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Old 07-23-2016, 12:50 PM   #1
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Default First Trailer Ever

Hello - I just bought a cute little 14'9" 2008 Fun Finder X 139 after somewhat reluctantly giving up my tent after many years of tenting. I haven't even taken the trailer camping yet - I am still learning all the hitch and brake controller parts of the puzzle - I think my poor mechanic who installed the wiring, etc. feels he is on-call! I'm hoping to use this forum to all all sorts of questions which I'm afraid will sound very lame! I live in northern Canada and will be mostly weekend camping - none of our campground have power and my early intention is still to cook over a campfire - although that may change.

First question - what is the different between the two outside holes for "potable water" and "city water". Which one do I fill using the white hose that came with my trailer?

Thanks.
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Old 07-23-2016, 01:02 PM   #2
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I'm guessing here but believe the location marked "city water" is setup to attach a garden hose to and the one that says "potable water" has no screw fitting, just a 'slot' to lay a garden hose into ....is that correct?

IF SO, city water is where a garden hose (white or blue for drinking water and not the typical 'garden hose') would feed city/house pressurized water into the camper....no need to use the camper water pump.

The "potable water" port would be for filling the camper on board water tank and use the camper water pump to pressurize and provide water inside the camper.


OH .. welcome to the fun funder forums!
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Old 07-23-2016, 03:27 PM   #3
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led, welcome to the forum! Be sure to ask a lot of questions -- we were all newbies once, and we enjoy helping others avoid the mistakes we have made.

Where in the Yukon are you located? We live in Southern California and have always wanted to go to the Yukon -- but it is a very long drive for us, and so far we have not had enough time to do that.

And remember, the only dumb question is the one that does not get asked!

PS -- my first trailer was a 2003 T-139 -- we used it for several years and we liked it so much that we bought a new 2012 X-139.
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Old 07-23-2016, 07:08 PM   #4
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Welcome northerner! You will find s lot of helpful folks on here with years of FF knowledge. Eagle gave you a great answer.
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Old 07-23-2016, 07:45 PM   #5
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Thanks so much - you were right about the configuration. Since I won't be hooked up to city water I will fill the location without the screw fitting. My next task is to figure out how to drain the water that's been sitting unused for 3 months and refill with fresh water.
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Old 07-23-2016, 08:32 PM   #6
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Underneath the camper on the bottom side of the fresh water storage tank there should be a valve to gravity drain the fresh water storage tank. If not on the bottom check for a rain valve on the sides.

ON my unit, the drain valve is white plastic operated with a lever to turn.
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Old 07-24-2016, 06:48 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ledyukon View Post
Thanks so much - you were right about the configuration. Since I won't be hooked up to city water I will fill the location without the screw fitting. My next task is to figure out how to drain the water that's been sitting unused for 3 months and refill with fresh water.
Welcome!
My drain is next to the tank (under the dinette) by the pump. Or you can run the pump, but then you have to drain the gray tank. By pumping it into the gray tank you will be checking for leaks.
If it has had water sitting for quite a while you may need to really clean it. Some people put a little bleach in it and then fill it to the top and then really rinse it out.
Happy camping.
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Old 07-24-2016, 07:00 AM   #8
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Incredible amounts of information are also available on YouTube. How to disinfect your fresh water tank is there in numerous videos.

We like RV Geeks.
https://youtu.be/kOlPwmwlaMo
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Old 07-24-2016, 09:24 AM   #9
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Many people use chlorine to sanitize their fresh water tank and lines and I did too until I discovered Sodium Dichloro-s-Triazinetricone or Sodium Dichlor for short.

Sodium Dichlor contains 62% available chlorine. Compare that to household bleach which has something close to 3%. Also by using Sodium Dichlor, there is no need to flush the entire system several times with fresh water to eliminate the chlorine taste/smell.

This details the why and how: How to Sanitize Your RV Fresh Water System – New RVBasics
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Old 07-24-2016, 10:24 AM   #10
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Hi ledyukon,
Welcome to the Forum and to world of trailers... You will fall in love with the hard-side world of trailers when the weather turns foul or at the 3:00 a.m. nature call...

I really like the hard-sides after getting up on a frosty morning, washing and getting dressed while the coffee perks away (I love to hear the coffee pot perking, it brings back great memories), then enjoying that first cup of hot coffee... warm and dry

You received some great answers already...
Eagle is our expert and go-to source (at least my go-to expert), but I am a person of habit and I guess I'm old fashioned... I just add a bit of household bleach as I fill the tank and lines, let it soak a little while, drain the tank and lines, then flush the entire system a couple times... it works for me and I can always find bleach...

