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SurfaceRust
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 09, 2019 11:49 pm    Post subject: External Water Tank Reply with quote

I'm upgrading to solar power and decided the best spot to put most of my electrical equipment is where the water tank is. I still want to have water, so I decided to install a external water tank ( http://www.eurocampers.com/Vanagon-45L-Grey-or-Fresh-Water-Tank_p_443.html ) This one is close to the stock size at just under 12 gallons.

First step was to get the old water tank out. This involves removing the sink/ stove as well.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Once that was out, I test fit the tank under the sliding door, between the frame rails. It was very tight, but fit. I went to home depot, got some L brackets, some 1/2 threaded rods (12" long) a piece of aluminum and some nuts and washers. I then measured everything and drilled some holes in the frame rails. On the passenger side, I had to drill extra holes to get the nut in behind.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I installed all the L brackets and threaded rods. I then popped the water tank in. It was a very tight fit. The slots on the tank are about 1/2" so it doesn't slide easily up. I had to use a floor jack to force it up.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I then used a 3/4" through hole ratchet to tighten the nuts (and wasers underneath the water tank, holding it up there. I used two nuts on the bottom of the threaded rod to ensure it didn't spin. Once it was in snug, I decided to use the the piece of aluminum to provide more support. I cut (2) 12" pieces and drilled 1/2" holes 1/2" in from the ends. I slid put on more nuts and washers, then put on the new aluminum braces. I made sure they pull the threaded rods in to keep everything tight.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Finally I took an angle grinder and removed the extra portion of the threaded rod

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I don't give up much in terns of clearance. Maybe an inch. My only concern is the threaded rod spinning out. I used lots of lock tight, and those nuts should hold it in place, but you never know.

Next I have to drill holes in the tank and put in the bulkheads. Then I can run lines up to the sink. I will replace the pump to one that is a bit stronger due to the extra distance the water now has to travel. I also want to plug the extra holes I drilled to get the nuts in. After that, its time to build the electrical cabinet.[/img]
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Paulbeard
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:27 am    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Nice work and a useful tip for overlanders or fulltimers who might need more water. The stock water tank takes up a of room and unlike yours, is a bugger to clean properly.

Now, how complex is your solar rig going to be that you needed that much space? Shocked
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:40 am    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Good work. Something similar could also be used to set up a gray water tank for those that want to be self contained.

In my tin top, I went the opposite route. I decided on smaller and easier to remove. I put a 4 gal container under the sink, and a 1 gal for gray. Behind the driver’s seat I stood two 1.25 gal thin water containers designed for a fridge. I also switched to a hand pump faucet.
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shagginwagon83
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:51 am    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

I recently deleted my propane tank and this is exactly what I had in mind. Great job.
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SurfaceRust
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 11:46 am    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Paulbeard wrote:
Nice work and a useful tip for overlanders or fulltimers who might need more water. The stock water tank takes up a of room and unlike yours, is a bugger to clean properly.

Now, how complex is your solar rig going to be that you needed that much space? Shocked


I’ll probably do have that space storage and half for solar. I’ll put the batteries under the bench seat to keep weight centered. The cabinet will have the charge controller, a built in battery charger hooked up to the side outlet, fuse block, switch panel, lots of wire, possibly an inverter.

Another benefit of moving the water tank is weight distribution. With a full water tank, the COG is now lower and more even being on the passenger side
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E1
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 12:26 pm    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Edit: Sorry to OT a little but hopefully you'll think it on topic. Very Happy

Beautifully done!

Moving batteries to under the bench *definitely helps*, our 210aH is about 140 lbs. -- and held down with two seat belts.

You've gone another step rightwards and lower and that's awesome! CoG is really important, hence partly why we omitted our cargo box. Thanks for demonstrating that here.

Our inverters on both vans have gone into the little cabinet rear of fridge, this one screwed to back of left fridge wall so occupying the near-useless space behind the table mount. A hair inconvenient to power on and off, but out of the way, and rear of cabinet baaaarely fits two jack stands. Front half is empty, used for temporary items only.

