West Boondocking: Water while Off the Grid

[gypsydad]

We have lived here in summer since 2002 and never tested our well. We had the well installed after purchase back then, and water tasted pretty good, ran clean, and drill went down 150 feet to second aquifer. We have been drinking for years, as have most everyone who visits...they love the clean cool water from the well. With all the warnings recently, I just got a test kit and sent in samples today to Helena. Should know results in a week...$75 to check most items, but they do not check for pesticides or carcinogens except for radiation levels. That is another more expensive test, and I was told typically done on streams or rivers. Should have results in couple weeks. I can tell you we always fill our tanks here if we can, and I filter going in and also coming out under the sink also. Why have a trailer with the comforts of home (water tank) if your not taking advantage of them?

[Sarah198]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

We carry a small jug of unscented bleach for sanitizing tanks and hoses. Dogs and humans drink and cook with fresh bottled water to avoid digestive upsets on the road. Dogs, especially can be real sensitive to water quality. They let you know by throwing up seemingly gallons more than they drank.

We carry a high quality backpacking/survival filter system and dedicated blue cube jugs for the output just in case. AS tank water may smell a bit of chlorine, but it's fine for flushing, washing and showering.

Nothing quite so much fun as 'beaver fever', giuardia invasions (protozoan infections) or other water-born nasties like e. Coli. Too many years of being a Boy Scout leader taught me that proper camp sanitation and safe water makes for a much better experience in the outdoors.

Thanks for including the pups.
I have a golden and he can only drink distilled water. Anything else upsets his stomach. So I have to carry that.

[rmkrum]

We also bring their usual food and treats from home. A steady diet prevents most dog tummy upsets. Also try diligently to feed them at their normal intervals while on the road, even if that means stopping somewhere just to walk and feed them.

[SuperTrouper]

Originally Posted by Claudiaj

I use a 25 gallon bladder that I lay in the back of my TV and fill when needed. I gravity feed the water into my fresh water tank. I found the 5 gallon containers a little hard to lift to fill the fresh water tank. Previously I used the bladder with my SOB but used a old water pump hooked to my coach battery to pump the water into the fresh water tank. Works great.

To that point I use a 12V motor from Harbor Freight mounted in the refer
bay with a local switch and a loop of hose connected. The hose stays connected to itself during travel and the dip tube for the jerry can is in the coach. when in use, the long part of the pump hose feeds the water inlet and the short connects to the jerry siphon OR my regular hose attached to a 60GAL bladder in the truck. When I sanitize each year i use bleach on all systems and pump bleached water through all hoses and jerry can. I ensure all water into any part of the system passes through the culligan inline filter. Pictures coming when I renew my AIR membership

[gypsydad]

Speaking of water, have any of you replaced your "noisy" water pump's with a quieter model that is efficient and won't break the bank? If so, please share...my new 28' is very noisy.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

We also bring their usual food and treats from home. A steady diet prevents most dog tummy upsets. Also try diligently to feed them at their normal intervals while on the road, even if that means stopping somewhere just to walk and feed them.

Hi

We go as far as having a specific "eating place" in the trailer for each dog. Anything that reduces the "food stress" seems to keep things going on a more level keel. They get fed before our breakfast and at our normal dinner time. That makes doing the feeding all in the trailer fairly easy. Water when we are on the road is a little less organized. We keep pretty good track of their normal drinking schedule at home and stick to it as best we can on the road. As mentioned by others, they drink the water we drink. They eat the same food on the road as at home. We toss a bit of water out when refreshing their bowls, that's just the way it works. It's a "dog tax" on the water supply

Bob

[SuperTrouper]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Speaking of water, have any of you replaced your "noisy" water pump's with a quieter model that is efficient and won't break the bank? If so, please share...my new 28' is very noisy.

Yep, shurflow revolution and accumulator tank kit. A lot quieter.
https://www.amazon.com/SHURflo-4008-...expansion+tank
https://www.amazon.com/SHURflo-182-2...expansion+tank

[Ray Eklund]

Our 2006 23 foot Safari had a noisy water pump.

Our 2014 25 foot International has a noisy water pump. Our friends 25 foot Arctic Fox has a noisy water pump, buried somewhere to mute it some.

The only time the noise will bother you is if you did not force the air out of your water lines. It will 'burp' when you least expect. Usually in them middle of the night. Almost compares to a small chainsaw being primed, just outside of your trailer window.

A noisy water pump is not much different in comparison to what many call a Honda Generator... noisy. But the water pump is only noisy when you are awake and using it.

I am more aware of how much battery the water pump uses when Off the Grid. The noise I have accepted as a part of the Airstream... glamor. If people in the area can hear it, they know you are inside your trailer. Most likely taking another unnecessary shower or sitting on the... toilet.

When YOU are using the toilet in the middle of the night, you still have a noisy water pump. But... you can flip a switch and turn the water pump off, as you should, when towing and when NOT using the water inside your trailer.

