Onboard Water Logistics

jnack

Member
I'm new to the whole onboard water thing, and have a few logistical questions:

  1. What are options for filling tanks? If you have a connection for hose fill-up, what is the method to ensure it doesn't over-flow just a high mounted over-flow tubing?
  2. To keep things simple, I was planning on primarily using my onboard water as both potable and shower/cleaning water. Though, I do like the idea of being able to access a water source near camp as well. I don't think I want to bother with a full filtration set-up as I don't intend to rely on this for water. My question here is IF I just use a small micro filter (mainly for sediment), and plug this non-filtered water via the pump will I end up totally contaminating the whole system? Basically, is it even feasible to do this or would I have to have two pumps/tubing: 1 for potable tank water and 1 for external water source that is not potable?
  3. What are my options for remote tank level gauges (sight gauge won't work for my application)? And remote temperature gauges?

Thanks!
 

LandCruiserPhil

Expedition Leader
Tank gauges are not costly and it will also let you know when it’s full. Have you determined your water needs? I use only filter water stored in 4 places and being RO water it works for everything. Because it’s RO water it reduces tank contamination and growth inside the tank.
 

PunchitChewie

New member
What are my options for remote tank level gauges (sight gauge won't work for my application)? And remote temperature gauges?
If your tank is a standard RV style tank, then you have a whole bunch of options for remote level indicators. I say level indicator, because I don't consider the 4 LED's to be a gauge. As far as temp gauge, well I can honestly say I've never really heard of people putting one in (but I'm still a newb). Usually it's just ducted heat, or strip heaters on the tanks to keep them from freezing. I haven't had an RV in 10 years, so I can't remember how I filled the fresh water tank on my old 5th wheel other than hooking up the hose. If you gravity fill I think I heard people say they just listen for the gurgle of it getting to the top, and know they are full (could be bs, could be accurate).
 

jnack

Member
Tank gauges are not costly and it will also let you know when it’s full. Have you determined your water needs? I use only filter water stored in 4 places and being RO water it works for everything. Because it’s RO water it reduces tank contamination and growth inside the tank.

I just wanted to see which kind of gauges people are using specifically -- seems like there are a lot of options and don't have experience with these. I'd rather get it right the first time then deal with a poor quality gauge and run out of water
 

TernOverland

Supporting Sponsor Ternoverland.com
Tank gauges are not costly and it will also let you know when it’s full. Have you determined your water needs? I use only filter water stored in 4 places and being RO water it works for everything. Because it’s RO water it reduces tank contamination and growth inside the tank.
Same here Phil. Aside from being good water, RO greatly reduces mineral and bacterial issues in the tanks. I have coffee pots that have been in use for years with RO water, and look brand new.
 

Alloy

Well-known member
I'll address some of this for you too.

1. Filling tanks.
• We use a Boat bulkhead fill port. Additionally a boat fill vent. We spray the hose into the fill tube until the water comes out the vent, or we hear it gurgling in the vent.
• Depending how you want to do your plumbing, you can put direct hookups on the vehicle and a similar bypass system that RV's use. They bypass the pump and can fill the tank automatically with a float valve switch or similar. Check Valves work and are inexpensive
• That same bypass system can be hooked up to fill the tank and not bypass the pump relying on the pump to always do the heavy lifting.

2. Accessing a near camp water source
• We designed nice setup so we could use solenoids to open 3-way valves. Link for reference, not what we use(d) https://www.amazon.com/8320G174-120-General-Solenoid-Universal-Butylene/dp/B016Y959FG/ utilizing a single on board pump but could add an inline one closer to the water source as a primer pump if necessary.
• As I mentioned in #1, you can hookup an RV style setup with a municipal water inlet and check valve to directly hookup pressurized water.
• Could also use a second exterior pump, check valve, and the municipal water hookup to bypass the on board tank and pump
• Could also run separate plumbing lines for your setups as to not contaminate the lines from exterior water sources that your tank lines run on,
• Or use a couple ball valves.
Get an inline UV water Filter/Light/Sanitizer/Sterilizer AFTER the tank before anything you will be using like the shower, sink, etc. and it becomes a null issue.

