It must be BPA-free, stain, rust and corrosion resistant to prevent the water from contamination. Ours has a similar vent in the neck but the lockable cap doesn't block it. You can use handmade wooden brackets and/or strong cloth belts to secure the tanks in place. Because grey wastewater is not toxic, grey water tanks and fresh water tanks are typically interchangeable. Youll also want to be sure to wash it out thoroughly as shreds of plastic are common in new water tanks. Everything you need to know about setting up your own camper water system, including diagrams and product recommendations. And most importantly, it must be made from food-grade polyethylene. Moreover, the convenient bottle has a comfortable and thick handle that perfectly fits our handsmaking it easier to pick up the 5-gallon bottle. We're Yuko and Eric and we are traveling the Pan-American Highway from Canada to Argentina in our self-converted camper van. But WaterStorageCube is a durable bottle and can withstand multiple falls. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. But if you have an indoor shower and a faucet you will need to collect that water in a grey water tank, which can easily be plumbed with a pipe from the sink and/or shower drain to the grey tank. A good fresh water tank has a fill port, drain port and air vent. This optimizes the use of space inside your van. We hope you enjoy!

A wholly filled 42-gallon tank will weigh 350 pounds or more including the weight of the tank itself. But there is a risk of algae accumulation if not washed for a long time. And they are typically made of a lesser quality plastic which is not safe for storing potable water.

Then we can worry about which type of campervan toilet we want, where to place our tankless water heater and which sink and faucet we prefer to match the decor of the build. From the water outlet, you will likely have a short hose that connects to your water pump to draw water out of the water tank.

And you may or may not need a black water tank depending on how you choose to dispose of human waste in your van.

Subscribers do not see these advertisements. Do more expensive water tanks fit in-line with your budget.

We have gathered a list of the best campervan water tank options for each of the three types of water tanks in your van water system.

Jerry cans are possibly the most popular fresh water storage option for budget camper van builds. Or if your fuel tank is on one side, try installing your water tank on the other side. Virtually nobody in van life (aside from higher-end, nicer Class B Leisure Vans) has a black tank as most van toilets are not plumbed RV toilets but rather composting, cassette, portable or bucket options. We Dont! Moreover, the body is rust and corrosion-resistant. Overall, the RecPro is an excellent freshwater tank and you will be glad you opted for the biggest model you can fit and afford in your van build. The tank has a 1.25-inch water inlet and comes with three 3/8-inch outlets with NPT connections to easily attach standard pipes and a water pump.

Wheel well water tanks are perhaps the most space-efficient interior water tanks available on the market today. So, for instance, if you mount your water tank on your drivers side be sure to install your kitchen on the passenger side.

Of course, you can plumb these tanks to both the shower and kitchen sink for a long hot shower from time to time or to wash the dishes. Best Product // Our Top Picks at a Glance.

When planning what type of fresh water tank to purchase, we recommend thinking about how you plan to use your camper van. You need fresh water when you live in a van and we believe that having the largest possible fresh water tank inside your van that you can reasonably install will serve you in the long run.

Camper Van Shower Plumbing Diagrams & Installation Guide, Install A Camper Van Sink System (With Diagrams). JavaScript is disabled.

Good to know: Our 7 gallon (26 liter) jerry can that we use for all food-prep & sink-related activities will usually last us 3-4 days. Additionally, the fitting requirements are almost the same as the fresh water tanks.

For example, if you have a portable grey water system then you are able to carry your container to a pit toilet and dump grey water there or in other appropriate disposal areas.

All things considered, this is an excellent option for either fresh or grey water systems. Check out this post to learn more. Installing a water tank under the vehicles is more complicated but frees up the camper interior for other purposes. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Where is the best place to mount a water tank in a van?

Instead, install a separate water inlet hose and consider using a pressure regulator to ensure water is delivered to the tank at a reasonable pressure. We also like that RecPro offers this style of fresh water tanks in various capacities if you want to go larger or smaller than the 40-gallon size. For a headache free installation, we recommend getting these exact fittings to attach to the spouted water tank. It may not display this or other websites correctly.

Never drill into the tank, for obvious reasons. Class A Customs 42 gallons RV water holding tank is a strong product and comparable to its RecPro counterpart in many ways. Other than that, the material and manufacturing is incredible. It is prone to start leaking after a few months. Weve also listed an option for portable water tanks in the event you do not want to install a permanent tank.

