New continent, new challenges – why does the water quality in Africa call for an upgrade to Defender Olga’s water system?
Benefit from the experience of world travelers Martina and Toby of Olga on Tour with water filtering and water pressure for planning your own travel vehicle.
Around the World with Defender Olga
January 2023: Olga has been on tour for 22 months. Since then, the Defender, with Martina and Toby on board, has covered almost 59,000 km, driving through Turkey, straight across Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
On the eastern route they have since continued through Africa, already passing through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania all the way to Zambia.
Olga’s Water System
So that the water tanks can be cleaned easily at any time and also filled away from the vehicle, Martina and Toby chose two removable canisters of 25 liters each.
From there, a pressure water pump sends the water either through a heat exchanger integrated into the engine’s small coolant circuit (this is how hot water for showering is produced), or through a water filter so it can be drunk without worry.
For this purpose, Olga’s water system uses a combination of an activated carbon filter and a hollow fiber membrane filter. This removes both disease-causing germs and bacteria and substances dissolved in the water, such as medication residues, fertilizers or pesticides.
Want to know more about water filters and which type of use suits you personally? Find out with our little needs assessment in just 5 + 1 easy questions!
The Problem
Since Toby and Martina have been traveling in Africa, they have been struggling with a filtering problem. The water here contains much more sediment, such as sand, rust and other coarser dirt, so the filters clog very quickly.
As a result they have to be replaced disproportionately often. That is expensive, produces a lot of waste and of course also means carrying a stock of spares while storage space is very limited.
To extend the life of the filters, the two improvised a pre-filter from a very fine stainless steel mesh on the road. It catches the coarse impurities before they reach the filter cartridges.
However, the pre-filter significantly aggravates another problem: the installed water pump with 1.4 bar output is simply not up to this challenge. The pre-filter increased the pressure required even further, and the water can no longer be pressed through the filters satisfactorily, even with cartridges that aren’t yet clogged.
Replacing the Pressure Water Pump Later On
To get a satisfactory water flow while at the same time sparing the filters, replacing the pump later on was the only workable solution.
The two decided on our heavy duty pressure water pump with 4.2 bar output, which, thanks to our worldwide shipping, made its way to them in Africa.
The conversion went simply and smoothly, and the pressure water system now provides the pressure needed for a decent shower, as well as for filtering drinking water with a satisfactory flow, without any problem. Filters now only need to be changed at normal maintenance intervals.
“We finally no longer spend tedious hours waiting while filling up water. The (bi-)weekly task is done again in a few minutes”.
Martina & Tobi, Olga on Tour
Conclusion for Building the Water System in Your Camper
First: To stay healthy while traveling, always make sure to install or carry water filters. Keep in mind that almost nowhere in the world is water quality controlled as strictly as it is here at home.
But beware: even if you only fill up with the best water, individual germs can multiply strongly over time in canisters, tanks and lines (keyword: re-contamination!)
Second: Use a pre-filter from the start to protect your filter cartridges. Our filter kits from the quality manufacturer Alb Filter therefore always and necessarily include the “Protect” pre-filter with matching pads. In the long run this saves your wallet, your nerves and the environment enormously.
Third: Especially when using water filters, install a pump that is up to this task, such as the tigerexped heavy duty pressure water pump with 4.2 bar.
Extra TIP: Use an accumulator tank for a more even water flow and to extend the life of your pump – this way it no longer has to kick in for every single drop of water.
By the way: In the set you get the pump and accumulator tank at a discounted bundle price.
Everything you need to build a high-performance pressure water system can be found in the Water category in our shop. If you have questions about choosing the right components:
Our support is happy to help!
Follow Olga on Tour!
Martina and Toby share really great photos of their journey on their Instagram channel. Follow Olga on Tour for authentic travel experiences from a likable couple and inspiration for your own trips – definitely.
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