Ode to the Sceptre Water Jug.

[pluton]

spigot added



Extra caps are available...don't experiment on the only one you have.

 

[Scoutman]

Very nice, simple, and low profile spigot!

I ordered one of the 10L jugs and a thread on spout yesterday afternoon and it's supposed to be delivered today!! I ordered it through Lexington Container Company.

 

[Scoutman]

Wow that was fast! Jug came in yesterday and after a good washing it's ready to go. Very stout and I tried it on my camp table and it wasn't too unstable. The dispenser nozzle is pretty handy.

I had been taking my 7 gal blue jugs around and most weekends came home with a lot of that water left over. This one seems like about the perfect size.

 

[snowblind]

I am so tired of paying upwards of $18 for those square blue water containers, that seem to fall apart or develop leaks if you look at them sideways. So, I sprung for the 10L and the 20L cans. Hopefully, they will last three times as long, based on the price. Of course for me, that means if they last a year, it was a good buy.

I don't think you will have problems with the durability of the Sceptre cans. The plastic is so thick I think the cap would shoot off from pressure before the can split. That just leaves things like smashed/broken caps and I think you would need to whack one HARD to do much damage.


Matt

 

[snowblind]

Extra caps are available...don't experiment on the only one you have.

Good advice. I have an extra cap but I haven't got around to modifying yet.


Matt

 

[snowblind]

Rocket Pump for the Sceptre Water Can

I wanted flowing water for filling cups and washing hands. Didn't want a 12V pump or anything cumbersome. Kids under 7 needed to be able to operate

I felt like the height of a 20L can on the ground is perfect for a water dispenser. It fits easily under tables, next to chairs, etc, etc. I saw a photo from someone else on ExPo who had mounted a rocket pump and I was sold.

I bought a Valterra RP800 Rocket Hand Pump and some 3/8" ID tubing. I used a hole saw to cut out the center of the cap and the screw-on bung. I then cut off the top of the vent cap and screwed the remaining stub into the vent hole so it sat flush with the cap. The final step is screwing the rocket pump down to the cap with two included stainless steel screws. This is a siphon pump so there is no need for an air-tight seal.







The end result is pretty much perfect for my needs. 4-5 quick pumps will fill a water glass and even a kid can do it.



Matt

 

[Scoutman]

I like that pump but would you have been better off starting with a blank cap? Do you pump it 5 times and it flows till it runs out of prime or does it stop when you stop?

http://lexingtoncontainercompanysonlinestore.mybigcommerce.com/scepter-mwc-replacement-cap-cap-only/

 

[snowblind]

I like that pump but would you have been better off starting with a blank cap? Do you pump it 5 times and it flows till it runs out of prime or does it stop when you stop?

http://lexingtoncontainercompanysonlinestore.mybigcommerce.com/scepter-mwc-replacement-cap-cap-only/

That one is a cap for the pour spout. Hard to tell because of the scale of the photo.

I drilled the pour spout and and 2" more from the MAIN cap. If you look at the top pick you can see how big the pump body is. I bought this cap a few years ago when I bought the jugs with the intention of modifying.

If the pump is dry you need to pump 5 to 10 times to fill everything up. Then it is one down-stroke to release water and one up-stroke up to pump and lock the prime. There is a sweet spot in the middle where you can alternate from up/down and create considerable flow but I worry about torquing on it too much.


Matt

 

[Freebird]

I like the idea of a pump to lift the water out of the Sceptre jug. I would be partial to a foot pump, tho, like is used on sail boats. That way hands are kept off the lever, since there is none. Reduces chances of cross contamination between kiddo's hands. Also both hands can be used to hold the container water is being transferred to, say, maybe a large pot full of potatoes to boil?
Seems to me it would be an upgrade, but there are lots of ways to accomplish the same task. The hand lever certainly is a simpler set up.

 

[WeLikeCamping]

Nice mods to these cans. I'll probably be looking at that spigot system soon. My cans have finally arrived, and they certainly appear bulletproof, far more so than the paper-thin jugs I've been reliant on. I have the 10L for filtered water for cooking and drinking, and the 20L for potable water for cleaning, dogs, fire extinguishing, and a backup to the 10L. I'm heading out for four days this weekend, so I'll report back on how it goes.

 

[snowblind]

I like the idea of a pump to lift the water out of the Sceptre jug. I would be partial to a foot pump, tho, like is used on sail boats. That way hands are kept off the lever, since there is none. Reduces chances of cross contamination between kiddo's hands. Also both hands can be used to hold the container water is being transferred to, say, maybe a large pot full of potatoes to boil? Seems to me it would be an upgrade, but there are lots of ways to accomplish the same task. The hand lever certainly is a simpler set up.

Not looking to fill a pot for potatoes. I have a 10 litre can that is easy for an adult to pour and refill. For drinking water and hand washing the "old-timey" hand pump is actually pretty cool because it slows things down and makes it a two-person job

Foot pump involves external hoses, stuff to trip on, etc. It would make for better one-person operation but at roughly double the complexity. For my specific needs I like the hand-pump better.

Eventually I want to add a 40gallon water tank and 12V RV pump to my camping trailer. This would provide hot/cold water for cooking, dishes and showering. I still plan on using the hand pump for drinking water. It just makes for a great 20L water cooler.


Matt

 

[snowblind]

My cans have finally arrived, and they certainly appear bulletproof, far more so than the paper-thin jugs I've been reliant on.

No worries with durability. I've beat on mine for 3 years now with zero problems. The plastic is so tough it took me over a minute to drill a hole in the cap with a hole-saw!


Matt

 

[ChadHahn]

I stopped in at Goodwill today and found a 20L Sceptre water jug for $3.99. The only bad thing is that it's black. In AZ I would have liked a lighter color, but beggars can't be choosers.

Chad

 

[mkitchen]

Using a siphon hose

A fellow Portal member, showed me a very simple way to have access to water from the Scepter water can. He simply inserted a hose (use clear, reinforced tubing, available at any hardware store) into the vent hole in the cap. start a siphon and it can be used on and off till the can is empty. with this method you can even leave the can on the mount that it is mounted on. The trick is to get the diameter of hose that just fits into the vent hole in the cap.
Once you start the siphon, you get the water you need and then put your finger over the end of the tube and place it through the handle of the can or the cap loop. Next time you need water you just bring the hose end down lower than the water level and it will start running again. It works great and even the youngest kids can be shown how to do it. We have been using ours in this way for quite a few years now. I wish I had some pictures but I don't.
Mikey

 

[BigSwede]

I wonder if a shaker siphon would fit through the bigger hole...would be handy for filling the dog's water bowl. I would have to dedicate it to water use, of course. I already have one for fuel transfer.