Whale water filling system Nuevo ES 2012

Hi. New to the whale water system having had a previous good old Talisman with a normal can/pipe filler. I have read numerous threads on here about the whale system and I can only foresee problems! Someone mentioned filling through the drain pipe but I may have got the wrong end of the stick! Is there any easy way to get water into your tank if either the pump itself fails or the filling system? I have a feeling it's no...p.s. I have little understanding of how these electrical systems work.....where is the little filter and solenoid that people keep mentioning and what do they look like? Thanks.

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Not a Whale/Truma system owner but had it on numerous caravans and when it works its fine. Simplest thing to do is to get a hole in wall system installed,  either at AS factory or any decent caravan/motorhome workshop. Having the Whale as the only means of filling didn't last long and AS fitted both systems later.

Many love the Whale system but If I bought a van without a good old fashioned “hole in the wall” filler, I would definitely get one fitted.
A/S obviously realised their mistake and started fitting both after around 2016.

Edit… Paul beat me to it 

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I think this will replace the existing wall fitting and allow connection with a standard Hozelock connector. You would need to remove the existing solenoid valve inside the van and connect the input and output hoses together.

Or it may be possible to simply use the existing Whale Watermaster fitting as a simple hose having removed the solenoid valve.

Our Whale filler has never been a problem, though it does take longer than a hole in the wall. To answer your immediate question the solenoid is fitted behind a black cover that is screwed to wall and floor inside the offside bed locker. Remove the two wires and you can unclip the unit from the feed pipes. The filter which can block with silt or chalk is located in one of the ends of the solenoid. O.n mine it seems to be non removable. Removing the filter would speed filling but expose the pump to potential silt damage.

Swooze80 wrote:....where is the little filter and solenoid that people keep mentioning and what do they look like?

On the inside of the van just beneath the whale inlet socket.  It has a gauze filter to stop grit causing the valve to stick which needs cleaning from time to time.  The solenoid valve can be removed altogether and replaced with a short section of pipe.  All this will mean is that if the inlet socket is connected to a hose there will be no valve to stop the flow when the tank is full so the tank will overflow through its breather as it would do if a hole in the wall inlet is used.

I regularly fill mine through drain tap very easy and quick. Just make a hose fit the drain tap ,and fill .

Molly3 wrote:I regularly  fill mine through drain tap  very easy and quick. Just make a  hose  fit the drain tap ,and fill .

Ah I read correctly....It's that easy? With enough water pressure I guess. So there is no gadget in the way to stop it from flowing into the tank then? Connect a suitable pipe amd open the tap?? Interesting. Why do not more people do it this way then? Seems cheaper than having another filler hole installed. 

Thanks to everyone for the replies too.

Molly3 wrote:I regularly  fill mine through drain tap  very easy and quick. Just make a  hose  fit the drain tap ,and fill .

Do you have anything over the drain tap spout to blank it off, I have had spiders and earwigs drop out of the spout when I have gone to open it to drain the tank

I like the fact that the filler hole is at a nice convenient height. Also, and correct me if I’m wrong but wouldn’t it be a bit tricky filling from a water container through the drain tap? Fine with a pressurised hose and suitable connection I guess.

Dont fancy using drain pipe myself, exposed to road muck in transit, awkward to get to and need sufficient water pressure to overcome downward force from water already in tank, which will increase as tank fills.

Feels like rather than drinking a glass of water you would rehydrate with a colonic tube, just doesn't seem right

The only thing the filler cap on the side of the van can do that other filling methods can't do is filling from a container by gravity i.e. not using the external pump that goes with the Whale inlet socket.  If the solenoid valve is removed, the external pump continues to work and turn off when the tank is full but no electricity or technology is involved when filling with a hose.

[quote="Bilbobaggins"]Dont fancy using drain pipe myself, exposed to road muck in transit, awkward to get to and need sufficient water pressure to overcome downward force from water already in tank, which will increase as tank fills.

Feels like rather than drinking a glass of water you would rehydrate with a colonic tube, just doesn't seem right [/quote    ,

fine don't do  it

[quote="Bilbobaggins"]Dont fancy using drain pipe myself, exposed to road muck in transit, awkward to get to and need sufficient water pressure to overcome downward force from water already in tank, which will increase as tank fills.

Feels like rather than drinking a glass of water you would rehydrate with a colonic tube, just doesn't seem right [/quote


Fine don’t do it ]