Rainwater Collection on a Trailer

2Shoes

2Shoes

New member
I'm in the process of designing the trailer I plan to build early next year. I'm going to build a trailer that will be a bit larger than most but only because it must be able to carry my Honda Foreman 500 inside of it. The total dimensions are looking like they will be 5' wide and 10' long with the front 3 feet narrowed into the tongue similar to the ROAM build. I plan to be able to sleep inside of it as well as tow my 4wheeler with it as well.

The main thing I have issues with my overland trips so far without a trailer is the ability to collect water without going into town. I plan to go on trips that last for months through some of the rainiest parts of the west coast.

I think a rainwater collection system using the roof of the trailer as well as awnings on both sides so that the water flows to the roof, down a drain pipe, through a filter, and into the water storage tank. I'm still in the researching phase of my build as I plan on it being the only one I ever build.

My trailer will be 2"x2" tube on the bottom with 1"x1" tube for the walls and roof. I'm planning on having a fold out kitchen on one side and basically a workbench/tool storage on the other. Once I finish a good digital rendering I will post a picture.

I also plan to have solar panels on it as well. I am a Renewable Energy Engineering student and I want to have a self sustainable trailer of my own.

Any ideas and issues that may make this design easier would be greatly appreciative.
 
Heifer Boy

Heifer Boy

Adventurer
Nice idea :snorkel:

The obvious way is just to create a crease/gutter on your awning with a guy rope so the rain will run to a single point. If this point is close to the ground then it can just flow straight into a bucket otherwise you need to rig up some sort of collector at the awning height with a drainpipe. This doesn't have to be solid downpipe so could be a flexible or canvas tube. As long as it all runs downhill then gravity will take care of it. An additional triangle of canvas velcroed to the main awning at the crease line when needed would do it too.

I've seen a 2 sec video grab of this being done once but wouldn't know where. A tarp set up on the ground with some small poles or rocks to lift the corners can achieve the same thing too. The bigger the tarp, the more water collected.

Look forward to seeing you trailer.
 
dwh

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
Filtering water requires pressure. Generally, you let the rain gravity feed into the container, then use a pump to shove the water through the filter(s).

You can screen the downflow into the tank, but it'll only catch big chunks. Plan on having a tank with a big removable plug in the bottom and an access/inspection hatch in the top so you can hose out the crud once in a while.
 
2Shoes

2Shoes

New member
My goal with this trailer is to keep everything simple and use common ways to filter water. I plan on having solar panels on the top and batteries to store the electricity. I spent this past summer living out of my 1977 Monaco 23ft RV and I really enjoyed the traveling but the biggest issue was getting something that big into the places I like to go. I'm also a disabled veteran and due to my injuries I am unable to hike more than a mile or two so I have to keep my fuel powered vehicles nearby. I will also be converting my Jeep Wrangler to run on Propane so the ability to carry two 10lb tanks in the back of the Jeep as well as two more on the tongue of the trailer for longer trips. This will eliminate the need for a bunch of fuel cans. This build may take me 2 years to complete on my very limited budget but I will complete it.

My other thought is the possibility of having some sort of heat inside the trailer for winter trips. My RV has a nice propane setup but it's large and bulky so I'm thinking maybe a small tent style propane heater.

The biggest issue I see so far is the ability to filter the water. I was thinking about making the posts for the awnings taller than where they mount to the roof of the trailer and let the water run onto the roof and into a permanent drain built into the front just above the water tank and have it drain down to a bucket with a pump that can push the water through a filter and into the tank. This would allow me to empty the bucket of sediment.

I am taking all ideas and concerns into consideration as I don't know everything just what I've figured out during my own trips. Every time I go out camping, I always get rained on. Whether it's here in Oregon or if it's down south in Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana where I just moved from.
 
J

JeepDork

Adventurer
Watch the weight on this build, your 4wheeler is probably close to 600 lbs. That only leaves you 1400 lbs for your trailer and supplies with a Jeep Wrangler as the tow vehicle. This should be a cool build though. Can't wait for pictures.
 
Titanpat57

Titanpat57

Expedition Leader
Great thinking outside the box!!

