[njvagabond]

The Cuckoo's Egg

Never heard of it, checked out the wiki, amazing fact is > fiction story!
Just found the Nova show about it with Cliff playing himself.
The KGB, the Computer and Me : WGBH : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

 

[Farley]

That's exactly what I was talking about. Here's a pump I've seen people use:

http://[URL]https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Submersible-Campervan-Travelling-Gardening/dp/B01M3XOXQ0

/[/URL]

And a faucet:

http://[URL]https://www.amazon.com/Electric-connection-Campervan-Rotatable-cleanable/dp/B07T755QKF

/[/URL]

Just submerge the pump in a jerrycan and you have a water system.

That is the system I’ve used. Simple, easy to maintain, fill and simple to replace/repair. After a couple boats, decided that I did not want a permanent tank worrying about “funky water”, just replace the jerry can if necessary.

 

[Yellowstone2Yukon]

That is the system I’ve used. Simple, easy to maintain, fill and simple to replace/repair. After a couple boats, decided that I did not want a permanent tank worrying about “funky water”, just replace the jerry can if necessary. View attachment 181479

Simplicity is a selling point for sure. I'm pretty well decided on a jerry can system, just not sure if the tradeoffs of not having a pressurized system are right for me.

I was thinking about using a Klein bottle for water storage.

I'm looking for a set of Möbius tires, twice the surface area for twice the life.

 

[orton]

That's exactly what I was talking about. Here's a pump I've seen people use:

Amazon.com: 12V Portable Submersible Water Pump | Top Quality Small Elegant Pump Made in Germany by Comet |For Campervan, RV, Boat, Outdoor, Travelling, Well, Aquarium, Gardening Use : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com: 12V Portable Submersible Water Pump | Top Quality Small Elegant Pump Made in Germany by Comet |For Campervan, RV, Boat, Outdoor, Travelling, Well, Aquarium, Gardening Use : Patio, Lawn & Garden

www.amazon.com

Just submerge the pump in a jerrycan and you have a water system.

I use a similar submersible pump in an Igloo cooler for warm shower water that is heated by a Sous Vide kitchen water heater also in the cooler. No issues with the pump for that use. I also made a 12-volt portable power supply to run the pump. After water is heated, I can carry the Igloo with warm water and the power supply to shower anywhere I want. Have used the system in our house when there was a power outage.

The pump would work in a fresh water tank and be turned on/off with a switch. No need for a bypass that I have in my system.

 

[njvagabond]

I'm looking for a set of Möbius tires, twice the surface area for twice the life.

Or you could cut it along the centerline if you need more ground clearance and if you cut it 1/3 the way across the width ...
If you cut a Klein bottle in half you get 2 Möbius strips (Möbii?) . Cliff has a video where he does that to his hat.
Also check out Tadashi Tokieda if you have never seen his stuff.

Who needs water anyway?

 

[Yellowstone2Yukon]

I use a similar submersible pump in an Igloo cooler for warm shower water that is heated by a Sous Vide kitchen water heater also in the cooler. No issues with the pump for that use. I also made a 12-volt portable power supply to run the pump. After water is heated, I can carry the Igloo with warm water and the power supply to shower anywhere I want. Have used the system in our house when there was a power outage.

The pump would work in a fresh water tank and be turned on/off with a switch. No need for a bypass that I have in my system.

I have seen your system, and it's got its selling points, but I think having a long (as long as the jerry can holds out) shower that's hot and high pressure is one of those luxuries that might be worth having, particularly if I'm coming off a week or two in the backcountry.

 

[orton]

I have seen your system, and it's got its selling points, but I think having a long (as long as the jerry can holds out) shower that's hot and high pressure is one of those luxuries that might be worth having, particularly if I'm coming off a week or two in the backcountry.

You are correct. Shower is not pleasant like a shower at home. Great for getting clean with minimum electrical and water usage. 2 1/2 gallons of water and less than 15 amp-hrs of battery capacity. System does not provide high pressure or long showers. Do not even have continuous water flow. Use a full flow radiator fill valve on end of a hose instead of a spray to minimize overspray. My shower does not have a door or a shower curtain.

 

[gregoryx]

I have seen your system, and it's got its selling points, but I think having a long (as long as the jerry can holds out) shower that's hot and high pressure is one of those luxuries that might be worth having, particularly if I'm coming off a week or two in the backcountry.

No opinion on pressure / non-pressure. Whatever serves you best, I'd say.

But on the jerry cans versus a "tank"... last van (Sprinter), we started with jerry cans: two fresh, one gray. Basically found that a square water tank provided quite a bit more water without wasting as much space - just how things fit in the square space under / inside the galley. They stacked on top of each other and fit front-to-back in the galley we'd built - effectively losing 8" of width front to back. We still had about the same quantity of fresh water; but the shape opened up more space for other usage.

We followed the same premise / model on the Transit galley; but moved both tanks to the bottom - losing the whole end of the galley, but only 15" tall or something like that. I don't seem to have a photo of that side of the galley (and I'm not at home where the van is); but you can see the fresh tank under the oven in this photo.

Gray tank is right behind it with the drain facing out the door.

Down-side to this model, of course, is not carrying a jerry can to a water source and carrying it back full. Up-side is we never had a problem finding somewhere we could get water into the tank.

FWIW, our motivation on keeping fresh and gray inside the rig is freezing temps: we spend time in winter in the snow. So we have 16 gallons inside, 13 gallon gray, plus another 20 gallons /under/ the van - but can't count on that in freezing temps.

 

[Yellowstone2Yukon]

No opinion on pressure / non-pressure. Whatever serves you best, I'd say.

But on the jerry cans versus a "tank"... last van (Sprinter), we started with jerry cans: two fresh, one gray. Basically found that a square water tank provided quite a bit more water without wasting as much space - just how things fit in the square space under / inside the galley. They stacked on top of each other and fit front-to-back in the galley we'd built - effectively losing 8" of width front to back. We still had about the same quantity of fresh water; but the shape opened up more space for other usage.

View attachment 181517


We followed the same premise / model on the Transit galley; but moved both tanks to the bottom - losing the whole end of the galley, but only 15" tall or something like that. I don't seem to have a photo of that side of the galley (and I'm not at home where the van is); but you can see the fresh tank under the oven in this photo.
View attachment 181518

Gray tank is right behind it with the drain facing out the door.
View attachment 181519

Down-side to this model, of course, is not carrying a jerry can to a water source and carrying it back full. Up-side is we never had a problem finding somewhere we could get water into the tank.

FWIW, our motivation on keeping fresh and gray inside the rig is freezing temps: we spend time in winter in the snow. So we have 16 gallons inside, 13 gallon gray, plus another 20 gallons /under/ the van - but can't count on that in freezing temps.

I considered something like that as well. As you say, you give up some flexibility, but nothing is stopping you from having a collapsible water can you can fill the tank from if nothing else.

The ultimate solution will be built around what kind of space is available in the galley, not having the galley built around jerrycans.

 

[Farley]

Simplicity is a selling point for sure. I'm pretty well decided on a jerry can system, just not sure if the tradeoffs of not having a pressurized system are right for me.




I'm looking for a set of Möbius tires, twice the surface area for twice the life.

The jerry can idea is simple. Hardest part was finding the right style container with an opening that the pump easily fit through, which also accommodates easier refilling.

The plastic lid is easily drilled and using synthetic cork to create gaskets for the water line and pump wiring. This can also has a breather hole to allow venting. Available on Amazon

 

[Yellowstone2Yukon]

I've also seen anecdotes that it's common to use less water with higher-pressure systems.