In house water tanks and 12 volt pump

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by budgetprepp-n, May 8, 2016.


  1. budgetprepp-n

    budgetprepp-n Monkey

    About a year ago got my back up water system up and running like I wanted it.
    I have good water from the well but it is limited it runs out quick. This was going to
    be for back up only. But it worked so well that It's about all we use for water in the house.
    I used surflo on demand RV pumps. I tied this into my existing pluming and made use of
    the accumulator tank. I get about 9 gallons of water before the pump kicks on.
    It runs off the 12 volt batteries used my solar system. No grid needed.
    That hose you see running up the first tank is clear hose (sight glass)
    [​IMG]


    I'm running two surflo RV water pumps.,, I ended up only running one at a time it's all I need having two
    really doesn't help that much. Other than quicker recovery
    When I turn on the rain water valve it comes out the green hose until I turn the valve for the tank
    to receive the water that way I can take a sample of what I'm getting before it goes in my tank.
    To make sure the nasties are all washed off the roof. I have never needed to use this so far
    but I have tested it and it seems to work as planed.
    [​IMG]



    The water goes into the first tank then through the filters and into the second tank then through the
    pump and into the house pluming. If you look real close you can see a drain valve on the bottom of the first
    tank. I figure that if I get any sediment or anything nasty in the bottom of the first tank
    I can flush it out there. It's 3/4" big enough for that
    If you look you can see a switch and a small green light. The light comes on when the system is "ON"
    I'm going to install a small light upstairs that comes on when the pump is running. Just to help
    keep an eye on things
    [​IMG]



    I have few different ways I can fill it I can use my truck and tote and fill it with city water
    I installed an out side filling tube or I can fill it a little at a time from the well I have now
    [​IMG]



    I have spring that I can fill it from or as a last resort I can catch rain water
    [​IMG]

    Next I would like to install a propane tank less water heater
    I'm thinking that when the grid goes down having running water hot and cold and electricity for
    lights and radio that it would be a big convenience. Yea,, Hot shower with no grid.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2016
  2. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    HK_User and hank2222 like this.
  3. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    When I lived in the desert we built a shed for working in ,and for elevation for water tanks so that our water was gravity fed in stead of being pressurized . it worked flawlessly .
    When I went to town or where ever I could find water,I filled up the tank( water heater tank) on the truck ,and then used a small 12 volt air compressor to push that water from the tank through a hose connected to the house plumbing and it filled the tanks above.
    I had a breather off the top so that when it was full I could see it dribbling out of a screened pipe.
    There was only a few feet difference from the tank to the shower and the solar water heater ,and we enjoyed it .
     
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  4. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    What filter elements are you using in the two cartridge filters?
     
    HK_User likes this.
  5. budgetprepp-n

    budgetprepp-n Monkey

  6. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    The carbon is good for chemical removal. However, neither of your filter elements will do much for microbial contamination. Bird, bat, squirrel, racoon or insect poop on your roof can be contaminated with bacteria or viruses and your system won't effectively treat that for you. There are sub-micron filters but I have not found any in a standard cartridge size. Black Berkey elements can be rigged up to provide a microbial filter stage. Probably a better option would be to add a UV purifier post cartridge filters to clean up the microbes. UV has been discussed on SM several times by atleast BTPost and myself and probably others. There are some 12vdc UV systems available that would pair well with the Surflo pumps (I have those too.)

    AT
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2016
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  7. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    That is what the UV Tank is for.. It will Kill just about ANYTHING in the water that flows thru the Tank...
     
    HK_User likes this.
  8. T. Riley

    T. Riley Monkey+++

    image.
    This is my well head and a Bison deep well hand pump. When the grid is down the hand pump can pressurize the tank delivering water through my existing plumping to the house and barn. I also have a on demand propane hot water heater. I plan to add a larger holding tank and solar panels on the well house to run the submersible as the sun permits.
     
  9. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    @T. Riley nice pump handle. Shallow wells are nice
     
  10. T. Riley

    T. Riley Monkey+++

    Not shallow. It bottomed out at 165 feet. The Bison is a deep well pump. It is pumping from 135 feet up the same pipe connected to the submerged pump set at 145 feet. It will pump from much deeper.
     
    Ganado likes this.
  11. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    UV doesn't kill , it sterilizes the bacteria so it cannot reproduce.
    At least that's what I'm told .
     
  12. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Actually, UV cause the DNA/RNA to break up, and that KILLS, the bacteria, virus, and thinks like Ameba, Protozoa, and Guardia .... SunLight exposure does the same thing, if you let if cook for a while....
     
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  13. budgetprepp-n

    budgetprepp-n Monkey

    Do you think this stuff is as bad for you as what the government puts in your water?


    It's a wonder I'm still alive,,
    I drank rain rain water off the roof when I was a kid. Even rode my bicycle with no helmet
    Seat belt? naww even slept on the rear dash under the back window --cars had them back then
     
  14. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    Seriously? that hand pump will pump 135' by hand? @T. Riley
     
  15. C.T.Horner

    C.T.Horner Monkey


    Great post and a little known fact, so take advantage of the science when you have no other choice. You can put contaminated water into a clear water bottle and leave it in the sun for a day and it will kill all living organisms. But it will not filter out contaminates like lead, and VOC’s.
     
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  16. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    No reason why not, if the check valves are down hole, that arrangement is more than common in the oil patch on stripper wells in thousands of feet deep. More to the point is the leverage needed to raise that column of water. (And there's no evidence of freeze protection in the pic.)
     
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  17. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    If the risk of contracting e-coili, salmonella, listeria, roundworm, leptospirosis and giardia, all of which can be acquired via animal poop, is not a concern for you post SHTF/grid down, why are you bothering with any filtration, especially activated charcoal to filter chemical contamination of which rain contains little these days? (Sorry, that rhetorical probably was snarky and not nice.)

    I rather suspect I speak for BT when I say, do as you please. We were just advising that your system will not protect the consumers of your water if it becomes contaminated with microbes. Also understand the caution was for other readers who see your post and system, which looks quite nice, and implement a copy not realizing it's limitations and risks.

    Carry on and have fun.
    AT
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2016
    hitchcock4 likes this.
  18. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    [grouphug]thanks for that explanation @ghrit

    i only know wells on a ranch, and a 10' diameter windmill fan will pump about 160' but it needs a good steady breeze, so I had no idea how a hand pump could pump that deep. =)
     
  19. T. Riley

    T. Riley Monkey+++

    All stainless pump with stainless steel sucker rods and a lot of leverage. The pipe and sucker rods come in 8 foot sections. You buy what you need. Not cheap but worth it to eliminate one hole in my preps.
     
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  20. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    The way I figer it, all the water I've stored ,no matter what condition it's in is getting run through the filter system, and aerated and uv and charcoal ,no exceptions . If I have to, I am making a solar distiller using a large Fresnel lens .
    Having to purify water, is better then not having any water to purify.
     
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