Build log: the water system
The part that kills pumps, and the cheap fix.
The part that kills pumps, and the cheap fix.
Water systems seem simple until you live with one.
The pump. A 12V on-demand pump runs when a tap opens and stops when it closes. Good ones are pressure-sensing and self-priming. Draw is meaningful while running (often 50–90W) but intermittent — total daily energy is small.
The part people skip: an accumulator tank. Without one, the pump clicks on and off rapidly as pressure fluctuates at a partly-open tap. That cycling is hard on the pump and produces pulsing flow. An accumulator holds a small pressurized reserve, smoothing flow and dramatically reducing cycling.
Filtration in the rig. Two stages worth having: a sediment filter to protect the pump and fixtures, and a drinking-water filter at the tap you actually drink from. Filtering everything to drinking standard wastes filter life on shower and dish water.
Tanks. Insulate and heat-tape anything exposed if you'll see freezing. A split tank or line is a genuinely bad day.
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