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Portable Water Pump


brunsje

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Folks,

 

Looking for recommendations for a portable water pump I can use while boondocking.

 

It will be used to pump from 5 gallon bottles into my potable water tanks.

 

Prefer 12VDC but other options possible.

 

Thanks, JohnnyB

2014 ShowHauler Motorhome 45'

Jacksonville Beach, FL

32250

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In S. America we used a stepped lab stopper with a tire valve stem in one hole of the stopper and a 1/2 inch PVC pipe long enough to reach the bottom of the water bottle and then a length of Tygon on tube to transfer the water to the main water tank....just use a bike tire pump to pressurize the water bottle and have a cold Dr Pepper while the water transfers.

... don't worry about overpressure....if you pump too much air pressure it just blows the stopper out of the bottle and then you have to climb the tree to get your stopper back.....

 

This method works for transferring fuel as well but.....then your water tastes a bit like fuel the next time you transfer water....no big deal .....in S. America the snakes might get you before the bad water did.....

 

Pretty low tech but it worked good in the boondocks.....

 

Drive on.....(keep the water clean...)

97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S

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There are a several different routes to take. One of the handiest is to just mod your existing rigs water pump to fill your fresh water tank from your 5 gallon jugs.

There are several 12v pumps specifically designed for your purpose, but I've always found them to be rather expensive and not highly reliable. I use a standard RV water pump with it's own 12v battery for my pumping needs. It's very cost effective and in the event my rigs main pump were to fail.. I always have a backup handy.

 

It also gives me the flexibility to pump and process water from remote alternate water sources while boondocking. Pumped into a water bladder in the back of my tow vehicle and then later transferred to my fresh water tank. It may not be your "thing".. but it does open up some options if you so choose.

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Just for a throw away pump that would work great.

 

There is some 12vdc RV pumps that have an internal switch that regulates the flow of water. The kind that with speed up or slow down to regulate the flow.

When they quit it usually is the switch. Not worth the time to try and fix when customer is paying. Just replace it.

 

Just cut the wire that goes from the switch to the motor. Leave it long and just use a toggle switch to operate it. I use one that way to pump antifreeze when working on Auquahot service. And anther to pump used vegetable oil through a filtering process for biofuel in my deisel engine.

 

Simple and standard 1/2" fittings fit it.

 

Happy turkey day, Vern

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I would recommend something like this:

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W5GCQC2/

 

My personal preference is to get something that is designed for potable water and has never been used before. That way I have a higher degree of confidence that it doesn't have components that may leach something into the water, and I know exactly what has been run through it. This is the pump that's on my list for the exact same purpose as you mentioned...refilling my fresh water tank from five gallon jugs.

 

This particular pump has an internal bypass valve, which is very nice to have to protect the pump.

 

And this strainer screws right onto the above pump: https://www.amazon.com/SHURFLO-255-213-Twist-Pipe-Strainer/dp/B000V2W0GE/

 

Which would be nice so you don't have to worry as much about something that might fall into your water container.

 

I would mount it on some kind of a frame to make it easy to carry and operate. Or, you could mount it in a tupperware container that the inlet and outlet hoses can be coiled up into so any post-use leakage is contained.

 

Don't forget to consider having plugs for the ends of the hose. It makes a lot less mess if you can cap off the hoses when you're done using them. You may also want to consider putting a ball valve near the end of the outlet hose so that you can control the flow at the outlet without having to fumble for a switch. It greatly reduces waste and spilled water.

 

Below are photos of a fluid transfer pump that I threw together earlier this year for transferring things other than gasoline and potable water. It lets me suck oil or diesel out of bulk containers. Another major benefit is that it makes filling cases that have side fill ports much much easier. For example, the transmissions and differentials on HDT's. And filling large capacity drain pans like the engine oil on an HDT is much easier as well.

 

I will build a much more compact and lighter frame for the water pump, but I wanted something robust that could stand up to a lot of abuse for my fluid transfer pump. It also has rubber isolators between the pump and the frame, and rubber feet on the bottom of the frame. So it doesn't bounce around and move on the floor. You may want to take that into consideration as well.

 

P_20160513_220140.jpg?raw=1

 

 

P_20160513_220150.jpg?raw=1

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Took my 2.8 gpm pump out the day we bought our rig and replaced with a variable speed 5.0 gallon diaphragm pump. I've been using the old 2.8 pump with a motorcycle battery for potable water transfer ever since.

 

Shifted - My oh My, you must be a dangerous man to be around, at least one after my own instincts. Lots of detail in that metal frame, I can see it and appreciate it. I can't just make anything "simple" if it is going to be used more than once - it comes from the engineer gene many of us have. As they say in the Virginia hills, "You done good boy." Now, I gotta' make one like you did but maybe just a little bit better....you know, like gold plating rather than paint and automatic hose rewinders. :rolleyes:

300.JPG.c2a50e50210ede7534c4c440c7f9aa80.JPG

Randy, Nancy and Oscar

"The Great White" - 2004 Volvo VNL670, D12, 10-speed, converted to single axle pulling a Keystone Cambridge 5th wheel, 40', 4 slides and about 19,000# with empty tanks.