3. Gauges, levels,- If it is an RV style tank, there are tons of options.
• We got one of the
Blue Sea Ultrasonic Tank Sensors - Our plan was to put one of those in our Fuel tank, and use sensors for our Propane and Air to have all 4 measurements (plus temp) in one place on a Blue Sea Monitor.
• Temp monitors. Yes, people use these. again, so many options and they are all viable. A little inline temp sensor on a John Guest Fitting ( looks like a 3-way) and run the wires to a digital display. Or analog it.
• In tank monitors are a thing too. So are the tank warmers, pipe insulation, and pipe heaters. If you have an on board heat exchanger, and setup a return valve to tank, you can easily run it to keep things fluid in the winter.



It all depends what the end result is and how much you are going to invest in it. Super simple or super complex. I like to press a button or two and be done. I have 4 Children and don't want to waste time on things that I can setup to work at the tip of a finger vs crawling around looking to fix or flip a valve. Build it right the first time, or petit up to be easily serviceable when you do decide to update it. We are going to build a Stainless 30+gallon tank this summer and add some goodies to it. We already have 2 on board showers, 20gal water, filtration, heat exchanger hot water, lots of extras....

I made 1 stainless tank after that mistake I've always gone with plastic. Stainless needs to be passivated after welding but the inside of the tank cannot be inspected to ensure it is 100% effective.

 

PunchitChewie

New member
Temp monitors. Yes, people use these
Interesting, haven't done a lot of research and hadn't read in the past about people monitoring tank temps. Makes sense though as most of the builds I was reading were people who were not planning to be in cold environments, or people in factory RV's with the heated underbelly.
 

jnack

Member
Posting this in a couple threads
Another option for people wanting Hot Water at a reasonable price. Why not heat it the way traditional House tanks do? Using an element. There are 12V elements used in various applications including solar. Most of our electrical systems can support this load/ 25a -16a. Thermostat, element, temp gauge, and you're ready to go.

Also, people wanting Winter friendly systems and able to heat their tanks and avoid the ice cube. This is a simple and elegant system. Preferably in a metal tank, plus a low water sensor so the element doesn't cook itself or the tank.

Another thought on this would be to have the element in a separate tube/ like an expansion tank and run the water through it in a loop or inline with the main tank as to not melt the 'plastic' tanks.

12v/ 300W is 12V/25A


12v/ 200W = 12V/16A


I actually purchased one as well for heating with a thermostat when I have a chance to figure that all out its got 300W and 600W options. The 600W would be 50A and so wouldn't be able to run that for too long, but I think I could run it for about 30-45 min on a charged battery (I've got an aux battery)
 

Joe917

Explorer
What size vehicle do you have/plan?
Options change dramatically with size.
Where do you plan to travel?
For North and South America potable water is readily available, the most treatment needed would be bleach and a carbon filter. The larger capacity you have the easier it will be. We have a 750 liter capacity, out of the question for smaller vehicles. There is no need to heat tanks as long as they are within the insulated portion of the cabin. A calorifier is the easiest way to heat water(using waste engine heat).
 

jnack

Member
What size vehicle do you have/plan?
Options change dramatically with size.
Where do you plan to travel?
For North and South America potable water is readily available, the most treatment needed would be bleach and a carbon filter. The larger capacity you have the easier it will be. We have a 750 liter capacity, out of the question for smaller vehicles. There is no need to heat tanks as long as they are within the insulated portion of the cabin. A calorifier is the easiest way to heat water(using waste engine heat).

toyota tacoma, DCLB. main water tank is 12 gal capacity. thinking about adding a 5g tank for hot water only as I'm not planning on using a heat exchanger
 

Joe917

Explorer
OK, so North America only, no on board filtration needed.
Hiking hand pump for extra drinking water around camp when you don't want to move, MSR, etc.
 

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