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FishPCreek
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# Posted: 27 Aug 2012 09:47pm
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First post on the forum. Been checking it out for several months as we built/had built a 24 x 24 frame cabin in PA. We have grid power, but no plumbing. No pipes in/out allowed. Question on water for kitchenette and bath sinks. Initially considered gravity feed from 5-gallon containers, into 6 or 7 gallon buckets under sinks. Now thinking a small electric pump so we don't have to mount (and lift) a heavy container high up. Anyone have success with this? I was thinking a basic plug in RV type pump that is easily drained for the times we are not there in the winter. Apprecitae any ideas/experiences.
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BlaineHill
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# Posted: 27 Aug 2012 09:54pm
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I will be using an old fashioned pither pump:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/hand-pumps/cast-iron-pitcher-pump-3125045
I will connect it to a 5-gallon bucket of fresh water under the sink. It is not ideal, but it will lift 12oz/pump into the sink. It might work for you.
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VTweekender
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# Posted: 27 Aug 2012 10:08pm
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Quoting: FishPCreek thinking a basic plug in RV type pump
thats the way to go since you have electric, and you would need to be about 40 ft in the air with gravity feed before any decent pressure....
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 27 Aug 2012 10:44pm
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The trouble with a gravity feed is that you only get 0.43 PSI for every foot of head. Now that's not bad when you have a 100 foot drop, like we do from the rainwater collection tank down to the garden plot.
An RV pumps works well. If you connect it into the system using flexible hoses it's easy to remove and drain. Or set it up to permit easy blowing out with compressed air.
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PA_Bound
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 07:16am
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That's exactly what I'm going to do also. I bought a 40-gallon water tank that I will fill from my well (off-grid, so generator driven pump). I purchased a small Shur-Flow on-demand RV pump that I will use to supply the faucets.
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TomChum
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 05:30pm - Edited by: TomChum
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Standard water pressure is 20-80 psi. You need 46 ft tower to get 20psi. But so what? For example a jobsite water cooler uses gravity and they work fine. 10 out of 10 rivers agree.
This is cabin-ing, its not contracting. You're not gonna get a bad name if the building inspector doesn't sign off on this project.
Pump-vs-gravity:
1) it will cost more
2) it will take longer and add complication
3) it will add a maintenance item, could freeze
4) you will fill your sewage buckets faster
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FishPCreek
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 07:31pm
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Thanks for the ideas. I think I will rig the the RV pump as I may be able to get the actual carboy/tank into an out of the way location versus overhead in the kitchen, and possibly in the adjoining room.
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 08:33pm
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Just a thought- With a pitcher pump (without adding a foot valve) you can design around having to drain pipes in winter. With an electric pump, you'll have likely have to drain pipes for the winter freeze if you don't keep heat on... I like the idea of being able to walk away from the cabin each time without worrying about forgetting anything. I have a pitcher pump with a (freezable) container of water under the sink. The pump loses the prime in minutes. Of course if I show up when it is cold I have to wait for the cabin to heat up before I can pump water!
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skootamattaschmidty
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:17pm
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We have a 12 volt shurflo pump in a crawl space with a 60 gallon water tank that is filled with an electric pump from the generator. Has been in use 10 years now and works great. Hooked it to kitchen sink and on demand water heater for a shower. Very reliable and can be run dry without damage to it.
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FishPCreek
Member
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 10:04pm
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Good points today. The run from where the pump/tank might be is a max of 7 feet so the draining part should be easy if I go that way. We need to bring water to the site, so it must be "carry-able" so I am guessing that 5 to 7 gallon at a time might do it, and there is the space requirement for anything larger than that. The pitcher pump idea is intriguing as well - at least for the small bathroom set-up I envision.
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Spudmasher1
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# Posted: 29 Aug 2012 04:21am
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I didn't even know you could buy a pitcher pump any where. Thanks Blaine for posted the link.
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