Carrying extra water

[Supercharged111]

What are some of your solutions here? I spent a weekend at the track and after 3 showers and whatever else the tank was dry. Certainly I could have showered more efficiently, but add more people to the mix and it's just not enough water. I'd love to keep it above the cab if such an apparatus would package and secure there. I could simply gravity fill the main tank that way, just a matter of deciding how to get the water up there.

[JimK-NY]

Maybe a little more practice with the Navy shower. Wet down with a trickle of water while soaping up. Rinse with a low flow. I also time the water heater. It varies a bit with temperature, but generally I need to heat water for 20 minutes and then it will be at the correct temperature so I do not need to waste more water adjusting the temperature. It should not take a third of a tank for two showers. One gallon per shower! You can also learn to economize with dishwashing. I use a dishpan with some warm soapy water and then a quick rinse. Dishwashing takes less than a gallon a day. I have a cassette toilet so it does not use water from the main tank.

[Supercharged111]

Man I forgot I even made this thread. In fact, I came here again to research it and consider making a post. I'm screwed when I get legitimately old. Anyway I went out again this past weekend and did the Navy shower method and it worked well. 2 showers and I was still showing 2/3 of a tank, so I think if I'm judicious about that there's a 90% solution. Those Front Runner tanks are pretty slick, too bad they're so small though. I like the idea of the bladder, but have no idea where I'd put it. I don't think the gap on the roof of the truck is wide enough for it. I was kicking around the idea of a tank of water on a front hitch, seems a guy could get 30+ gallons up there without really hurting airflow to the radiator. Would improve the balance of the truck a little too. Use a pump to transfer it. I think someone may have mentioned it in this thread too.

[jaycocreek]

brholt wrote:
Front runner has some options for extra water tanks you might like:

Footwell Water tank

Back of seat water tank

Bigger back of seat water tank

Those are just cool..Thanks for the heads up!

[brholt]

Front runner has some options for extra water tanks you might like:

Footwell Water tank

Back of seat water tank

Bigger back of seat water tank

[jimh406]

ppine wrote:
The solar shower means you can use water where ever you find it. YOu do not have to haul it, put it in your tank or heat it. The solar showers teach people to conserve water to save water as an added benefit.

My point is that any container can refill the holding tank, too.

[JimK-NY]

I understand. I have never tried to blow out in order to winterize. Even then I would be cautious about drinking from the tank. Some water remains at the bottom of my tank. I would be concerned about what grew in that water and over the months of storage.

[Hemi_Joel]

Jim, I had everything blown out with compressed air, no antifreeze except in the traps. I was due for a shower, so I had to make sure I got enuff water to fill the water heater. (and some beer) At the time, i had no idea if I'd be there for 2 days or a week. Might as well be comfortable!

[JimK-NY]

Hemi Joel wrote:
......The camper had been winterized for the journey, so there was no water in it, and the shop was closed for the weekend. So I walked to a grocery store nearby and bought 20 jugs of water and poured them into the tank. It worked.

I guess you winterize differently than I do. If my camper was winterized, I first need to add a substantial amount of water to flush out the antifreeze. Then I need to put the plug back in the water heater. Then I add a quarter cup of bleach for 15 gallons of water. After a soak I again need to flush out all the lines, drain the tank, add more water and flush again.

If I had a winterized camper I would be drinking the jugs of water instead of dumping them into the tank.

[Hemi_Joel]

JimK-NY wrote:

Hemi Joel wrote:
YOu can buy 1 gallon jugs of spring water with sturdy screw on lids at walmart for about a dollar each. $20-$30 gets you a lot of water storage. And you can stash them wherever you want, and they don't all have to be in the same place. Just dump them in the campers water fill hole as needed. Save the jugs, they can be reused.

If you are around Walmarts and populated areas I don't see why you would need to buy gallon jugs of water. My water concerns arise only when I am in the middle of nowhere.

Think of it kind of like your food. You stock up when in town, use it when you are out in the sticks. You can refill the jugs at lots of places.
This trick came to me when my truck broke down in the winter and I was stranded in a repair shop parking lot for 3 Days. My transmission failed on the way from Minnesota to Florida, and I had it towed to a garage. The camper had been winterized for the journey, so there was no water in it, and the shop was closed for the weekend. So I walked to a grocery store nearby and bought 20 jugs of water and poured them into the tank. It worked.

[Kayteg1]

We all have different habits when camping.
But being at the lakes in CA, we spend whole days swimming/jet-skiing/water-skiing and other water plays.
Still at night we sit in dust around the campfire. Meaning we had to wash before going to bed (at least hands and feet) and that is where solar showers were very handy.
Nights in California at above 4000' elevations can be very cold, so diving in the lake at 10 PM is out of question.
Sponge bath? HATE IT.

[JimK-NY]

Kayteg1 wrote:
Lot of campgrounds with no hook ups do have water faucets placed in several spots.
When I camped with sons, I had them filling up solar heaters and then they could use "all the water they want".
Also solar heater hanging on the tree next to campfire is much more convenient than going inside RV to wash your hands.
Occasionally we filled up solar heater with lake water. You need some kind of bottle for that.

This past Summer and Fall, I traveled for 3 1/2 months and only used the hose a couple of times. Once was in Mesa Verde the last week the park was opened. The dump and fill hoses had been shut down but the bathrooms were still in operation. I could not fill a jug but I could use my hose and water thief to will the camper. The rest of the trip, I used a 5 gallon jug to keep the camper water topped off.

Also if there is lake water clean enough for a shower and no other source of water, I would jump in or heat a bit of water for a sponge bath.

[JimK-NY]

Hemi Joel wrote:
YOu can buy 1 gallon jugs of spring water with sturdy screw on lids at walmart for about a dollar each. $20-$30 gets you a lot of water storage. And you can stash them wherever you want, and they don't all have to be in the same place. Just dump them in the campers water fill hole as needed. Save the jugs, they can be reused.

If you are around Walmarts and populated areas I don't see why you would need to buy gallon jugs of water. My water concerns arise only when I am in the middle of nowhere.

[Kayteg1]

Lot of campgrounds with no hook ups do have water faucets placed in several spots.
When I camped with sons, I had them filling up solar heaters and then they could use "all the water they want".
Also solar heater hanging on the tree next to campfire is much more convenient than going inside RV to wash your hands.
Occasionally we filled up solar heater with lake water. You need some kind of bottle for that.

[ppine]

jimh425 wrote:

ppine wrote:
The best solution for showers is to use a solar shower. You can easily fill it from a spigot, a lake or a creek. Put in the sun and take outdoor showers in the afternoon without impacting your water tank at all.

Hauling water on the roof is a terrible idea.

What's the difference in hauling water to your holding tank other than heating the water?

The solar shower means you can use water where ever you find it. YOu do not have to haul it, put it in your tank or heat it. The solar showers teach people to conserve water to save water as an added benefit.

[Hemi_Joel]

YOu can buy 1 gallon jugs of spring water with sturdy screw on lids at walmart for about a dollar each. $20-$30 gets you a lot of water storage. And you can stash them wherever you want, and they don't all have to be in the same place. Just dump them in the campers water fill hole as needed. Save the jugs, they can be reused.