Water Preps

[Matt In Oklahoma]

So at 2:00am the wife comes into the bedroom crawls up next to me and whispers in that oh so familiar raspy voice and quietly breathes the words softly into my ear:
We don't have any water, I think the well is down.
LOL what did you think i was gonna say,this is a family channel LOL
As I started to get up she says dont worry about it i'll call the landlord in the morning and everything is fine and that my son who had just come in from work already had the water jugs out and in place.
Today as we were waiting on the repairman and landlord she talked about refilling jugs and i told her not to worry about it, no hurry, because we had 200+ gallons of drinking water outside and they had only used 1 stash of jugs in the house and we still had another 20+ gallons worth. I told her I also had filters that could turn the pool into usable drinking water as well.
I love her, she is only partially onboard but i dont think it actually set in till today how much we actually have. It's awesome that the kids reacted and handled it without me even giving directions. You always wonder if that grey matter is absorbing what you are telling them.
The well is repaired, I learned alot today from the repairman who allowed me to assist as a helper in turn for the knowledge. Man it feels good to know that it's 105 and i dont "NEED" that faucet to stay going for weeks even.

[LizardKing]

I've been there before, but it's usually a little louder when I find out the faucets are dry. Fortunately, it's usually just ants that got fried in the relay contacts, so a good whack with a big screwdriver gets it running again till I get around to running a point file thru the contacts to clean them off. But why do ants always go exploring at 2 AM?

[1Admin]

I've been there before, but it's usually a little louder when I find out the faucets are dry. Fortunately, it's usually just ants that got fried in the relay contacts, so a good whack with a big screwdriver gets it running again till I get around to running a point file thru the contacts to clean them off. But why do ants go exploring at 2 AM?

You mean on the pressure switch?

Never had a problem with ants but the contacts seem to burn off every couple years.

I like the fact that their are two sets of contacts, I guess in case you are using 220. You can switch your 110 wires to the non burnt out set of contacts.

I learned a lot watching the well guy the first couple years we were here. Asked questions, offered him soda/gatoraide, etc. Now about 90% of the repairs we do ourselves. The wife can do a pile of them. She learned by watching me. For EMP protection and for general "it's 2am where the heck are the well parts!" type deals, we filled a 50 cal ammo can with parts, teflon tape, a flashlight, needle nose pliers, wrench, etc. Almost everything we need in just one spot.

[LizardKing]

Yes, they get into the pressure switch contacts. Ants like the ozone from electrical, but why they decide to off themselves in the middle of the night is beyond me. I just grab a flashlight (so the snakes know it's only me), go out and whack it. Works every time. 2 yrs seems like a short time to be replacing them, mine go at least 5, but maybe that's cause I file them off when the ants get in there (remember to turn the power off first).

The 2 contact sets should be 'line' and 'load'. The switch for 220/110 is done on the backplate of the motor. Before I had a 220 cord for my generator, I'd backfeed the house with 110 and just switch the motor over till the power came back on. I know, not the best case scenario, but now I backfeed 220.

[Briar Wabbit]

I am just starting to line up some of those 2.5Gal plasic jugs, against the wall ... just a few, so far.

But ... Even tho I do own a base-camp gravity filter and a hiker filter and one replacement filter and two (UV) steri-pens and 4 ranger straws and 6 bottles of tabs (and a partridge in a pair tree) ... I never have figgered out how to know ~when~ the water (reverse osmosis) in the store-bought jugs will need treatment, or "how much" or what kind of tratment will be necessary to restore ideal potability.
... I mean, other than visible algae or an obvious olfactory funk ... Even then ... would I need to re-filter or just hit it with UV or go all-out with iodine or chlorox ... hmmmm.


I guess the safe thing to do (and plenty sound) would be to run it thru the base-camp gravity filter and, then, hit it with UV ... but "when" would that become a necessity and how long before I even need to start worrying about that (if detection is not obvious to my senses)? ... Hmmm ... I am sure that exposure to light is a contributing factor and it is in a fairly dark room, with North facing window and mini-blinds ... I am just guessing that I won't even need to think about it, for at least 18 months.

Any authoratative/definitive comments?