Likewise, look for similar mounting options when installing a black water tank if you happen to use one. The tank is not suitable for drinking or freshwater as it is made from medium-density polyethylene resin. While you will want to start with your fresh water tank and your grey water tank, which incidentally are interchangeable on this list. The Best Vent Fan For Camper Vans. Keep in mind, dont over tighten the adapter and pipe as it can damage groves. Fixed water tanks should be mounted securely and in such a way that you account for the weight of the water contained in them. It features an actual capacity of 42-gallons, which is enough to store water for drinking, shower and other essential tasks for 7 to 10 days with normal use. The tank itself is black and does not have a water gauge which is not user-friendly and requires additional components and installation. Once every 3-4 months, we like to sanitize our fresh water tanks (fixed tank & jerry can) by flushing chlorine solution through our water tanks, pipes, and pump. From there it is a mix. But on the flip side, a 40-gallon water tank will weigh close to 350 pounds and should be installed in a place that distributes that weight evenly. This depends on how much water you think you will consume. In addition to our recommendations for fixed water tanks in this post, there are several companies that will build a custom tank to the specifications of the type of van you are converting. They can be used as an emergency resort or you could build your entire campervan water system around the portability of different containers. Fresh, or drinking water, is a necessity. The first and most important type of water tank in your campervan water system is a fresh water tank. The dimensions for this 42 gallons of water storage is almost 12-inch shorter and 5-inch higher than the comparable RecPro model. Weight: Even a 5-gallon tank is heavy to carry around. The WaterStorageCube is one of the most useful portable water containers because of its collapsibility when not in use. The Valterra R8030 defines quality by checking all the boxes of an excellent Grey water tank and is an exceptional product for campervans and RVs. Now that weve walked through the basics of what to look for in any kind of camper van water system tanks, lets run through some of the most frequently asked questions you may still have. You wont get the weight balanced exactly 50/50. How do you install a water tank in a van? Do you need the connection fitting to the caravan / campervan or the vehicle watse outlet kit? From taking a minimalist approach to a portable water tank system to more complex, heavy-duty and permanent installations, well lay it all out for you here. And for how many days, ideally? One of the downsides of an underbody installation is, depending on the outside temperature, you may not be able to use these tanks in sub-freezing temperatures. Moreover, the material is algae, rust and corrosion-resistant.

Most campers in van life will build a campervan water system that uses fixed fresh, black and grey water tanks. Likewise, the grey water system should account for a grey water tank located as close to the center of the van to keep the weight distributed evenly. it would appear that the tank is not actually vented at all when either of these are used. An air vent is necessary as it allows the air to escape when you fill the tank so that it does not explode from too much pressure.

There is nothing exciting or sexy about a campervan water system. A.A 30-Gal is another solid plastic fresh and grey water tank. Moreover, it is made from food-safe PE plastic that is free from BPA and DEHP. Jerry cans are what we use for our sink plumbing system in our van. They are usually mounted in a tight space with braces to prevent any sliding and jumping. Looking to install a fresh water tank in your camper van? More info in our disclaimer. The material is not as important for grey and black water. Class A Customs WT-2400 is made to fit under the campervan. Suitable for internal or external portable tanks including caravan rollaway tanks. Large tanks may have a small impact on your engines fuel consumption and economy due to the weight of water you carry. SumoSprings Review For RVs: We Tried Them! Check out our van Plumbing category page for more similar content. A larger fresh water tank will give you the ability to go longer before you have to start the tedious task of finding fresh water. For us, the RecPro 40-Gal RV water tank is the best tank for freshwater and the Class A Customs WT-2400 is ideal for grey and black water. Strong, Thick and BPA free plastic construction. Tasteless, odourless, BPA free, DEHP free build material. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. This spillproof kit connects a 25mm grey waste hose to your 25 litre removable grey waste container. We want to use this website to share our travel stories and van life experience to inspire our readers. Fresh water holding tanks will often come with four prefabricated ports/holes.

And during your van build, youll have to consider your plumbing system and water pump for moving water from your freshwater tank to your kitchen sink and outdoor or indoor shower. Betweena robust battery bankand an incredibly powerful and efficientsolar panel system,the only thing holding us back from weeks of camping off-grid was our tank system. Most black water tanks are low-profile, meaning they are longer and wider but not very tall. Not what you need? However, when it comes to planning for our next van build, were putting our entire water system at the front and center of our decisions. We like that this tank has a big 1.25 water inlet and three NPT connections to have multiple water outlets. Any more and you start to worry about the weight. But there are portable options for every type. Dometic 12v Fridge Review: The Best Fridge For RVs, Victron Solar Charge Controller Review (Smart Solar). The hose connector fits snuggly inside the cap attachment and when the waste tank is removedthe screw caps ensure no accidental spillage when emptying or inside the vehicle.

But for now, lets get into our top recommended campervan water tank, which happens to be the one we currently have installed inside our RV. Freshwater tanks are placed inside the van, and usually, they dont have screw mounts. For larger water storage capacity, fixed water tanks are a popular option.

