Water system for boondocking

[agesilaus]

Tito DIY blog just posted a blog on this very subject: Tito DIY Blog

He has a system that look pretty good to me, I was skeptical about using a drill pump but the one he shows emptied a 5 gal container in 2 minutes. The ones I've used in the past would not move that much as rapidly. Those 5 gal containers he shows are a very good deal right now, $5 each. I just ordered 4 with $8 shipping. The cubitainers on Amazon are more in the $10 each range so even with the shipping that is a good deal. I don't know if they are running a special, knowing about his blog, because their other smaller containers cost more than $5. So if you are interested I'd go and grab them right away.

That tube he stuck into the water tank at the end of the hose is from Camco $4, called a water tank filler.

That blog is pretty good in general and worth subscribing to, he seems to do an entry a week.

[campigloo]

I have a rv on demand pump mounted in an outdoor storage bin near the fill tube. I wired it direct to a battery through a little turn switch. The hose to the rv is about three feet and the one to the container is about 12’. I back the truck up, put the jug on the tailgate and pump away. Works great!

[pnichols]

You can use the RV's built-in water pump to fill the FW tank if:

1. your RV came with a winterizing system that includes an intake hose on the tank side of the water pump with a tee valve that turns off the FW tank outlet and that opens up the feed to this hose and,

2. this winterizing hose can reach the container with your spare fresh water in it and,

3. you have an outside shower hose close enough to the FW fill opening such that the shower head flow can feed water into the FW opening as this water is pumped out of your spare water container by the RV's water pump.

Then - just turn on the RV's built-in water pump and let the outside shower add your spare fresh water into the fresh tank. This should work well, but I haven't tried it yet myself even though our RV is setup this way.

[JRscooby]

If I see I will need more water than the tank holds, before the tank is MT I fill the folding jug, and use water out of the jug for most things, don't put it in the tank. Example, pour into coffee pot, instead of filling it from the sink. Finished with dishes? Leave the dirty water in dishpan, until need to flush toilet.

[2oldman]

agesilaus wrote:
I have no desire to be lifting 4 or more 45# containers up and holding them at the fill port while they empty.

x2. And for what, 20 gallons? No thank you.

[ppine]

Use a hand truck.
Use solar.
USe smaller water containers or don't fill them up.
Run your generator in the back of the truck with a long cord to the TT.
Learn to conserve water.
Then your back will be fine.

[agesilaus]

I just ordered a Flowjet 50 psi 3 gpm pump Amazon which will work just dandy as a transfer pump and also can serve as a replacement for the RV water pump. It has sterling reviews too.

I have no desire to be lifting 4 or more 45# containers up and holding them at the fill port while they empty. My nexperience is that at least a gallon ends up on the ground. I do like the adding a port to the unit RV pump but decided to avoid any more leak points since this unit has already suffered from multiple leaks.

[Yosemite_Sam1]

2oldman wrote:

profdant139 wrote:
2oldman, great idea! Now if they would just invent a small portable crane to hoist the water jug up a few feet so I could pour it right into the fill port . .

That would be good. Water is heavy. All mine is pumped.

The older I get the harder it is to lug around 3 generators and propane tanks. Hence the hand truck.

My own rule, if I can't lift it without breaking my back, it's not going with us camping.

However, if the wife can do it without my help, it's negotiable.

[2oldman]

profdant139 wrote:
2oldman, great idea! Now if they would just invent a small portable crane to hoist the water jug up a few feet so I could pour it right into the fill port . .

That would be good. Water is heavy. All mine is pumped.

The older I get the harder it is to lug around 3 generators and propane tanks. Hence the hand truck.

[profdant139]

2oldman, great idea! Now if they would just invent a small portable crane to hoist the water jug up a few feet so I could pour it right into the fill port . . . .

Oh, well. No sense in complaining. This is one reason why I work out (very carefully) in the gym, lifting my senior citizen weights. There was a time when lifting a sixty pound weight up to my chin would have been an insignificant task. Those days are long gone.

The passage of time is very strange.

[2oldman]

Although most men are allergic to anything that keeps them from injuring themselves, I use a handtruck for carrying heavy things. Handiest, most often used tool I have.

[profdant139]

Steve, that's brilliant -- three gallon jugs weigh a lot less than the big ones!

Or I could just fill my cans half-way . . . .

My back thanks you!! 😉

[Lynnmor]

I connected the winterizing hose to the fresh water inlet hose with a tee. Removed the check valve from the inlet and added a check valve after the tee. No cordless drill, battery charging, handheld pump, switches, batteries, or wiring to handle. All I do is connect a short hose between the water inlet and the container, open a valve and let it happen. Quick, sanitary and cheap. Materials needed were a check valve, tee and clamps. I think that this method is just too simple.

[SteveAE]

profdant139 wrote:
Or there is always the caveman way -- fill your five gallon jug at a faucet, lug it back to your campsite, and dump it into the fill spout using a funnel. Lots of great exercise, no need for electricity or equipment. Fast, too!

X2 with the exception that I use two 3 gallon containers.

[ppine]

It is a good idea to have a transfer pump for the backcountry. Most of the water you can find will not be potable.

The simple answer is to teach your crew to conserve water. Swim and clean up on shore of lakes and streams. I like a solar shower.

I just came back from camping for 5 days in Death Valley and used about 1 gallon per day for everything. 5 days and 5 gallons.