DIY camp water faucet

[J.A. M]

In trying to go lighter, I ditched my MSR Dromedary bags, but I missed the ability to hang an inverted water bag in camp for hand washing, and no-spill filling, using the 3-in-1 flip top cap.

So I went on the hunt for a commercially available, light weight spigot that screws securely onto an Evernew bladder.  Nothing exists.

So here’s what I did:

1.) I used a paper hole punch to create four clean circular holes in the welded plastic bottom corners of a 2-liter Evernew bladder.  This is the bladder I use with a drinking tube during the hiking day.

 

2.) I reinforced all four holes on both sides with plastic stick-on hole reinforcers (from Staples).

 

3.) I fashioned a simple paracord bridle through the four holes so the bag will hang inverted.

 

4.) I ordered a “J. Carp ON-OFF Switch Bite Valve Tube Nozzle Replacement For Hydration Pack Bladder” from Amazon.  This is a straight line (not the 90 degree angle one) bite valve with a plastic ball valve for secure on/off.

5.) Remove the silicone mouthpiece from the bite valve and toss it.  Connect the remaining ball valve to a short, 2-inch length of standard drinking tube.  On the other end of the tube, push on the threaded blue plastic barb adapter that comes with a Sawyer Mini.

6.) You are done.  Screw your new DIY spigot onto your evernew bladder, hang it inverted, and use the ball valve to dispense water.

 

[JCH]

The blue straight nozzle looks exactly like the bite valve on my old (no longer used) CamelBak bladder.  Now I have to dig that up :)

Thanks for the idea!

[J.A. M]

Yes.  I also picked the blue one, rather than black, because the on-off lever is yellow.  It’s more self explanatory to anyone sharing my camp.

I’m also hopeful that the inverted bridle hang in a pack will make the bladder less likely to fold on itself and kink off access to drinking water on the trail.  We’ll see.

[David Thomas]

Shooting blindly from the hip here, but might the ID of the spigot connector on the bag would fit the spigot from a wine-in-a-box?  You could then pry it out to refill it, but have to use one hand to let it run.  Not as nice as a on-off, but free for a little dumpster-diving at the recycling center. Heck, rinse out the bladder from the wine-in-a-box (most are 3 or 5 liters) and the spigot will certainly fit.  And the whole thing will be free.

Or maybe a better idea (over at the HDPE recycling symbol #2 dumpster): one of those 2-gallon disposable water containers.  They sell for $1.79 at the store (and free in the trash).  Those spigots (if they fit your bag) do stay open when you pull them towards you.

[Ben H.]

Thanks for this JAM!  Can you post pictures of your solution?  I’ve been in the same predicament as you.  REI used to make a lightweight 5ish liter bladder with the spigots like on boxed wine as David suggested, but our last one broke a while back.

I got a 3 liter Hydrapack Seeker that I really like, but I am trying to rig a spigot up to it.  I don’t want to puncture the bag, but the threads for the cap don’t appear very universal.  I just noticed on hydrapak’s site they sell a Trek Kit version of the 3L Seeker that has a plug and play cap.  Seems a bit pricey and fiddly.  I may see if I can get the cap separately.

[J.A. M]

Headed out to sleep on a mountain.  I will post pictures, weight, and report on how well it works as soon as I get back.

[Ben H.]

I got this reply from Hydrapak:

Thanks for contacting HydraPak! We are not currently selling the plug and play cap separately, but we do have plans to release it on our website sometime this summer, so please do check back in the Accessories section occasionally; it’ll be there when it’s made available.</div>
Thanks,

Lexi Elmore

Customer Service Department

[Clifford Deakyne]

Ben,

The hydropak 3 l seeker with the BeFree filter has a screw cap with standard threads as part of the larger diameter cap.  If you unscrew the push pull valve, you can attach the Sawyer adapter then a tube then an on-off bite valve with the silicon bite end removed.  This is essentially how I  prepare drinking water in camp attaching the end of the tube to the outlet of my bite valve on my Platapus hydration bag while it is still in my pack.

Without the BeFree  you’d need a special cap maybe by drilling a hole and using a male threaded Sawyer hose adapter with some silicon sealant you could do it.

If you can’t picture my BeFree set up, PM me and I’ll send a photo.

[J.A. M]

This worked great this weekend. I also realized that you could invert and hang a dirty water bag with the filter installed in line between the bag and the spigot.

 

 

[J.A. M]

This one shows the whole setup.  The spigot attachment as shown is 13 grams.

[Gumbo]

Here’s my solution for attaching quick-connect fittings to Sawyer/Smartwater bottles & Befree filters, and to Hydrapak Seeker bottles:

Parts:

• ¼” NPT APC Series Acetal Coupling Body – Shutoff, 0.20 oz, $4.92 from USPlastic
• ¼” NPT Nylon Lock Nut, 0.03 oz

 

 

[Ben H.]

a lot of great information here!  Thanks everyone.

Gumbo, do you have any issues with your setup leaking?

[Bill Giles]

It’s prudent to note that the threads on Evernew collapsible water bottles, Sawyer Squeeze, Sawyer adapters and Smartwater bottles are the same. Platypus bottles have a different thread. Platypus makes a drinking tube that has an adapter that will fit Platypus bottles. The Sawyer Fast Fill Hydration Pack Adapter has the threaded fitting that will fit the Evernew collapsible bottles. Sawyer also makes a male and female coupling set to adapt a filter to a hydration pack.

[Gumbo]

My DIY caps have been totally watertight. I had thought of adding a neoprene washer, but haven’t found the need. Glue on the outside could also be used.

 

[J.A. M]

Good point, Bill.

Platy picked a non-standard thread pitch, but it’s so close that people won’t notice with a dry fitting. But under the pressure of a squeeze filter, the thread joints will leak and drip contaminated water into your clean supply.

Make sure to carefully select parts that will seal properly.

The spigot idea I posted took this into account.

[Gumbo]

Has anyone tried the Platy fitting on the outlet of a BeFree filter? I’ve noticed that some “standard” threads don’t seal real well to it. The BeFree drinking cap fits fine on a SmartWater bottle, but vice versa less so – it takes a lot of muscle to screw it on far. Not a big problem, as the only reason to couple something there is for the clean side of a gravity system, but now I’m curious…

[Bill Giles]

Another good thing to know is that a garden hose rubber washer will work in a Sawyer Squeeze and in the Sawyer female adapters. The Sawyer rubber washer may have a smaller I.D., but the O. D. and thickness are the same as a garden hose washer. It pays to look around for garden hose washers. Some are harder, others are softer. Some are plastic and some are rubber. Black washers are usually rubber and usually last longer.

[Author]

Posts