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Old 08-04-2009, 06:58 PM   #1
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Re: "Campground Water"

We've got lots and lots of iron in our water. About 30 minutes into your bath, you couldn't see the bottom (the iron in the water would quickly oxidize, i.e. turn to rust). And apparently we have sulphur bacteria too. Has that rotten egg smell when you first run the water after it's been sitting for a bit (hot or cold, so it's not the hot water anode). Bought a heavy duty "will filter everything" filter at Lowe's, it's a big cartridge that cost $20-$30, don't remember. Anyways it works great, but clogs up so much that it's unusable after less than a day! So now I have a non-cartridge filter that back-flushes once a day, a water softener after that, a cheap whole-house filter cartridge, then a PUR filter at the tap. Still have to be careful washing clothes, as not all of the iron gets filtered out (do NOT use oxy-clean if you have an iron problem, unless you like rust-colored clothes).

So, I kinda enjoy using water from other sources. Clothes get clean just fine, water doesn't smell, and I just have the one PUR filter at the faucet. My fresh water tank is a little rusty looking, since I did fill it up once or twice at home.

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Old 08-04-2009, 11:25 PM   #2
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Re: "Campground Water"

Quote:
Originally Posted by vanguy67
Josetann,

If you're still getting iron water, your softener isn't working right. Either something is mechanically wrong with it or it's not regenerating often enough. "Iron-Out" will keep the softener media clean of iron and all you have to do is sprinkle it into the salt tank.
It's not a problem that gradually gets worse...the filter backflushes every day, and I have it set to flush out longer than the default (plus the default amount of time to wait was 14 days). I measured the ppm of whatever I was supposed to when I installed the water softener, and I think I bumped it up to the next highest 5ppm. I tested it before the water filter was put in, so if anything it should have less now that it's pre-filtered. Anyways, even immediately after the water softener and the filter have done their thing, the water is just as bad. I need an expensive setup that somehow agitates the iron in the water or something, I think it basically makes the iron separate out so it can rust (kinda like just dumping in some oxy-clean), which makes it easier to filter out. It's cheaper to just buy new white t-shirts every so often (if I was really smart, maybe I would stop buying white t-shirts?).

I've used special salt made for iron, no difference. So I just use the cheap stuff at Sav-A-Lot. No difference. Aggravating, but we're used to it. I do need to get the water tested, just in case. If it is just sulphur bacteria, then that by itself isn't harmful to you. Just stinks sometimes. I can live with that. I think I've lost most sense of smell after getting a few whiffs of my kids' dirty diapers. There's NOTHING worse than a big pile of full diapers that's been festering for a week or more.
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Old 08-05-2009, 04:30 AM   #3
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Re: "Campground Water"

I remember seeing this little plastic tool box with some sort of electronic filter in it... Not sure how well it works. Does anyone have this thing? I'm still curious about it.

Taken from the same page... "The WK-RV transmits a series of low-frequency random sequenced radio waves ranging from 1 to 10kHZ, pre-selected and controlled by micro-chip technology. A 110/9V CSA/UL approved transformer is included with each WK-RV. Each WK-RV weighs approximately 3 pounds and measures 13 inches long, 7 inches wide and 5 inches high."

http://waterkingusa.com/WK-RV.htm

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Old 08-05-2009, 03:52 PM   #4
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Re: "Campground Water"

Dont know, I found about two months ago and just bookmarked it. I had plans to ask about it later, once I get better off in cash and can stop reading and start buying stuff.
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Old 08-05-2009, 06:09 PM   #5
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Re: "Campground Water"

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sojakai
I remember seeing this little plastic tool box with some sort of electronic filter in it... Not sure how well it works. Does anyone have this thing? I'm still curious about it.

Taken from the same page... "The WK-RV transmits a series of low-frequency random sequenced radio waves ranging from 1 to 10kHZ, pre-selected and controlled by micro-chip technology. A 110/9V CSA/UL approved transformer is included with each WK-RV. Each WK-RV weighs approximately 3 pounds and measures 13 inches long, 7 inches wide and 5 inches high."

http://waterkingusa.com/WK-RV.htm

I'd want to see the manual to be certain, but it looks like this is just a tackle box with a water line running through the bottom, and some electrical gizmo on top to make you feel like it's doing something (I mean, you plug it up, it has to do something right?). Question, is there some sort of filter in the bottom that needs to be periodically replaced or cleaned (feel free to email that question to the company). If so, I still think it's a scam but eh. If not, there's your proof. If it's "filtering" anything, where's the junk going? It doesn't just vanish into thin...water.

Ok, I looked at this page: http://www.waterkingusa.com/products.htm. Notice anything missing in the home versions? Yup, no filters. The electrical device just has some wires coming out of it that are wrapped around the pipe.

