So I've been reading a lot of stuff about WFP systems and trying to understand the possibilities for myself. I'm trying to make sense out of lots of snippets of information. I'm not yet ready to make the switch but, when I do, naturally I wish to make the right choices for my circumstances.
I live in a hard water area which doesn't help.
OK now. I have some questions. Some of them may seem silly to you WFP veterans but I will ask them anyway.
My current circumstances are that I live in an upstairs flat so transporting water from home to vehicle is not an option. I have a lock-up away from the flat which I rent but there is no water supply and no chance of setting one up.
Also, my van is a Ford Escort 55 which probably means that a van mount would have a limited jmaximum capacity of around 250-300 litres. The other option would be a 375 litre trailer system (I feel that 200 litre would be insufficient).
Therefore, my choices are limited I believe.
1) ACCESS TO WATER: I could probably get access to water at a friend's place but a van mount would take hours to fill. This would deprive me of the usage of my vehicle. I could fill it during sleep hours but I wouldn't want to be connecting up to my friend's tap at all odd hours. The friendship is good but I wouldn't want to push it. My friend lives a couple of miles away. I would be OK about getting a pushbike to cycle to and from his place.
If I decide to stick with the Escort, the solution would probably be a trailer.
HOWEVER, would I be correct in thinking that if I could manage to set up a static holding tank somewhere, then I would be able to fill a van mount of a trailer much more quickly? If so, then I could use a van mount.
2) WATER DRAINAGE: Is reliable drainage ALWAYS required for RO systems? From what I've been reading, it appears that some RO systems are a lot more efficient than others. If I've understood correctly, with the more efficient (and presumably more expensive) units, it may be possible to do RO filtering without the need for drainage (1:1 filtering ??) .
Also, am I correct in thinking that if you want to filter "on the fly" (filter it as you use it) then the cost of the resin escalates a lot?
There could be different options open to me depending on the answers.
I could possibly rent some bit of space in a small industrial unit and have a static holding tank installed. If I'm right in thinking that I could fill a van mount more quickly with such water then I may go for a van mount - not necessarily with the Escort but with a larger van as it could save me from filling up *every* day. A larger van would also allow me to keep poles inside the van rather than on the roof where they may get stolen. I imagine the costs of doing it this way could be rather high (renting or sharing the unit, installation of static holding tank, possible van upgrade, possible trailer).
Another way could be to use an ordinary tap (at a place yet to be determined), deny myself the use of the van while it's filling up, and buy a cheap car to run around in. Again, this would cost.
A trailer system could be helpful. I'm not so keen about the manouever ability of my van with a trailer attached. I also live in an area where parking is at a premium (controlled parking zone near town centre).
Another option would be to move house to a place with a garage attached - or at the very minmum, access to a shed close to where I could park. This is unlikely to happen as I would struggle to raise the mortgage as it would mean an upgrade.
So I guess the questions are. Can a tank be filled much faster if the water is already filtered (i.e. is the filling process slower if filtering is occurring whilst fillng?) . Is it possible to have an RO system which does not require drainage - or at the very least, where drainage can be delayed until I get the tank to somewhere suitable?
I'm starting to think there needs to be an FAQ on this subject. Maybe there is one and I've missed it
