pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
I use UV not bleach, but same same. (Not a big fan of bleach when I can avoid it.)
Water purifying
- Thread starter Turtle59
- Start date
I use UV not bleach, but same same. (Not a big fan of bleach when I can avoid it.)
SkiFreak
Crazy Person
If pumping from a creek that is a fair distance from your vehicle, using a 240v/110v AC pump can be better. Any 12v/24v DC pump will require reasonably heavy cable to reduce voltage drop, but if using an AC pump you can run a nice long extension lead without any issues. Naturally, you would also need an inverter (or a generator), but most people have one of those installed these days. AC pumps are normally cheaper too.
Alastair D(Aus)
aging but active
If I am paddling around at the edge of a creek I would sooner be using a 12/24v pump. You might like life to be exciting but I am happy to be boring.
Offtrack
Offtrack Traveler
Still a dreamer here and the EC FX Fuso has me really thinking Fuso.
Having spent some time in the wildland fire engine service and living in an RV, I prefer all the water on board to be drinkable due to your washing things and showering with it, and also prefer to avoid the bleach.
A filter on the cold water side of the sink that many RVs have now to clean up any left overs in the tank or system is nice.
Been looking at this system for taking on water.
http://www.portablesolarpower.biz/products/12v-portable-survivor-water-purification-system
Having spent some time in the wildland fire engine service and living in an RV, I prefer all the water on board to be drinkable due to your washing things and showering with it, and also prefer to avoid the bleach.
A filter on the cold water side of the sink that many RVs have now to clean up any left overs in the tank or system is nice.
Been looking at this system for taking on water.
http://www.portablesolarpower.biz/products/12v-portable-survivor-water-purification-system
DiploStrat
Expedition Leader
Scholars may differ, but bleach is what your city water company uses. Short of boiling, it is most likely to kill the nasties (much better than any filter and less energy than UV). Chlorine also dissipates so you have very little taste cleanup. (Compared, for example, to iodine.)
+1
And...
You can remove the bleach (chlorine) through an active charcoal filter, even further improving the taste.
Offtrack
Offtrack Traveler
Agree also, just my personal choice to avoid the bleach when I can as I have always lived off a well or spring water most all my life.
I use bleach when needed and to clean out the water system.
I filter all city water coming on board when traveling even and the simple inline filters that have the charcoal filters do a good job of it.
No matter the method its a good subject to cover, good clean water is important.
I use bleach when needed and to clean out the water system.
I filter all city water coming on board when traveling even and the simple inline filters that have the charcoal filters do a good job of it.
No matter the method its a good subject to cover, good clean water is important.
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DiploStrat
Expedition Leader
I've lived most of my life in the Third World, so I grew up boiling all of the water I drank. One place we used a multi-stage filter: Sludge>Iodine>Charcoal. Worked fairly well as it was designed so that the charcoal filter failed before the Iodine. Thus if you could taste the Iodine, it was time to replace the filter. It was good enough to clean up the local tap water, but there was ALWAYS a slight Iodine taste.
For travel I have chlorinated the tank and then use a final filter. (Which filter is claimed to be fine enough to filter Giardia.)
But there are always a few rules for Third World travel:
-- NEVER trust the water,
-- Always take water from the BEST source possible.
The Australians have some nice filter systems, but they tend to be large. Chlorine remains the most universally available, most effective treatment, and, as you can buy it as laundry beach, the most cost effective.
For travel I have chlorinated the tank and then use a final filter. (Which filter is claimed to be fine enough to filter Giardia.)
But there are always a few rules for Third World travel:
-- NEVER trust the water,
-- Always take water from the BEST source possible.
The Australians have some nice filter systems, but they tend to be large. Chlorine remains the most universally available, most effective treatment, and, as you can buy it as laundry beach, the most cost effective.
Hi
DiploStrat your experience may be beyond most here, but your explanation is maybe a little brief for those who are looking for good practice? Filtration only for "really" dirty water??
If bleach kills the bugs it won't sterilise whats inside them as they decompose, or kill cysts. Same with UV. Chemicals and UV need "clear" water before they are effective.
Bleach works in mains supplies because it can't evaporate in a closed pipe, with water that started off in good condition. Once in the open air it disappears quickly leaving no taste but also no protection. No problem if used within a day or two, maybe not so good if in an RV water tank that's continually topped up. Off the shelf domestic bleach becomes less effective as it ages especially in liquid form, especially if its hot (in a vehicle!), so dosage is dependant on a minimum active quantity. Using the bottle of bleach that's been sat unused for the last 5 years might not work out so well. First google result for instance
http://water.epa.gov/drink/emerprep/emergencydisinfection.cfm
Filter, then heat or treat.
DiploStrat your experience may be beyond most here, but your explanation is maybe a little brief for those who are looking for good practice? Filtration only for "really" dirty water??
If bleach kills the bugs it won't sterilise whats inside them as they decompose, or kill cysts. Same with UV. Chemicals and UV need "clear" water before they are effective.
Bleach works in mains supplies because it can't evaporate in a closed pipe, with water that started off in good condition. Once in the open air it disappears quickly leaving no taste but also no protection. No problem if used within a day or two, maybe not so good if in an RV water tank that's continually topped up. Off the shelf domestic bleach becomes less effective as it ages especially in liquid form, especially if its hot (in a vehicle!), so dosage is dependant on a minimum active quantity. Using the bottle of bleach that's been sat unused for the last 5 years might not work out so well. First google result for instance
http://water.epa.gov/drink/emerprep/emergencydisinfection.cfm
Filter, then heat or treat.
pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
I use bleach to shock the system but that's it in the camper. I keep it on hand for emergency/field use and to purify water on hikes, etc.