ARS - WB4BZX, Electrical Engineer, Master Electrician, D.Ed., Professor Emeritus - Happily Retired!

 

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Hahah, you called it! I added a pressure switch with a relay so it automatically shuts the pump off when I close the ball valve, an inline fuse holder and an LED light that comes on when the pump is on so I can have visual confirmation in a noisy environment. The power supply "holder" is designed as sort of a slot so that I can easily switch it out for a replacement when it dies.

 

But there are a couple of things that I would do differently, For one, I could make my hose wraps bigger and deeper. For another, I would use compression fittings for the hose connections instead of hose clamps. And, finally, I would use a higher quality ball valve. Mine tends to leak a bit when not fully closed or open. I would also make the control "panel" a bit wider.

 

So, there is plenty of room for improvement without resorting to precious metals :)

 

Would you believe that the metal is 100% fusion welded? After each root pass I determined that it was more than sufficient for what I was going to use it for, especially given the gauge of the steel.

 

The fluid transfer pump project is how I decided to break in a new band saw :)

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Cooter, I was pondering that same idea. It does answer the original question, simply.

 

Shifted......I like your pump so much, I may build one myself. I may recess the switch below the level of the frame, and use an old fashioned dimmer switch for on/off, so I can use the box as a stool and control the pump.

 

Putting hydraulic fluid in tractors can be a pain. Your way beats the heck out of hanging a drum from the shop crane.

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net

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I have a buddy who took an RV water pump and mounted it in a cheap plastic tool box. He wired a 7 pin female RV plug to it and mounted it through the side of the tool box. He then connected short hoses to the water pump and mounted the ends through the sides of the tool box as well. When he needs to pump water he connects a hose from his water source to the inlet connection on the side of the tool box and a hose from the output connection on the side of the tool box to wherever he wants to put the water. He then plugs the trailer 7 pin connector into the tool box receptacle and the pump starts pumping. The female 7 pin on the tool box is wired to take the 12 volt power from the trailer's batteries through the umbilical. It is compact, light and works great.

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Rick, that's definitely one of my other uses for it! Putting hydraulic fluid in one of my other pieces of equipment.

 

So.....if you put casters on your new chair, and wire in a pressure sensor from a riding lawn mower....you can control the flow based on how excited or relaxed you get? :) That could be pretty exciting to watch!

 

 

Chad, I really like the idea of getting the power from the trailer's brake/light pig tail! That's a great idea!

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Hahah, you called it! I added a pressure switch with a relay so it automatically shuts the pump off when I close the ball valve, an inline fuse holder and an LED light that comes on when the pump is on so I can have visual confirmation in a noisy environment. The power supply "holder" is designed as sort of a slot so that I can easily switch it out for a replacement when it dies.

 

But there are a couple of things that I would do differently, For one, I could make my hose wraps bigger and deeper. For another, I would use compression fittings for the hose connections instead of hose clamps. And, finally, I would use a higher quality ball valve. Mine tends to leak a bit when not fully closed or open. I would also make the control "panel" a bit wider.

 

So, there is plenty of room for improvement without resorting to precious metals :)

 

Would you believe that the metal is 100% fusion welded? After each root pass I determined that it was more than sufficient for what I was going to use it for, especially given the gauge of the steel.

 

The fluid transfer pump project is how I decided to break in a new band saw :)

Hmmmmm.... perhaps a pico-nukeReactor could be shoehorned into one corner of the framework and then we could power up a atmospheric still and recover water from the natural occurring humidity in the air.....

 

In S. America you had better stick with my dirt simple bottle stopper air pressure fluid transfer unit otherwise the snakes will sneak up and bite you while you are operating your pumping plant......

 

Drive on.....(watch out for snakes....)

97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S

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We have a Tractor Supply brand water pump-$70-80 that is high pressure- 65psi or so. This allowed me to pump from a 300gl tote thru our filters including an Imperial Sterasyl ceramic filter. Works great, never had an issue.

Alie & Jim + 8 paws

2017 DRV Memphis 

BART- 1998 Volvo 610

Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins

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I have used the built in pump to transfer water from an external tank to the 5er. My system has a "winterization" mode. This connects the intake of the pump and allows the pump to draw water. I did have to add a 3 way valve to allow it to pump to the tank. that was quite easy. So I use my 20' water hose and pump water from an external source to the 110 g water tank in the 5th wheel.

 

I also have a 115v sureflow 3.5gpm pump on hand. But I have used that for potable and non potable before making the change to my onboard pump.

2016 Road Warrior 420

2001 Volvo VNL 660

Alaska Based.

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