Sink with running water, need suggestions

[freejetz]

Hi, i've seen a couple other threads about this but there seem to be old links in them. &nbsp;<br /><br />I'm going to be cutting a whole in the top of this chest of drawers to drop a sink in. &nbsp;My question what else do I need to get it flowing? &nbsp;I'm trying to do it as simple and cheap as possible and I'm currently looking at a ~$50 sink, a ~$30 hand pump and a couple of 5 gal reliance(bpa free) water jugs. &nbsp;What do yall think and what other connections would I need?<br /><br />These are the items:<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-RP80...198779&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hand+pump+sink">http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-RP80...198779&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hand+pump+sink</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002IW6JS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?ie=UTF8&amp;smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002IW6JS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?ie=UTF8&amp;smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER<br /><br /></a><a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-13-x-15...cessories&amp;vxp=mtr&amp;hash=item2c684f588b">http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-13-x-15...cessories&amp;vxp=mtr&amp;hash=item2c684f588b<br /></a><br /><br /><img src="http://oi50.tinypic.com/5oysfl.jpg" alt="" />

 

[wrcsixeight]

I used to have that exact hand pump. &nbsp;It's lifespan was under a year, and it's performance was dismal. &nbsp;It leaked from the handle from day 3, and rarely could self prime. &nbsp;It took 30 pumps to fill a quart water bottle. &nbsp;I despised it, and cursed it each and every time.<br /><br /> &nbsp;Better hand pumps exist, they pump twice as much water per stroke or more and cost more than twice as much. &nbsp;But I got 6 years out of the one I had previous before it too wore out.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Wha...hrome,mod=17&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">https://www.google.com/search?q=Wha...hrome,mod=17&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8</a><a href="http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|51|26723|316451&amp;id=157993"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|51|26723|316451&amp;id=157993"><br /><br />I</a>&nbsp;had this one:<br /><a href="http://www.downwindmarine.com/Hand-Pump-Fynspray-Rocker-Handle-p-90890742.html">http://www.downwindmarine.com/Hand-Pump-Fynspray-Rocker-Handle-p-90890742.html<br /><br /><br /><br /></a>Since both the Valterra and Fynspray failed me, and I got tired of the manual pump factor, and a new electric pump at the time was actually cheaper than ' The whale' or 'Fynspray' hand pumps, I went electric.<br /><br />Most electric pumps have an accumulator tank. &nbsp;The following one is a direct drive. Push button on, push button off, and will not be damaged by running dry as most electric pumps will.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.iboats.com/Jabsco-Electric-Galley-Pump/dm/view_id.38917">http://www.iboats.com/Jabsco-Electric-Galley-Pump/dm/view_id.38917<br /><br />I</a>t only draws 1.6 amps so it's effect on the batteries is pretty much not even a factor. &nbsp;It is pretty quiet, just buzzes. &nbsp;It is small, It measures about 2.5 inches across the round part and is about 4 inches long. &nbsp;It's been going strong for 2+ years pumping 7 gallons every 2 weeks or so with zero problems.<br /><br />I kept my reliance 7 gallon water tank to which I had earlier added a stem with a check valve on the &nbsp;bottom &nbsp;It is kept upright and I fill it at the filter machines. &nbsp;This electric pump cannot pull water up through the &nbsp;check valve and stem to prime itself, but I can help it by sucking on the faucet, or using my compressor to put some air pressure in my water tank to prime the pump, usually the latter <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /><br /><br />The directions says the pump must be below the level of the water tank or attached to the bottom. &nbsp;Mine rests on the floor next to the tank. &nbsp;It will pump out all but a quart or 2 at most. &nbsp;Which is nice, I consider that a reserve. &nbsp;I could lower the stem slightly to get out more, but I like knowing I have enough for morning coffee and then some once i the pump stops pumping. &nbsp;I just have to remove the tank and tilt it.<br /><br />Those stainless &nbsp;steel sinks have really gone up in price, mine was a fraction of that in '01.<br /><br />My Sink pretty much is just used as storage. &nbsp;Never wash dishes in there &nbsp;No grey water collection tank, it just drains under the Van, so I pretty much never put any liquids in the sink to drain. &nbsp;My water tank is filled with filtered drinking water anyway. &nbsp;I usually just use my sunshower and tap water for dishes, and a separate tray/ oil pan that I dump elsewhere.<br /><br />Make sure the tubing you buy is for potable water. &nbsp;It is not really cheap, but tasting plastic is no good.<br /><br /><br />

 

[freejetz]

Thanks, that is great advice. &nbsp;I will definitely look into getting an electric pump once I upgrade to solar and I'm checking out those whale flipper hand pumps. &nbsp;They look good but for 100 bucks I will have to figure out my priorities. &nbsp;Just starting out right now and I will be roughing it for a few months, at least, with no power.

