Date:         Fri, 16 Aug 2013 17:33:52 -0700
Reply-To:     Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Filling water tank when no hose is available (GoWesty
              connector)
In-Reply-To:  <000801ce9ade$c4014d80$4c03e880$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed

I'm about to depart on a 14-day single-site camping trip. By
"single-site" I mean I will park the van and stay there. I do not plan
to drive off to refresh the larder or the propane or the water. This is
a primitive, undeveloped site without a picnic table, a fire ring, a
potty, or water. Certainly no electricity.

It's a quiet and beautiful site that is less than one hour from here.

The Westy water tank doesn't pack enough water for two weeks. However, I
will be on the bank of a river. I am going to see if I can fill the tank
from the river using a a submersible 12V water pump and a long hose. The
pump can provide a 30-foot (about 9 meter) head so it should have no
trouble pumping water up to the van.

It says here.

I think I got all the bits and pieces sorted out.

I will pitch the pump into the river, pinned between a float (to keep it
outta the muck on the bottom) and an anchor (so it doesn't just drift
downstream with the current). A cable will let me connect it to an
onshore 7Ah sealed lead-acid battery. Water should flow. Well, it may.
We'll see.

If the whole thing falls apart I can always drive to the nearest city
water supply -- like at a gas station or Kwickee Mart -- and re-fill the
tank using a water line I always bring along.

Oh -- I know about treating water to avoid crypto and giardia and all
that horrible stuff. I will report back. I'm going in.

--
Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
Bend, Ore.

On 08/16/2013 05:14 PM, Stuart MacMillan wrote:
> If you have a hose to connect use it, but even with the stock hookup filling from the inside is easier when you don't.
>
> Before I knew better I'd carry teakettle of water from a nearby faucet to my long neck funnel, which I also had to dig out from under a bunch of stuff, and it took forever to fill.
>
> I leave only one screw in the metal cover just to keep it in place.  With the 6" tank opening there is no reason to splash anything.  Try it, you'll like it!
>
> Stuart
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mkriley@fuse.net [mailto:mkriley@fuse.net]
> Sent: Friday, August 16, 2013 11:38 AM
> To: Stuart MacMillan
> Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
> Subject: Re: Filling water tank when no hose is available (GoWesty connector)
>
> kind of defeating the purpose of having a outside fill, eh?
>   lets see
> 1 remove table
> 2 remove crap from cuboard
> 3 find scewdriver
> 4 unscrew panel
> 5 unscrew lid
> 6 slop water everywhere tring to pour it in
> 7 do 1 to 5 in reverse order
>
> much better
> thanks
>
>
> mike
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
> To: mkriley@FUSE.NET, vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
> Sent: Fri, 16 Aug 2013 11:56:26 -0400 (EDT)
> Subject: Filling water tank when no hose is available (GoWesty connector)
>
> Fill it from the inside. Just remove the cover over the tank and unscrew the
> 6” lid.  I use a my 2 ½ gallon folding water jug.  Much easier than using
> the funnel I used to carry with the stock hook up.  Use a little silicone
> sealer on the gaskets.
>
>
>
> On Fri, Aug 16, 2013 at 7:56 AM, Mike Riley <mkriley@fuse.net> wrote:
>
>> Speaking of the GoWesty utility inlets they had some good ideas but missed
> the boat!
>
>> How are you supposed to fill the tank when there is no pressure water
> available?
>
>> More seriously they are using the same 2 cent foam gaskets that do all the
> driver’s side seam damage! I was thinking of gearing up to make these in
> silicon rubber of there is any interest.
>
>> mike
>
>
>
> Stuart
>
> ’85 Westy with the Go Westy hook ups.
>
>