Relocate exterior water filterAnother one of those last minute gotchas. I had previously mounted a water filter on camper. It was located near the inlet...right where my new dually fenders are. Wow, didn't even register when I did the dually kit. Not until I loaded the camper, don't know what made me look, ya know I don't think the filter will go on...sure enough hits fender.When we hook up to city/park water we always use it, most park water I'm sure is ok but often the taste is bad. Its also used when we take on water for the tank. I have a short piece of hose, with only a female end sticking out that stays in the water fill access. I used to carry it -shove down the inlet then screw incoming hose to it, before I realized there was no reason to remove it. It allows you to fill a lot easier. In using the filter to fill tank takes forever-filter restricts flow some what, we don't notice in usage, just when I use it to refill tank, sometimes in those far off lands-we've come across some pretty bad water.
The only place the filter would fit was all the way to rear. You can see original mount standoff above. I needed to make another mount plate, I mounted the original "forever". Trying to get it off would have made a mess. Attached a 45° to campers city inlet. Picked up a longer tie in hose so I could attach hose. Added a 90° elbow also a new pressure regulator that has large rings for attaching inlet hose. The filter is fairly close to rear back wall of overhang so inlet hose needed to turn down, plus I didn't want the weight of the hose at right angles. Also using an old sun visor rod as hook to hold hoses/chord off fender.
The filter came with a hoop mount that needed to mount to a vertical surface, I use it to store filter. Since I wanted this to hang and be removable I made a simple slide mount. The filter hosing already had 4 bosses in the top, I just tapped. Took a rectangle piece of PTF (cutting board/plastic wont be affected by weather), made 2 compound angle cuts from both sides (so angles would match). Using center piece as guide I attached 2 outside pieces to piece of 1X6 standoff(other wise filter top will be rubbing camper when trying to slide on). Once I was happy with the slide action I mounted center piece to housing. The mount, kinda see in pics, is narrow at one end so filter will slide in between, the edges are at an angle (wider at tops) so it cant drop down.
Made a sketch- Just to help show how it works. Obviously it needs to be modified for your housing. All bolt holes to suit. The surface angles TOP VIEW need to be minimum, the shallower they are the farther the housing must slide before it can come out, good thing. The edges I've got about 3/16"in 1/2" taper, it can be a bit steeper, its what holds the filter from dropping. When mounting the outside pieces to the standoff board, you want the center section snug to outside pieces with maybe 1/8" -3/16" still out to allow for wear. The stand off 1X6 can be any size- When mounting stand off (with mount guides attached) to camper I used lots of glue, screws, caulk & paint (why original ones still there, I just removed guides. After paint dried I used bar soap to lube, latex likes to stick. Mine works well, if it were made out of wood-not so sure. Back to Ourelkhorn Camper Modifications page |