 

[SoulRaven]

I too had a sink and ripped it out because it is a waste of energy, time and money... To wash dishes I just boil water in them and clean them out, for silver ware I boil water in my tin coffee pot and clean them that way... To wash up/bathe i have a 5 gal. bucket with about four gal. of water in it and about 1/4 cup of bleach... Leave it in the sun and you have warm water to wash with, plus it is handy, cheap and works every time...

 

[wrcsixeight]

The Pump I linked to draws very little amperage. &nbsp;Just 1.6 amps, and you only use it briefly. &nbsp;So no solar is really required to keep the batteries topped off, just for the pump.<br /><br />That Valterra pump is truly a piece of junk.<br /><br />The Whale and Fynspray are a series of magnitudes greater, but the electric pump I linked to beats them all, IMO. I could not imaging going back to a hand pump, especially that valterra POS.<br /><br />&nbsp;Buy it right, or buy it twice.

 

[gp]

I have the rocket pump in my van but never use it. I&nbsp;found that I prefer using a yard chemical sprayer instead. It is much easier to wash dishes with, and&nbsp;I can use it on jet spray&nbsp;to&nbsp;clean my porta potty when needed. Also, I have two 6 gallon water containers, one&nbsp;which I previously used for fresh water and one for gray water,&nbsp;but I found that by not using the rocket pump and one container for fresh water, it frees up both tanks for gray water, which works much better for me. I fill my spayer with water from a faucet, but buy drinking water in gallon jugs. Having been there, done that, I wouldn't waste my money on a pump for the sink. The yard sprayer is much more versatile. I did cut down the long wand on it to make it more user friendly.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I like the garden sprayer idea. &nbsp;Paint it black and put it in the sun for a warm shower.<br /><br />My electric pump is pretty much just for filtered drinking water or cooking water. &nbsp;I spend 25 cents a gallon and get 10 to 16 days on 7 gallons.<br />&nbsp;<br />My &nbsp;functional sink is just storage, 99.5% of the &nbsp;time. &nbsp;I wouldn't use filtered drinking water for washing dishes and will not get another pump and tank just for that purpose.<br /><br />I never have understood the need for washing dishes with hot water. &nbsp;I know it works better, but it is not as if cold water does not work.<br /><br />I traveled with some Australians who would expend considerable energy and time heating water to wash dishes, but then not bother to rinse them, just wipe them off with a towel. &nbsp;I never understood that, and they could not understand my method of cold water washing &nbsp;and rinsing using minimal water &nbsp;then dripping dry.<br /><br /><br />

 

[freejetz]

Hmm, I think I may just forego the pump/faucet for now until i have the money to do it right and go with one of these battery powered sprayers for a bit.<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00176PKUQ/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_8">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00176PKUQ/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_8<br /><br /></a>and just mount something like this over the sink<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-2-...amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=cooler+with+spout+bpa">http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-2-...amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=cooler+with+spout+bpa<br /><br /></a><br /><br />Does anyone have ideas for the sink drain and grey water tank? &nbsp;Or how you could hook one of these up to the sink drain?<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Prod...11056&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=water+container">http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Prod...11056&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=water+container</a>

 

