Water System in Van

[SunDance57]

Hi All,

I am building my first van by following Bob's series on YouTube. I am just finishing up the shelves and was wondering on the water system used for keeping clean and doing dishes. He did not show any water system on the final build video.

I will not be able to install solar until late summer and was going to use gravity and hand pumps. Maybe the foldable camping basins/sinks. After solar I could do a 12v pump. Also wondering about grey water. Is that an issue? Can I just toss small amounts near the camp, or do I need to collect it?

What is a good idea or what did you use?

Thanks,
Michael

 

[highdesertranger]

as far as grey water goes it depends on where you are, some places it's ok to dump on the ground some places it's not. do your homework. highdesertranger

 

[John61CT]

Better to have it and not use it, than to get caught without it where it's required.

 

[QinReno]

If you're boondocking at Walmart or a casino parking lot, they won't want you making any sort of mess.

 

[Almost There]

I use gallon water jugs for fresh water - they're easy to refill, carry and store. When they get grubby they get recycled into the liquid collection jugs for my marine separating toilet.

For gray water, I plumbed in a single RV kitchen sink and have a piece of 1/2" ID hose run to a 2 1/2 gallon jug in the cabinet beneath the sink. I also carry a plastic dishpan ($1.50 at Dollar store). Where I can throw gray water, I do so. When I have to collect it for disposal in a sani-dump I can get 4 or 5 days of dishwashing before the tank is full. It simply pulls out of the cabinet for dumping. Actually empty plastic cat litter jugs work great. Again when they get grubby, I scrounge up another one from one of my friends who has a cat.

I was going to plumb in a 12V pump but figure that I actually use less water this way and the one gallon jugs are easier to use and store. I have 2 'milk crates' bought from Home Depot that each hold 4 jugs and I always have one other jug in use so at full I'm carrying 9 gallons.

 

[SunDance57]

as far as grey water goes it depends on where you are,  some places it's ok to dump on the ground some places it's not.  do your homework.  highdesertranger

You bet I will be in compliance whereverer I am at. I was hoping for ideas on the system. I walked thru your camp at the RTR, your setup was awesome! But, I just l looked at the kitchen and did not notice the water systems. I think I do not remember any discharge of grey water, I was camped right across and up the ravine from you.

Long Live the State of Jefferson!

 

[Scout]

So far I've not generated much grey water. I used any water I've cooked in to pre wash dishes then use vinegar spray bottle to finish. The water i pre wash with i soak up with a paper towel before applying the vinegar.
Toothpaste and mouthwash goes into an empty tea bottle.

 

[highdesertranger]

grey water went into 5 gallon buckets with gamma lids to be disposed of away from the RTR. actually we took most of it with us to water plants at my buddies house. we used some to dowse the campfire with. remember I have an in camp dish prewasher so there is very little food left on the dishes and I use very little soap if any. highdesertranger

 

[accrete]

I shared this elesewhere but is relevant to this topic...

[font=system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont,]My MacGirlver of a wife really likes simple systems, she planted a seed and I ran with it.[/font]
[font=system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont,]This is inside our #2 van, a 2017 Promaster 159...there is a whole lotta RotoPax luv in this pic! [/font]



Cheers,
Thom

 

[tx2sturgis]

[font=system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont,]..there is a whole lotta RotoPax luv in this pic! [/font]

I have seen these used on Jeeps and Urals but not as a (literal) over-the-counter fresh water supply....I like this idea...although The RotoPax jugs are not cheap. They DO have that nifty mounting system tho...

Is that valve a Rotopax item or did you source it somewhere else?

 

[SunDance57]

Thanks everybody! I have some ideas now and will build something up after I finished my galley and shelves.

 

[ColdBrook]

[font=system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont,]This is inside our #2 van, a 2017 Promaster 159...there is a whole lotta RotoPax luv in this pic! [/font]

Thanks for posting the picture of all your RotoPax in your Ram Promaster.  I never heard of these containers before.  Fed up with my cheap leaking version of one of these that I used in my promaster for my kitchen water.

 

[MrNoodly]

I use biodegradable soap. The only other thing in my gray water is food particles, which are also biodegradable. So I just toss my dirty water directly on the ground.

 

[crofter]

[font=system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont,] whole lotta RotoPax luv in this pic! [/font]

Wow! And it doubles as a locking water bottle.  That is pretty handy how you have it mounted, is that on the L Bracket they sell? 
~ crofter