On board water tank

[Eloise]

Hi,
My komet conversion has the on board water tank and pump. I have never had the key for the cap to fill it. I have tried the pump and got voltage there but the pump won't run.

My question is, with us never having had this available for use and always used one of the containers with the tap in built, should I try and get the pump/tap/tank working? What are people's opinions that have these working? Is a thing that is essential and would it be worth sorting out?

Many thanks

Neil

[phil_b]

It all depends how important it is to you, if you current setup works why go to extra expense. Personally, I have just refitted an underslung tank to our Holdsworth as it was missing when we bought it, but we mainly wildcamp in Europe so having a large tank that doesn't take up van space was important for us. If you decide to get you system going it sounds like you need a new pump about £10 on ebay, new filler point about £20. I presume you have a water level meter, need to check that is working also.
Cheers Phil

[Eloise]

Cheers Phil,

We have the level meter and I'm sure I can service or replace the pump, I would need to drill the filler cap off and replace that as well. It would soon add up in parts and we would have to disinfect the tank before use as I do not know the last time it was used.

I would have liked a few post saying that we could not do without ours etc, but like you say, if our present set up works, why bother. I can not see us wild camping but you never know.

Cheers

[kevtherev]

We have an underslung tank and quite frankly I would never have it any other way.
Having large amounts of fresh water, on tap, means I can choose where I camp.
Use puriclean tablets to sterilise it.

Seems daft to have a nice made for the van water tank and not use it

[Ralf85]

As I don't do much wild camping, I never use my built in water tank. A tankful is dead weight to me, like carrying an extra 10 year old child on board. I carry about 5 litres in a water bottle on board. Why carry more as there is always fresh water on campsites and elsewhere for that matter? The choice is yours.

[Eloise]

Thanks for the opinions. I think I will carry out a bit of research in to how much it will cost to service it. That might help make my mind up. We have not missed it, having never used it but as Kev says, if it's fitted, we might as well give it a go.

Cheers

[1664]

New pump about £12, easy fix. Hose fill it via the removable twist cap under the rear seat - again easy. You'll have to clean it probably, again through the cap under the rear seat. You won't need to clean it again if you keep a decent amount in there, it doesn't go 'off' unless you let the tank run really low.
I always travel with a plentyful amount of water on board; cooking and washing can use loads and better looking at it than looking for it.
The weight arguement is pretty irrelevant in a two ton van in my opinion, (although others do not share my opinion) and besides who wants to spend half their time constantly refilling small containers?

My tuppence worth

[Plasticman]

Built a 12 ish gallon one into ours,but we always wild it and top up when we find decent water that isn't hard or doses with toilet duck,we get a week out of it (2) folk, same reason we have an onboard lpg tank,
mm

[Eloise]

Thanks for that, will investigate. 1664, you sat clean through the cap under the seat? Any tips on this, or is there a drain plug under neath the tank. I thought a few fills and drains to swill it out and then some purifying tablets to a full tank and leave it to do its business then fill it with fresh and keep tha topped up.

Cheers

[Ralf85]

The weight arguement is pretty irrelevant in a two ton van in my opinion, (although others do not share my opinion) and besides who wants to spend half their time constantly refilling small containers?:

You travel solo so an equivalent child be carried on board is not a lot. If you have three adults plus luggage on board means you burn up more gas carrying the equivalent of an extra person. Try it out Bren - you'll notice the difference.
Also if you camp on sites filling up the odd bottle of water once or twice a day takes no time and is no big deal. It is simply a matter of choice.

Just remembered. You don't drink water!

[Plasticman]

Out of interest,what sort of mpg difference does it make in your instance

mm

[Ralf85]

Each loading of people and luggage makes a difference to petrol consumption and engine performance. Driving my van solo I have had up to 30mpg driving at a steady 50mph. Add another adult it drops to 28. Add two more plus luggage and we are down to about 23mpg. As regards engine performance goes I have discovered a massive difference when climbing hills. On the same hill when solo, I get to the top still on 60mph. By the time I have another adult it drops to 55 and with three up it's down to 50. Mind you I seem to be the only one on here with a DF engine.

[kevtherev]

carting waste water about, now I can't understand that.
As for MPG
It does not make a jot of difference to me.. only that I have water on tap upon arrival

[1664]

you sat clean through the cap under the seat? Any tips on this, or is there a drain plug under neath the tank. I thought a few fills and drains to swill it out and then some purifying tablets to a full tank and leave it to do its business then fill it with fresh and keep tha topped up.

No drain hole I'm afraid - have to use the tap. You can get the dregs up with a bath towel through the cap under the seat; I can fit my arm through it.
I left a weak bleach solution in it for a few days then emptied all that via the tap to kill the odd hypothetical bug, then ran through plenty of fresh to flush that (cue posts about putting bleach in a water tank )

[1664]

The weight arguement is pretty irrelevant in a two ton van in my opinion, (although others do not share my opinion) and besides who wants to spend half their time constantly refilling small containers?:

You travel solo so an equivalent child be carried on board is not a lot. If you have three adults plus luggage on board means you burn up more gas carrying the equivalent of an extra person. Try it out Bren - you'll notice the difference.

Yes but the water doesn't have luggage does it? As for "try it out", do you not think I've driven with people in the van (AND a full water tank)? What I'm saying Patrick is that it's irrelevant/insignificant considering the mpg of the vehicle with an empty tank, plus the covenience is much more than worth a few pence fuel.