Whale water filling system

[Melvin]

Has anyone modified this in anyway to improve the speed of filling,like removing the whale connectors and having just an opening for a normal hose . People with other vans think you are being awkward by staying at the tap so loooooooong .

 

[DigglyDog]

I have the Whale system on my Approach 620, but have never found it to be a slow filler. Have you checked the pipes internally for kinks ?
Also try removing the tank cap to see if this makes a difference - may be a blocked (or missing, it's been known...) overflow/pressure release.
Good luck

 

[SomeoneElse]

It depends on the installation, we had it on our 2010 Elldis that had a control electric valve so that the flow was cut off when the tank was full.
The valve reduced the flow to a trickle. The Bailey system does not have a valve the tank just overflows, but the fill is much quicker. With the valve you can keep the hose connected to the tap and the tank is always full.

 

[celticmini]

We were advised on another forum to remove the non return valve in the "plug" part of the hose, to speed up flow. It does nothing, we are stuck with a slow fill as designed. There are no links. If you fill from a container using the whale pump, it does cut out when 100%, but that is not full!! I plan to recalibrate guage and this should help. I do not think there is anything you can do, Bailey, as caravan builders, just use caravan fittings. They do NOT suit motorhomes in my view.

Emptying waste is another issue, the Germans queueing behind us, simply love waiting 20 mins while we fill and empty!!!!!

 

[Solwaybuggier]

Yes, it's a pain. Some like it - we hate it. If your Bailey came with the pump to fill from a container, we reckon that fills at nearly twice the speed. So in theory you could use the tap, set at the right flow rate, to fill a bucket and use the pump in the bucket to fill the tank. (Provided you didn't mind providing entertainment for everyone in the queue, that is.)

If the fresh water fill is very busy or even worse is on a time limit, we often just open the top cap of the tank, take a hose in through the window or door, and fill that way.

Emptying waste is another issue, the Germans queueing behind us, simply love waiting 20 mins while we fill and empty!!!!!

I don't know if it works on all Baileys, but on ours (2013 Approach) if you get the waste tap lined up right, it will just pull out of the pipe. Inside the tap is an insert, which appears to serve no function other than slowing emptying, and just pulls out. It does speed up the emptying dramatically. (I think if you google it, you'll find detailed instructions with pictures.)

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[Vic]

Fitted a normal water filler to mine and a 2 inch gate valve to the bottom of the waste tank. Whale ok on a campsite only, useless if using aires.

 

[Spanner]

Fitted a normal water filler to mine and a 2 inch gate valve to the bottom of the waste tank. Whale ok on a campsite only, useless if using aires.

Same here with our Autosleeper, I added a standard filler for the fresh water and altered the grey water drain to a slide valve, both now have 40mm pipework, much easier and faster, I don't understand why manufacturers can't keep it simple.

 

[celticmini]

Vic

Can you tell me how you fitted the gate valve? I can't get inside my tank to fit the threaded adapter so can only use the 25mm fittings already there on the two corners of the tank. Advice in water filler would also be appreciated, how do you connect to the tank etc?

Hope you don't mind me asking but i am fed up with mine, van great water fill and empty, crap!

 

[Spanner]

Has anyone modified this in anyway to improve the speed of filling,like removing the whale connectors and having just an opening for a normal hose . People with other vans think you are being awkward by staying at the tap so loooooooong .

If your tank inspection cover is on the bottom you can probably fit a new 40mm inlet with the tank in place, if the cover is positioned on the top you'll have to drop the tank, easy enough to remove if you're able to slide underneath with the wheels raised by driving onto levelling ramps or similar ( I used a length of wooden roof joist with a chamfer on the end to gain enough room)
A circular hole saw is required to make the filler position, measure twice cut once !
Leave the existing Whale filler untouched.