SCAM!

Now, I do believe that a similarly sized unit could be made, without a filter, whose sole job was sanitation. I wouldn't be too surprised to see an initial price tag in the hundreds, and once in mass-production I think $100 would be reasonable. This is definitely not such a device though. The phrases "Enjoy soft water" (just not possible without adding salt or some-such) and "Due to the high costs of replacing the plumbing" (bacteria and other pathogens won't hurt your plumbing) are just further proof this is a scam.
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Old 08-17-2009, 08:37 PM   #6
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Re: "Campground Water"

Man, some of you guys go all out. I just have a filter on my sink. At our last home I just had a filter on our sink and two for our fridge (a cheapo one before the fridge, then the one built-in). Of course at our current house I have a bit more extravagant setup, but it's just to get the majority of the iron out (which it still doesn't get it all out). Nonetheless, I just have the same PUR filter at the sink, two regular filters for the fridge, and don't worry about it much past that.

Now, PUR filters do filter out some of the chlorine, right? Pretty sure I heard that, people were going on and on about not using a "good" filter to fill your fresh water tank (because if you did, it'd filter out the chlorine, and you'd get the nasties growing in there). I just dump a small bit of bleach in our tank when it's been sitting for a while, and rely on our sink filter to filter it for drinking. I've filled our tank from our well water, my dad's well water, a truck stop, RV park, rest stop, gas station (don't worry, I always use the one marked "not for drinking!" ), etc. As long as it's gone through our PUR filter, I'll drink it.
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Old 08-19-2009, 11:34 PM   #7
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Re: "Campground Water"

Quote:
Originally Posted by Smitty
I just didn't know if there was something inherently "wrong" with it, to hear people talk. I currently drink well water, have for years, and I actually prefer the taste of it to city or water softner water. I started on a still lol, only to purify water with, last year, never got around to finishing it. One of these days...

Smitty
We bring our own water or as much as we can for drinking ,cooking and coffee . We have a couple of 5gal. water coolers with little faucets , like on construction sites .
I always bleach the sides good then fill em up with our well water . When we visit relatives their water taste like bleach .
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Old 05-19-2010, 01:46 AM   #8
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Re: "Campground Water"

Water is water, right? Wrong. I am on well water and I will not drink it or cook with it. Some city water systems near me use municipal water wells. The water tastes horrible and it's hard water. It runs 400-650 ppm dissolved solids. My well water is about 2500 ppm. The water I drink is either bottled or from a vending machine that gets serviced every day, 365 days a year. I may be a slob, but i am super anal about my water. Go figure.

For the bus, I will probably use 13 gallon poly drums to carry my water. Fairly easy to handle. I also have some 7 gallon tanks that I use at the house that I will keep in the bus.
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Old 05-19-2010, 05:03 PM   #9
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Re: "Campground Water"

We run a sediment filter (permanent screen... no filters to replace) that we bought a a yard sale ($5). After that we have a whirlpool WHKF-DB2 filter http://www.lowes.com/pd_149005-59019...|0$identifier=
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Old 05-23-2010, 12:40 PM   #10
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Re: "Campground Water"

well coming from water well drilling and fixing and treating back ground i hear this all the time.

Water is very different from place to place. Heck even a half mile away there could be strong Iron or Manganese or even no water! I have seen it!

As for the campground water, yeah it would be more economical for the parks to use well water. There no taxes on it and no sewer charge on it. Just a power bill lol. Being so it could be safe to drink, it could not be safe to drink. All depends on the well and what is in it and also the lines to the sites. And i have been to places were we just cleaned out a board well, cleaned out all the floating mice, sh*t, insulation, you name it. Then they make some coffee or juice from the tap water and wonder why we wont drink it lol.

I have seen deep wells that when we pull the hose and pump it is rusty as a scrap metal pile, I have seen it come out black as oil, and I have seen it come out as clean as the day it was put in. I have also seen wells that people have dumped stuff down and its not nice!

Now if you are going to use this stuff in your Skoolies, my advice would be plastic lines and taps throughout the whole bus. this way you can wash it out with high pressure and not have to worry about it collecting on your lines and taps. But as well as you can do this, it will collect in your holding tanks (all of them that you let it into) and your hot water heater.

As for the comment earlier about the guy having iron in the shower, that would mean you need an Iron filter. A water softener will not work to get that out and it should be installed after iron filter. also don't forget to backwash it! lol

best thing would be to have a holding tank with city water in it for cooking and drinking. washing, showering, toilet, etc can all run safely off of park water.

