Fitting a sink into a T25!

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DUMBODOGGY
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Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by DUMBODOGGY »

I have now put my T25 into hibernation until March or so, this is our first T25 and we want to keep her for a long time. She is a LHD Reimo 1.6td.

Although a camper with a poptop roof, she only has a unit which is a cupboard and also a hob. There is no sink whatsoever.

We really want to take the camper into Europe as well as various trips around the UK so obviously need a sink!!

How easy is it to fit and how does it work with waste etc?? This is our first camper, we have never stayed the night in a tent let alone fit a sink into a camper!!

Any thoughts would be gratefully received!

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Re: Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by uniB »

If you've got somewhere to put one it's not too difficult. Simple way is to have a large water container somewhere (mine was under the seat when I got it, in fact it had two crudely connected together at the bottom) this has a small submersible pump in it that pumps the water to the tap. For the waste you just need to drill a whole in the floor so the waste pipe goes outside the van, you then just have a waste collector tank under the van when you're parked up.

I've now replaced this simple set up with something a bit more fancy - I have an undeslung tank with an inline pump (via an expansion tank), this then splits into the cold feed and a second route that goes to a water heater that works when hooked up to 230v, or heats the water when the gas heater is on.

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Re: Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by DUMBODOGGY »

Oh, cheers for that, the underslung tank sounds perfect!!! who fitted that for you???

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Re: Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by toshT25 »

Mines an Aztec camper conversion and it just has a £15 25 litre water tank in the cupboard (like from millets), electric whale submersible £20 pump (inside the tank), 2 12v wires/water supply tube connected to a comet novo tap about £20 quid too and the waste just pours out on to the street via a 1" pipe. Sink is part of a 2 burner gas hob/sink/drainer by spinflo.

Water lasts about 3 days, you just have to make sure no ones around when you pull the plug. Last time I didn't check was in an empty university campus in Madrid at 10.00pm, 5 minutes later had 4 cops, 2 security guards and an alsatian shinning torches in and under me van. They were guarding first commisioner of Madrid police next door and heard it. Even an 8yr old boy told me once all serious and concerned that I had a leak after washing a cup lol.

So yeah I'm thinking about getting a waste tank but there is some satisfaction in just dumping it rather than carrying it with you. A fresh water tank doesn't appeal at all as I've had the s h i t s one too many times this summer from just washing plates and stuff so now I like to look inside and disinfect all the time which is easy.

Anyways you don't have too do it all in one go I guess, sink, water, tap and see how you go.

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Re: Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by CovKid »

During the construction of mine I made plans for a sink but decided (in the end) that carrying a washing up bowl was all I needed. My parents who have gone caravaning for many years have always done this and said that in tight spaces it makes better sense to have double-uses for all items on board. That has proved to be right. I mean I hardly have use for a sink on the side of the road and anywhere else theres generally somewhere to chuck any waste water. When not in use it also serves as a carrying container. Not saying its for you, but worth thinking about. Put it this way, I see a lot of campers driving around and 99.9999% of the time the sink is not being used.
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Re: Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by ermie571 »

Ditching the sink and have already ditched the tank. Just take a big water container with us....sink too small to do any washing up in. Boil kettle for hot water, washing up bowl in cupboard.

use it a while, and see what you think before doing any serious reconstruction work to your interior!


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Re: Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by CovKid »

I think Em is of the same mindset as me. Yes they do look great but I think a sink barely earns its keep, plus really you should be carrying a waste water container to go underneath, all of which adds weight and takes up space for relatively little use. The rest of the year you're just driving around with it when the space could be better utilised for storage. Its so easy to just fill up a bowl for the few occasions you need a wash or to wash up the odd saucepan or plate. I used the sink space to house a pull-out board using heavy duty sliders so I have extra workspace or a quick table for folk in the back to put cups on when you don't need a big table. The front edge of this pullout just looks like a drawer front so it doesn't look out of place.

I'm a great believer in the two-use rule (ie if its rarely used replace it with something that has at least two uses, preferably more) and use lightweight materials and carry lightweight items as much as possible. Some of the fancy campers weigh an absolute ton in chipboard and thats even before you put anything in drawers and cupboards - all of which goes on your fuel bill. Some time back I showed a way to make a really strong buddy seat that you could lift with one finger. The next kitchen unit I build will be an ally carcass faced with trimmed hardboard to get the weight down even further. That way, when the cupboards are empty in the colder months, it will (to all intents and purposes) be an empty van and a lot more economical.

For sure, anyone building a complete interior from scratch would do well to think it out carefully and not give in to the horrors of MDF or chipboard which in my view should NEVER be used in a camper. Much too heavy and too thick.
Last edited by CovKid on 24 Oct 2010, 09:02, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by boatbuilder »

You could argue that same point about most of the camping equipment in a van. Especially if you only use the van for camping once in a while, it doesn't make sense to me to carry round all that heavy stuff for the rest of the year.
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Re: Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by CovKid »

Yep, I've even gone down one size on the kettle. It was hardly ever filled up by more than a third so shaved a few ounces off the total weight by using a smaller one - AND saved gas. All adds up!

I might add a 'travel light' section to the WIKI. Whether petrol. diesel or gas, none of it will get cheaper....
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Re: Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by uniB »

Interesting that people don't find a sink usefull - I use mine all the time. I s'pose it's not the sink itself that's good but having water on tap when ever you want it. I fill the underslung sink up before I leave and when I arrive I can put the kettle on straight away. I don't have to faff about carrying my dirty washing up accross a field to wash them and I can get away from the wet-wipe culture when it comes to washing! The thing for me about using a campervan is that it's like camping but without all the faffing about, so I'm a big fan of the sink. Having the tank under the van means it takes up no room and the SMEV sink I've got has a glass top, so you can put the lid down and pile stuff up on top of it if you like.

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Re: Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by toshT25 »

having water on tap when ever you want it.

Think you hit the nail on the head there, running water. I do my nut when I'm out of water and have to rinse my hands, plates etc with bottled water.

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Re: Fitting a sink into a T25!

Post by kevtherev »

I'm in the uniB camp, our sink is used all the time for washing up and washing.
the tap is "on" all the time (standard 'sleeper) so all we have to do is turn it on for running water.

But I guess ultimately you do it your own way, it all makes sense, however you do it.
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