Camper Mod w/ additional use

jwstewar

Senior Member
Staff member
Lets start by saying I haven't been able to teach my family the art of water conservation yet. First (and so far only) time we've camped w/o a water hook-up in our new camper we made it overnight. We were close to a water spigot but it didn't have threads. I didn't (and still don't) have a water thief so that was out of the question. I then went to Wally World and bought one of their blue 7 gallon jugs. I was able to refill the tank, but knew I wanted something a little easier.

Here is what I came up with. I bought a 35 gallon tank at TSC. I then bought the fittings and hoses and such to connect it to garden hoses. A buddy of mine runs a junk yard. Someone had scrapped an old motor home. I asked him if it had a water pump in it. He said he didn't know, but I could have it if it did. I went and looked, sure enough it did. Pulled it out and it ran. Finally got it hooked up, and the daggone thing works - including the pressure switch.

Here is a shot of the overall setup. http://picasaweb.google.com/jwstewar1999/CamperPhotos#5390023917199764354

Here is the pump and the wiring connections: http://picasaweb.google.com/jwstewar1999/CamperPhotos#5390023936845108178

Here is how I power it. I'm running it off the 12-volt battery charge circuit on the trailer connection on the truck as I figure it will be sitting in the bed of the truck.http://picasaweb.google.com/jwstewar1999/CamperPhotos#5390023959546384466

Finally of all of the connections where I can connect the water hose to the pump or remove the pump and connect a water hose directly to the tank.
http://picasaweb.google.com/jwstewar1999/CamperPhotos#5390023975911417890

Another use I thought of for this tank. As we plant trees and such throughout the yard too far for the water hose to reach. I can put the tank in the loader of the tractor and take the water to it. I can then either use gravity to water by raising the loader or use the pump powered off the 7-pin on the back of the tractor - thus the reason for the 15' cord on the plug in.
 
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Cowboy

Member
Gold Site Supporter
Looks like a nice set up Jim . Also looks like You did a lot of work. Makes for a nice looking Camper . Thanks for all the Pics . Bob
 

OhioTC18

Well-known member
Gold Site Supporter
Jim,
When I had my camper, I bought a 25 gallon RV water tank and installed a threaded adapter on it. Then just connected a hose to that and let gravity refill the camper holding tank. The truck bed was usually always higher than the inlet on the RV. But that was when I had the 99 F250 SD too.

But nice job and good thinking
 

Doc

Admin
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Good work Jim. :thumb: :tiphat: That'll work out nicely for you. :D
 

jwstewar

Senior Member
Staff member
Just thought I would post a little follow up to this.

I've used this setup quite a bit. We camped last fall and I refilled our camper and the neighbor as well. This spring I then used the pump to pump water through one of those bug spray containers that connects to the garden hose. Worked well. Then after the wet spring we've gone into a dry spell. We planted a bunch of trees this spring, so I've watered them with it.

Then this past weekend we went camping. Noticed it seemed like it was making a lot of noise, but it seemed to be working OK. Then on Sunday just as I was finishing up, it through the connecting rod. Couldn't figure out how that little thing was originally supposed to stay on there. But was able to fill my cousin's camper by holding a piece of wood over the rod to keep it on the cam.

I tore it apart. Still couldn't figure out what held the rod on. Started looking on the Internet. Found that I can buy every part for this pump (incidentally the new version of this pump is almost $400). So then I had a decision to make. Everything else on this pump looked good, so do I buy parts for this one for about $35 or so or buy a new one from Harbor Freight for about the same money. I just placed the order with Downwind Marine our of San Diego:yum: Figure it will last a lot longer than the one from Harbor Freight.
 
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