Lucy's Water System

When I first bought Lucy I had NO idea of how an rv really works.  I never had a clue how many systems there are to keep a mini version of our modern life.  First thing I did was start to figure out how everything worked.  And I still come across things to know about Lucy.

Fresh Water System:

If someone that knew about rvs had been watching me the first time I tried to fill the water tank they would have been rolling on the ground with laughter.  I hooked up my new "fresh water hose" to my front yard faucet,  hooked up the water regulator (left by the previous owner) at the other end of the hose, hooked up that end of the hose to the attachment on Lucy.  Turned on the water low, checked the water tank level, it read empty.  Let it run for a while, I could tell it was getting water because there was some dripping going on at the attachment.  Went back in Lucy, checked the water tank level, still empty.  Turned on the water pump, could hear it working, turned on faucets, and they worked just fine.....but water tank level still reading empty.  Let me tell you, it took me all morning trying to figure out what I was doing wrong, until I went in and read the rv forums on the internet.


I felt SO STUPID on that one!  So, from the internet I now know:


Lucy has 2 fresh water inlets.  One inlet is a pressure inlet and it is the one I hooked up the hose to that day.  The water is from a pressurized water source like a city water faucet.  So damage isn't done to rv pipes if the water pressure is really high a water regulator is used when hooking up the hose to the rv.  With this source the water pump is not needed obviously because the incoming water is under pressure.  The water comes in, bypassing the water tank (therefore it's level doesn't change) and going directly to the water heater and faucets.

 The water inlet for "city water".

The 2nd water inlet is behind a little door.  This is where the water tank is filled.  Lucy's water tank is under the front bench seat of the dinette.  Water is added by inserting the hose (with a filter attached) in the inlet opening, it is not screwed on to the inlet.  If the tank gets full it just starts flowing back outside Lucy at the inlet.


The water system supplies water to the kitchen sink, shower, bathroom sink and toilet.


This fresh water tank uses the water pump to create pressure to the faucets.  This tank is monitored on the centralized monitoring station above the stove.  This is where it kept saying the tank was empty...which it was since I had to hose attached to the inlet bypassing the fresh water tank!











Because the tank was winterized I will be sanitizing it, draining it out again and then adding several gallons to it.  Then I will be draining the gray water tanks where this water will go as I empty the water tank through the faucets.  Since water weighs approx. 8 lbs per gallon we do not want to start with much water in the waste tanks or the fresh water tank because of gas mileage issues.


It really made a difference once I figured out what I was doing wrong!!  Those RV forums were a lot of help.

Water Drainage system - 

The sinks and shower drain into a tank under Lucy called the GREY WATER TANK.  The central monitor system monitors the level of the Grey Water Tank.  There are enzymes to keep the tank nice and sweet.


The water from flushing and the waste from the toilet go into a tank under Lucy called the BLACK WATER TANK.  Special toilet paper that dissolves quickly are recommended in an rv toilet.  There should always be some water in this tank to keep everything dissolved and moving (so to speak!).  There are special chemicals to add to this tank through the toilet.


Both the Grey Water and Black Water are drained through pipes leading to the underside of Lucy.  A corrigated pipe is attached to the main drainage pipe, then draining out to a sewage tank in the ground.  The Black Water is released by a lever on the black water pipe and is released first.  The Grey Water is released by a lever on the grey water pipe second, that way the grey water washes any waste left the pipe.

And that is the whole path of water through Lucy!