Had to use our water production system… (1 Viewer)

[dawsey]

For the 1st time in France, we couldn’t find an aire or even a public loo with a working tap. Maybe it’s because we are in a department with a little bit of altitude and slightly lower winter night time temps, but here we can’t find a tap. So the system, utilising the EHU cable, the inverter, the water fill hose a lift pump and a domestic RO system and some extra piping has been pressed into use. It’s fully powered by the solar panels and lithiums and fully refilled our 120ltr tank overnight

 

[Figaro]

Very creative, well done
Is it drinkable or just for washing ?

 

[dawsey]

It’s fully drinkable, and because any chalk is removed it’s also great for washing

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[Jim]

Interesting. In a case like this we'd fill up with two 20L collapsible buckets and a lift pump. An image you can see in this article.

Fresh Water in Your Motorhome. The Basics.

Pull into a popular site at changeover time, or arrive at a rally most anytime, and there will very often be a queue at the freshwater tap. If you need […]

www.mfun.uk

 

[dawsey]

Interesting. In a case like this we'd fill up with two 20L collapsible buckets and a lift pump. An image you can see in this article.

Fresh Water in Your Motorhome. The Basics.

Pull into a popular site at changeover time, or arrive at a rally most anytime, and there will very often be a queue at the freshwater tap. If you need […]

www.mfun.uk

But this ain’t from a tap in a campsite. It’s from a lake.

It’s water Jim, just not as you know it..

 

[Lenny HB]

Ingenious but I don't want to carry any more junk.
Quite normal for taps on Aires to be turned off from 1st November until 1st April.

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[Googlebot]

Would love to see a picture of the setup.

We drink from our tank so I would do something like this too.

The RO system I used to have for a marine fish tank was very wasteful of tap water. A lake is ideal.

 

[dawsey]

Yeah I get that. It was real touch and go as to whether I brought this, but I was able to reduce mass a fair bit by using the stuff we take anyway, such as EHU cable and filling hose. When the filters are emptied it’s only 7kg. Glad I brought it now though.

We found public loo taps even where the camper service point has been off for winter everywhere so far, here in Ardeche was the first time in 4 months we couldn’t locate a functional tap. The localities around here have removed all taps even in the public loos and/or locked them for winter.

 

[dawsey]

Would love to see a picture of the setup.

We drink from our tank so I would do something like this too.

The RO system I used to have for a marine fish tank was very wasteful of tap water. A lake is ideal.

It’s all in the photo I posted. The only bit you can’t see is the lift pump by the lake, I use the 240V EHU cable to take 12V down to the lake to power it. It’s essentially the same system you use for marine aquariums. The waste water rejected from the RO membrane just goes back to the lake using the normal silicone water filling hose

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[Googlebot]

Excellent!

Just zoomed in and can see it.

No worries about water there at all then.

 

[dawsey]

Thanks, SWMBO reports she just had an awesome shower with the near-pure and super soft water. All produced using the near limitless solar power from 600W on the roof, 200Ah of lithium and a hardwired 2kW invertor permanently powering all sockets that the HP pump is plugged into. Big solar, lithiums and invertors do open up all manner of opportunities to do things not previously possible.

SWMBO has just enquired if she could have a high pressure pumped power shower - and thinking about it, I don’t see why not. The only limitation is the boiler can produce and holds only 10l of water. Time to have a think…

 

[Carpmart]

Thanks, SWMBO reports she just had an awesome shower with the near-pure and super soft water. All produced using the near limitless solar power from 600W on the roof, 200Ah of lithium and a hardwired 2kW invertor permanently powering all sockets that the HP pump is plugged into. Big solar, lithiums and invertors do open up all manner of opportunities to do things not previously possible.

SWMBO has just enquired if she could have a high pressure pumped power shower - and thinking about it, I don’t see why not. The only limitation is the boiler can produce and holds only 10l of water. Time to have a think…

Easy fix, add one of these which comes with a solar controller which diverts excess solar to heating the water…

Bobil Electric | Bobil Vans

THE SIMPLE HOT WATER SYSTEM The Bobil Electric heats allows you to heat water via electric (12V, 230V or both). Ywiht the dual electric element, you can use both elements simultaneously to heat the water super quickly! The AC version can be connected to your electric hookup socket (or inverter)...

www.bobilvans.co.uk

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[sedge]

I don't think cemeteries or churchyards turn the water off in winter ........

 

[dawsey]

Not all, but many do. We visited three in the last week that had turned off the water.

The only guaranteed source is public WC in the centre of towns, there will always be at least one that remains open. Problem is, it’s not always possible to pull along side and nip in with the hose

 

[Reallyretired]

I think I'd just go to a camping carparks aire. It would cost a tenner but probably cheaper than your RO setup.

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[dawsey]

Well, allow me to do the sums….

The RO system was lifted from the house we sold to relocate to France, so it was free but I will use the original cost of £150. The other bits and pieces I needed, lift pump, valves and bits of specialist pipe were about £30, let’s say £50.

So £200 to build the system.

We refill the tank on average every 2-3 days, but 99% of the time find water at an aire (or a public WC, or a graveyard, or a outside tap at a doctors surgery etc etc…). So the system is really an emergency back up, but demands that we fetch up near a source of water like a river or a lake or the sea….

Sometimes there just isn’t a campsite or even an aire, even a paid one, nearby (by that I mean within 50km). That is the case where we are now in the Ardeche.

So, there has to be an unusual set of circumstances meaning the choice, when it happens, is a) find a lake within a few km or b) drive 50-100km at a cost of €10-20 in diesel to pay €10 to access a paid aire with working tap.

This was the choice we faced (for the first time) yesterday. I guess we saved maybe €30 or £26 with the system.

Can I see us using it again, given that we are already in march ? Probably not. I would hope very much we aren’t still living in the camper come next winter…

Conclusion, yes, you are right. From a cost perspective it’s a pointless thing. We ain’t in Africa.

Still think it’s pretty cool though

 

[Googlebot]

I think it’s pretty cool too!

 

[Ridgeway]

It’s very cool and well done !

Just remember to avoid frost damage on the membrane, easy if you keep it inside.

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[Carpmart]

Well, allow me to do the sums….

The RO system was lifted from the house we sold to relocate to France, so it was free but I will use the original cost of £150. The other bits and pieces I needed, lift pump, valves and bits of specialist pipe were about £30, let’s say £50.

So £200 to build the system.

We refill the tank on average every 2-3 days, but 99% of the time find water at an aire (or a public WC, or a graveyard, or a outside tap at a doctors surgery etc etc…). So the system is really an emergency back up, but demands that we fetch up near a source of water like a river or a lake or the sea….

Sometimes there just isn’t a campsite or even an aire, even a paid one, nearby (by that I mean within 50km). That is the case where we are now in the Ardeche.

So, there has to be an unusual set of circumstances meaning the choice, when it happens, is a) find a lake within a few km or b) drive 50-100km at a cost of €10-20 in diesel to pay €10 to access a paid aire with working tap.

This was the choice we faced (for the first time) yesterday. I guess we saved maybe €30 or £26 with the system.

Can I see us using it again, given that we are already in march ? Probably not. I would hope very much we aren’t still living in the camper come next winter…

Conclusion, yes, you are right. From a cost perspective it’s a pointless thing. We ain’t in Africa.

Still think it’s pretty cool though

I would have politely asked at a cafe, bakery, shop… patronise their establishment and I’m sure most would assist.