Water Transfer - New "Toy"

DutchmenSport wrote:
Decided to go ahead and fight the crowds over Memorial Day Week-end and was able to get a campsite reserved yesterday. But the campsite is not conveniently located near a water spigot. We always attempt to get a spot within 200 feet of a spigot so hoses will reach and won't have move the camper for a fresh water refill, and the largest jugs I have are a plastic forgery of the military style 6 gallon gas cans. They are heavy and awkward for filling the fresh water tank (although I have done it this way before.)

So, this time, I decided it was time to transport water a "little" bit easier and came up with this idea. I know there are all kinds of water containers, but this one seemed to make the most sense for us.

It's 35 gallon, got it at TSC ... (click here) ... after searching their inventory, decided the 35 gallon was priced right and still big enough to hold a decent amount of water and still small enough to fit in the bed of my pick-up without crowding too much space.

So went over to the local TSC and compared the 50 gallon, 65 gallon, and the prices and decided the 35 gallon was the best: $99.

So then, I checked the height of the bed and the truck vs the fill port on the camper, and ... yup ... water does not run "up hill", so decided to get an electric transfer pump. I considered battery operated pumps, but since I have 400 watt inverter I carry in the truck all the time, decided to go with a normal AC electric one, and can always plug it in the inverter in the truck if need be.

So, off to Lowe's and there it was ($88.00).

I put the whole thing together last night and actually decided to kill 2 birds with one stone. I sanatized the new tank and then ran the water into the camper fresh tank and filled completely.

The tank on my trailer took 45 gallons. It lists as a 47 gallon tank, so, evidently when draining from the drain plug, 2 gallons must remain in the bottom that can't be drained.

The entire process was a 100% success! I did fill the 35 gallon tank twice, I was also very curious exactly how much my fresh tank on the trailer actually holds, and finally could do it with some amount of reliability.

Now, this week-end, I can fill the trailer at the spigot when first arriving at the camp ground and can go fetch additional water as needed without having to drag 200 feet of hose through 4 different campsites and across a road to reach the spigot!

And, it now gives us the ability to camp in some spots that don't have water near by at all, which might be really nice too.

Anyway, here's the photos. (everyone loves photos).

Great minds think alike, I did the same thing with a 55 gallon plastic drum formally used for Mountain Dew syrup in a convenience store. Cleaned it and sanitized it. Made a suction tube out of 3/4 PVC pipe and bought a cheap 12 volt pump from harbor freight. Added and adapter for my white fresh water hose and made extensions for the 12 volt leads on the pump to reach the truck battery from the bed. Works like a charm and beats the **** out 6 gallons at a time like you and I both used to do. I paid $20 for the drum and about $29 for the pump.