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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Water ideas please!!!!!
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a3ahart
Member
# Posted: 26 Apr 2020 05:11pm
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Hey all. New here. I just purchased a 500sq ft cabin in upstate NY. I have electricity but no running water. There may be a spring .precious owner said that he thinks there is a spring just ft from house. If not I am wondering what you all think would be a good plan. The property is on a hill side so maybe that will help with water. I am new to all this cabin stuff. So I am looking for any ideas. Thank you all for your help.

Irrigation Guy
Member
# Posted: 26 Apr 2020 07:14pm
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What’s your budget

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 26 Apr 2020 07:14pm
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Quoting: Irrigation Guy
What’s your budget


and do you have power there?

cspot
Member
# Posted: 26 Apr 2020 07:43pm
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How much use do you anticipate? Will it only be recreational or will it be permanent residence?

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2020 07:25am
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Your not really giving us enough info. There are many ways to get all types of water. For now bring drinking water with you.

Do you have acess to a stream you can fill a 55gal barrel from? Is your roof metal or shingle? Did you actually look for a spring? How deep is the water table there?

You can haul it in, collect rain, improve the spring, drive a sand point well. Many options.

Or of course you can pay my thousands and have a well put in.

justinbowser
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2020 10:31am
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At our cabin a well looked to be very expensive so we put in a water catchment system. We have six 275 gl IBC totes at the cabin and two by the outbuilding that has our old wringer washer in it. I recently finished installing an iSpring filter system and UV sterilizer and as as soon as the water test results come in we will transition over to using this for all of our water needs.

We currently use the rainwater for showers and haul jugs of water from a neighbor for washing dishes.

RiverCabin
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2020 01:50pm
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Yep, rainwater is probably your answer. I have rain gutters and an IBC tote on a tower. This water is used for flushing the toilet and an occasional shower. Half the roof on a 660 sq. ft. cabin keeps it full of water from April to October. We bing inour drinking water.

My cabin actually has a well and finally a couple years ago I located it (buried wellhead). I plan on putting a hand pump on it this year for a fun project.

Ontario lakeside
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2020 03:25pm
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Rain water is a great solution, we use it for everything but drinking. This video shows out setup if your interested
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=funUNu9zVLQ&t=180s

Irrigation Guy
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2020 04:23pm
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Quoting: RiverCabin

My cabin actually has a well and finally a couple years ago I located it (buried wellhead). I plan on putting a hand pump on it this year for a fun project.


Do you know your static level? Most hand pumps will only work if static is less than 25’.

a3ahart
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2020 05:28pm - Edited by: a3ahart
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Hey all. Yes I have a small stream( run off) , metal roof , electricity, And I am way up In the hills. Budget is small. I plan on using it every weekends that i am not working all year.Sounds like rain water is my best option. You guys are so helpful!!

a3ahart
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2020 05:35pm
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Great video !!! Very helpful. Thanks

cspot
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2020 09:41pm - Edited by: cspot
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If you look on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist you can usually find some IBC totes that are food grade for a decent price. You can also find some plastic 55 gallon drums that are food grade as well. I catch water from my roof that goes into a 55 gallon drum then I transfer to the tote. This helps keep the tote clean even though I have a screen on the drum.

Another option and something I still do is to bring water from home. I have some of those blue water containers that hold like 7 or 8 gallon a piece.

justinbowser
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2020 10:49pm
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We got our food grade totes from a Craig's List seller for $50/ea but we had to clean them. A trip to the coin car wash did the trick. 2 had cooking oil, 2 contained vinegar, and 4 had maybe a yeast solution. They originated from a large bakery.

Our system is gutters with perforated gutter guards, a "Leaf Eater", and a First Flush Diverter.

SE Ohio
Member
# Posted: 28 Apr 2020 09:34am
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Plan for freezing weather... I use rubber sink/shower traps to avoid using antifreeze in traps every time I leave in winter. I use a pitcher pump which is freeze friendly. The water drains back to below frost line, so pump piping is safe. We heat water on our stove and use drop in pump with flexible tubing for our shower.