In this way, the weight is distributed safely in all directions. Or consider a wide tank that you can mount evenly between the driver and passenger sides of the van. Black and grey water tanks are mounted beneath the van using a horizontal bracket. You will want to have a vent hole with a smaller hose to allow for air to enter the tank as water leaves and to leave the tank as water enters.

You do not want to mix them up. As it is FDA approved and BPA free, which is why we are able to store clean water that can be used for drinking and washing. These permanent tanks are placed under the van as they use gravity to fill and dispense the black water. Editors Choice: RecPro 40 gal RV Water Tank. That filler should have come with two seals, one for vent tanks and one for unvented tanks, this one has castlations so it can breath. Allow the solution to sit in the water tank and pipes for 3 hours. Conversion Van Floor Plan Guide: Create Your Own Layout, Camper Van Insulation: The Ultimate Guide, How To Build Strong Camper Van Walls Using Furring Strips, How To Create A Stunning Campervan Interior, 7 Must Have Items For A Photogenic Campervan, DIY Camper Van Electrical System: An Epic Off-Grid Setup, RV Water System & Plumbing (Diagrams & Advice). Enjoyed reading? From having a fresh water tank large enough to support 10-14 days of boondocking to a grey water tank capable of holding every drop of wastewater, water storage is our top priority. And without proper containers to hold fresh water, it can be difficult to travel to more remote places and to boondock for extended periods of time. Installing a fixed fresh water tank is easier said than done. And be sure to vent it.

In this chapter, we will go over four popular methods for fresh water storage, starting from the most affordable and basic and ending with the most costly, but space efficient. The air vent and inlet must be on top with a proper place for the dispensing ports on the bottom. In this post, we will go over the popular methods for storing fresh water in camper vans, and the pros and cons for each method. Water flow from a fixed tank will typically be drawn by a 12-volt electric pump then drawn into a hot water heater or directly into the sink, shower and/or toilet. Moreover, they come in a reasonably big size and can be used to store both grey and black water. But wheel well tanks eliminate this wasted space by hugging the wheel well area and eliminating wasted air gaps. In fact, all of the fresh water tanks and grey water tanks on our list are interchangeable in your campervan water system. The tank must be vented some way whilst the standard cap is on, otherwise you would not be able to get water out of the tank. Lastly, to prevent the water tank from sliding around while driving, getting some sturdy straps is a good idea. On the downside, the AA tank is only suitable for fresh water and greywater applications. A typical problem with collapsible bottles is that they are highly prone to catastrophic damage upon falling. Note: The waste hose is not included. Online you can easily find water tanks ranging anywhere between 5 and 75 gallons. Strong BPA free and FDA approved plastic construction. This site contains affiliate links to products. At 24 gallons it should hold enough wastewater to handle the entire plumbing system of a campervan for a week or more. We recommend the following strap and footman loop. Usually, the tanks are made from polyethylene as it is saf. The biggest reasons for their popularity are: We love our jerry cans! Do You REALLY Need A Camper Van Toilet? But that can be attributed to higher quality and thicker plastic in the manufacturing process. Putting all the weight on one side will reduce your ability to handle the van safely while driving and increase the risk of wearing out your tire tread unevenly. We also like that the R8030 is very easy to install. Sometimes these holes will already be open and sometimes youll have to drill open the holes yourself. A campervan water system that incorporates portable tanks will require you to empty and fill them more frequently. Weve learned so much since then and below are our recommendations of what is needed to easily install a fresh water tank in a camper van. The R8030 is made from solid ABS plastic, weighs only 3lbs and measures at 30 x 16 x 8 inches, which is great for a 15 gallons water tank. If you have an outdoor shower you will not need to worry about collecting grey water as it will simply accumulate on the ground. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Grey water tanks are usually small as not all fresh water you store results proportionately in grey water.

Do you plan to boondock often.

The leakproof bottle also has a one-piece design to ensure rigidity. You will want to account for a source of fresh water and a place to store dirty water at the least. You can run a line from the hot water heater to the sink faucet to deliver hot water for washing dishes and your hands. Our standard (non-spouted) water tank came with a 1.5 threaded water fill hole, which we found frustratingly hard to locate the right hose fitting to attach to the water tank.

Any less, and you will find yourself restrained. The important thing is to measure the space twice because mentioned measurements are approximate and the size can be slightly bigger or smaller. The WT-2400 by Class A Customs is a 24-gallon tank that can be used to store black or grey water. The first thing is the material. On the downside, at 26 pounds, this tank is heavier than other plastic-made 42 gallons water tanks. And there is more than one water pump port so that you can build your fresh water system to your water pump in a variety of ways. We Participate In The Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program, And Affiliate Advertising Program. A downside of this portable water container is the spigot. Water is heavy, at 8 pounds per gallon. It must be strong enough to hold a large amount of water and withstand pressure when moving. And, along that line, you also want to make sure that you dont connect a water hose directly to the tank as it is not pressurized and may crack under pressure. In this section, well discuss each of the three types of water tanks you need to consider for your van and get into the details that will help you make the best purchasing decision. Add a header to begin generating the table of contents, Easy to build plumbing system around jerry cans. Try to position each as centrally as possible to account for even weight distribution. And even if you got into van life in the first place because you prefer off-grid living, there are other necessities for which youll need water.

