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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / on-demand pump and water storage
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Rickkrus
Member
# Posted: 26 Apr 2016 14:11 - Edited by: Rickkrus
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My well is in. Driller said easiest way to go is to use a generator and hose and pump water into a storage container in my cabin. Then use an on-demand pump to supply my running water needs. Any recommendations on a pump and container and on-demand water heater? I am going to use pex piping to run to a kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and washing machine. Also can I use it for my toilet?

creeky
Member
# Posted: 26 Apr 2016 17:04
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That's pretty much what I do. Well pump to storage.

Then shurflo pumps.

The bathroom shower / clothes washer draw enough water that the pump runs solid. The kitchen, you're just dribbling water for a few moments at a time. Got tired of the pulse of the pump. So the kitchen got a little accumulator.

I don't know how you'd get hot water to the kitchen. I heat mine on the wood stove or stove top depending on season.

I use 50 gallon water barrels for storage. But there's lots of better options.

Smawgunner
Member
# Posted: 26 Apr 2016 17:36
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This is exactly what I want to do but I'll be carrying water in to a storage tank inside. I was going to use a 3 gallon electric hot water tank. Let me know how it goes!

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 26 Apr 2016 19:46
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Tank depot.com has all different sizes of poly tanks. You have a bunch of factors to consider with buying an on-demand water heater, see;

http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/3_4393_0.html

No reason you can't use pex to supply a toilet.

One thing to remember with a cabin water system is that it will freeze up when you are gone in winter. It's best to design the whole system so that you can drain it. Pex piping will withstand freezing, but I wonder how the fittings and joints would do with freezing. Best to just drain everything.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 26 Apr 2016 23:24
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Fittings and valves can still be damaged by freezing. Draining is an absolute must to avoid problems. Don't forget the drain traps.

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2016 00:02
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You can use RV antifreeze in the traps, it's simple propylene glycol which is biodegradable and won't harm septic systems. Pretty cheap too.

rachelsdad
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2016 16:26 - Edited by: rachelsdad
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My proposed system will be to draw from the shoreline into a 200 gallon plastic tank under the cabin, (I have room), via a pump powered by generator when needed and use an on demand Shureflow pump...with a propane powered instant hot water heater...

At least that is my plan today

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2016 21:40
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Sounds like a workable plan, but I bet you will regret not getting a larger storage tank. The longer you can wait between fillups the better.

Smaller storage tanks are more expensive per gallon. Tanks in the 200 gallon range are I think we'll over $1/gallon. Least expensive per gallon are the 2500 gallon tanks, above that they again get more expensive per gallon.

Not that you are going to get one that big, but a 500 gal tank is less than $400, whereas a 200 gal. is $225 or so.

Rickkrus
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2016 22:03
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Problem is it has to go in the cabin.

rachelsdad
Member
# Posted: 1 May 2016 05:13
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Bldnginsp,

Good tip.....sharing the place w. a pre teen daughter and wife.

Maybe TWO 2,500 gallon tanks

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