How To Construct a Rainwater System for a Caravan - Share A Word
When staying in nature for a long period of time, you need to know the “rule of three” regarding survival – A human can go on as much as three weeks without food, but can only live for three days without water. If it was up to us, we would all drag around tons of water with us while caravanning, but it’s not that easy. Any extended stay in the wilderness with your caravan can render it impossible for you to carry all the water you need for drinking and washing.
However, you’re no true camper if you’re not resourceful and know how to use everything on your disposal. And guess what, in dense woods there’s always a good amount of rain that you can use for washing and even drinking provided you have a filtration system. Harvesting fresh rainwater means your days on the road and off grid will never be numbered.
Constructing a rainwater system for your caravan can be extremely helpful, especially if you’re staying in one location for the whole trip. What you need for this project is a rainwater basin, gutters, collection bins, a water pump and a rain water tank for caravans to store the water in. If you’re planning to use the water for drinking, remember to filter it out before consuming it.
If you have a roof, and any caravan has one, then you have your basin in which to gather rain. All you need is to cover it with a clean and safe material to avoid contamination. The water from the roof basin needs a way to come down and that can be done with gutters. Some caravans come with built in guttering which funnels the water from the roof to the water tank. But if you’re not lucky enough to have one, you will probably need to have it custom built.
Place the collection bins directly under the gutters and let gravity do the rest. Once the water is collected in the bins, you can pump it to the tank with an electric water pump. If you’re want your water to be completely drinkable, you can install a water filter to clean it out from any leaves and dirt before it reaches the tank.
A rain water tank for caravans is the most convenient and safe way to store your harvest for when you most need it. This kind of tank is easy to come across and you can order it online from any stores specializing in camping equipment. There are different sized tanks on the market which can hold from 43 litres to as much as 82 litres. This amount of water is more than enough to last you for a week. With carefully planed use, that is. When buying a water tank, besides the size, you also need to consider the material it’s made from. For instance, high density polyethylene is non toxic and safe to house drinking water. The water tank can be laid on the ground when you’re stationary, or attached on the side of the caravan when you’re on the move.
See? It’s not that hard. Mother nature supplies the rain and gravity, all you need to do is play it smart and install your very own rainwater system for caravan.