Water pump, and other Boondocking Questions

[tinybluetj]

So, we are going out for first Dry Camping Experience with the Sunline this weekend. In preperation, we went to check everything on the camper, as usual. We noticed that when we use the water pump off the battery, there are really loud, groaning and moaning' noises. I assume this is the pump getting and letting out water? Are these noises normal?

Also, we have dry camped before, but never with the camper. Is there anything else we need to know/ bring? (besides how to take a Navy shower! )

Thanks!

[Poppy & Nana]

1) Make sure propane is full....to run h/w heater

2) Conserve on using electricity/battery use...we have 2 batteries and can get 4 - 5 days out of them BUT it is only the two of us.

3) Remember Navy showers

4) Depending on where you are - watch the wild life.....keep coolers and garbage enclosed - out of site! Here in the Adirondacks a bear KNOW what a cooler looks like and even if empty will try to get into it...we have damned smart bears...(NO JOKE).

5) We normally only put a small amount of water into the fresh water tank - just for roadside stops & potty flushes - until we get there - once at the campground we fill up with their water - less weight during travel - same thing on the return trip - dump/use up as much as possible for the trip home - why carry extra weight when it isn't necessary.

6) Have a wonderful time.

Oh yes our pump make noise too!

[Tweety]

I will be anxious to hear how it goes. The QUE has pretty small tanks for dry camping. We're doing a 1 night dry camp on our way back from Maine.
I haven't heard the water pump in the QUE, but when we used the battery in the popup to run the water pump it was really loud. I would call it a growling sound. We used to take bottled water along for drinking when we had no water hookup. We also have a blue tote with a spoout that we can use to refill the fresh tank if necessary, and a 5 gallon bucket for draining the gray if need be. We really need to get one of those huge blue totes that hooks to the back of the truck that you can drag to the dump station. Let me know any dry camping tricks you know of! We leave late in the week next week.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by tinybluetj

We noticed that when we use the water pump off the battery, there are really loud, groaning and moaning' noises. I assume this is the pump getting and letting out water? Are these noises normal?


Thanks!

Tinyblue

Is this the first time ever you have used the on board water pump from the fresh tank?

If so, then yes it sounds like it wants to wake the dead. Sort of like a bang, bang, bang until the pressure tops off then it stops. Until you open the faucet again then bang, bang ,bang.

If this is your first time experience with a TT Shurflo water pump, and the sounds like I described sort of sums it up, there are mod’s to do to help low the roar of the angry tiger.

It turns into more of a pussycat, but it still groans.

Let us know we can point you to how to claim it down some.

John

[PTHutch]

Kathryn,

Also make sure the Climate Control Switch on your refrigerator is turned off. This is a switch typically located inside top door sill of the freezer. When this switch is on, it draws 12VDC all the time and will drain the battery really fast.

Hutch

[DF5.4]

Hutch, That's a good tip. I would have never thought about that.

[Steve Collins]

Originally Posted by tinybluetj

Also, we have dry camped before, but never with the camper. Is there anything else we need to know/ bring? (besides how to take a Navy shower! )

Thanks!

There's an earlier thread in this forum (Sunline Community) called "How long can my refrigerator run on propane?" It spun into a general discussion of energy conservation when no 110 vac is available.

I suggest that anyone planning on dry camping read that entire thread. It contains many, many useful tips and hints on dry camping.

[PTHutch]

Here's a link to the post Steve referred to:

How long will my refrigerator run on propane?