Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire RV boondocking water supply

The threads on water filters got me thinking (dangerous). Here's a suggestion if you like to boondock with an RV but tend to run out of water. I keep an extra water pump in my TT, just in case. I figured out a way to refill the RV tank from a creek using the spare pump. I got a household filter similar to this photo, then got a 1 micron cartridge for it that's rated to clean out the gut bugs. Then I got a bunch of plastic tubing and 16ga. automotive wire. I drive to a creek with this setup and some 5 gal jugs (the collapsible kind don't take up any storage space). The pump runs from my truck battery. It pulls the water out of the creek, through the filter, then into the jugs. Then I just pour the water into the TT tank. If I feel lazy, I can also use the pump a 2d time to pump from the jugs into the tank.

I made a mistake the 1st time I tried it. I put the filter ahead of the pump. The pump won't pull water through filter. It has to push it through so the filter has to be after the pump. The end of the tubing in the creek will float so it won't get any water. At the same time, it needs to be kept out of the muck on the bottom. I taped a nut around it to keep it from floating, then make sure it's sitting on a clean rock or gravel under the surface. A screen on the end will clean out a lot of floaters but it has to be kept clean. Even clean flowing water has a lot of gunk floating in it.

I watched a YouTube video where a guy made up a pump filter system for doing exactly that. He used a plastic tool box so it was self contained. Pretty slick idea.

That looks good. A few chlorine tablets and your good to go!

I won't put creek water or even some well water in my rv tank..Doesn't take much to stink them up..I got a jug of spring water right out of the mountain side that was tested and taste great,went to open it a week later and it smelled like rotten eggs..


Jayco👍

My TT has a fresh water capacity of 160 gallons so I have not had an issue of running out of water. Our travel partner on their TT had a capacity of 50 gallons fresh plus he had a 55 drum in the back of his pickup and a pump system to fill his fresh water if he ran out.

I have four of these 50 gallon water barrels and two 25 gallon ones so I don't run out of water plus two 25 gallon propane tanks.



Jayco

We've used a similar setup when floating on the Grand Canyon. Partner Water Filter.

https://cascaderivergear.com/shop/aqua-partner-solar-filter-in-rocket-box/

It has two stages. One a course filter and the second for bacteria.

Been thinking of building my own as the Partner is expensive. Would like to add in a UV light for or finer filter for virus. But adding a cap full of bleach to every 5-6 gallons works. Carbon would also be nice.

Deer camp was on a private lease. Trailer stayed during hunting season. Clean fresh water was always a problem. Two 55 gallon plastic drums was the answer. They just made my Duramax ride smoother. Used small pump with pvc suction to transfer water from drums to trailer tank.
Hasbeen

What brand/model TT has a fresh water capacity of 160 gallons?
Thats over 1,300 pounds

We did exactly that many times in the ‘90’s. Now, we drag a trailer behind our 5th wheel with the Polaris Ranger, a 50 gallon propane tank, and. 55 gallon drum of water! memtb

Lots of ways to produce additional clean fresh water when boondocking but what do you do when you exceed your waste water holding capacity? Specifically your black water tanks?

That doesn't work for me. I have a bumper pull TT because the pickup is carrying our Polaris RZR. There's no room for a drum.

Cassette toilet, you can dump it in any outhouse

Some of those bigger fifth wheel RVs hold 150 to 200 gallons of fresh water.

https://www.fbtrailers.com/2020-atc-36ft-all-aluminum-fifth-wheel-toy-hauler-rv-3AWh%7CfOd.html

Homer that mudder fugger

Good option

I don’t carry around my dogs schit and I ain’t gonna carry around my own!

Seen that done plenty.

Nearest FS pit toilet works for me, as long as I can get within 100 ft of it with the motorhome.




Flojet RV Macerator Pump

There is a tank caddy you can get at most rv supply shops, just be careful when you filler up!

We boondock in the desert every spring and fall, always hit the camp limit before filling the 40gal black tank.

What is wrong with some you folks, going all soft in your thinking.

SSS