Using water from river or lake for fresh tank?

[kyonu]

Thinking about getting a water purifier that has a pump, and then running one end of the hose to a body of water, and the other into the fresh water tank (where it can then be further purified, if need be).

I was thinking of a low-powered system such as:

http://sh2ok.com/our-products/

It's pretty simple, just need a long hose for it. There's videos of it on Youtube purifying the Mississippi river with pretty good results. It pumps out 3 gallons a minute, and that would be a nice, cheap (in the long run) way to fill up when nowhere near civilization. Ideas?

 

[Drifted_Cowboy]

I'm planning this as well. I'm sure against the RULES of someone's little kingdom. As long as we're not pureeing walleyes and bass I'm cool with it.

 

[kyonu]

I'm planning this as well. I'm sure against the RULES of someone's little kingdom. As long as we're not pureeing walleyes and bass I'm cool with it.

Don't think they'll even fit in the tubes of this thing--it's fairly small as-is (smaller than a typical water hose). I plan on doing this one of two ways: Have the main filtration united fixated to my vehicle, and just carry a long tube to the water (which I can then bury and make it stealthy), or carry the unit to the water and run a tube to the tank. I'm thinking the previous, because it gives me just a bit less questions from people curious.

 

[Reducto]

That looks pretty big and really expensive - how much water do you need? Also, how often are you going to be close enough to the water to run the hose especially in a situation where stealth is desired?

I have a Sawyer gravity filter and am quite happy with it. Just fill up the container and let it drain into my main tank.

 

[akrvbob]

I'm a big fan of the gravity filters for backpackers. The one I have comes with an adaptor for a 5 gallon bucket. You screw a hose into the 5 gallon bucket and the water runs down to the filter where it drips through and is filtered. It would then go through another hose into your tanks. All you would have to do is carry the 5 gallon bucket to the RV and have it above the tanks. It works really fast! Time wouldn't be an issue!

Here is a post I did on it:
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/survivalist-vandweller-find-carry-treat-water/
Bob

 

[Zil]

A small emergency water filter I can agree. But why such a big system? you would need a lot of storage. In our wonderful country it is hard to get that far away from potable water for that long a time. Use less space to store more water cans. Wait for the disagreements from my back-country friends.

 

[Lucky mike]

I never pump water from an unknown source into my holding tanks....that being said I carry 120 Gallons of fresh potable onboard......river lake and stream I do use a pump for washing and other non-potable uses but without a means for proper filtering and testing you stand a good chance of introducing algae and other microscopic organisms into your system that could create severe health & system problems depending on the region of the country your in!

 

[kyonu]

@Reducto and Bob: Well, like Lucky Mike, I'm planning on getting a short RV, a Safari Trek, which comes with fresh tanks larger than 40 gallons, which is quite a bit of change trying to fill this thing up. So I plan on sending that savings to a unit that needs filter replacing only so often, but can purify lots of water for my needs. Gravity filter units will take far too long to fill up the tank, and lots of "going back and forward" to fill it up. This thing I can just sit on it, turn it on when I need water, and turn it off when it's done. I can even have an auto-turn off valve set for 30 minutes or so, so I can set it and forget it.

@Zil: I'm looking at the first unit on that page, which is self contained in a case not larger than a suitcase. Not much space used up there, and it's fairly light for an automatic system.

@Lucky Mike: This thing is noted on Youtube channels and elsewise that it purifies water more cleanly than a water hose from a house. I don't think I would need to worry too much about pollutants if I keep the filters regularly changed. I don't know how long it goes before needing a new filter, but it should last several months at least, and the filters are cheap.

 

[Zil]

No portable water filter makes water as clean as municipal water. If you do this, learn about water chlorination using house-hold bleach, so you don't die.

 

[kyonu]

No portable water filter makes water as clean as municipal water. If you do this, learn about water chlorination using house-hold bleach, so you don't die.

I thought municipal water was treated, but still has a bunch of crap in it? Mostly calcium, etc. What is the filtration numbers on municipal water?

