Pop Up Camper Water System Basics 💧| Everything You Need to Know!

Water Heater Basics: • Pop Up Camper Water He...
How to Hook Up to City Water: • Is Your Pop Up Camper ...
Cassette Toilet Basics: • Pop Up Camper Cassette...
Pop Up Camper Winterization: • Pop Up Camper WINTERIZ...
Pop Up Camper De-Winterization: • How to DE-WINTERIZE & ...
This video covers the basics of pop up camper water systems, including the sink, interior shower, exterior shower, water heater, water pump, city water connection, gravity fill, and water holding tank.
In a nutshell there are two, separate methods of introducing water into your pop up camper’s water system. The first and most basic is hooking up via the city water connection utilizing a hose. City water, by its very nature, is pressurized and therefore you don’t need to utilize your water pump to pressurize your water system. This also bypasses or negates the need to utilize the water holding tank present on most pop up campers. The second way of introducing water into your pop up camper is utilizing the gravity fill. The gravity fill fills up the water holding tank. If you’re going to be utilizing the water holding tank, you will also need to utilize the water pump to pressurize your water system.
Once you have water in your water system, your water heater (if you have one) will fill up automatically - as long as it’s not bypassed. Then of course, you can choose whether or not you’d like to heat up your water in the water heater.
Once you have water in your water system, either via the city water connection or the water holding tank, your sink and shower(s) will work. Although you may need to bleed out some air before water starts flowing consistently. The water from your sink and/or shower(s) has to drain somewhere. This is where gray water tanks come into play. The majority of pop up campers require a separate, external gray water tank to catch water stemming from your sink or shower(s). However, some pop up campers do have onboard, self-contained gray water tanks.
Some pop up campers also have toilets included in the water system; however, this does not include cassette toilets. Those toilets on the water system will also require a city water connection or the water pump to be on in order to fill with flush water.
Finally, in order to drain your pop up camper’s water system, there are three common spots. First, there will be a drain on the water holding tank. Second, there will be low-point drains, one for the cold water lines and one for the hot water lines. Third, your water heater will also have a drain valve. Draining water from each of these locations will ensure you aren’t hauling water around unnecessarily when it’s time to pack up.
Check out Adventures in Pop Ups here: / adventuresinpopups
Get your It’s Poppin’ gear here & join the It’s Poppin’ family: its-poppin.myspreadshop.com
Tell us what you think!
Products (Paid Affiliate Links that Help Support this Channel):
- Pressure Reducer Valve: amzn.to/3g5q5eZ
- In-Line Water Filter: amzn.to/3jXqukH
- Drinking Safe Hose: amzn.to/3CUbQ6G
- Elbow Adapter: amzn.to/3ANGX1w
- 1 1/2” Drain Valve Adapter: amzn.to/3m2ukMd
- 7-Gallon Water Container (gray water tank): amzn.to/3gpdO5p
- 6-Gallon Water Container (for filling water tank): amzn.to/3l8trRs
Camera Equipment (Paid Affiliate Links that Help Support this Channel):
- Primary Camera Body - Sony A7C: amzn.to/3sWwptO
- Primary Lens - Sony 20mm F1.8: amzn.to/3ujII3u
- Secondary Lens - Sony 24-105 F4: amzn.to/3uUOh9l
- Action Camera - GoPro Hero 7 Black: amzn.to/34LVBJu
- Drone - DJI Mavic Air 2S: amzn.to/3lkGIqk
- Gimbal - DJI Ronin SC: amzn.to/3jhuDjk
- On-Camera Microphone - Deity D4 Duo: amzn.to/37DbxPr
- Lavaliere Microphone - Boya BY-M1: amzn.to/34KZO0o
- Primary Tripod - K&F Concept Tripod: amzn.to/3t0yULd
- Small Tripod - Switchpod: amzn.to/3sQu2rG
Music:
www.epidemicsound.com/referra...

[@ItsPoppin]

Thanks for watching! Check out Adventures in Pop Ups tour of our 2008 Jayco here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/omquaJaPe950d9E

[@nicholasbanks9838]

Just wanted you to know that your video saved us this past weekend. We bought a 2007 Jayco 1207 back in March and took it out on our first camping trip. Hooked up city water at the site and was met with water pouring from underneath the camper. I've never heard of low point drains and was so relieved to see where you point this out. Our issue was the o-ring on the low point drain valve that was slightly damaged and preventing it from sealing properly. So much headache saved after watching your videos.

[@ItsPoppin]

Awesome, thank you for sharing!

[@frankthedukes1564]

i say it every video...this is the best tent trailer youtube channnnnelll.