As the pumping water moves away from the tank it will then be directed to several appliances, as you so desire, in your van. Black water is the waste water from our toilets. There are three types of tanks used in campervans depending on the water they are designed to store. If you can reasonably hold more, then we believe that more is better. This is especially true for more expensive, professional camper van builds. For under van grey water tanks, look for a place where there is no moving part nearby. To fit a 32mm hole needs to be drilled into the waste container cap or top of body. PEX Pipe For Van Conversions: Is It A Good Idea? On the downside, the most common complaint is that the outlets are designed at but the most common plumbing size for most appliances with vans and recreational vehicles is so you may need to adapt your plumbing along the way. How big of a water tank do I need for a campervan conversion? Water tanks are usually installed near the back of the van. Also, be sure that you do not add weight to the top of the tank as this has been known to cause the tank to crack. Wheel well tanks, for instance, can be customized to fit over the wheel well in any of the most common vans for van life. Washing dishes, grabbing a hot shower or even having a little water to be able to top off the engine coolant system in a bind can all be done with water from your fresh water tank. Just as water is important to life, selecting the right fresh water tank that meets your camper van needs is equally critical. I have confirmed that the locking cap does actually vent and drilled a hole in the blue filler adaptor which has fixed the problem. While it is not feasible to install it perfectly in the center of your living space, a good rule of thumb is to keep it centered between the passenger side and driver side and as close to the rear axle as possible. There is one fill port for both dispensing and filling. A majority of vans are equipped with a small 7-10 gallon permanently mounted grey tank. You can tell this when you drain the water tank and hear the air rushing in around the cap. Like the later products, it also features a seamless plastic design with no cracks and corners. I use a watering can to top up though so venting isn't a problem. And RecPro leads the way with their 40-Gal model. Strong rust, stain and corrosion-resistant body. One of the largest drawbacks is that these tanks can take some time to install and finding the right components and accessories to fit around these containers can be frustrating. The connector fits snuggly into the waste tank fitting and the included screw cap seals the container for removal and transportation. We are fairly frugal with our water usage so please keep that in mind. Other common complaints include some manufacturing defects in a select few in which the tank is cracked or ruptured during delivery.

Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon, so were talking about over 300 pounds of fresh water supply inside this full tank. So, avoid using it with a water pump. 2022 Van Life Movement. So, thoroughly clean the tank with a damp cloth and water. Surprisingly, it is quite sturdy, especially in the handle, for a portable, collapsible container. Happy days, Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by. Turn on the water pump and allow chlorine solution to sit in the pipes. If you do end up mounting a water tank on either side of your van, be sure to offset the weight on that side of the van with weight on the other side. So, it is essential to keep tank weight as low as possible. But its 9.25 lower profile makes it ideal for mounting beneath the van. We love living off-grid.

When we purchased our most recent motorhome, one of the first things we considered was replacing the drinking water tank that held our fresh water. These tanks should be used exclusively to store drinking water and nothing else. It has a horizontal design with dimensions 42.5 x 23 x 9.25 (L x W x H), the ideal height for campervans as it does not affect the vehicles ground clearance. Are They Worth It? These tanks are specifically molded to fit exactly over and around a camper vans wheel well. On the downside of this black water tank is its beefy size. Below, we list our approximate daily water usage. So its a good idea to plan ahead and design your RV water system in advance. From there you will be responsible for collecting grey water. According to A Customs, the tanks are built in a warehouse and do not come in a retail box. There are stainless steel tanks, which are algae-resistant but come at a hefty price and are not very common in van life. Each of these four ports are essential to a well-functioning fresh water tank. But these tanks are expensive and heavy and not very common in van life. TheRecPro 40 gal RV Water Tankis ideal for any camper purely because of its 40-gallon capacity.

So, you have to get creative with the design choice and placement of the tank. Along with the design, there are many things to consider before getting a fresh water tank. Best Overall:RecPro 40 gal RV Water Tank, Runner Up:Class A Customs | 42 Gallon RV Fresh, Best Grey Tank:AA 30 Gal Fresh Water/Grey Tank, Best Black Tank:Class A Customs 24 Gal Black Tank, Best Portable Tank:WaterStorageCube Collapsible Container. You may run one line to the hot water heater to deliver an instant hot water shower. If 30 gallons is too much, and it could be with a camper van conversion, there is also a 10 gallon, 16 gallons and 21-gallon option with correspondingly smaller dimensions.

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