Unique sink/water idea

[Beerdy]

I've been brainstorming on how to get a nice water/sink setup, and I have come up with something that I think will work well for me. I'd like to run it by you guys to poke holes in it.

I have been homebrewing beer for some time now, and eventually moved on to kegging my own beers. To do this I use 5gal corney kegs and carbonate with co2.

Those kegs are stainless steel and food grade. Unlike other liquid storage solutions, these would sit more vertically as opposed to horizontally, allowing me to hold 5 gallons of water with only a 8-9" diameter footprint. They hold pressure for quite some time so I'm not worried about that.

Instead of using a pump to push water from the container to the sink/shower/whatever, the keg would be gently pressurized to 10-12psi and the control of flow would be done on the faucet side.

To fill, I could repressurize the kegs with the onboard compressor.

Benefits
SS Food grade
Small footprint
No electricity/pump needed

Cons???

 

[KevinsMap]

No real technical "problems". But one important consideration:

Air from an typical onboard compressor is not suitable for breathing, or any other form of internal or medical use. Look at how a Scuba compressor works, for an example of "medical grade" breathable air. Since impurities in the compressed air (typically compressor lubricants, among others) can be dissolved in the water you are storing and consuming, this is a health issue. It can be solved with a medical grade compressor... but at what price?

 

[Ozarker]

Compressed air might be easier, just a pressure tank to the holding tank.

 

[Beerdy]

No real technical "problems". But one important consideration:

Air from an typical onboard compressor is not suitable for breathing, or any other form of internal or medical use. Look at how a Scuba compressor works, for an example of "medical grade" breathable air. Since impurities in the compressed air (typically compressor lubricants, among others) can be dissolved in the water you are storing and consuming, this is a health issue. It can be solved with a medical grade compressor... but at what price?

Excellent point. They have this adapter that can pressurize the tank using those little co2 cartridges, so that is an option as well.

Found one.
http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Innovations-G5040-Charger-Black/dp/B000NV9CE6

 

[bicyclist]

You'll probably find that as the water empties from the tank, the water pressure will drop off considerably and you'll have to re-pressurize more often than is convenient. So, your first 2 benefits are fine, but you're going to have to do some plumbing anyway, so you might as well just use a small pump.

 

[RedF]

I have thought of using corny kegs for water too, for ALL that camping I do . I'm wondering how well it would work just standing the keg upside down, and letting gravity do the work.

Honestly, I'm just going to stick with the Scepter jugs. They're just functional!

 

[AFBronco235]

If you do go with the air pressure system, you'll want a separate tank that about 30% the volume of your water storage thank. To do this, you'll want a bladder tank, which is simply a steel tank with a rubber bladder inside that is used to keep the water and compressed air separate. They're used mainly for homes that use well water instead of city water and they keep drinking water separate from pressurized air which would dissolve into the water anyways. So if you're thinking of saving room and weight with this system, it won't really work. It would be simpler to just run a pump with a variable speed switch if you can find one.

 

[M35A2]

I don't see the need for all the concern about pressurizing off your OBA. You are not using this water system to raise a family, you are out for a few days now and then. Plus, you can add an oil filter upstream of the tank, and run potable water through another filter.

Your idea is fine. Obviously, build in provision for draining and cleaning.

 

[KevinsMap]

To use the kegs as you wish to do, but keep the system very simple and food grade, you cannot do better than a hand-pump (or foot-pump) such as can be found in Marine Supply catalogs. These systems are not as sexy as electrical pump products, so they are less prominently promoted, but many different systems are available. Just one simple example:

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/whale-pumps--vertical-self-priming-hand-pump--255427



You would have to adapt them for your installation, but products designed for the Marine Supply market assume this (by and large), since there is no standard way to outfit a boat.

 

[KevinsMap]

Similar types, one adapted to a Scepter Jug:



Or another, to a standard water jug:

 

[cruiserpilot]

You have any pictures of those kegs? I'm kind of curious what they look like. SS you say, sounds maybe heavy but so is a cast fry pan. Pics please

 

[Coachgeo]

You have any pictures of those kegs? I'm kind of curious what they look like. SS you say, sounds maybe heavy but so is a cast fry pan. Pics please

that (weight) is an issue to consider. more weight IN the camper and not between our outside inline with Chassis rails raises center of gravity of the whole rig.

As you explore this also consider how to use less water.... then have less need to carry it. For example use Rinseless washing solutions for body and hair. Healthcare industry has been using these prodocts for decades and so has NASA. You cut DRASTICALLY water use this way.

 

[KevinK]

I've been brainstorming on how to get a nice water/sink setup, and I have come up with something that I think will work well for me. I'd like to run it by you guys to poke holes in it.

I have been homebrewing beer for some time now, and eventually moved on to kegging my own beers. To do this I use 5gal corney kegs and carbonate with co2.

Those kegs are stainless steel and food grade. Unlike other liquid storage solutions, these would sit more vertically as opposed to horizontally, allowing me to hold 5 gallons of water with only a 8-9" diameter footprint. They hold pressure for quite some time so I'm not worried about that.

Instead of using a pump to push water from the container to the sink/shower/whatever, the keg would be gently pressurized to 10-12psi and the control of flow would be done on the faucet side.

To fill, I could repressurize the kegs with the onboard compressor.

Benefits
SS Food grade
Small footprint
No electricity/pump needed

Cons???

You've given me an idea and now I've done some research on home brewing websites. I came up with the following drawing to use 3 corny kegs mounted horizontally, and will probably run it using a PowerTank that can also be used for airing up the tires. A 10 or 15 lb bottle would last damn near forever if only supplying 12-15 psi across 15 gallons.

I'm just trying to figure out what PSI to keep the system at in order to promote flow, but not make soda water in the process. Soda water is fun to drink, but not sure about showering in it...

 

[RedF]

You've given me an idea and now I've done some research on home brewing websites. I came up with the following drawing to use 3 corny kegs mounted horizontally, and will probably run it using a PowerTank that can also be used for airing up the tires. A 10 or 15 lb bottle would last damn near forever if only supplying 12-15 psi across 15 gallons.

I'm just trying to figure out what PSI to keep the system at in order to promote flow, but not make soda water in the process. Soda water is fun to drink, but not sure about showering in it...

To the best of my knowledge, you will inherently carbonate liquid anytime you apply CO2 pressure. You may be able to curtail this problem by only applying pressure when you need to discharge water. Nitrogen, on the other hand, will not dissolve into liquid.

 

[RedF]

Depending on the style of corny keg you are using, they may not care which port you use for "in" or "out. Some of my kegs have a straight drop on the long tube, and some curve to the middle.