[Matt In Oklahoma]

I never have figgered out how to know ~when~ the water (reverse osmosis) in the store-bought jugs will need treatment, or "how much" or what kind of tratment will be necessary to restore ideal potability. I have drank some that was a year old but thats about it after that I would just boil or filter and it should be fine, we used to have a poster here who worked for a water company that said 5yrs
... I mean, other than visible algae or an obvious olfactory funk ... Even then ... would I need to re-filter or just hit it with UV or go all-out with iodine or chlorox ... hmmmm. If you can see funk I would filter but supposedly the uv is fine to but the thing with uv is that i'm still swallowing unwanted stuff and it's difficult for me to get past that

I rotate my water every 6 mths and was actually due to rotate it this weekend so this all worked out for the best. I do it at the end of July/Dec because it's easy for me to remember.
If you are using those store 2.5s I would do the "use what you store" and start drinking it some and keep it rotated at least IMHO. We keep some store water, primarily for visitors etc

[Briar Wabbit]

The tap water is purdy good, here ('cept the calcite) ... tastes great ... no phramcalogical "re-pee" ...
... Don't think I can afford to actually keep buying all the water I drink.

... Hmmmm ... I'll figure something out ... some cheaper method to store and consume/rotate.

Passing rain-water, thru a tank, and into the garden worked great, at mi Ranchita Bonita ...

A side note ... For some reason, the water in concrete cisterns seems to stay good for decades on end. (over 100 years ... hundreds).

Heck ... even soda-pop lasts for over 6 months!

[Matt In Oklahoma]

I know it will last more than 6mths but...
also after 1yr those jugs will start breaking down and pinholes will develop if there is any pressure on them

[WiseOwl]

Its funny yall say that about the 2.5's we keep a couple in the kitchen next to the fridge and for some reason I thought the fridge drain pan was leaking....nope it was that 2.5, done sprungga leak I say!!!! Cheap crap!

[Briar Wabbit]

Well, I suppose "Plan B" would be to start accumulating pairs of thos 5Gal plastic Gerry Cans, we all grew up camping with, and filter tap water into those ... maybe hit them with the UV, every 3 months, or so. ...
... There is also something called "Doorway Water Tanks", which are water tanks that are sized to fit thru suburban (home) doorways, for indoor water storage ... BUT they are exPENSive ! ... Like, anywhere from $430 to $585 for a 300 gallon tank !

http://www.surewatertanks.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=24

http://www.gototanks.com/300-gallon-doorway-tank.aspx

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=9392

... And there are the common (round) 5 gallon water-cooler jugs ... but THEY are difficult to carry and the shape does not lend towards efficient use of storage space ... I got ~575 ft/sq, here ... already blew-off any sort of formal furniture or entertainment space ... long ago. Like living in a storage locker ... fine by me.

For urban/suburban dwellers, I think one or more of the doorway tanks, plus some gerry-cans, for portage and filtering (etc.) would be a viable system BUT ... (owchie!) ... Cost SO much !

I have done the whole "used syrup barrel" thing ... not worth the hassle OR the aftertaste, IMO.

Maybe a water-bed or a bladder that looks like one ... but *I* am liable for any water damage I cause to any other units, in this bldg. ... so ...

=Hmmmm=

[Grand58742]

The place I'm (probably) going to be moving to has well water. I see I have a lot to learn about what I'm in for lol.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

I have done the whole "used syrup barrel" thing ... not worth the hassle OR the aftertaste, IMO.

If you use pool shock it removes all smells and taste. Whipped them pickle barrels right out in just a few hours and never looked back.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/CAMP205-1.html might be an option if you know it's coming like hurricanes and snow/ice or politician failures. I have a folding luggage cart with a bungee cord for moving jugs in case i'm not around for the women. I also have several 2litre bottles and gallon size jugs just for them. Pain to refill them all but less pain than listening to the complaining. LOL
UR Plan B aint bad, the store stuff aint bad, just gotta watch them leaks.

[Briar Wabbit]

Pool Shock, huh? ... Good to know !

Yeah, then ... I do not see any particular advantage in those super expensive doorway tanks, if it is really that easy to prep food barrels.

I HAVE purched the food barrels (I think mine was soda syrup) ... it was the color of red-clay and had a "rounded bulge" shape ...
... It seemed at least as robust as other tanks and containers, that I have seen and used ... food grade ... fine, then ... POOL SHOCK.

Thanks, Matt !

Recommended Amount ?

[Matt In Oklahoma]

QUOTE=Briar Wabbit;20432]Pool Shock,Recommended Amount ?[/QUOTE]
I used 1 bag on 2 60gl pickle barrels

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[jmc7104]

I recycle used hot water heater tanks from old water heaters stripped down. Dump the build up lime out of then, weld up any leaks they have then install them in the cold water line of your water supply. Install a check valve ahead of the tank or tanks and if and when the water goes off you still have X gallons of water depending on how many tanks you have in series. Jim