Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: So what did you do to your Truck Camper today?

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Topic: So what did you do to your Truck Camper today?

Posted By: DWeikert on 04/29/14 11:25am

Installed a small accumulator tank
Before
[image]

After

Now I just need it to stop raining so I can finish de-winterizing, fill the FW tank and check for leaks.

Dan
2008 Chevy D/A 2500HD ECSB
2010 Northstar 8.5 Adventurer

Posted By: Rbertalotto on 04/29/14 11:30am

Looks awesome.........What does it do?

RoyB
Dartmouth, MA
2021 RAM 2500 4X4 6.4L
2011 Forest River Grey Wolf Cherokee 19RR
520 w solar-200ah Renogy Li-Epever MPPT

Posted By: DWeikert on 04/29/14 11:36am

Ever notice how the pump does the run/stop/run/stop in short bursts when you run water? This reduces those cycles and smooths out the water flow. In theory, it extends the life of the pump by reducing the start/stop cycles.

Posted By: Rbertalotto on 04/29/14 11:39am

sounds good.....thank

Posted By: bka0721 on 04/29/14 11:52am

Nice. I would wonder, though, installing something that has a specific weight, like the Accumulator tank and H2O pump in a vertical mounting position. For me, I travel a lot on very rough roads, often washboard, so there is a lot of pounding going. This impacts many things inside the camper, even latches on the cabinet doors. I am just wondering if it might be better to relocate these items from the thin skin of the wall, to the flat open horizontal surface in front of the picture? But, if you don't travel off pavement much, it would probably be a non-issue.

I have put this out there before, but with the ease of water availability, will you find yourself using water more than you would when it took more effort to use? For me it comes down to which commodity is finite, the water availability or battery reserve. For that reason I chose not to install a water accumulator. If my travels allowed me more access to water, I would definitely install an accumulator.

Nice Clean install!

b

Posted By: DWeikert on 04/29/14 12:13pm

It would've required more plumbing work to relocate to the horizontal surface. Besides, I plan to mount an inverter there in a few weeks so I didn't really give that much thought. I just got lucky that Northstar mounted the pump in such a way that it was easy to put the accumulator inline. Both the pump and accumulator are mounted with large rubber bushings so I'm not overly concerned about the vibration from unimproved roads. I've already been down many miles of washboard/potholed roads and noticed no issues with the pump as I was unmounting it so I'm not too concerned. But you've planted the seed of concern so I'll be checking it occasionally when I do travel on those rough roads. Although as I think about it, the vibration from the pump running is probably worse than anything rough roads will subject it to.

I really don't expect this will make a difference with my water usage. I mostly put it in because I was concerned about pump wear as it would go through 1 second on, 1 second off cycles whenever I used the shower. I doubt I will perceive this as making water usage easier. At least not for me. Now for the pump...?

Posted By: bka0721 on 04/29/14 12:48pm

Dweikert, great response.

Thanks. I often try to put seeds out there for others to consider, in making their own changes. Just as you have done with your own sharing, of your installation.

In a similar type situation, where I needed to install something vertical, on the thin wall strata, I took another sheet of Plywood, bolted the item on this plywood surface and then attached to the wall using a Z and Square Screw pattern, to spread the attachment across a broader surface. It is good to plan ahead, for future installation. But, let me ask you this, in your plan of an inverter installation. Won’t you be concerned if there is a catastrophic failure of your water pump/accumulator putting water in proximity to your electrical appliance (inverter)? Or Winterizing or draining of your water system?

I agree with you on the lifespan of an OEM Water pump. That is why I carry a spare and use it to transfer potable water into my in house Potable Water Tank, while it is sitting in reserve. But, I have used my water pump, on a daily basis, for 59 months with no failure. Food for thought.

Since I am in extreme boondocking situations,95% of my time, one of the things constantly on my mind, is water conservation. Funny thing happened last summer, I was camped within 8 feet of a potable water faucet and suddenly realized; “Hey I can have a really long shower and use as much water as I want!” But, I got over that feeling really quickly and my sudden Gluttonous thoughts.

For me, I travel on a lot of roads, much like the “storied” road to the Racetrack, in Death Valley. The pounding, from the road, does some amazing things to things inside the camper, as well as the leading edges/fenders to my 8X14 enclosed trailer. But, I will never stop traveling the roads less traveled, just make things exist better for when I am.

b

Posted By: DWeikert on 04/29/14 01:17pm

Perhaps it will ease your concern to know that the wall the pump is screwed on to is not just a sheet of paneling over insulation, but paneling over marine plywood. So the screw is sunk into plywood behind the paneling.

My concern about pump life was probably totally unfounded, but I figured it can't hurt.

As to the electric and water being in the same cabinet, that's how Northstar built it so there wasn't much I could to. The converter is visible in the lower right of the After photo, the solar charger is mounted just above that, the batteries are on the floor under the cabinet shelf where I plan to mount the inverter, and the fresh water tank is next to the batteries under the cabover step. In the interest of short cables, that seems to be the most efficient place to mount the inverter.

Most of my camping is to fly fishing destinations so I'm usually not far from water. The FW tank in my Adventurer is only 20 gallons so I've learned to be very frugal with water usage. I can easily make that last me 5 days, but I carry a small 12v pump I can use to refill the FW tank from whatever water source is near. As an aside, I do not drink water from that tank, but even so I generally treat it with a little bleach if I fill from a non-treated water source.

Isn't traveling the roads less traveled the reason we have a TC to begin with? [emoticon]

Posted By: bka0721 on 04/29/14 01:29pm

DWeikert wrote:

Isn't traveling the roads less traveled the reason we have a TC to begin with? [emoticon]

I agree!! But, sadly, I have been told, in this forum and in person, that my rig could not be driven off the pavement, because I am just too BIG. [emoticon]

Guess I am just a born Rebel and coloring outside the lines makes me happy. [emoticon]

Posted By: DWeikert on 04/29/14 01:36pm

bka0721 wrote:

I agree!! But, sadly, I have been told, in this forum and in person, that my rig could not be driven off the pavement, because I am just too BIG. [emoticon]

Ancient Chinese proverb- "The person saying something cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it." [emoticon]

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