[Les H]

the hand pump in my 40 yo travel trailer still works- barely. When i was redoing the electric in it, i inckuded 2 electric water pumps, one for the faucet, and one for the potty, as the recirc pump was bad on it . i went with Tsnami pumps, available at walmart in the boating supplies for around $25 each. They are sold as bilge pumps, and are designed to rest on the bottom , so they will pick up to about 1/4 inch from the bittom of the boat or tank. mine are wired to momentary on switches. You want water, you push the button. Dont want water, let it go. nothing to leave on to wear out the batteries or burn the pump out. they are about 4" round, by 4-5 inches tall, and come with a fitting to push the clear tubing on to.
I just put a sink in my bus, a bar sized ss one that i saved when i stripped a wrecked tt. My plan is to moubt an on demand rv pump and 12 gal ffresh tank under my futon. I also plan to use a tall laundry style faucet so i can get bigger pots under it, and it will have a threaded end on it to attach a hand shower. ( killing two birds with one stone)
In both the bus and trailer, i used pex tubing. Flexable, freeze proof and guarenteed for 25 years at 180* @100 psi.The tubing is relativly cheap, but fittings and connecters van add up quick. Mine were mostly leftovers from remodel jobs i have done, and im certified in pex installation, among other things. Both tbe bus and Tt have a grey tank with a bypass valve that allows me to fill the tank, or dump on the ground if able to. There are several pics in my conversion thread, " finally, pics of my bus, Buford"

 

[VanFan]

My grey water tank is an empty cat litter jug with a canning funnel stuck in the mouth when in use.&nbsp; It is cheap, light and infinitely replaceable.<br /><br />I usually wash dishes in a plastic tupperware-type bowl with a&nbsp; dip in the lip on one side.&nbsp; Pour off into the jug is easy.&nbsp; The funnel is then rinsed in place with a spray bottle, the jug capped and ready to be easily carried for emptying.<br /><br />Hope this isn't TMI, but I find this works well for toothbrushing, too.&nbsp; The spray bottle is great for rinsing, and the jug just the right height for spitting into when sitting on a picnic table bench. <br /><br />Vickie<br /><br /><br />

<br id="tinymce" class="mceContentBody " />Does anyone have ideas for the sink drain and grey water tank? &nbsp;Or how you could hook one of these up to the sink drain?<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Prod...11056&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=water+container">http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Prod...11056&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=water+container</a>

 

[freejetz]

I like the garden sprayer idea. &nbsp;Paint it black and put it in the sun for a warm shower.<br /><br />My electric pump is pretty much just for filtered drinking water or cooking water. &nbsp;I spend 25 cents a gallon and get 10 to 16 days on 7 gallons.<br />&nbsp;<br /><br />

<br /><br />Just to get a future question out of the way, where is the best place to find cheap water?

 

[wrcsixeight]

In my Area, outside supermarkets and some gas stations there are the filter machines. &nbsp;Glacier water in my Local. &nbsp;These vary from 25 to 35 cents a gallon.<br /><br />Luckily the most convenient one for me is just 25 cents.<br /><br />It is just filtered tap water, but it tastes good, whereas regular tap water in these parts is foul

 

[karl]

I played around with sink, hand and 12v faucets, and have gone back to plastic dishpan, 2 gal refrigerator dispenser water jug which I refill from a 5 gal. I prefer to be outside for cooking and clean up if location and weather permit, so I keep a pot,pan, detergent, sponge, spatula, spoon in two nested plastic dishpans so it is quick 'n easy to move in or out. Grey water is a 5 gal agricultural detergent container(very similar to WM water jugs, but free) <br />I'm liking the canning funnel idea....<br /><br />Drinking water most often is from WM or someplace I trust to be safe.<br />Cleaning water may come from campground, filling station, even a pond or stream- I keep a separate jug for that and add bleach.

 

[jdtater]

I have always considered using this for running water at a sink having it attached or stuck in a jug under the sink beside one the same size for gray water.<br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Shower-Batteries-Cigarette-Lighter/dp/B000V1UALM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_4" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Shower-Batteries-Cigarette-Lighter/dp/B000V1UALM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_4</a>

 

[rokguy]

<EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">A high tech Aussie method Ive seen on heaps of campervans is the old food grade plastic pipe mount sideways on roof racks with a pipe running down to the faucet in the galley instant running water.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Another van I saw recently had a white pipe mounted under his solar panels and a matt black one mounted out in the open with the piping feed similar. Instant hot and cold water.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Me I like the double action Fynspray as mentioned by wrx&nbsp;(made in NZ) hand pump cause I like to work for every drop of water I use. I don't like electric ONLY simply cause when they don'y work you got no water not good aboard ship knowing your sitting on 400 gals and can't use it.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888"><BR>Sorry, don't know why its posting giant images lately<BR>Geoff</SPAN></STRONG></EM>