I also agree that storing liquid bleach is not the best way... but I found a better way to store it, as Salt. This is what I use - http://www.aquaresearchllc.com/h2go-purifier/
DiploStrat
Expedition Leader
We may be Overthinking this, but here Goes ...
There are grossly three scenarios:
-- Resident
-- Motor Vehicle
-- Backpack/Bicycle
If resident, then you can boil, distill, reverse osmosis, whatever you choose. Lots and lots of expats simply use a ceramic filter, boiling the candles or treating with chlorine once a month. In all of these cases, you are starting with city water which was probably safe when it left the plant, but has been contaminated due to low pressure, bad pipes, etc.
With a motor vehicle you are typically treating water in an enclosed tank. As always, you should take from the best source possible; city water, a soft drink plant or brewery, a hotel, a village pump from a deep well, etc. You want to avoid streams, bucket wells, pans, etc. Obviously, the dirtier the water, the greater the amount of pre filtering you want to do. You want to start with clear water if at all possible. I would then treat this water with chlorine, typically purchased as laundry bleach at a city or village store. You don't need much and you won't be storing it long. Finally, I would filter for taste and crud. The filter on my current truck claims to be good for cysts. Since I start with commercial camp site water in the States, I'm probably safe.
On foot, your options are more limited. I have used filter pumps and lots of folk swear by Steritabs or similar dry chlorine tablets. Iodine tablets typically taste so vile that people simply don't use them. There are also UV pens, but I have never used one.
The old "water in a bottle on the roof in the sun" actually works well, if you have the discipline to leave the water up there long enough. (And enough sunlight.)
Obviously, a lot depends on how long a trip and what sources you have available.
There are grossly three scenarios:
-- Resident
-- Motor Vehicle
-- Backpack/Bicycle
If resident, then you can boil, distill, reverse osmosis, whatever you choose. Lots and lots of expats simply use a ceramic filter, boiling the candles or treating with chlorine once a month. In all of these cases, you are starting with city water which was probably safe when it left the plant, but has been contaminated due to low pressure, bad pipes, etc.
With a motor vehicle you are typically treating water in an enclosed tank. As always, you should take from the best source possible; city water, a soft drink plant or brewery, a hotel, a village pump from a deep well, etc. You want to avoid streams, bucket wells, pans, etc. Obviously, the dirtier the water, the greater the amount of pre filtering you want to do. You want to start with clear water if at all possible. I would then treat this water with chlorine, typically purchased as laundry bleach at a city or village store. You don't need much and you won't be storing it long. Finally, I would filter for taste and crud. The filter on my current truck claims to be good for cysts. Since I start with commercial camp site water in the States, I'm probably safe.
On foot, your options are more limited. I have used filter pumps and lots of folk swear by Steritabs or similar dry chlorine tablets. Iodine tablets typically taste so vile that people simply don't use them. There are also UV pens, but I have never used one.
The old "water in a bottle on the roof in the sun" actually works well, if you have the discipline to leave the water up there long enough. (And enough sunlight.)
Obviously, a lot depends on how long a trip and what sources you have available.
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chosen
Observer
Some very interesting and useful information here so far...
On my old Hilux camper we made a system that used Ozone and a carbon micro filter system. We needed to be able to drawer water from dubious sources in the outback and this system made that possible. The ozone kills everything, but it also is a very strong oxidiser (second most powerful known I believe), even being able to oxidise containments such as lead and other heavy metals. In doing so, it makes the particles clump together and they become large enough to be filtered out, while others fall out of the water due to their weight. There are only one or two substances that can become problematic when exposed to ozone, but they too can be filtered out.
Ozone has been used for treating municipal water sources for a long while (apparently since the 1800's), it also has a very short half-life so it does not contaminate the water long term with any chemicals or taste. Obviously avoid breathing it in as it can kill you at around 5-10ppm depending on your exposure time.
Some good info can be found here... hope it helps. http://www.water-research.net/index.php/ozonation
On my old Hilux camper we made a system that used Ozone and a carbon micro filter system. We needed to be able to drawer water from dubious sources in the outback and this system made that possible. The ozone kills everything, but it also is a very strong oxidiser (second most powerful known I believe), even being able to oxidise containments such as lead and other heavy metals. In doing so, it makes the particles clump together and they become large enough to be filtered out, while others fall out of the water due to their weight. There are only one or two substances that can become problematic when exposed to ozone, but they too can be filtered out.
Ozone has been used for treating municipal water sources for a long while (apparently since the 1800's), it also has a very short half-life so it does not contaminate the water long term with any chemicals or taste. Obviously avoid breathing it in as it can kill you at around 5-10ppm depending on your exposure time.
Some good info can be found here... hope it helps. http://www.water-research.net/index.php/ozonation
dtruzinski
Explorer
DiploStrat
Expedition Leader
Jon,
That looks neat.
-- Can you use table salt or must you buy their tablets?
-- Is it fast enough to fill a tank, or do you use it to fill a drinking bottle.
Just for the record, salt is the active ingredient in Sodium Hypochlorite, aka, bleach.
That looks neat.
-- Can you use table salt or must you buy their tablets?
-- Is it fast enough to fill a tank, or do you use it to fill a drinking bottle.
Just for the record, salt is the active ingredient in Sodium Hypochlorite, aka, bleach.