 

[Mac J]

get a couple of these
http://www.campingworld.com/category/water-filtration/138
get a cordless drill that charges off your solar panel and get a
https://www.google.ca/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=GD6SU5f3O6PP8geJg4HwDw&gws_rd=ssl#q=drill+pump
fill a jug with water
http://www.amazon.com/Zephyr-Fluid-Solutions-Storage-Capacity/sim/B005VPTAXC/2
and use your sons skateboard to dolly it to your rig and voila!...water!!

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Couldn't watch the video, because my data rate sucks. But the system looks interesting. A couple of issues you might not have thought of:

Posted by kyonu - Today 11:18 AM
...a Safari Trek, which comes with fresh tanks larger than 40 gallons

What are you going to do with the grey & black water? It is illegal to dump on public (NP, FS, BLM) land. Most RVs have matched clean, grey, black tank capacities. And every dump station I have ever seen has potable water available.

Posted by Zil - Today 02:18 PM
... learn about water chlorination...

A 40 gal tank of untreated water will start growing 'stuff' unless it is treated regularly. Too many variables to determine how quickly, but eventually it becomes unhealthy.

Posted by kyonu - Yesterday 10:57 PM
...(which I can then bury and make it stealthy)...

I know the forest service (and would guess the NPS, BLM and state land management groups) do not want you digging ditches around water sources, so I would advise against it. Also, if there are regulations against pumping water from a lake or stream (there are out west, but I don't know volume triggers), it would show intent to break the law; so you couldn't plead ignorance.

Just wanted to bring up some points to consider. If you get it, please let us know your impressions. -- Spiff

 

[SoulRaven]

I would never use a holding tank for drinking water from any source when a pint of bottled water costs 10 cents.

 

[highdesertranger]

that looks interesting. but I like the gravity ones. zero power, large volumes, if that's what your after and they are relatively cheap for the amount of water they are capable of purifying. as far as dumping your black and grey water. it's illegal to dump your black water anywhere except into a sewer or septic system. the grey water can be dump in some areas, but in other areas it's a no no. this goes for nf and blm some say ok some say no. as far as pumping out of a water source it's the same, some areas it's ok some it's not. best know the laws beforehand. I have never heard of a law against taking a bucket or two out of a creek. highdesertranger

 

[kyonu]

I'm not going to bury my sewage, I meant burying the hose from the RV to the water source (like in dirt and leaves, no actual digging.) Sorry for not clearing that up.

For those curious, I'm going to get rid of the black water tank when I get the RV, in lieu of either a compost toilet or incinerator toilet. I'm leaning toward an incinerator, as it will use only 1500 watts an hour, but only take a few minutes to fry the sewage. The ashes are then harmless to nature and can be disposed of like regular trash, or buried (according to the website.) (And yes, it's a 15 amp draw, but I will make sure I can use it when I need it. )

Also, is there a gravity filter that can fill a tank at 3 gallons per minute? That's a pretty big amount. And lastly, I am doing research on the purification process, and still curious--is the water these filtration units providing *not* pure? Or not pure enough for a shower? Obviously I won't be drinking it straight out of the fresh tank, I will have another RO unit on my drinking faucet. I just need to shower regularly (Military showers, usually).

 

[akrvbob]

If you are boondocking, what's the big hurry? The one I have will filter 1 gallon in 4 minutes or 15 gallons an hour. Their fast!

All these filter types just filter the water so they remove all harmful bacteria in the water. But not viruses because they are too small for them to filter. The risk from viruses is extremely low and not worth the problem to get rid of them.
Bob

 

[kyonu]

Thanks Bob, that's what I needed to know. I will look into gravity filters too, then! I just want to be able to be off-grid for at least 1 month at a time, only to go back and resupply.

 

[Zil]

The risk from viruses is not too low to ignore. That is why Chlorine is so important in water treatment and storage. UV light is fine to kill pathogens in water soon used, but only residual free chlorine for water stored any length of time.
Bird flu is a virus, birds migrate, birds $hit in water.

 

[SoulRaven]

Why go to all this trouble when 3 quarts of chlorine bleach costs $1?

 

[Zil]

The water does have to be clear of sediments and organic mater before chlorination, or UV .