Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Marblesonac on September 30, 2007, 11:18:00 AM

Title: Making a Trad hunting cabin more comfortable..
Post by: Marblesonac on September 30, 2007, 11:18:00 AM
I bought my trad camp a little more than a year ago.

It was a cabin with a woodburner.  No electricity, no water, no sewage.

It sits too far back from the nearest road to run electricity.

A few weeks ago I had a well drilled and a  www.bisonpumps.com (http://www.bisonpumps.com)  deep water handpump installed.  My water table is very high, and I could have used a shallow water pump, but did not want to worry about it freezing in the winter or wearing out etc.. (http://www.bisonpumps.com/deep-outside.jpg)

Bison did a great job of thinking of everything down to the teflon tape on the threads!


Then I built a camp shower.  I bought the Zodi x-40.  It works great off a propane tank and 12v battery.

http://www.zodi.com/web-content/Consumer/zodix40shower.html

(http://www.zodi.com/web-content/Images/Showers%20Images/5146.jpg)

Anyway, it took me a while to do the research on how to make my trad hunting camp a bit more comfortable and thought I would try to pass on what has worked for me.

Shoot 'em straight and true.
Title: Re: Making a Trad hunting cabin more comfortable..
Post by: fireman_3311 on September 30, 2007, 11:27:00 AM
Looks like you're headed in the right direction...now all ya need is da bigscreen and popcorn!!!!
Title: Re: Making a Trad hunting cabin more comfortable..
Post by: Orion on September 30, 2007, 11:39:00 AM
My cabin is off the grid as well.  Don't have a well so am still carrying in water.  I use a gravity feed shower.  Have a small loft and place a 5-gallon bucket upstairs that I fill with warm water that I heat over the stove.  A plastic tube with a shower head leads to a small shower stall in the bathroom on the first floor.
Title: Re: Making a Trad hunting cabin more comfortable..
Post by: Marblesonac on September 30, 2007, 11:45:00 AM
Fireman, I bought a Xantrex Powerpack 1500.

It is a battery/inverter all in one.  Can't run a bigscreen for very long, but it will run a small TV/DVD player for about 15 hours.

http://store.sundancesolarcorp.com/xaxppo15.html

I can pop corn over the fire.

Orion, sounds like a great idea!!
Title: Re: Making a Trad hunting cabin more comfortable..
Post by: Oregon Bill on September 30, 2007, 12:30:00 PM
I'm envious. I've always dreamed having a little piece in the woods. Keep living the dream, guys.
Title: Re: Making a Trad hunting cabin more comfortable..
Post by: tamure on September 30, 2007, 12:46:00 PM
How long of a shower can you take with 5 gal of water?
Title: Re: Making a Trad hunting cabin more comfortable..
Post by: Marblesonac on September 30, 2007, 01:28:00 PM
about 10 minutes
Title: Re: Making a Trad hunting cabin more comfortable..
Post by: sgrogg on September 30, 2007, 05:21:00 PM
cool!
Title: Re: Making a Trad hunting cabin more comfortable..
Post by: BobCo 1965 on September 30, 2007, 05:38:00 PM
I have the same ZODI model for a camp shower. We have a 55 gallon air tight barrel that we use for the water source, and we re-cycle the fresh water back into the barrel (soapy water goes down drain, we basically rinse, lather, rinse and recycle fresh water back into the tank). We found the water able to get scalding hot, but little pressure. So I bought a pump twice the size as the one included to get more pressure.

But be careful and drain the system. If water freezes in the copper coils, they WILL crack. I made that $80 mistake only once.
Title: Re: Making a Trad hunting cabin more comfortable..
Post by: Whip on September 30, 2007, 05:43:00 PM
My cabin is off grid as well.  The best creature comfort we have added is a shower stall indoors, and use a small pump that runs off D cell batteries for showers.  We also have a kitchen set up with sink that just drains into a 5 gallon bucket underneath.  Much easier than filling dishpans and dumping outside.  

I have propane lights inside, and use those most of the time, but it is wired so that I can power the cabin lights (and watch the Packers!) with a generator.  Seriously considering adding a solar panel set up next year.  

That Bison pump looks like something I should check into as well - get tired of hauling water up all the time.
Title: Re: Making a Trad hunting cabin more comfortable..
Post by: Orion on September 30, 2007, 10:01:00 PM
Joe:  My "kitchen" is simiilar to yours.  Have a countertop and built in sink, but the H2O just runs into a 5 gallon bucket under the drain.  Lights, refrigerator and cooking stove are propane.  Though I wired it for electricity when my brother and I built it 12 years ago, have never plugged in a generator.  I sparingly use a propane lantern or two for lighting.  Mostly use candles for light.  Use a woodburning stove for heat.  My shower stall is in a small utility room.  Just run the water through a hose out the floor.  Still use an outdoor Jon.  Never have to worry about pipes freezing up.  Just open the door and I'm ready to go.