Autohomes onboard water tank.........

[TravellingChick]

I've got the water tank under the bench seat but I don't actually use it tbh.

Has anyone removed theirs? How easy was it & did it really give much extra storage space?

Alternatively, does anyone actually use theirs "properly" (ie: water good enough for drinking/cooking) & how to do you clean the insides?

Thanks
Sarah

[1664]

Hi Sarah. I always use my water tank including for drinking. I generally clean and flush it through in the spring and have had no problems with it going off or moss/mildew etc. I think problems occur when they are left empty. If it hasn't been used for a while it probably needs cleaning followed by a period of being left full for a week then draining that water off to get rid of any 'plasticy' taste.

If you are determined to get rid, here's a picture which shows the rough size of the tank and the storage you'll get - remember that the rear of the tank slopes inward to follow the contour of the vans rear bulkhead so the bottom section of the tank is only a couple of inches wide though.



This is a picture of the storage space under the rear seat of my old camper. It's quite substantial but remember Autohomes rear seat/bed is set further back than other campers to give more room in the living area so the amount of space freed up by removing the tank will be about half as wide at the top and next to bugger all at the bottom.

[TravellingChick]

Hi Bren

Thanks, they're great pics.

I kinda knew I wouldn't be realising huge amounts of space with the seat being set farther back and the shape of the water tank. Simplicity says just clean it out and start using it, save lugging water every time we camp!

It's been empty for the 11 months I've had it so a proper good would be in order. Any handy tips for that? Also, how d'you drain it?

Cheers

[1664]

There's no drain plug on the Autohomes tank (well, none I've seen anyway) so you have to pump the water out of the tap. Depending how full the tank is this can take up to 10 minutes or thereabouts which as you can appreciate is a long time to be standing there with your foot pressing on the pump floor switch. The top of the floor switch just pulls off which reveals two metal contacts - just put something metallic across them (tinfoil, knife etc) and then something heavy on top to hold it in place while the pump empties the tank. I have a piece of wire with two small crocodile clips which I use. The pump will never totally empty the tank though but you can mop up the dribble that's left with a towel pushed through the hole in the top of the tank.

Opinions are divided on what is the best method of cleaning; some use Milton Fluid but others say that leaves a taste in the tank. There are a few products specifically designed for this purpose which are available from camping and caravanning shops / internet outlets etc (I won't tell you what I use as I don't fancy spending the rest of my life arguing with the vast majority of 80-90 ). Whatever you use make sure you flush the tank out with a fresh change of water and like I said in my previous post, leave it full for a week and flush that out to get rid of the 'plasticy' taste which results from long term lack of use.

If you use the 'Search' facility with the words 'Milton Fluid' I would imagine it would chuck up a few old threads on this subject or possibly look in the 'Archive' and the 'Wiki'.

Frankly I would recommend using the tank - saves lugging water around with you all the time and is perfectly safe.

[TravellingChick]

Cool, cheers Bren. I shoulda sorted this last summer!

Still, would've prob had to do a spring clean on the tank anyways.

She's still on her little holidays at the mo but will get onto it when she gets home.

[jed the spread]

Sarah, what the heck have you been using to wash up with, wash with, make cups of tea with etc? If its a big bottle of water then use your tank to free up some space and get rid of the big extra water vessel.

jed

[TravellingChick]

Lol Jed, paper plates and I don't drink tea!!!

Erm but yeh basically a 5ltr water bottle

[jed the spread]

Listen to Bren and get it sorted paper plates ffs

jed

[TravellingChick]

I will, I promise I will lol.

Water tank and propex heater top of the list as soon as she's home!

S
ps: was only joking about paper plates!!

[samk]

i havent used mine either in the last 12 minths i've owned the van. Waiting to finish interior refurb then looking forward to getting it full of water!

one thing though, it looks like it would be tricky to fill without a hose or a time consuming operation involving empty coke bottles. how do others fill theris?

Sorry sarah for the semi thread hijack!!

[TravellingChick]

That's cool Sam, was wondering same myself. I don't have easy access to a hose pipe either. Was contemplating a visit to the garage but not even sure that's drinking water.

Guess a big watering can might be the, time consuming, solution!
Sarah

[jed the spread]

Take a 5m length of hose with you so you can fill up at campsites when you get their to save on fuel. Or of your wild camping most petrol stations have a tap. A tip if you cant find a tap when wild camping is to head for a graveyard, they always have them next to the gate

jed

[ninja.turtle007]

Take a 5m length of hose with you so you can fill up at campsites when you get their to save on fuel. Or of your wild camping most petrol stations have a tap. A tip if you cant find a tap when wild camping is to head for a graveyard, they always have them next to the gate

jed

That's a great tip. You should have seen the look on the wife's face when I suggested it!!!

[TravellingChick]

can i hijack my own thread?

Sam, d'you have the swivel buddy seat? If so, have you managed to remove it and how?

Thanks!

[samk]

Jed, sounds like a simple but good solution!

Sarah, mine didnt come with the swivel buddy seat. Must have got lost over the past 28 years! there were a few holes in the ply floor when i took up the carpet to lay some tiles. Perhaps its screwed down from inside the bottom?

all this chat's giving me itchy camping feet - havent stayed away in the van since late August!