I mention this as I can think of a lot of bulkier gear to go into the left "desk" cabinet you're deepening... we would love having that!

If there's one thing I've learned it's that traveling compact makes some things harder to get to, but still "better" in the end. We try to bury stuff we rarely use but the primary goal is balancing left to right -- and always rearwards, too. Side-to-side balance is much-bigger issue with a Westy than I think is realized often enough -- or at least respected as a safety flaw.

I find these vans to be more challenged in the front over the rear, mostly in bias but perhaps in engineering, too. VW set a front-rear bias on the plackard that shows the front should have about 17% less weight than the rear, but though we have no excess weight in the front our vans run about 10% lighter in the front and this one only maybe 5%.

For whatever reason in frame design, the cabinet weight has a higher effect on the front than it seems it should when studying where the weight is in the van. So right and rear and low for me.

Great job, keep up the conscious path. Form with Function is a multi-year progression, at least it's been for us.
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iulian
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 2:51 pm    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Nice work, I have the same tank installed under the slider. Here is where I put the connections for water pump, water fill, drainage, level and vent and a few details on each, maybe can help a little

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Water pump specs: 10 l/min, 0,5 bar, it does the job, I have connected a primitive shower system to the sink faucet and it works fine.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Vent: 3/4 L nipple. On the outside, with the help of a piece of hose, I fitted one of those tap plastic mesh to keep dirt and insects away from the tank. Easy removable for cleaning

In order to prevent water loss through the vent due to sloshing, on the tank ceiling, diagonally, I fitted a corrugated garden hose, one end is connected to the vent nipple, the other is open, below a sketch. I had to drill few holes on top of the tank and used some automotive zip tie holders.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Fill: I used this level control fill for those times when I am on camp site and want be connected to the water supply. Found it in a RV shop, branded Killian.
On that nipple I have permanently fitted a hose with a 1/2 garden hose nipple. The hose is tucked under the van easy accessible, protected on a sealed plastic bag

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Level: I went low cost and fitted that vertical little hose, for that price I have to kneel to look at the level.

Drainage, there are many choices, I went cheap with a generic ball valve from the hardware store, I think it is a 3/4

Cheers
Iulian
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Paulbeard
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 5:30 pm    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

SurfaceRust wrote:


Another benefit of moving the water tank is weight distribution. With a full water tank, the COG is now lower and more even being on the passenger side


Nice. This seems like a great option for tintop conversions as well. Given the choice between the stock Westy tank and this, I would take this.
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rmcd
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:09 pm    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Cool project.
Any inclination how these tanks hold up to freeze?
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iulian
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 9:54 am    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Can’t tell, I’ve never risked using it in cold weather, I drain it just before winter.
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VeeDubDaySpa
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PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2020 4:32 pm    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


We have had water in ours in some cold winters, and no issues. I wouldn't recommend it, but mistakes happen. On a build we are doing right now, we have insulated this tank and going to play with that. Trying for winter camping with hot water...

ill follow up as we figure things out.
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Jeanot
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 8:55 am    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Hey!
Very nice setup; I'm looking to do the same. May I ask where you found these fittings for the water tank? Did you screw them yourself into the body?
So far all I have found is the 60L water tank available in most europe online shops:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I am thinking of getting it but I am a bit worried about the fittings - I have a hole behind the driver's seat to get the cables through (pump) and it seems there is some space also behind driver's wheel to fit it. Couldn't find a lot of information about it, so I would gladly get some Smile

Here's a link to the piece i am mentionning:

https://www.mecatechnic.com/en-GB/water-tank-60-l-for-vw-t2-t3_CW10280.htm
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:50 am    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Hi there,

The fittings used in the picture above are 1/2” bulkhead fittings - they are commonly available over here at most hardware stores in the plumbing department.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


The straps are 14” quick fists screwed into the frame rails.

I’d like to get my hands on one of those 60L tanks to play with, but I haven’t seen one in action yet. I’d imagine it butts right up to the front and rear frames possibly requiring fittings to be installed on the bottom, but I’m not sure.
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2021 12:06 pm    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Paulbeard wrote:
The stock water tank takes up a of room and unlike yours, is a bugger to clean properly.

