Chinook RV

Preferring fresh drinking water from typical store bought plastic bottles, we wanted more convenience and less clutter from empty/partially empty bottles. There are some simple sink faucet and 12v water pump combo kits for the caravan market found in Australia/UK. However, they are pricey, the pumps are not self priming, usually of somewhat poor quality and loud when operated. The idea is to have potable drinking water from a tap at the sink. A 3 gallon water bottle which is a low profile (stubby) design is located under the sink counter. This size is easy to refill and carry (24 lbs. when full). A self priming 12v pump with remote waterproof on/off switch is activated by water demand when the faucet is turned on. To allow for easy removal and reinstall of the water bottle, a quick-connect barbed hose connector is installed in the bottle cap (we have an extra 48mm cap for transporting the bottle when refills are needed). Simple tubing and clamps are used to hook up the elements. A nylon strainer used for aquariums was added and weighted to stop the supply tube from sucking up against the bottle preventing flow. The faucet is similar to models used for reverse osmosis drinking water. No photos of the install yet, but a simple diagram with parts list is attached. All items were from Amazon, but for the quick-connect barbed hose connecter from eBay.

That's a great idea. I helped a friend design and install a similar "drinking water" tank, and it has proven to be really useful. I'll very likely do something similar in the Chinook.

I hope it's not "barging in" to your thread if I describe the variation I did on his (non-Chinook) rig (?).

I come from boating, so it's sort of boating style. First of course we sussed out the particulars of his rig. There was a fairly inaccessible back corner under the kitchen sink counter, so we mounted and secured a ~3-gallon Todd water tank there. A 1-1/2" fill hose comes straight up to a marine deck fill that's in the back corner of the kitchen counter (not where you'd normally put or do anything). There was already a "holey" area in the rear corner of the counter where the main plumbing vent stack goes up, so we added a section of 1/2" pex for a vent. The vent is open to the interior vs. the outside to keep outside ickies out (otherwise it sucks them in when you dispense water). He keeps a piece of gauze over the opening.

So that covers filling and venting the tank. To get the water out we mounted a Fynspray manual pump to one rear corner of the kitchen sink (both Fynspray and Whale make nice pumps but the Fynspray happened to have the better handle orientation for his spot). The pump has a built in swiveling spout. It's made to take 1/2" flexible water hose, so that's what runs from the tank to the pump/faucet.

He likes to customize things, so he wired a little light behind the tank. No shining a flashlight on it to see how full it is for him

Oftentimes the water in the main tank is just as "drinkable" as the water in the drinking water tank, but not always. In the SW the water is often super hard, so that may go into the main tank, but not the drinking water tank. Or maybe municipal water tastes really chlorinated and is not desirable for beverages. Lastly, it has come in handy a few times when the main tank's pump was not powered up for one reason or another (working on electrical system or whatever), since it doesn't require electricity.

You do have to have jugs or something to carry the water TO the rig to fill the tank, unlike your system. On the other hand, they can be smaller and lighter, so it's plus/minus.

Here are a few photos. Not the best quality but they show the basic idea.

1) The tank is under the sink in a back corner. Of course it's the usual jumble (also not a Chinook). It's held in place by cleats and straps.
2) A 1-1/2" hose runs straight up to this marine deck fill, which is in a relatively unusable area behind the sink in a corner. You can just see the 1/2" Pex vent tube in the corner of the pic. Since the RV mfgr had already run a cluster of pipes and etc. up through the counter in this location, we chose not to "hide" the vent. Otherwise we might have.
3) The Fynspray WS-63 hand pump/spout was mounted in a corner of one of the double sink bowls. (Conveniently, white was on a big closeout sale.) Whale also makes nice pumps, but the location was a little cramped due to the backsplash, and the Fynspray arrangement happened to fit better. You can just see the deck fill in the corner behind the main faucet to give some perspective.

Two great mods. Thanks for sharing!