Hope we meet sometime over a great campfire...
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Old 07-25-2016, 10:41 PM   #11
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Thanks for all your responses. I almost admitted defeat in finding the valve to drain the water. At least 4 different times I crawled under the trailer looking for a valve to open. I even had my son-in-law look. I guess I focused on the word "underneath". Even with PieGuy's response I looked under the trailer where the dinette is located. I saw a couple hoses but no valves to open. Finally a neighbour suggested I look in the dinette seat compartment inside the trailer. Sure enough there was a little white valve. SO the water is now all drained. I'll refill it tomorrow after work! I'm not going to disinfect it this time since I know the trailer was used a few months ago. I am definitely ready to go camping this weekend! This is a steep learning curve!
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Old 07-26-2016, 07:12 AM   #12
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Congratulations on your success!!

I am highly confident you will totally love your camper. "Life" in a hard sided camper is far superior to a tent as I well know after 'tenting it' for around 50 years before making the upgrade.

Don't hesitate to ask questions ~ ever. Those who 'have been there' can save you alot of heartache, disappointment and hair pulling.

Best on your weekend camping trip!

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Old 07-26-2016, 07:12 AM   #13
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We've all been there. I look back at some of the things I've done and just shake my head. It's those little things that drive us crazy.
Glad you found it. On my old popup I ended up running a hose from the shut off to a shut off outside just so I didn't have to put up the popup just to drain the water when I forgot to drain it on the way home. At least with my FF can reach in and open it up.
Hope you have a great camping trip. Let us know how it goes.
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Old 07-26-2016, 10:43 AM   #14
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Trailering does involve a steep learning curve, but it levels off dramatically after the first few trips. Hang in there -- this will all become easy and fun, fairly soon!
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Old 07-26-2016, 12:55 PM   #15
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Welcome to the Forum!
Glad you joined us.

You've already had great information, so I will add nothing more except to wish you many happy and safe miles. Bet you have a short camping season, eh?

Drove to AK (from NW TN) a couple of years ago - cutting the corner of your absolutely stunning Territory! Looking to do it again next year!
I'll be asking for advice if I do!

Anyway, ask anything that comes to mind. Better to ask than screw it up. THAT is spoken from personal experience.
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Old 07-26-2016, 05:41 PM   #16
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Thanks John - I am looking forward to trying out the trailer - I must admit the reasons I bought it was because the call of nature issue and having to unzip out of a sleeping bag and stumble out of my tent in the middle of the night (although at least it is day-light all night long) as well as the fact that the ground is definitely getting harder than it used to be and my back was beginning to complain!
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Old 07-26-2016, 07:10 PM   #17
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Sleeping on the ground was getting old. Or at least I was getting too old to do it.
I do miss the smell and feel of a tent.
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Old 07-26-2016, 07:17 PM   #18
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Quote:
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...I do miss the smell and feel of a tent.
.
.

And here I thought I was the only one who missed that! But not enough to do it again. I can visit young tenters.

Maybe the new quick-up screen tent will invoke old smells...
.
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Old 07-27-2016, 05:52 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by ledyukon View Post
Thanks John - I am looking forward to trying out the trailer - I must admit the reasons I bought it was because the call of nature issue and having to unzip out of a sleeping bag and stumble out of my tent in the middle of the night (although at least it is day-light all night long) as well as the fact that the ground is definitely getting harder than it used to be and my back was beginning to complain!
Yup ~ same reason I chose a camper over a tent. The ground got to hard, the air mattress always went flat middle of the night and rest room trips became a huge hassle and camping in 3 days of rain is NOT NICE!

Return to a tent .....NEVER!
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Old 07-27-2016, 09:58 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ledyukon View Post
Thanks for all your responses. I almost admitted defeat in finding the valve to drain the water. At least 4 different times I crawled under the trailer looking for a valve to open. I even had my son-in-law look. I guess I focused on the word "underneath". Even with PieGuy's response I looked under the trailer where the dinette is located. I saw a couple hoses but no valves to open. Finally a neighbour suggested I look in the dinette seat compartment inside the trailer. Sure enough there was a little white valve. SO the water is now all drained. I'll refill it tomorrow after work! I'm not going to disinfect it this time since I know the trailer was used a few months ago. I am definitely ready to go camping this weekend! This is a steep learning curve!
Yep, Yep... I scrounged through every compartment and found the tank drain valve underneath the bed and the hot and cold water hose drains (TWO CAPS) under the trailer... Ya gotta love it... like hunting Easter Eggs...
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