Another Answer to Fresh Water

[Bob Miller]

As I have mentioned in the past, I don't care for using water from the main holding tank for cooking and drinking. Up to now that meant hauling several 5 gallon containers I could fill and then decant to smaller containers to use inside the Hunter.

The upshot of that was that, invariably, on cold mornings the inside water supply was empty about the same time I wanted to make more Mocha. Sooo, I came up with this solution and, at the same time, increased my water capacity on an-as needed basis.

This is the new inside faucet, it's the kind of faucet usually used with instant hot water systems. This one has been unused in my project box for years, so I don't have a price.





Then I added a small pressure pump from Ebay that I have also used on Tent Trailers, ($26)



And on the outside I have a removable hose that connects between a 5 gallon water container and a standard hose connection fitting(Wal-Mart $7)





And I also have an alternative connection to pick up fresh water or other beverages from open containers.



I just tried it out on a 5 day trip and everything works as advertised. I press down or lift up on the faucet lever and have fresh water (or whatever)
There is a master switch and a fused line for the pump.

[papa-t]

Great. Id say after finishing off the Jim Bean bottle hook it up to a Keg. Sweet!

[dleverton]

Nice Bob, I like it. Not gonna get any mold in those lines.


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV
Doug L

[Bob Miller]

I was asked in a PM as to the source of the pump I used and my experience with it.
I have bought two of these for tent trailer water systems and this one for my fresh water system. All have worked well and have a very sensitive pressure shut off sensor, just as fast as the water stops the pump stops.
Only weakness is that they use barbed fittings rather than threaded, but so far no problems with that either. Not fancy, but it does the small jobs for less $$$ than the others.
Here's an link to the eBay seller.
RV Marine Boat 12V 1 2GPM 35PSI Water Pressure Diaphragm Self Priming Pump | eBay

[Ian G.]

Looks good Bob. boler-external-water-reservoir
I initially used a similar pump but that one didn't have a pressure cut-off switch so it ran constantly and was very noisy. Upgraded to a higher end ShurFlo pump and it is much nicer to use

[Tote-n-Tarry No.2]

Nice workmanship too. :-)

[Jack L]

The Jim Beam bottle is empty !!

[Bob Miller]

Of course it's empty, that proved that it worked the night before....LOLOLOL
I am going to put a "Y" fitting at the trailer's input connection so I can connect both the water reservoir and the probe pick-up at the same time.
Bourbon and Branch Water anyone?

[Evergreengirl]

Clever set-up. We don't like drinking water from the fresh water tank because of the off-tastes although we do use it for dish washing, hand washing & showers. I totally empathized with your "there's no water in the jug when I want it" situation. This is a neat solution to the problem!

[randgcampen]

I like your ideal. My wife uses a lot of water when we don't have a water hook up. I had a bear take a bite from my water tank like yours while in Colorado one year. I had it on a small table at rear of camper. Dog never barked as she was only inches from the tank. (inside of camper). Waiting for the snow to melt now............

[Roger C H]

It is empty until a dog comes along, lifts his leg and refills it.

We carry drinking water in two one gallon juice containers. They are of a sturdier plastic than milk jugs. When we need more water like for washing dishes, I take my big pot to the shore spigot, obtain needed water,* heat the water on the stove, pour part into the sink, wash the dishes in the sink, and rinse in the remaining water in the pot.

We purchase our drinking water from vending machines, "Glacier".

We only carry two gallons of water max, although we have a 12 gallon fresh water tank, why pay to lug 80 pounds of water around?

We would hook up to shore water for a short time, until, luckily we were sitting outside Homelet, and heard water running! The pressure caused a water connection to separate and if we hadn't been there, Homelet would have emulated a bathtub!

Hint: If you are going to leave your rig for any length of time, turn off the water!

*Always run the water and rinse the spigot. Many spigots drip and small animals like their own drinking fountain. (Bubbler, for you Wisconsinites.) I notice that spigots are often at the correct height for dogs to lift their legs against. Just saying.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Roger C H

It is empty until a dog comes along, lifts his leg and refills it.

We carry drinking water in two one gallon juice containers. They are of a sturdier plastic than milk jugs. When we need more water like for washing dishes, I take my big pot to the shore spigot, obtain needed water,* heat the water on the stove, pour part into the sink, wash the dishes in the sink, and rinse in the remaining water in the pot.

Attachment 82318We purchase our drinking water from vending machines, "Glacier".

We only carry two gallons of water max, although we have a 12 gallon fresh water tank, why pay to lug 80 pounds of water around?

We would hook up to shore water for a short time, until, luckily we were sitting outside Homelet, and heard water running! The pressure caused a water connection to separate and if we hadn't been there, Homelet would have emulated a bathtub!

Hint: If you are going to leave your rig for any length of time, turn off the water!

*Always run the water and rinse the spigot. Many spigots drip and small animals like their own drinking fountain. (Bubbler, for you Wisconsinites.) I notice that spigots are often at the correct height for dogs to lift their legs against. Just saying.

While I would agree totally with shutting off the shore water if leaving the trailer (I generally keep it turned off after I pressurize the system; once pressurized the water will run enough to flush the toilet once or twice), and I always run the water before connecting to clear stale water out of the lines and to rinse sand/dirt from the spigot, I rarely see dogs running free in a campground (most have leash laws) and when I have, 50% are females which do not lift their legs, and on the very rare occasion I have seen one of the second 50% free roaming in a campground, I have never observed one lifting his leg near a water spigot. Not that it couldn't happen, but I would be more concerned about bird droppings on the spigot than dog urine.

[Ian G.]

Originally Posted by Roger C H

Hint: If you are going to leave your rig for any length of time, turn off the water!

I agree. On our external water tank set-up I use the same connection for both the resevour and the street water, I have a shut-off on the inlet line so it is very convenient to turn the street water on and off.


External Water Reservoir - Boler Camping

[Bob Miller]

"I notice that spigots are often at the correct height for dogs to lift their legs against. Just saying."


Thanks for the great tip Roger...
Now I can move "Being hit by a meteorite" from the things I worry least about to 2nd place as I now have something to worry even less about....


But Wait.... If they were higher they might be more attractive to those horses running loose in the campground and if they were lower, hard telling how many Raccoons would find them attractive.... LOL

[gipsonbc]

Hi Ian - I love your setup (and yours too Bob). I was curious, how are you able to use the same inlet for city water or the 5 gal reservoir? Do you just not use the pump in that case when attached to city water, with the pump still connected in line between the inlet and the sink? Also, do you have a pressure tank for the shurflo or does the pump suffice alone? I have been looking at the 4028 shurflo. Trying to convert my 1977 boler to 12 volt with pump and you guys on this forum rock. Keep up the work on your website too ... it is awesome so far!

[Bob Miller]

Actually having the same input for both water circuits may not be a good idea.
If you hook up and the valve is set to the tank you could wind up with water where you don't want it. But one could use a 3 way valve and direct the input to where it is wanted.


City water inlets usually have a check valve in them to allow water pressure from that source to enter the same lines as the pump serves and a valve in the pump head prevents water from backflowing into the tank.


But filling the water tank is often a task of pouring water from a bucket into the filler port with or without a funnel. I use a funnel with a 12" length of clear plastic hose on it for filling the water tank. I removed the city water connection all together when redoing my Hunter.

[stevebaz]

Leaving your JB bottle on the back stoop will pretty much garontee' visitors and a constant empty bottle. Best to keep a nipple on it and store it inside.