Hmmm, I was not interested in an under van tank because I felt that the stock tank with the big opening on top was easier to clean from above - been awhile since I had a tank, but I thought I could get my arm in there are scrub - maybe I used a long handled brush.

I did like that I could see into it easily to inspect cleanliness, also, any mold etc was easy to see with a light-colored tank. But, I do like the space saving aspect, of this tank! Price is pretty reasonable too. Kudos on the install.
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2021 12:19 pm    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

vanagonjr wrote:
Paulbeard wrote:
The stock water tank takes up a of room and unlike yours, is a bugger to clean properly.

Hmmm, I was not interested in an under van tank because I felt that the stock tank with the big opening on top was easier to clean from above - been awhile since I had a tank, but I thought I could get my arm in there are scrub - maybe I used a long handled brush.

I did like that I could see into it easily to inspect cleanliness, also, any mold etc was easy to see with a light-colored tank. But, I do like the space saving aspect, of this tank! Price is pretty reasonable too. Kudos on the install.


Personally, I love the stock westy tank. It fits perfect, it holds A LOT of water and they are very stout. And I agree they are easy to clean and maintain.
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2021 12:23 pm    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Jeanot wrote:
Hey!
Very nice setup; I'm looking to do the same. May I ask where you found these fittings for the water tank? Did you screw them yourself into the body?
So far all I have found is the 60L water tank available in most europe online shops:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I am thinking of getting it but I am a bit worried about the fittings - I have a hole behind the driver's seat to get the cables through (pump) and it seems there is some space also behind driver's wheel to fit it. Couldn't find a lot of information about it, so I would gladly get some Smile

Here's a link to the piece i am mentionning:

https://www.mecatechnic.com/en-GB/water-tank-60-l-for-vw-t2-t3_CW10280.htm


I use the same tanks, now sold by Reimo in Europe and their distributors.

Bulkhead fittings is what you`re after, then it`s just plumbing the way you want.

I connect it in series with the Westfalia inner tank, it fills both by gravity, the inner tank drains into the 60L tank, I got an external pump in the cabinet ( I gotta finish it).

I made aluminum straps out of flat stock shaped on the tank itself, bolted on the frame with rivnut inserts on the vertical sides of the tank.
I close the straps on the side of the tank, so it`s not dangling below it.
It`s basically making a giant C-clamp. I don`t have pics handy, sorry....
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2021 3:18 pm    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

Nice work.

I just finished up a 60l Reimo install Seen on tv here.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=575458&start=200
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 05, 2023 7:55 am    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

iulian wrote:
Nice work, I have the same tank installed under the slider. Here is where I put the connections for water pump, water fill, drainage, level and vent and a few details on each, maybe can help a little

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Water pump specs: 10 l/min, 0,5 bar, it does the job, I have connected a primitive shower system to the sink faucet and it works fine.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Vent: 3/4 L nipple. On the outside, with the help of a piece of hose, I fitted one of those tap plastic mesh to keep dirt and insects away from the tank. Easy removable for cleaning

In order to prevent water loss through the vent due to sloshing, on the tank ceiling, diagonally, I fitted a corrugated garden hose, one end is connected to the vent nipple, the other is open, below a sketch. I had to drill few holes on top of the tank and used some automotive zip tie holders.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Fill: I used this level control fill for those times when I am on camp site and want be connected to the water supply. Found it in a RV shop, branded Killian.
On that nipple I have permanently fitted a hose with a 1/2 garden hose nipple. The hose is tucked under the van easy accessible, protected on a sealed plastic bag

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Level: I went low cost and fitted that vertical little hose, for that price I have to kneel to look at the level.

Drainage, there are many choices, I went cheap with a generic ball valve from the hardware store, I think it is a 3/4

Cheers
Iulian


real nice!

Im trying to find one of those floater valves for filling up, but I cant seem to find it anywhere here in spain...
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 05, 2023 12:11 pm    Post subject: Re: External Water Tank Reply with quote

I prefer the stock water tank set-up, but this is a very good option for a gray water holding tank.
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