[@lashandagreggs6130]

I’m making my first pop up purchase this weekend I have been binging over the morning . Great job I’m learning alot

[@Nothern_King]

Your videos are invaluable. We're just looking at getting a used pop-up. Picking it up this week but we're completely new to this, I'm binge watching your videos!

[@larrysumeriski5693]

Thanks for the great videos. Just bought my 1st Pop up and these are coming in very handy..

[@aaronolet876]

Thanks for all the great videos helping a newbie to the pup world. Super help info in all your videos. Living in Minnesota and am used to tenting and backpacking (mainly boon-dock style) to now looking into a new to us used camper and entering the RV world with the young kids and wifey.

[@cherylmalcolm3386]

You do such a great job answering all of our questions.

[@glenchadwick420]

Thank a bunch! Just bought my first pop up and it'd a "fixer upper". Your explanation of the water system helped a bunch!😁

[@ItsPoppin]

Cheers!

[@AdventuresinPopUps]

Our old Starcraft didn't have any kind of grey water tank, so we just carefully positioned an ice cream bucket where it came out of the other side of the sink. 😄 The grey and black water tanks are nice to have, though they do add a little more maintenance and cleaning... Also waiting in line behind other RVs to dump makes for great camping memories. 😆

[@adampopp4489]

Thank you a great video very helpful

[@TheSwanbackjacks]

Love your vids! Ty!

[@drewpmartin9918]

very helpfyul! thx

[@norcaladventures1]

Just subscribed today I been kicking around getting a pop up for some fun family adventures keep up the hood work maybe see you camping one day

[@stevenrogers4832]

Thanks for another great vid. I would never have thought to use an engine oil catch unit, ingenious. Although our HW has water holding tanks I will pass the idea on to those we see while camping. We always recommend your channel to all we meet while living the Good Life, Camping of course. Have fun out there, Pop Up Family. SeeYa!

[@ItsPoppin]

Ha, thanks Steve! I actually got the idea off of one of the Facebook groups so I can't take all the credit.

[@cdawgRJ]

Your videos are amazing

[@anthonyrevelles9871]

I have a 2015 coachman sport that we havent used the shower yet an npi going to have to have a seperate grey water tank set up for it!

[@normalopezingle7732]

we just found your channel and it has been very helpful in so many ways. We purchased a 2013 Flagstaff HW27KS but it was from someone who never used it so they could not give us any tips. The manual does not explain about the water system. Any information you can provide would be much appreciated. Thank you

[@drwolfpoint]

I recently decided to get a popup camper and the guides you have posted have been very helpful. Thank you.

[@ItsPoppin]

No problem

[@Hotbeefsamich]

TY!!!!!

[@ItsPoppin]

You're welcome!

[@scottcrawford4655]

Just wanted to start off say thank you for all these videos! We are as green as you can be for pop up camping and your videos are a huge help figuring out what and where everything is. We have a 2018 Jayco Jay Sport, for the grey water drain, if we’re at a nice site with full hook ups can you run a hose to a specific drain like you would the black water or do you have to carry some sort of storage unit? I saw that the down pipe was threaded. Thanks for the help and keep up the great videos!

[@ItsPoppin]

No experience with these, but something like this: amzn.to/4ddLe2r would probably work in conjunction with a basic 3/4” hose. Keep the hose as short as possible to maintain good flow. Ideally you’d have an air vent on the system to promote good water flow, but I’ve only seen DIY versions of that setup.

[@jamesmassey7629]

Hi how are you thank you for the video

[@ItsPoppin]

No problem!

[@maureenschwartz4857]

We are thinking about adding a water heater to our 2000 Starcraft Spacemaster pop up. What would you recommend OR is this not a good idea? We are also considering a gray water tank of some sort... we may have to look into the engine oil pan. Good idea!!

[@Macros1971]

I have an '06 StarCraft Centennial 3608. The grey water tank has a threaded grey tank drain. What do I use to bring that down to a garden hose size so I can drain the water without leaving it in the camp site?

[@larrygusman]

Do you have a video on dropping the water holding tank? I have a coleman niagara elite and cat find anything online. I need to replace my fill hose that is all cracked.

[@lorihonea6845]

Can you add a hose to use stored water for outside kitchen sink? 2013 Palomino Banshee with outside shower

[@MsTeeterscathy]

Thanks for all the great videos!! Question: I just purchase a 2010 starcraft centennial. I set it up when I got home, hooked up water, but only get water frome shower indoor & outdoor. Can't get any from the sink & also the toilet. Any help would be greatly appreciated! 😉

[@ItsPoppin]

If you have a cassette toilet, it’ll be independent from the rest of your water system. We have a video on cassette toilets as well. The sink, on the other hand, should be working if your showers are. Is there a bypass valve under the sink by chance?

