The DW and I bought a TT last year and absolutely love it. We used to camp in a Popup with the kids, but this unit is just for us. We would like to do more Boondocking/dry camping this year. I am installing and second battery and switching to LED lights, but my concern is water. We have a 30 gall fresh and know how to conserve water, but it will run out. How do you gather more water before you are ready to leave? I would like to hear about some different ideas aside from the obvious of pulling the TT to a water spout.

You can get some of the 5 gallon food grade jugs (or smaller) and fill them before you leave, or fill them at the campground. Do check that your campground has potable water available. Many people travel with them in the tub/shower. If the water source is a ways from the site, you can use a 2 wheel dolly to transport them.You can also invest in some type of larger food grade container that lives in your truck bed, if you will have a pressurized source to fill from. If there is enough height difference you can fill the tank by gravity, starting a siphon by mouth, or you can get a 12 V pump to use with it.

Really not much you can do other than carry jugs or an auxiliary tank (if you have room). We carry fresh water for drinking and cooking, the tank water is for washing.

We have a 60 gal fresh, 40 gray & 40 black. When we dry camp we can run out of fresh water before the waste tanks fill up or the batteries discharge to 50%.When water needs to be conserved, we will buy a case of 12 oz. water bottles for most of our consumption needs. We also have a 3 gal jug that has a spicket and set it outside. We fill about a dozen 1/2 gal plastic containers that we recycled from store bought juice containers. We use them for percolator coffee. And I have one 6 gal green jug from wal mart that I will add to the tank when the pump starts spittin.And once we are close to running out of fresh water, it's time to dump the waste tanks, recharge the batteries, buy some groceries, and do some laundry.

Your profile is incomplete - it should include what your TT and TV are - make, model, year, etc. This will help people give you more appropriate answers. If you're towing with a pick-up truck vs a small SUV, they would give two different types of answers.I'm guessing you don't have a truck and room might be tight. I'd by a couple of these collapsible water jugs. After you use the water, collapse them and they won't take up so much room. And with the valve, they're easy to get water out of - you don't have to lift them each time.5-gal collapsible water jugBill

Most of our camping is done without any hookups unless we're on a trip to the Oregon coast or something similar, which isn't really camping but more just using the trailer as a hotel. On camping trips we practice conservation and bring along some extra to supplement as needed and haven't ever had trouble making it several nights. I do have a couple of 5 gallon potable water jugs I always pack along - they just look like gas cans only blue. I generally toss them into the tub to keep them contained. A couple of batteries are a must, and LED bulbs are a good investment. I also cheat and generally pack along a generator.Edit - I not a fan of the collapsible jug linked above. Had too many of them spring leaks on me. I prefer something like this.

Boondocking and Water | Good Sam Community

24 Replies

Lynnmor
Explorer II
Feb 15, 2016
I use a Hydroller that I modified with a dip tube. I then added a few fittings and now I can pump out of the Hydroller with the onboard pump. No wiring, no pump to buy, cost little and is sanitary. I never could understand adding a pump when I already have one.
shenandoahvalle
Explorer
Feb 15, 2016
CavemanCharlie wrote:
Bucky Badger wrote:
shenandoahvalley wrote:
I went to the farm store and purchased a 30 gallon sprayer that works off of 12 volts, sanitized it, and put it in the back of the pickup. I take an extra 30 gallons in addition to the trailer tank, I can go to a water source, fill up, then pump it into the TT and don't have to mess with cans, etc.

Smart idea. Already has the pump attached.

That is a good idea. But,,, in my area you had better write FRESH WATER ONLY on the tank in several places or you stand the risk of someone accidentally adding chemicals to it thinking it's your farm or yard sprayer.

Probably a good idea if you leave it laying around...doubt anyone would do that when it's locked in the back of my truck.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Feb 15, 2016
Bucky Badger wrote:
shenandoahvalley wrote:
I went to the farm store and purchased a 30 gallon sprayer that works off of 12 volts, sanitized it, and put it in the back of the pickup. I take an extra 30 gallons in addition to the trailer tank, I can go to a water source, fill up, then pump it into the TT and don't have to mess with cans, etc.

Smart idea. Already has the pump attached.

That is a good idea. But,,, in my area you had better write FRESH WATER ONLY on the tank in several places or you stand the risk of someone accidentally adding chemicals to it thinking it's your farm or yard sprayer.
sincky
Explorer
Feb 15, 2016
Thanks for all the awesome answers, it looks like I will have to invest in a couple of extra jugs and keep them full!
Bucky_Badger
Explorer
Feb 13, 2016
shenandoahvalley wrote:
I went to the farm store and purchased a 30 gallon sprayer that works off of 12 volts, sanitized it, and put it in the back of the pickup. I take an extra 30 gallons in addition to the trailer tank, I can go to a water source, fill up, then pump it into the TT and don't have to mess with cans, etc.

Smart idea. Already has the pump attached.
shenandoahvalle
Explorer
Feb 13, 2016
I went to the farm store and purchased a 30 gallon sprayer that works off of 12 volts, sanitized it, and put it in the back of the pickup. I take an extra 30 gallons in addition to the trailer tank, I can go to a water source, fill up, then pump it into the TT and don't have to mess with cans, etc.
SwanInWA
Explorer
Feb 13, 2016
Dry camping in the middle of nowhere is our favorite way to camp. We alternate our trips between a class B conversion van and a 15' vintage travel trailer (52 years old) so we always have VERY limited resources. We love to challenge ourselves to see how long we can make everything last. For water we bring bottled to drink and cook with -- tank water for washing only. I can take a terrific shower with one gallon of water (1/2 gallon if I don't need to wash my hair). We can easily go a week with 30 gallons.
bobndot
Explorer III
Feb 13, 2016
profdant139 wrote:
(Plus it impresses the heck out of DW, so that is a big bonus.)

:B

then it will be time for the Aqua-tainer
ktmrfs
Explorer III
Feb 12, 2016
I installed a second water pump in the pass through near the fresh water input. output of the pump goes to fresh water inlet, inlet of the pump goes to a "dip tube"
then we bring along the 7.5 gallon blue water jugs. stick the dip tube in the vent hole, turn on the pump.

I have 40 gallons fresh, 64 gallons grey, 32 gallons black.

with the 40 gallons + 4 jugs (30 gallons) DW and I can easily go over 2 weeks at a few of our favorite boondocking sites.

Even with 2 grandkids, SIL, and Daughter we can go a week pretty easy.
avoidcrowds
Explorer
Feb 12, 2016
We normally boondock (not to be confused with dry-camping in a Forest Service campground), so there is no source of water nearby. Fortunately, we have a 40-gal tank, so we have more available to begin with. But,

I also fill the water heater while I am filling my fresh tank, and put some water in the cassette toilet to dissolve the chemical on the way, and have the initial toilet "charge". This way, I am not using some of my limited-supply of fresh water to fill the water heater and charge the toilet when we get to camp.

But, I also carry a full 6-gal jug (get the spout shown, as it goes into the fill neck perfectly). This gives me 52 gallons when we start camping. DW and I can go 8 days and 8 nights with our water, taking a Navy shower each, every-other day. Usually don't need the extra 6 gallon jug. We don't take bottled water for drinking, just use the on-board water.

We also have 200w of solar, so we don't need a genny, or the gas to keep it running. Two 110 Ah batteries (LED lights), and we are good to be remote the entire time.

Have fun, and enjoy the remote wilds! If you are dry camping in or near FS campgrounds, water is not as much of a problem, if the campground has water - many don't.