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Post by Mike Harding on Dec 4, 2023 14:31:53 GMT 10
I'm camped on the bank of a river in a forest in SW Victoria and I need to get water from the river for hand washing, showers, laundry, dishes etc. around 25L per day or two to three buckets full. The problem here is that the river level is about 1.5m below the bank and when I throw in a bucket, with rope attached, I can fill the bucket OK but then have to drag it up the muddy bank losing much of the water and depositing much mud into the bucket - if my arms were 2m long this would not be an issue.
I'm still doing thought solutions to this issue - practical ones come later - and my best so far is a wooden pole 2m long with a 5L container firmly attached to its end and using that to scoop clean water.
Any better ideas people?
Pumps and the like are out I think.
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Post by arewelost on Dec 5, 2023 0:13:21 GMT 10
A rope over a branch on an overhanging tree? Toss it over and tie a bucket on the end. You may need that pole to grab the rope and pull it towards you. Choose a tree with nice smooth bark and poly rope for less friction. But if you can manage 5L at a time with your 2M pole, that only needs 5 goes a day. I doubt you will get a lot of improvement on that. As you are regularly in such places, why do you say pumps and the like are out? I was planning to do something like that. My plan was to use a plastic jerrycan as a float and suspend the pump from that in a fishnet bag, so it does not rest on mud. Use a diver's belt weight to keep everything in place.
Rule 280gph pump Replace the breakaway battery before it dies and you have a spare plus multiple uses such as this. A bilge pump would be cheaper but they don't pump as high. But 1.5M would be fine. |
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Post by Mike Harding on Dec 6, 2023 13:07:53 GMT 10
No handy trees I'm afraid. Who do I complain to about trees growing in the wrong places!?  AWL: you are right about the pump. I didn't really give it any thought as I was seeking an instant solution and the nearest hardware shop is 80km from here. However, following your comments, I began to do a web search of Bunnings for submersible pumps, they do quite a few, but most were too expensive (~$100 max. I set) and even then their startup current would probably overload my smaller (transportable) inverter and if the water source were too far from the caravan that extensions leads wouldn't reach I was stuffed and from experience I know 12V pumps are not much good. Ho hum. It was about two hours later that I recalled I own and carry a perfectly good Honda 2kW generator! Talk about stupid So back to Bunnings website and I found a 350W submersible for dirty water for $84 and it's in stock in Horsham. I could drive in next week and do some food shopping too. Having sorted all that out I then recalled that, for the past year, I have been carrying around with me in the caravan four new 12V bilge pumps (don't ask). Out they came for inspection and one was rated for 2m of head which is about the drop from river bank to water. I retrieve the long hose from the caravan front locker and with a combination of brute force, ingenuity, adaptors made for something else entirely and two hose clips fitted it to the pump; extended the 12V pump wiring grabbed a 70Ah battery, hooked things and lowered the pump into the river. I rolled out the 20m hose which was making little glug glug noises and waited... about 20 seconds later a trickle of water leapt (strolled really) out of the hose, yeah! I took the hose back to the river and coiled it up as low to the water as possible and extended just enough to reach a bucket, this improved the flow slightly. I could cut the hose which would help but am reluctant to. However the main thing is... it works! The pump draws 2A at 13V8 (upgraded from battery to PSU) which my 800W of solar doesn't mind at all and delivers 5L of water per minute so filling my four 15L buckets is a 12 minute task, easy Lessons learnt: 1 - Buy a 5m hose to minimise water friction losses. 2 - When making up similar systems with two long "strings" (hose and cable) ensure they are firmly taped together to reduce the chances of them tying themselves in knots around submerged roots thus making it impossible to retrieve the pump - I did manage to but had to cut the 12V cable to do it! Anyway: job done and I don't think I'll buy the Bunnings pump as it would only offer me a quicker fill which is not an issue. Thanks for the prod towards pumps AWL |
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Post by arewelost on Dec 6, 2023 17:59:50 GMT 10
Four bilge pumps in a caravan? OK I will not ask.
Anyway, I am glad a little nudge prompted the grey matter to come up with something workable. Ideas for improvement....
Use something floating to keep the pump in clear water. Something on the float to hook that pole onto and similar on the bank would keep it there. Use a few ping pong ball style fishing floats tied to the cable/hose assembly so it does not sink and get snagged.
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