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Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 05 Nov 2012, 18:33
by 1664
keith wrote:much prefer to see what is floating around in what I'm drinking.
I can see my water and it's 'flotsam-less'

keith wrote:Do you really use enough water to justify using an on board / under slung tank
it's cooking and washing up that hammers it. Drinking is next to nothing in comparison

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 05 Nov 2012, 18:57
by keith
BBQ, disposable plates and beer.......got to be a near perfect solution.... :wink:

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 05 Nov 2012, 19:32
by v-lux
One of the reasons I'd like a larger tank is that if you wild camp a lot then finding somewhere to refil with water can be tricky. Ideally when I do find a refil it'd be great to be able to stick about 50l in there. That's enough to last a good few days before finding another refil source.

The alternative is pull onto campsites more often, which is fine, I just resent feeling like I've paid a load of money just to fill up with water.

I'd also like to get the tank outside to free up internal space, but I'm still not convinced that outside is the place for it.

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 05 Nov 2012, 19:40
by AdrianC
v-lux wrote:The alternative is pull onto campsites more often, which is fine, I just resent feeling like I've paid a load of money just to fill up with water.

A lot of campsites across the continent offer a "camper service" for a handful of euros - just empty the waste tank and bog then refill the fresh water tank. In France, the aires often have coin-op machines for the same porpoise.

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 05 Nov 2012, 19:42
by jed the spread
v-lux wrote:One of the reasons I'd like a larger tank is that if you wild camp a lot then finding somewhere to refil with water can be tricky. Ideally when I do find a refil it'd be great to be able to stick about 50l in there. That's enough to last a good few days before finding another refil source.

The alternative is pull onto campsites more often, which is fine, I just resent feeling like I've paid a load of money just to fill up with water.

I'd also like to get the tank outside to free up internal space, but I'm still not convinced that outside is the place for it.

I had an under slung water tank on my first van Al and it wont be for you. Although the water tank didn't totally freeze up it very nearly did so you couldn't fit much water in it because of the big block of ice. The thing that made it stop working was the small pipe that fed the tap from the tank used to freeze up but you could fill the kettle up using the drainage tap on the side of the tank if you reach under the van and get your knees all wet, not ideal. It was about -12 wild camping in Scotland and we had quite a bit of snow too, thats when I decided I needed another van.

One of the UK van converters (Cant remember what one) has a full length in door water tank that only takes up the room that is the triangle space at the front of the engine bulk head that I think is quite clever and would fit your van nicely.

Jed

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 06 Nov 2012, 08:08
by ghost123uk
jed the spread wrote:One of the UK van converters (Cant remember what one) has a full length in door water tank that only takes up the room that is the triangle space at the front of the engine bulk head that I think is quite clever and would fit your van nicely.

MetalMick8y's current thread on restoring little miss sunshine's van shows one of those tanks.

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 06 Nov 2012, 08:34
by Ralf85
[quote="keith"]I have never used the tank on my westy....much prefer to see what is floating around in what I'm drinking.

Do you really use enough water to justify using an on board / under slung tank.
?

I'm with you. I just carry a 20 litre plastic 'can' about one third full and top up with fresh water as I go.
:ok

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 06 Nov 2012, 19:41
by v-lux
keith wrote:I have never used the tank on my westy....much prefer to see what is floating around in what I'm drinking.

Do you really use enough water to justify using an on board / under slung tank.
?

I'm with you. I just carry a 20 litre plastic 'can' about one third full and top up with fresh water as I go.

I've been carrying around a 25l jerry can style water butt for years now and it drives me nuts, every time I want some water I have to get the bloody thing out, put it up on a cupboard, fill another container with some water just so I can drink/use some. Royal pita!

Hence I now want a tank, sink and tap. Water when I want it.

Jed - I actually saw the tank you're talking about in the thread previously mentioned, I did wonder about it myself but it looks like it might take up too much cupboard. That said I'm still interested, does anyone have dimensions for one of those tanks?

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 06 Nov 2012, 20:09
by LittleMissSunshine
ghost123uk wrote:
jed the spread wrote:One of the UK van converters (Cant remember what one) has a full length in door water tank that only takes up the room that is the triangle space at the front of the engine bulk head that I think is quite clever and would fit your van nicely.

MetalMick8y's current thread on restoring little miss sunshine's van shows one of those tanks.

My tank is 50l or so - means we wildcamped last year and had plenty of water. Not that I have camped in real cold but it hasn't frozen yet!

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 07 Nov 2012, 12:02
by jed the spread
LittleMissSunshine wrote:
ghost123uk wrote:
jed the spread wrote:One of the UK van converters (Cant remember what one) has a full length in door water tank that only takes up the room that is the triangle space at the front of the engine bulk head that I think is quite clever and would fit your van nicely.

MetalMick8y's current thread on restoring little miss sunshine's van shows one of those tanks.

My tank is 50l or so - means we wildcamped last year and had plenty of water. Not that I have camped in real cold but it hasn't frozen yet!

If your camping in your van and have an ebber then I doubt it would ever freeze because its inside. My Westy has never had ice in it in the coldest of weather because that is inside too.

Jed

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 07 Nov 2012, 12:40
by ghost123uk
Fair point Jed, but, if one is not camping, and not using the van for a few days during a cold snap, that is the scenario I was a lil bit concerned about ;)

It seems though that the common wisdom is that a half empty tank would be OK

or

One could leave the Propex / Eber on a frost prevention setting I suppose, maybe a bit of overkill there though !

.

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 08 Nov 2012, 20:38
by keith
I still can't see why anyone would choose to drink or cook with water that has been sitting in a tank for a few days,
....when you were not out wild camping.

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 08 Nov 2012, 21:48
by Ian Hulley
keith wrote:I still can't see why anyone would choose to drink or cook with water that has been sitting in a tank for a few days,
....when you were not out wild camping.

:lol: It's never killed us yet Image Image

Ian

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 08 Nov 2012, 22:24
by jamesc76
Ian Hulley wrote:
keith wrote:I still can't see why anyone would choose to drink or cook with water that has been sitting in a tank for a few days,
....when you were not out wild camping.

:lol: It's never killed us yet Image Image

Ian



Us neither! plus why have to trudge to a tap ever time you want water ????

Re: Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

Posted: 08 Nov 2012, 23:03
by jed the spread
keith wrote:I still can't see why anyone would choose to drink or cook with water that has been sitting in a tank for a few days,
....when you were not out wild camping.

Do you wash up, make a cup of tea, wash your twig and berries in mineral water?

jed