Boondocking question

[Roadtoaster]

I've found that owning this piece of aluminum is causing me to think outside the box; change this/improve that (at least improved in my mind). I need someone to shoot some holes in this idea. Can I install a second pump, draw from the gray tank and feed the toilet flush valve? Maybe install a tee with a valve and check valve so I can use the gray pump or switch and use fresh water when I'm not boondocking? I know the gray water isn't crystal clean but should I really care?

Thanks

Greg

[InsideOut]

We actually kinda do this when boondocking by saving the dish and splash-bath water in a plastic sink-liner-tub and use it to "flush" the toilet. Works really well...

Besides being simpler than plumbing it in...if there are small food particles from the dishes, they may get "stuck" in a pump and stop it up or start to smell.

Shari

[Zeppelinium]

I agree with Insideout. Plus, in the winter, when you drain everything and still want to camp, you'll find yourself flushing using her system anyway (a partially full black tank takes some time to freeze and being partially full provides some protection from freeze damage, so pouring water into the toilet isn't a bad idea on those really cold nights).

If you add the pump, you've got another plumbing system to drain/blow out or anti-freeze.

One thing you should consider is putting a valve in the line to the toilet. It's very difficult to drain the water that's above the toilet valve and the durn thing generally gets busted by freeze damage if you're not very very very careful. This way you can dry out the toilet and use water in the sinks (I also put a valve in to stop water from filling the water heater) and then just open the drain valves--if you've placed your pipes nicely, they'll empty without any help and you haven't wasted the 6 gallons in the heater. I go on entirel too long about this here:

http://www.airforums.com/forum...ign-23313.html

Zep

[dmaiden]

What a good idea that I hadn't thought about though. Using the grey water to flush would save a few gallons over a weekend.

Now I'll think about this all day and create some rube goldberg series of screens and pumps and pipes in my head that will be impossible to recreate for real.

[davidz71]

Originally Posted by ptrvr

I've found that owning this piece of aluminum is causing me to think outside the box; change this/improve that (at least improved in my mind). I need someone to shoot some holes in this idea. Can I install a second pump, draw from the gray tank and feed the toilet flush valve? Maybe install a tee with a valve and check valve so I can use the gray pump or switch and use fresh water when I'm not boondocking? I know the gray water isn't crystal clean but should I really care?

Thanks

Greg

If you are looking for more water than you are carrying in your freshwater tank, why not buy one of those rubber bladders that you place in the bed of your truck and then fill it up. You can hook up a pump and pump water from the bladder to the fill area of your freshwater tank.

[Fyrzowt]

Originally Posted by davidz71

If you are looking for more water than you are carrying in your freshwater tank, why not buy one of those rubber bladders that you place in the bed of your truck and then fill it up. You can hook up a pump and pump water from the bladder to the fill area of your freshwater tank.

Been doing that for a while with a 30 gallon plastic tank. Stores well in the back of my truck, I use a 12 volt transfer pump with 3/4" PVC on the suction side pulling from the barrel, and my fresh water hose on the pressure side to the trailer tank.

[Zeppelinium]

I got my pump at Harbor Freight, seemed like a good deal but I don't remember the price. There's nothing more terrifying than the thought of running out of water with your hair full of shampoo and knowing there is still 6 gallons of hot water in the water heater. That's the real reason I carry 4-5 gallons of fresh water in jugs, in addition to the pumped tank for the longer remote trips.

We could start a discussion here, but IMHO a guy can take a shower using just shy of 1 gallon, a gal about 1.5 gallons, which means two jugs of water can be a life saver.

Zep

[Fyrzowt]

I got my pump at Harbor Freight, seemed like a good deal but I don't remember the price.

I paid $50 at H.F.
It came with hose connections on each end, battery connections (I lengthened them to about 15' ) and does not have to be primed. This allows me to draft the water up out of my barrel using the PVC pipe on the suction side.
My dad opted for the cheaper way - he has a wood frame that he built for the barrel to raise it a little higher, then uses gravity to fill his tank. There are many options.

[Roadtoaster]

Appreciate the repsonses. Didn't think about the winterizing and obviously, overlooked the simple cure, carry a little extra water. I'm a gadget guy and look for gadgets to make my life easier, even when they are difficult to create, manage, etc.

Greg

[clancy_boy]

Originally Posted by davidz71

If you are looking for more water than you are carrying in your freshwater tank, why not buy one of those rubber bladders that you place in the bed of your truck and then fill it up. You can hook up a pump and pump water from the bladder to the fill area of your freshwater tank.

Funny, they make the military bladders you see on TV out in the field for fuel/oil/water/anything else liquid across the street from my building on the NASA test site. 10 guys and a bunch of synthetic sheets and a glue gun (special glue gun of course) working 24/7 to supply our troops in the field. They have what I can only imagine is a long term environmental test going on with some of the materials out on a concrete apron next to the building. I see them out there running over partially filled bladders with fork lifts and trucks from time-to-time. One of the little test models would fit nicely in the back of my F250. Can't get near them - people are watching and they won't come to the door to talk.