My Rainwater Collection System - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Hina · RV-Dreams Family Member

My Rainwater Collection System

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

Looks like a very inventive setup.

I'm glad you are using a katadyne filter the type used by hikers to treat river or creek water to kill and filter out bacteria. When I first watched the video I had the sound turned down and thought you were using the typical ice maker type filter. I was worried that you would get sick from the rainwater. But when I went back and listened and heard it was a katadyne filter I was relieved.

It will be interesting to hear how well it works when it does rain.

Thanks for sharing.

Tinabeane · RV-Dreams Community Member

Thanks for creating the video, that is a great idea!!

Tina

Cheddar Yeti Travels · RV-Dreams Community Member

Nice Job Hina! Let us know how it went. Cheers! Jeanette

Bobbi · RV-Dreams Family Member

I know this thread is several months old, but I was wondering how this ended up working out. I had a similar idea for rain collection, but I like this idea even better!

Hina · RV-Dreams Family Member

Actually, the Katadyn didn't work out, drips way too slow. So I got a "10 stage filter" which I thought would filter faster.... wrong. So, I went with a homemade thing filled with aquarium filter stuff, which flows quickly. Just in time, where I am parked, the well water gets polluted and turns grey in heavy rains with nasty parking lot dirt; the water table is really shallow. It is definitely safer to use the rainwater. I can always boil it for drinking, or buy bottled, but great for showers. Here's the new, updated video.

Bobbi · RV-Dreams Family Member

I see. So the main problem is these drinking water filters. They simply cannot keep up. What if you set up a homemade pre-filter under a rain barrel? I mean, set up a rain barrel to catch the water first with a homemade charcoal filter in a 5-gallon bucket underneath. Then allow that water to filter through the homemade charcoal filter system. It's charcoal on the bottom layer, then a layer of sand, then pea gravel on top. You'll have to research how much of each. Then put the pre-filtered water into your RV system, but use the drinking water filter to only filter drinking water at the sink. ?

Bobbi · RV-Dreams Family Member

It's called a bio sand filter. I heard about it this week. It's from Practical Preppers. The video explains it better than I can. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYYcg18RXLs. Let me know what you think.

bigboomer · RV-Dreams Family Member

Nice work. You could probably install a reverse osmosis system with a booster pump to get good drinking water from the rain water. Have you tested the water yet to see what contaminents you have in the water? You could also probably use a Brita pitcher for drinking water. Either way, nice set-up!

Bobbi · RV-Dreams Family Member

Great suggestion for the Brita for drinking water, Bigboomer! I hadn't thought of that.

pellucid · RV-Dreams Community Member

Great hack and thank you for sharing!

I want advice on Reverse Osmosis - Does anyone have experience with this iSpring system www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZZUBHE/sr=8-2/qid=1376937772 or one of these stores.ebay.com/max-water-usa/Reverse-Osmosis-Systems-/_i.html Or other systems? I'm starting full-timing soon and obviously new to water filtering; Would appreciate information on buying and installing R.O....

Sushidog · RV-Dreams Family Member

The problem with using the ceramic filter element is it requires pressure to work. The water won't simply flow through the filter using a gravity feed but will take a high pressure pump to work. I suggest collecting the rain water in a water bladder then pumping it out into your tanks at your leisure (or the filter's flow rate at the pressure of your pump.)