My neighbor’s cabin is all plumbed, has water heater, etc. He has had trouble clearing out the water pipes, frequent burst pipes. He doesn’t use his cabin in the winter anymore due to stress and hassle of winterizing plumbing!

SE Ohio

RiverCabin
Member
# Posted: 28 Apr 2020 09:49am
Reply 


Quoting: Irrigation Guy
Do you know your static level? Most hand pumps will only work if static is less than 25’.


Yes, my static level is above 25' on this well. I've done another wells deeper however. There are a bunch of good options now for deep swell hand pumps. For example https://www.bisonpumps.com/ makes some nice stuff. A bit pricey however. That being said, nothing I've ever done or had done to a well was cheap.

Irrigation Guy
Member
# Posted: 28 Apr 2020 11:16am
Reply 


Quoting: RiverCabin
Yes, my static level is above 25' on this well. I've done another wells deeper however. There are a bunch of good options now for deep swell hand pumps. For example https://www.bisonpumps.com/ makes some nice stuff. A bit pricey however. That being said, nothing I've ever done or had done to a well was cheap


Yes bison pump and simple pump both make nice stuff and I almost bought one for emergency use at my full time residence. I ended up building one for about $50 with pvc and a couple check valves.

cspot
Member
# Posted: 28 Apr 2020 07:34pm
Reply 


Quoting: SE Ohio
Plan for freezing weather... I use rubber sink/shower traps to avoid using antifreeze in traps every time I leave in winter. I use a pitcher pump which is freeze friendly. The water drains back to below frost line, so pump piping is safe. We heat water on our stove and use drop in pump with flexible tubing for our shower.

My neighbor’s cabin is all plumbed, has water heater, etc. He has had trouble clearing out the water pipes, frequent burst pipes. He doesn’t use his cabin in the winter anymore due to stress and hassle of winterizing plumbing!

SE Ohio


I have mine setup so I can switch a valve, drop a hose into a jug of RV antifreeze and pump my system full of it. Takes about 1 gallon to winterize my pipes and my drains. Very simple. I have a tankless hot water heater.

znhouse
Member
# Posted: 29 Apr 2020 03:47am
Reply 


A pump is a good way to get water pressure at your cabin.You’ll have some check valves that allow water to flow one way but not the other.
Pressure tank is also required. What I’m getting at is that pump and pressure tank systems are a bit more complicated than the typical DIYer is ready for.
Unless you’re familiar with these systems or have done a bunch of research, it’s best to have this type of system installed by a professional.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 29 Apr 2020 08:02am
Reply 


Well plumbing is no complicated. Yes there is a check valve and possibly a pressure tank. How ever if your useing 12v then you really don't need the pressure tank.

Most 120v jet pumps are going to be way overkill for a small cabin with shallow well or cistern but easy to hook up..but also a pain to prime. Use the smallest 120v submersable well pump you can find if your static water level is below the pump inlet.

We use a jet pump to fill out cistern way up on a hill. Even with the pump prob only 3ft above the steam it can take 10gal or so to get it primes. So you need water to get water.

Just
Member
# Posted: 29 Apr 2020 08:40pm
Reply 


Here is a pic of my small system.we use it for everything, boil the drinking water . Keep it in the shade and add a oz of bleach a week .symple , works,..
Rainwater
Rainwater
Water
Water


Alpine_Junky
Member
# Posted: 1 May 2020 02:50pm
Reply 


I buried a cistern and pump into the cabin giving a typical running water set up; pressure tank & on demand propane H2O heater. Infiltrator tanks can be buried 4" deep and back filled with native soils - I went with the 1750 gallon.

It all depends on what you want / need -- but a spring will keep a cistern filling; the burial will keep it from freezing, and you should be able to design as simple or elaborate system from that to get H2O to your cabin. Consider how much water you will be using and what the flow of your spring is during drier months - size your holding tank off that.

Installing a system is pretty easy if you are handy and will give you the knowledge to troubleshoot issues in the future. Enjoy the project!

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