[@The65minutes]

Wish you could check out my 2005 high wall fleetwood niagra and give us the good and bad. Lol

[@joanoxford873]

I have a 2005 Rockwood Pop-up camper how do I use the sink?

[@veazy11]

I have the exact same pop up and same year as you. Your videos have been so helpful. I purchased it June 2021 and knew nothing about it before I found your videos. My question is, there is an open elbow connection located near the top of the fresh water tank with nothing connected to it. I only discovered it while filling the fresh water via the gravity fill and heard water splashing underneath the camper. Should this just be open like that?

[@ItsPoppin]

It's an air vent for the water holding tank.

[@s.dn.2962]

Hi, how do you know when your water tank is full when using the gravity fill?

[@rosebatham3342]

Is their maintenance book I can order for it so I can learn the different systems for it?

[@willsr.9154]

Hey man I love your pop-up passion and videos. So I just purchased the clipper Coachman and I'm just wondering if there is a connection or idea from the sink outlet outside going into the campsite drain instead of into a pan like you did? Thanks in advance. Have not hit Amazon yet but I guess my question is can I just hook up a hose and throw it into the sewer line though there will be some portion opened around the circumference ?. Do they make a connection?

[@ItsPoppin]

amzn.to/3VVYaAF Something like the above would probably suit you well. The only downside is you need an air inlet so your sink properly drains. Some sort of hose splitter, like below, may work as an air inlet if you point it up. I’ve seen others fashion their own with PVC that would be less susceptible to water splashing out the top. amzn.to/3Fw2yAO

[@joshtuffly5117]

I can't find the specific video dedicated to water heaters?

[@fredwilson7950]

We recently bought a Jayco Pop Up Camper (2000) We are finding the pulley system for raising and lowering the roof. We need to repair it. Think someone had tried to do it before and as a result does not exactly duplicate anything we have seen on the internet. Do you have a video on fixing the system or where we can get a detailed (for dummies) diagram or step by step instructions? We have really enjoyed your videos. They have been a world of help!! Thanks!!!!

[@ItsPoppin]

I found the best help searching for "L&W lift system" om Google.

[@tylermorningstar8469]

Hey, thanks for the videos! We just bought a 2021 Rockwood 1970 ESP and we are loving it. One issue: the sink (grey water) drains out the side of the pop well until I hook up a hose. The hose is not blocked (I checked), but once I attach it to the exterior drain it acts like a plug and the kitchen sink inside fills. How can I fix this? Thanks in advance!

[@ItsPoppin]

You need some sort of air vent to allow air to push the water through if your hose is too long. Think of the hose like a straw with your finger on the top - until you remove your finger, liquid will remain in the straw. So without knowing your exact setup, either shorten your hose or introduce air air vent into the system. There are some example of DIY air vents for your exact scenario that you can probably find out there on the internet.

[@tylermorningstar8469]

@@ItsPoppin Thanks, I'm searching for an air vent to attach to the garden hose. Perhaps a y-valve with air vent?

[@daveprintup3362]

I need help with finding my water pump. I can hear it but unable to located , Have a 2004 Fleetwood Hemlock pop up. At this point I see no access were it might be. by the toilet it seems to be the loudest.. Is it true you need to turn your water pump to the summer setting so you get water in you kitchen fossette any help will be great, This is my first year having a trailer.

[@sarahg992]

I tried draining the holding tank, and the little turn knob busted off, so i went and got my drill to just pull the whole thing off to drain it, and pulled the whole cap thing off and still no water comes out. I've tried searching for another drain, but cannot find anything. I've crawled under the trailer and searched everywhere. Could there be a pressure valve or something on the tank itself to let the water come out of that hose? Its definitely full still, i can see water in the holding tank.

[@debbeet6309]

I am in need of some help, the water line underneath the sink came loose does anyone know how to fix this issue? We tried just popping it back in but it keeps coming out when the water is turned on.

[@audleys3626]

Thanks for the video. I have a 2003 Coleman Santa Fe and I lost my hot water heater door a couple days ago driving down the road. Are the replacement doors standard or specific to different make campers? Also, do I need to replace the entire door assembly or just the door part that fell off? Thanks.

[@ItsPoppin]

Should be pretty standard. Did you loose the silver hinges as well that connect the door to the brackets?

[@audleys3626]

@@ItsPoppin No, just the door.

[@lavalleymom]

I have a new-to-me 2002 Viking. It had been winterized, and I can’t seem to get more than a slow drip when trying to drain the holding tank. I have the cap off so it shouldn’t be a vacuum causing the slow down. Any ideas?

