Can you use a van mounted tank jus to top up backpacks.

[Clean finish exteriors]

Hi, Ive recently started out with the wfp back pack system. Im looking at expanding but due to finances cannot buy a full van mounted system. A solution I have thought of is to have a van mounted tank (approx 400L) just to store a larger quantity of water than my 6 x 25L barrels. I would then run a hose from the tank to the back pack to fill it up. A simple idea but can anybody tell me if this would work or if they do the same?

Also another idea would be to fix the back pack in the rear of the van and run a hose 50-100m to the pole. Would this distance be too much for the backpack to pump too? 

Thanks 

 

[spruce]

Hi, Ive recently started out with the wfp back pack system. Im looking at expanding but due to finances cannot buy a full van mounted system. A solution I have thought of is to have a van mounted tank (approx 400L) just to store a larger quantity of water than my 6 x 25L barrels. I would then run a hose from the tank to the back pack to fill it up. A simple idea but can anybody tell me if this would work or if they do the same?

Yes you can. We have a twin operator van mount which also has a tee on the outlet to a ball valve. My son uses this to fill a seperate 25 liter container whilst he is out working with his backpack. However, when the water level in the tank gets low the flow with gravity gets slower. I think the 400 liter tank has a 3/4" BSP outlet. You could fit a 3/4" ball valve to the outlet and get a length of 3/4" pipe which will flow quicker. If its a 1" bsp fitting then you can use 1" fittings with 1" hose.

Also another idea would be to fix the back pack in the rear of the van and run a hose 50-100m to the pole. Would this distance be too much for the backpack to pump too?

Some have apparently done it but my belief is that the pump is too small to do it, especially 100 meters of microbore hose.

Thanks 

 

[Den]

My son uses a old pump from a backpack he has 100m 6mm hose and approx 80’ of pole hose and it works fine.  

 

[spruce]

My son uses a old pump from a backpack he has 100m 6mm hose and approx 80’ of pole hose and it works fine.  

It was popular at one time to convert those Purefreedom trollies into van mounts because they used heavy duty Shurflo pumps and Spring controllers.

I recenty replaced one of the hoses on my reels with microbore having always used minibore before. One the same flow setting on the controller my flow is less with the microbore than with the minibore. I especially notice the difference with the low pressure rinse bar. And this is with warmer water as its summer. I have no experience with using a backpack pump as a main pump, but I can't see it lasting 13 or 14 years like my Shurflo pump has.

I can't exactly remember the context of the post that Alex Gardiner once replied to, but I'm pretty sure that he advised against using a backpack pump in a van mount situation. Again is all boils down to what flow rate you want at the end of the hose. My son has the flow on his backpack so low that he could well use it as his main pump. I prefer a faster flow, so I would probably burn the pump out quite quickly.

 

[Den]

It was popular at one time to convert those Purefreedom trollies into van mounts because they used heavy duty Shurflo pumps and Spring controllers.

I recenty replaced one of the hoses on my reels with microbore having always used minibore before. One the same flow setting on the controller my flow is less with the microbore than with the minibore. I especially notice the difference with the low pressure rinse bar. And this is with warmer water as its summer. I have no experience with using a backpack pump as a main pump, but I can't see it lasting 13 or 14 years like my Shurflo pump has.

I can't exactly remember the context of the post that Alex Gardiner once replied to, but I'm pretty sure that he advised against using a backpack pump in a van mount situation. Again is all boils down to what flow rate you want at the end of the hose. My son has the flow on his backpack so low that he could well use it as his main pump. I prefer a faster flow, so I would probably burn the pump out quite quickly.

See below photos of what my son uses 

80psi cheap pump

’y’ piece as he draws out of 2 x 25l barrels at once 

reel with 100m 6mm hose plus pole hose. 

I have a new spare 100psi pump for back up as I don’t know how long this pump will last?