I am well aware that Airstream found a noisy water pump to install in an area of the trailer that amplifies the sound. You may want to rip it out and throw it into the recycle bin... but don't. It works. It is only noisy when you use it. Turn the pump switch to OFF at night. Pump ON when you need temporary water pressure. This is not your home on City Water... your water is limited. I would rather have LED lights operating longer than a 'burping' water pump... now using up the Interstate Batteries ready to drop below... Dead.

If you need to use the 'potty' in the middle of the night. Fine. The pressure in the system will give you ONE Quiet flush with the water pump OFF.

Problem Solved. Now... Get up before Sunrise and catch some trout that are hitting the water... in the River, that is. Remember... the smaller the fly, the bigger the trout in Colorado you can catch.

[Ray Eklund]

I did a Thread somewhere on the Forum about HOW I 'Prime' the water system... before we leave the comforts of our... driveway. This is an absolute must do, when Off the Grid as soon as you arrive at your destination.

Use this knowledge to flush out any stale water out of the system at home, using the fresh water connection just below your Sewer Flush connection. Go to all of your faucets and bleed the air until fresh water flows. Do not forget the 'toilet' also needs to be flushed. Do not forget that the outside shower... needs to be flushed. Once the air is out of the interior plumbing, you will not get the 'BURP' of the water pump at night, if you like leaving the water pump on.

Then run the Water Pump to push the air out of it. Leave some of the water in your Grey Tank to slosh around. Add some water in your Black Tank to slosh around. Maybe a few gallons in each. Drain the Grey Water if you are not sure how much water you ran to flush out the air. We put a pan under each faucet and toss it outside the trailer. We know exactly how much water we put into our Grey and Black Water tanks.

If you expected a short post... this cannot be done in two sentences, unless you can read minds... which is also not something you will NOT find helpful.

Leaving your water pump on all of the time, I compare to leaving your flashlight on all of the time in a drawer. Why?

Off the Grid Boondocking is not just four words... but a life style. Conserve your battery power. First. Conserve your Fresh Water, next. The rest... is easy. If you have Solar... that eliminates the first, but this is a luxury to most who do not have Solar.

We are more likely to jump into a lake or river to wash up, than use our shower.

We can become tolerably clean, just using a pan of water, soap and face towel out in the wilderness.

We are more likely to leave with excess water... and then can splurge and use the battery operated water pump and fresh water for a shower. If you prefer to use yours every day... I do not care, but do not knock on my door and want MY five gallon water container.

Tent campers are already wise... to all of this. Long distance hikers into the Wilderness are wise to this. Trailer owners... well, some haven't a clue. I do not want to offend everyone, so avoid using 'most' when Off the Grid water conservation.

This is not meant to be too critical, but one can read many Threads with questions that have been solved on this Forum... over the years. When one has to make Black Water dumps every two days... something is not right. This is not Off the Grid mentality. This is Trailer Mentality. "You got it, so use it, and frequently."

Many claiming to be Off the Grid campers are boasting. I saw them on several Adventures. Some lasted ONE DAY. A group had NO issues at all. Some just went off the deep end as they were unprepared and confused. We are not hard wired to depend on our wits and experience, if any.

There is danger in being in remote locations. You can be seriously injured, lost or just plain panic... l have seen it. Water is important. Your using fresh water is a luxury, not to be wasted.

Those who did survive the 2016 Wyoming Adventure and you know who you are... you did it on your own. Anyone can camp at a RV Park. Not many can really go beyond where most dare not.

The Scout motto... "Be Prepared". Ignorant is not part of the motto.

[JamuJoe]

Originally Posted by snow

A few comments from a blue water sailor.

Water for RV's and sailboats is little bit apples and oranges. There is always salt water to be had via a seawater pump. Useful for clean up. Fresh water, especially on longer voyages is highly prized commodity and must be used sparingly. There is no chance to refill until landfall and next marina. We usually store many gallon jugs of water for drinking, tea, etc. Can boil rice or pasta with tank water. So to me the common denominator for extended boon docking is lots of jugs of water and use the tank water sparingly.

-Dave

Another sailor here. Marinas in Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and Mexico were scarce and their water as questionable as their diesel.
My first and best upgrade to our Leopard 42 (200 gal of built-in water tankage) was a Katadyn water maker. Very compact, desalinates 7 gph. 8 seasons of use on the original membrane. I even use it in rivers in The Everglades, with a good silt pre-filter. Ample water made for a happy First Mate who still loves cruising.

[JamuJoe]

Boondocking with our Airstream, which we do quite a bit, I always depart with a full tank and carry two full 7 gal poly containers in the truck. Top off the trailer tank as needed, refill the poly tanks wherever I find an available tap. Filter water going into the tank, as well as into the containers. Drink from the tap in the trailer (I don't use antifreeze in my fresh water tank).

Safe Travels,
Joe