Sustainable rules!

First and foremost, thank you for your service to our great country, it is truly respected and appreciated!

Just a few thoughts....

I don't know exactly HOW much water runs off an 8' long ARB awning, but after the Vermont Expo, I can tell you it's A LOT!!.....lol That being said I think maybe I'd be inclined to tip one corner, collect it in a 5, then transfer that into the on board storage tank. I always carry 2- 5's of potable water and the storage tank holds 21. Recently I picked up 2 Frontrunner cans with spouts from Equipt....very nice product, especially the built in spout, and I keep those mounted in the middle of the 4runner, behind the front seats. So that's 41 gallons...a lot of weight! If you read the build you know what a minimalist I am...:ylsmoke: I also carry a roll up 50' flat hose, a 12v water pump, a 10' pc. and a screw on well filter to throw in the stream side. There is also a 25' long set of #10 leads with alligator clips to hook to the battery and power the pump. This is the same setup I used to fill my old 1970 Overland TT when we would boondock. Pull up to a stream, hook up the pump and hoses, prime it and connect it to power....it puts out quite a bit. I guess a Shur-flo would accomplish the same thing, and eliminate the priming.

I will not run out of water...I guess camping with 3 women taught me something.

I think your collection idea could be as simple as a funnel, a piece of 1-1/4" flexible sump pump line with a coupling to slide into the fill neck.

But of course....


Simple is for sissys...:beer:


Welcome to Expo, Good luck with your build!!

Pat
 
2Shoes

2Shoes

New member
Pat I'm really glad you chimed in here. I drew up some plans on my ideal trailer and then a few days later while doing some research I found your builds Ha just my luck I would design something that looks good and functions and somebody already built it. I'm working on the complete design in Autodesk Inventor and will have some fairly accurate weight figures. I know this trailer will be maxed out at 2000lbs with the 4wheeler but it will not always be inside. I just need the combination of a place to sleep and a way to haul it without owning multiple trailers.
 
G

gonejeeping15

Adventurer
Water system

Verkstad said:
Sounds good, Dont forget to consider a water treatment system.
Chemical, UV or whatever you like.
I had to drink rainwater collected like this before with no problems but have had the craps from it also.
All it takes is one birds poop on your rooftop...
Click to expand...

Retiring from a water district, I would have to agee with the above, don't forget the visit to the doctor's office too.

I think I would just stock up on water at wallymart every chance I got, I think one gallon aday is the norm.

Good Luck on your design.
 
2Shoes

2Shoes

New member
Water treatment is definitely on my mind. Actually it's a part of a paper I'm writing for a class right now that will incorporate different ways to treat the water and which is the most efficient for different situations. All this will be incorporated into the trailer. I'm even considering building the frame out of Aluminum.
 
lcsodiver

lcsodiver

Adventurer
Just put a gravity type filter between the tarp and the tank, no pump needed... you would want a collection container above the filter of a few gallons to help collect the heavy downpoors when the filter can't keep up.

http://www.rei.com/product/801824/sawyer-3-way-inline-water-filter

and there are lots of ways to get the water from the tarps/awnings... here is one way that Hennessey hammock users do it
doublefunnel.jpg


Just put a tube on instead of the bottle.
 
R

r_w

Adventurer
I would be carrying a (normally empty) 30 gallon food-safe plastic drum for water collection. Standard rain barrel setup, add some bleach. Then a katadyn gravity or siphon filter.
 
W

Waygoner

Observer
How about using 2 permanent tanks? One for potable water and one for collection. Put some kind of filter/pump in between. Wire it up for 12v or make it manual. You could mount some aluminum channel to the edges of the roof to make it a giant water collection tray. Pipe a line to the collection tank. Overflow line from the collection tank could handle the excess.
 
Hillbilly Heaven

Hillbilly Heaven

Explorer
For filtering collected water I would use a Sawyer gravity bag system. It will take out the dust and dirt settlement and most the bad stuff. To purify you would need either UV, Chlorinate, Ozone, or boil it. I would not recommend reverse osmosis for camping. Any liquid out the reject side is highly contaminated and is not 100% efficient. Effective yes efficient no.
 
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