucks]

At first I thought what's wrong with stuffing the hose down the filler neck and leaving it there like I do. Then I saw your photo, that is a terrible design for a Motorhome, any overfill will flood the van even with your adaptor when you take it off it will come gushing out.

Is there enough room to fold the hose down with the door closed? If so you so you could have a short length of hose with an inline tap and hose connector left permanently connected.

Actually the fw tank and overflow is external to the van and the compartment shown, inside the compartment is an open drain for spillages, with the door open creating a low point only a catastrophe would allow ingress up into the habitation.

Your idea of an in-line tap is something I'll look at, as you say not sure if the clearance with door closed will allow..

The biggest design issue I have is that the toilet cassette door is hinged forward and not in the rear, as the van is often nose heavy the door will naturally swing open and stop against the flue, so my big concern is the door being heated by flue gases while I remove the cassette. Having dealt with the contents of the cassette a few times now, a spillage here will not be welcomed.

 

[chaser]

I use a watering can, don't have to roll out/in, no standing about, the walk gives you some excerise , all round winner

 

[Canucks]

Yes, I thought it was a bad design.

Simone needs to use their K-Naus

You're right it could be better, I'm especially concerned by filling from a watering can or similar when off grid and no tap nearby. I need to fashion some type of 90 degree filler neck as the filler is inboard of the external bodywork.

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[Lenny HB]

The biggest design issue I have is that the toilet cassette door is hinged forward and not in the rear, as the van is often nose heavy the door will naturally swing open and stop against the flue, so my big concern is the door being heated by flue gases while I remove the cassette. Having dealt with the contents of the cassette a few times now, a spillage here will not be welcomed.

You could fit a tether or even better a small gas strut that only allows it to open 90°.

 

[Ian Bosman]

I put a mini toilet fill valve on mine. It turns itself off when full (OK at 90%). If you want more than 90% (of 210 litres), you can bypass the valve, but you have to watch it carefully.

That 210 litres is some weight to carry if you intend travelling full!

 

[Canucks]

I use a watering can, don't have to roll out/in, no standing about, the walk gives you some excerise , all round winner

You've obviously not met the wife, she has zero tolerance for faff or maintenance, I have to do most things in secret, she's about the destination not the journey

 

[Lenny HB]

That 210 litres is some weight to carry if you intend travelling full!

Sounds good to me, I've only got a little 160Lt one.

 

[Canucks]

Does the tank have a vent?

Even if it does, be careful. The Heos is designed to back vent any pressure. If you have a good supply it can blow your tank up without something letting the pressure out, don’t ask me how I know…….

This is a really good point, I assume it's vented. However life has taught me never to assume. I'll check. Thanks.

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[Canucks]

I put a mini toilet fill valve on mine. It turns itself off when full (OK at 90%). If you want more than 90% (of 210 litres), you can bypass the valve, but you have to watch it carefully.

Can you let me know a bit more, your idea is intriguing.

 

[cmcardle75]

Can you let me know a bit more, your idea is intriguing.

Well, there's not much more to it. It's a self build, so I spec everything up to my way of working. The water inlet is a simple hoselock connector, which goes to the tank via a mini toilet valve. There's a bypass valve that just dumps it straight in the tank, too. With 200 litre capacity, most trips I can just connect it up to the hose before I leave and bring water home. With the fill valve, I don't need to monitor it whilst loading other stuff into the van.

There's no gravity feed. If I want to load from a container rather than a hose, I have a submersible transfer pump to dump in the water container.

 

[Wombles]

You're right it could be better, I'm especially concerned by filling from a watering can or similar when off grid and no tap nearby. I need to fashion some type of 90 degree filler neck as the filler is inboard of the external bodywork.

Might this sort of thing https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/classifieds/water-tank-filler-funnel.1506/ help? Sure Minxy might have tried similar DIY versions too that might help if she spots this - there are a lot of posts on here to do with filling water tanks!

 

[Minxy]

I made my own filler for use with a container and also a way to secure the hosepipe easily:

Lets talk hoses

I need a hose for filling fresh water, but... Food grade or not? Flat or round? Expanding or roll up? What connectors will I need? I am also going to need something to top up for when on longer stays. Would rather not have an Aquaroll and pump. Thinking watering can but what size/shape?

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Campscout Water Tank

Hi folks, I've got a silly newbie question ! I have not yet filled the water tank to the very top. I have had a look underneath the van and can see the drain line but cannot find an overflow line. If I overfill the tank, is there an overflow drain or does it just come back out the inlet line...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Canucks]

I made my own filler for use with a container and also a way to secure the hosepipe easily:

Lets talk hoses

I need a hose for filling fresh water, but... Food grade or not? Flat or round? Expanding or roll up? What connectors will I need? I am also going to need something to top up for when on longer stays. Would rather not have an Aquaroll and pump. Thinking watering can but what size/shape?

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Campscout Water Tank

Hi folks, I've got a silly newbie question ! I have not yet filled the water tank to the very top. I have had a look underneath the van and can see the drain line but cannot find an overflow line. If I overfill the tank, is there an overflow drain or does it just come back out the inlet line...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Thanks Minxy, that hook is probably a better fix than trying to over engineer it like me.

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