Water filter when using foot (versus electric) pump

6667 Views 41 Replies 22 Participants Last post by njvagabond, Jun 15, 2021

Shanti

Discussion Starter · Dec 23, 2020

If you have a foot pump to your sink, share with me about your water filter system.

I'm pretty clear about the water I drink and have been hauling the drinking and cooking water that I use in my house from a fresh spring for over a decade. I don't drink tap, city, or plastic bottled water. Obviously this makes things not so easy when I need to refill my van water tank. I'll have to deal.

Nothing is set in stone but, as of right now, my plan is to have 18+/-gallon water tank with foot pump. I don't want any more electrical and I also think I'll save more water this way (plus more exercise is good).

How have you set this up? I know there's a filter I can get for at the hose before I fill the tank but what do you do indoors? Does it work well enough with a foot pump? Is there enough pressure built?

TIA for your wisdom and experience. And pics of your set-up would be great, including the ends of the water tank... your set-up for filling the thing.

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rockDAWG

· #2 · Dec 23, 2020

It really depends on what filter(s) that you are going to use - carbon filter, sediment filter (10, 5, 1 or 0.25 micron) This will affect your foot pump effort. I am not sure why you don't filter the water before entering your water tank. If you think that city water or even bottled water is not good enough for you to drink, why bother to introduce it into your tank.

Without knowing what is your concerns are regarding tap, city, or bottled water, it is hard to offer a viable solution to your need.

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rockDAWG

· #5 · Dec 23, 2020

koggedb said:
Bit of a tangent but I never understood the craze around filtered water. However, I did recently try water from one of those home and I gotta admit it tasted noticeably better

You should do a double-blind study. Take a glass of city water and let it seats in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the chlorine out and compared it to the Brita filtered water. Let see if you can tell the difference between the two.

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rockDAWG

· #18 · Dec 24, 2020

Shanti said:
The reason I don't drink city water is because of the chemicals - known and unknown - plus the taste. . After drinking water from a fresh spring (crystal clear, no odor, no taste, no fuzz that needs to be off-loaded), it's hard to be with anything else. I'll be able to do this for some of the time but it won't be for those longer trips.

If the chemicals are your concern, it is easy to remove with the current technology. Just use the activated charcoal filter. This setup is cheap, simple, and sustainable. As an off-shore sailor, we always fill our tanks with charcoal and particulate filters where ever in the world. When in doubt, we boil our water for drinking. Sometimes we add Clorox to our drinking water, chlorine will evaporate in a few days.

Be aware, the ultrapure water (Type I water, >18 MΩ-cm) does not taste good. We need the dissolved minerals. The in-home RO system produces Type IV water (200KΩ).

Van life is not home life, there are compromises. Keep it simple and don't go into a rabbit hole and forget the very first objective that brings you here. I trust that you will make the right choice for your need.

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rockDAWG

· #30 · Dec 29, 2020

987R said:
Anytime someone asks about adding a water filter, the first and foremost question is "what do you want to remove with this filter?"

All too often, people think they are getting "safe" water running it through a home depot sediment filter. Those people are misguided and wrong.

Zero water filters take out minerals, by the way. Minerals that are good for you. The commercial where they show a "0" reading on the TDS meter? What a crock. I can make up a solution of pure water, benzene, pesticides, etc. and it will read zero.

These people often demand gluten-free water in the restaurant. They feel so special and educated. 😁😁😁

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