Alu-Cab Canopy Camper Roll Call

[Free2roam]

Hey folks, on a practical not, for those with the AC water tank, how do you find refilling the tank when on the road? Do you usually find a place with a water hose? Because I don't think refilling from a container is easy, given where the cap is located.

Haven't had this problem before with the Patriot Camper since the filler neck was easier to access and the thing carried 44 gallons of water ...

I do have a hose I can carry and use, but is it generally the case that I COULD even use it?

I ended up buying a Lifesaver Jerry can water purifier added a spigot to the cap. So I can basically fill up near any water source available. I have a 15 gallon on board tank. On the other hand shower is by a Geyser hot water shower. Powered system, that way I can either do it the manual way or use the 12 volt system to heat the water.
Adding a spray nozzle from a sink to the shower system to be able to spray off better.

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[cug]

I ended up buying a Lifesaver Jerry can water purifier

We have one of these, but right now don’t have space for it. But that’s something I can keep in mind as well.

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

I ended up buying a Lifesaver Jerry can water purifier added a spigot to the cap. So I can basically fill up near any water source available. I have a 15 gallon on board tank. On the other hand shower is by a Geyser hot water shower. Powered system, that way I can either do it the manual way or use the 12 volt system to heat the water.
Adding a spray nozzle from a sink to the shower system to be able to spray off better.

Have you use the Lifesaver filter yet? I bought one of their Jerry cans with the filter built in. I did not read the fine print. Once that filter gets wet it must ALWAYS stay wet according to them. I used mine a few times and put it away for the Winter. When I tried to use it again in the Spring it was dry and locked up. They said I had to buy a new filter. They told me once it is wet, you must continuously keep it wet and change out the water in the can every couple months. I did not buy another filter.

 

[Free2roam]

Have you use the Lifesaver filter yet? I bought one of their Jerry cans with the filter built in. I did not read the fine print. Once that filter gets wet it must ALWAYS stay wet according to them. I used mine a few times and put it away for the Winter. When I tried to use it again in the Spring it was dry and locked up. They said I had to buy a new filter. They told me once it is wet, you must continuously keep it wet and change out the water in the can every couple months. I did not buy another filter.

I have not used it yet. But that is good to know.

 

[cug]

I have not used it yet. But that is good to know.

We have ours here for disaster preparedness (earthquakes) more than anything else. It's still unused in its original box. I read that too, and it's one of the reasons, we aren't too keen on using it.

Oh, and we have the same problem with an ultrafine water filter we have in our other truck - every time we have used the filter system and store the truck for more than a few months, we need new filters. Sucks, but with expensive toys comes expensive maintenance ...

 

[teamblkdog]

Have you use the Lifesaver filter yet? I bought one of their Jerry cans with the filter built in. I did not read the fine print. Once that filter gets wet it must ALWAYS stay wet according to them. I used mine a few times and put it away for the Winter. When I tried to use it again in the Spring it was dry and locked up. They said I had to buy a new filter. They told me once it is wet, you must continuously keep it wet and change out the water in the can every couple months. I did not buy another filter.

I made the same expensive mistake, sadly, but I do like this jerry can. Being able to fill it from virtually any source and have filtered water is awesome.

 

[fourfa]

I keep a filter in the truck for my water jerry cans. Same story - needs to stay wet. We just keep it sealed in a small Nalgene bottle filled with water and a dash of salt as directed. Not too complicated that way. REI has a whole section of odd size Nalgenes. Not sure why these new filters require this, when none of the backpacking filters need it vOv

 

[Free2roam]

I keep a filter in the truck for my water jerry cans. Same story - needs to stay wet. We just keep it sealed in a small Nalgene bottle filled with water and a dash of salt as directed. Not too complicated that way. REI has a whole section of odd size Nalgenes. Not sure why these new filters require this, when none of the backpacking filters need it vOv

So which one will screw on the Lifesaver Jerry can? Great idea!

 

[fourfa]

Not sure about that. My setup is a gravity bag filter - scoop it in the creek, clip it up high, drains through a loose hose into the can

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

New upper/rooftop handle in production now! Presale is open if you are interested. The handle is an Alu-Cab RTT handle bolted to a black powder coated stainless steel base (3D printed prototype shown). A great way to help remain stable when accessing the roof of the camper.

https://813fabrication.com/products/presale-alu-cab-rooftop-handle-mount

 

[cug]

Where do you get the handles? After moving the big door handle back inside, I’m missing something over the door.

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

Where do you get the handles? After moving the big door handle back inside, I’m missing something over the door.

I was able to order a batch of them from OK4WD. I may have requested another batch. I can let you know if I can get them fairly soon. It took awhile to get the first batch.

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

Something else I have been working on an finally have it were I had envisioned. I am putting these together as a kit if interested.

https://813fabrication.com/collections/bike-mounts-gear

 

[cug]

. I can let you know if I can get them fairly soon.

It’ll be too late for the planned trip, but it’s really not that important. I’d get one or two at some point, but again, not urgent.

 

[cug]

So, as an FYI for people potentially reading here and being interested in the water tank:

Don't. Just don't. It's a horrible mount in a stupid location, and the bags to mount against are handy to have, but would be much, much better, bigger, more convenient if the stupid tank wasn't behind them.

Now, more details: the steel mounting braces for the tank literally squeeze the tank between them. I get that 50kg of water plus tank must be secured, but this mounting is just beyond me.

And if you still decide to get it: do not let a "professional" install it. Here's what we found when we took the tank and bags off:

This eff-up was from TinyRig. How hard is it really to think for two seconds and decide that washers for the steel brackets might be suboptimal for the much softer aluminum of the bag holder and then (that's a guess from my side) use a power tool to hammer the nuts on to the point that I had to really work with a normal size 1/2" ratchet to get some of them off.

Overall, I can only say: find space for two jerry cans of water, which gives you nearly the same usable amount of water in a MUCH more leak-proof way.

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