Hi there! We just had our brand new Scamp delivered this week. We're very excited but realize we still have lots of learning ahead of us! So, this will most likely be the first of many questions, thank you all in advance!
For the majority of our trips we will be hooking up to campsite water. Once we are connected, do we fill the water tank and then shut off the water supply to the trailer or do we keep the supply flowing the entire time?
Do we switch on the water pump only when we are about to run the inside faucet then shut it off when finished, or does the pump stay on the entire time we are connected to a water supply?
Thanks again!!
Your question is quite reasonable. Having two water systems onboard can be a little confusing. First, realize that you have two water systems which work together to provide water for your new Scamp (by-the-way, you also have 2 electrical systems).
When you are traveling or camping where there is no water hookup available, you will be using your onboard (self-contained) water system, comprised of your fresh water tank and your electric water pump. The pump moves water out of your water tank and pressurizes the pipes inside the camper so you have running water whenever you turn on your faucet (or flush). Generally speaking, you want to turn off your water pump whenever you don't need to use water. Having said that, it will not harm your pump to leave it on for extended periods, it is designed to pressurize your water lines and automatically shut itself off when the pressure reaches a pre-set point (the pump will automatically turn on and off as you use your water). Personally, we turn on the pump in the mornings while we are doing our morning routines and preparing breakfast, we turn the pump off after we have done the breakfast dishes, similarly, we turn on the pump at dinnertime and turn it off after the dishes are done. The rest of the time we turn it on as needed throughout the day.
When you have access to a water hookup you simply connect the water hose to your camper and the pressure from the hose provides the water pressure you need throughout your camper. The pump would stay off because the hose supplies the water pressure you need. Also, the water coming from the hose is the water you will use, the onboard tank is not used while you are hooked up to an outside water source. In this case, you would fill your fresh water tank before you travel so you can use water while traveling (to wash and flush), you will also want to fill your fresh water tank before leaving the campsite so you can wash and flush on the way back home.
Congratulations on your New Scamp !!!
As Always,
Happy Scamping !!!
Hi Judy,
Yes, the 2 systems are separate as David has said. If you are hooked up to a park water spigot it will not fill your tank and there is no need to. Make sure you get a pressure-regulating valve as some campground water pressures can be enough to blow out your water line conections in the trailer. Whether or not to fill your tank before traveling depends on a number of factors. The tank carries 12 gallons of water, which is 96 pounds of extra weight and that weight is behind the wheels, so it will lower your tongue weight.
The pump switch - you can leave it on if you wish, BUT if you run out of water in the tank the pump will keep running until it burns out - not good. Safest is to switch it off when not in use.
Thats what we have been doing,turning the pump on in the mornings and then off and then on again later when doing dinner,I didnt know if it was the thing to do or not,and if I need more water for something durning the day I turn it on till it stops and then turn it off again.Its good to know I have been doing something right
Launey and Earlene
Whether you fill your onboard tank or not, when you have “city water” available, is a personal decision. In all ten of my trips with my pop-up, I never used the onboard fresh water tank. Not once. I always had a site with water hook-up, or I used bottled water. But I had no bathroom either, and with the Scamp I plan to keep a few gallons in the onboard fresh water tank so I can use the toilet (unless I become very worried about the trailer’s weight), or if the city water fails. If I expect to not have a water hook-up available for longer than a day then I will put more water in the onboard tank to start with, maybe filling it, maybe not, depending on how much water I expect to need. At 8.3 pounds per gallon, I don’t want to carry more than I need, but I do want what I need to be available. But when you are hooked up to water at the site, you don't need any in your onboard tank.
Great! Thank you all!
If we dont want to fill our freshwater tank,we keep a gallon jug of water in the bathroom of the Scamp just to use on the pottey in case we need it..thats why we ordered the bathroom was just for times like going down the road and nothing is available
Launey and Earlene