Topping up water tanks

Tones · Veteran Member

Topping up water tanks

robo24 · Senior Member

A submersible pump together with a filter and obviously a generator.We carry 80lt clean water in 2 jerrycans.If needed we use a jiggler to empty into onboard tanks.A 150mm pvc pipe capped and tapped holds addition clean water.Many ways of carrying,roof rack,rear or front bar or under van .

copper1 · Guru

Hi Tones, we brought a 150ltr bladder off evil bay and fill that if needed and transfer it via a hose from the back of the landcruiser if needed.

Tones · Veteran Member

Thanks guys,

I am already starting to put a few ideas together.

Tones

chris & terry · Senior Member

Like you say water is your only real limiting factor. Thus I can't fathom how you can use-up 180 lts in 4 days. We average 15-20 ltrs a day (two of us) & if remote will stretch it out further. You may have a larger family than us which could explain it.

Ask about filling up with water before filling up with fuel. I have found, no water-no fuel. With fuel bills when traveling it's a large bargaining tool. Problems have only arisen in drought affected areas. Understandably.

We have never used creek or river water. Never needed to & not sure I would be inclined to.

Terry

robo24 · Senior Member

We are a duo and use our 164lt in 4 days.On board washing machine and the fact that we shower may have something to do with it.[Tongue in cheek]

Phil C · Guru

Hi Tone, and welcome to our playground

We are like the others, last about 4 days on our 2 80L tanks, under normal weather, potable water is imported from woolworths.

We roll up the valance on the awning, clip half water pipes with bulldog clips and head the downhill slope into a small bucket with a hose connection on it, if and when it rains the tanks get a top up. At the moment its as dry as heck out here so its been pulled down.

We now shower on alternate days, wash the dishes (with a small amount of water) after a wipe with handi towel. The tanks get a top up every 6 days now, so we have extended our supply.

You are correct in saying its a pain in the backside just for flushing the loo, and washing. I am investing in a reverse osmosis filter to make the bore water a bit more friendly and softer. About $400 on ebay. This will provide a top up during very dry weather as it only produces 30 odd liters a day, I figure its well worth the effort.

Good luck and let us all know how your solution works out.

Safe travels

-- Edited by Phil C on Tuesday 2nd of December 2014 07:58:26 PM

Ozzie_Traveller · Senior Member

G'day mate

we're a bit like Terry ...
We have never used creek or river water. Never needed to & not sure I would be inclined to

We also find that 100Lt does the 2 of us 3-4 days - cooking, hot drinks, showers etc, no washing m/c though

However, we have a 5-star water-saver shower head [most commercial ones are 3-star] ~ so you might need to consider your water usage as well as topping up options

Phil

Cloak · Guru

We'll be carrying around 1000l of water in 4 tanks. One for drinking filled from a town source and the rest pulled from rivers / creeks for washing etc.

I've got a bunch of pumps, petrol and 12VDC.

Previously we found 200l far too small for extended stays after all princess Judie must shower every day and do a load of washing.... Or else we're not going.. If you follow.

www.ebay.com/itm/New-Druable-12V-Submersible-Boat-Marine-Bilge-Water-Pump-500GPH-1900LPH-EHE8-/251577425482

The above little things are awesome they use little power and seem to perform better than specs.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

We have separate tanks for washing and drinking water and we treat both with chlorine everytime we fill the tanks.
Then we put our drinking water through a o.5uM active carbon filter just before the kitchen tap.
We normally use about 30L per day (including a shower each) if we have plenty. Less if needed.

Each of the 2 separate water systems (washing and drinking) have separate pumps too.
We carry a spare pump that is used to fill the tanks from rivers, or where ever.
Caravan style electric pumps will self prime and deliver water quite some distance and head.

05-08-03 040E.jpg

Cheers,

Peter

Tones · Veteran Member

Thanks everyone for your replies to date. Some terrific ideas here.

It is also good to get some feedback from others as to how much water they go through and over what period of time. I know that we are able to be a bit more water conscious if we have to be and I really appreciate this feedback.

Tones

The Phantom · Guru

Hi Tones. Just a question for you.

You're surname isn't Abbott is it?

You're not planning to disappear into the bush and not be found, a bit like Harold Holt, eh?

The Phantom

Tones · Veteran Member

No Phantom but it is a thought!

We are planning an outback trip next year and several shorter ones and I am just planning to make life as easy as possible whilst on the road. We have done a fair bit of vanning over the years but it is always good to be able to learn from others. Some good info here. Very good forum with generous people using it!

Tones

-- Edited by Tones on Tuesday 2nd of December 2014 08:29:18 PM

KFT · Guru

Hi Tones

an age old question you ask.

We have a 100l bladder we got from flexitanks in victoria in addition to our 2 95 l tanks.

The bladder sits on the floor between the front and back seats in our Navara. We use it first and then fill it whenever we get to a source of water. Always filtered and if needing to be pumped from a creek or dam we use a 12v submersible bilge pump we got from BCF.
with some conservation we can both shower in 15 l of water.

We find the bladder very useful as it can be filled when we go to town for supplies and does not add to the weight of the van.

hope that helps

frank

Phil C · Guru

We are looking at the bladder between the front and back seat as well. My fear is it may burst and flood the ute. Then again I guess its made to do that..

Cowboy7307 · Senior Member

When we were on the farm we used to top up tanks from farm dam and it was not that clean ,we filtered it through about 3 house hold filters for your needs over kill, if taking from a river,
But the final filter was a .5micron absolute filter,have used a 1micron absolute filter, thy were more expensive,and not all retail out fits sell them or even want to get them for you , but thy do work and do fit into a standard 9"filter housing

Tones · Veteran Member

G'day all.

Just wanted to say thank you to those people who have shared their strategies on topping up water tanks.

I have decided to use several different ideas including bilge pump, bladder and possibly a water saving shower rose.

Although it will be great having a large bladder behind the front seat, I wish I did not have the same in "front" of the front seat. (&%^$&^%%).

Regards to all for the season and thanks again for the info.

Tones

Bruce and Bev · Guru

lots of great ideas here.

You can buy inexpensive submersible pumps from camping shops, but I had one give up the ghost when I needed it the most, so it went into a roadside bin (with lots of downwards force and choice words).

I then bought a quality pump from an auto sparkie shop (comes with a 2 year warranty) and will pump about 2000lt per hour (never tried to pump that much, but it is almost lazy town supply pressure). Had it for a year now - no probs. Have an inline 5mc filter which is reversible (get your marker pen out and put and arrow on it. when flow slows down, reverse the filter the other way. And no, you don't flush out all the baddies by reversing the flow). Just make sure if you put an in-line filter in, you don't restrict the flow too much that you burn the pump out.

And for any newbies reading this post, you conserve shower water when free camping by wetting yourself down, turning off the water, soaping yourself all over, then washing it off. Save heaps of water. Best to use bar soap as the liquid shower gels/soaps take more time to wash off and use more water in the process

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.