[@ItsPoppin]

Does it have antifreeze in the holding tank? If not there may not be anything in the tank or at least there shouldn’t be water if it was properly winterized.

[@meechlie9019]

We are trying to figure out our system. First timer, we have a Colman plantation 1991. Near the tank there is PVC type piping coming out of the tank with 2 shut off valves.

[@ItsPoppin]

Sounds like low point drains for the hot and cold lines.

[@meechlie9019]

@@ItsPoppin When using propane to heat water, do you leave it heating the whole time camping or just to heat and use? Also, how long does a 15lbs tank last for heating water?

[@ItsPoppin]

We only turn it on when using it to save propane. To calculate how much run time you’d have, divide the BTUs in a 15lb propane tank by the number of BTUs your particular water heater uses.

[@EliSMTX]

We have the same pop up, but need to know, can the water pump run off the battery, or will it only run off the shore power?

[@ItsPoppin]

The water pump will run off of battery 👍

[@bnixy7]

Might be a silly question, but what do you do with your water once it's full? Since it's gray water, do you go to the dump station or just on the camp site?

[@ckriker0687]

I got a 99 coleman sun valley and the gentleman I got it from didn't have any manuals or anything. He stated he didn't use the water or gas and that the power inverter was broken. I need help! Any info you can give me?

[@ItsPoppin]

Coleman pop up parts website has manuals

[@TonyCagleLifeCoach]

My sink is not draining. What could be wrong?

[@Levi-xg1fz]

Couple of questions: After being hooked up to city water, should I drain the hot water heater when returning home? Also, any tips on a kitchen sink that won’t drain? When I pull the sink/burner top to the floor it will drain just fine 🤷🏼

[@ItsPoppin]

We drain the water heater to save on weight. Do you have a long hose or something similar not allowing adequate air flow to allow for draining? If so, that may be the issue.

[@Levi-xg1fz]

@@ItsPoppin Yeah, I had a longer hose and realized that may be the issue so I cut it. The end of the hose just hovers above the ground but still doesn’t seem to be flowing. I’ll have to dig into it more I’m thinking.

[@scottterry1659]

i have a 2017 flagstaff 27 sc hw. my toilet dumps straight toa 3 in drain then to a outlet. there is no black water tank. i contacted the dealer Ibought it from. theycan install ablack tank. my question is any idea why there was notablack tank installed ?

[@ItsPoppin]

Was it used? All I can think of is that a previous owner removed it.

[@scottterry1659]

@@ItsPoppin yes used, but according to the dealer they never was one

[@rubixmania100]

My Viking Pop-up needs a new roof and Viking isn't making them or repairing them. Camper World doesn't do it. So any suggestions? I can't be the only one in Pop-up world who needs it. HELP! 😱

[@ItsPoppin]

Unfortunately for most it's a DIY project. You may be able to find a handyman who's willing to do it in your area too, but I've heard most RV repair shops turn it down due to the high labor intensity of the project or it being cost prohibitive for the owner.

[@tylerw.9100]

There are multiple videos here on KZbin showing pop p trailer roof repair or reconstruction.

[@mariah342]

So i know this is an old video but figured i would give it a shot that might you will see this comment. We have a viking saga that we just got and i really dontvunderstand how the water system works i cant seem to locate a pump anywhere? Any help you coukd offer would be great. Its an old one btw (2001) and had no shower or toilet just a sink, fridge and furnace. Alot looks familiar in this video but just no pump? Help? Thanks!

[@ItsPoppin]

Not all pop ups have pumps. Is your sink a manual pump?

[@JJ_breaksNCards]

I can't find my drain I see a black plug could that be it ? Thanks

[@ItsPoppin]

Drain for what?

[@JJ_breaksNCards]

@@ItsPoppin fresh water tank

[@ItsPoppin]

It’ll be at the bottom on the tank. It could be the black plug you’re referring to.

[@skipwilliam5639]

Great video but The problem with filling up with water at home is your adding around 100 pounds to the rear of your camper.. Though it may not sound like much When you figure everything you have put inside before you left then throw a 100 pounds weight to the back Your adding to the instability of the trailer. The weight would be a lot safer in front of the tires but because its usually in the rear its a lot less stable. Especially for a single axle camper as per this video example of you have to much rear weight kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJ66kJqwmc1pqtE

[@djtblizzle]

What do you look like without your beard bro?? 😊

[@ItsPoppin]

No idea 🤔

[@davidhall8874]

Everything i need to know??? Hell no! Not even close. How do you remove a leaky tank????????