And lastly, A very IMPORTANT thing is that if you do pick up this contaminated water being either E. coli, rust or manganese, if you leave it in your system then drive somewhere else and dump it off, then you are CROSS CONTAMINATING water sources! those sewer dumps at parks are usually just holding tanks for the vac truck to come and suck it up and dump it off wherever they feel like it. (yes i know there is laws but they don't always abide by them)

/rant
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Old 05-23-2010, 12:47 PM   #11
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Re: "Campground Water"

Good info. Thanks.
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Old 05-23-2010, 11:50 PM   #12
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Re: "Campground Water"

good find smitty!
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Old 11-29-2010, 10:10 PM   #13
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Re: "Campground Water"

Quote:
Originally Posted by jak
Im staying on BLM land in the mojave desert for almost 3 months ending in early january.
it is freaking hard to get water here ...
Are you in the Mojave National Preserve? If so, why are you traveling that far for water. I looked at a map for that area and found several sites that show water.

Map of Mojave National Preserve highlighting principal roads and facilities scroll down to the yellow map.
http://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/maps.htm
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Old 11-29-2010, 10:39 PM   #14
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Lorna is a clever girl

Ya did good. You know where to find stuff. Thanks, Frank
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Old 11-30-2010, 01:15 PM   #15
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Re: "Campground Water"

In that case, to solve your water dilemma, my suggestion would be to MOVE someplace closer to water! That's why you have wheels on your home!
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Old 11-30-2010, 10:07 PM   #16
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Re: "Campground Water"

What do you drive? If a pick up, could you use one of these? (the page I found the link to this hauls it in a suburban also) It's 39X23X23, approved for potable water and holds 60 gallons. Might be worth driving the bus to a location with water and fill EVERYTHING.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200338309
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Old 12-01-2010, 11:58 AM   #17
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Re: "Campground Water"

Quote:
Originally Posted by jak
... PS Im gona re do the bus when I get to santa cruz & will post the progress
Bigger water tanks?
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Old 12-01-2010, 08:45 PM   #18
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Re: "Campground Water"

When you redo your tanks, try putting in a valve that will allow you to only use a smaller tank (if using a multi tank setup). That way you can travel with a partial water load.

Does Primm have a fire dept? A lot of folks who boondock say they get their potable water from the fire dept. I know in Corpus Christi that the fire dept on Flour Bluff would let RVers get water from them.
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Old 12-02-2010, 11:13 AM   #19
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Re: "Campground Water"

I don't care for the gambling scene. First time I was in a casino was on one of the "never leave the dock" river boats in Kansas City. It was disturbing to say the least. Gave me nightmares. All those grim-faced people pulling the levers on the slot machines. The whole time I had Alan Parsons' Group "Turn of a Friendly Card" (parts one & two). I've not set foot inside a casino since and I'm not really inclined to do so... except perhaps for a buffet . My mom and the rest of my family... my aunt and a couple generations of cousins... went over to Cherokee after they opened up a Harrah's on the reservation. They went for the buffet (supposed to be fantastic and cheap). They had to walk past the gambling area. My kids (who also like Alan Parsons), had the same response as I did.


(Pt 1)
There are unsmiling faces and bright plastic chains
And a wheel in perpetual motion
And they follow the races and pay out the gains
With no show of an outward emotion

And they think it will make their lives easier
For God knows up till now it's been hard
But the game never ends when your whole world depends
On the turn of a friendly card
No the game never ends when your whole world depends
On the turn of a friendly card

There's a sign in the desert that lies to the west
Where you can't tell the night from the sunrise
And not all the king's horses and all the king's men
Have prevented the fall of the unwise

And they think it will make their lives easier
For God knows up till now it's been hard
But the game never ends when your whole world depends
On the turn of a friendly card
No the game never ends when your whole world depends
On the turn of a friendly card

But a pilgrim must follow in search of a shrine
As he enters inside the cathedral...

(pt 2)
There are unsmiling faces in fetters and chains
On a wheel in perpetual motion
Who belong to all races and answer all names
With no show of an outward emotion

And they think it will make their lives easier
But the doorway before them is barred
And the game never ends when your whole world depends
On the turn of a friendly card
No the game never ends when your whole world depends
On the turn of a friendly card
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Old 12-03-2010, 11:31 AM   #20
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Re: "Campground Water"

Quote:
Originally Posted by jak
I lived in black mountain NC for 10 years... a really beautiful part of the country for sure
take care
JAK
Franklin NC, off and on since 1965 until July 2009. My folks bought a place up there in 1965 and my mom still lives there (part of her side of the family moved up there from FL). One of my cousins (who now lives in Franklin) went to college in Black Mtn. I understand some woman in Black Mountain also had Big Foot's Baby! You are right, that area is beautiful but hard to make a living. Te farther west you go, the harder it is.
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