On Board Tanks

PaulT · Nov 10, 2012

I realise that this is a subject that causes a lot of discussion but, personally, I find an onboard tank indispensible. Given that the new Bailey Unicorn 2 does not have one ( IMHO a very backward step) have any members fitted a tank (to any 'van) and, if so, at what cost. Was it practical?

RayS · Nov 10, 2012

I am not a great fan of fitted on-board tanks; experience with a previous caravan was that the tank was difficult to clean and the fitted submersible pump prone to airlocking. Also, it avoided having to empty the tank before towing as 50 litres = 50 kilos and the tank was quite a long way forward. Later vans have the tanks right at the front which makes matters much worse. it is also pretty antisocial to empty a water tank onto a pitch when leaving.
However, I have fitted small 'tanks' to more recent caravans to provide sufficient supply for travelling, particularly in winter when going to Spain. I use a 20 litre plastic 'jerry' can from CAK Tanks which has a filling hole sufficiently large to take a submersible pump and which is easy to fill in situ either pouring carefully or using a funnel. This is fitted in the bed box close to the usual water inlet. A Whale pump socket is fitted nearby, with the electircal supply taken in parallel from the existing socket but with an on/off switch included. The pump outlet is connected to the incoming cold water supply with a tee piece and a full bore 90degree turn isolation valve.
To use the on-board, simply turn on the valve and switch and the onboard pump will run when taps are opened. Whale sockets have a built-in non return valve, so the isolation valve may notbe strictly necessary, but since any leakage when using the external ppump would be into the bedbox I play safe.
Mount the tank as near the axle as possible. You can tow with the pump installed and the tank about half to two thirds full without sloshing any water out, or with more water if you remove the pump and replace the plastic top. Another reat advantage is that you can remove the entire 'tank' easily for cleaning.

Gybe · Nov 10, 2012

Our caravan has a large inboard tank at the rear, it has a large access lid so you can get to the pump and it's easy too clean out the tank through the access hole if you want. We regularly put a cork in the tanks over flow pipe and top the tank up to the lid brim and let it stand with Puriclean. No cleaning issues at all. As for emptying the tank, the outlets underneath the van accepts a hose and you can water the pitch's border plants or run the water where you want

. No need too be "antisocial".
I've fitted a couple of tanks to caravans, four self build motohomes and a VW surfer van. First point of call is always www.caktanks.com who have always given good advice. Bailey and Swift also provided advice on where to drill the side of the caravans for the filler points.
If you're self fitting, in most cases it makes sense to make the fixing easily removeable. Caravan manufacturers pipe work is not always the smartest layout, our inboard tank can now fill automatically from the Aquarolls. The standard setup would leave the inboard pump whirring away when low

until you switched to outboard tank.

PaulT · Nov 10, 2012

I usually, on a long trip, tow with about 10ltrs of water in the tank. If I drain the tank completely, I get onto the site road, *** into the 'van and open the valves on the hot water tank (saves scorching the grass) and the onboard tank. The system on my present Senator doesn't utilise a funnel or submersible pump. I just have to fill the Aquaroll, connect it up, fill the onboard tank then refill the Aquaroll - that's it. The changeover from the Aquaroll to the onboard is done at the flick of a switch. The onboard tank has a large aperture in the top for cleaning (although I usually just use a sterilising fluid).
This is the system I will try and replicate on the new van and will certainly visit the caktanks site for advice. It occurs to me that the front storage space on the Unicorn 2 would be an ideal place for a tank (provided that I can get one to fit though the access doors).

PaulT · Nov 10, 2012

Duplicated posting deleted

Gybe · Nov 10, 2012

PaulT said:
It occurs to me that the front storage space on the Unicorn 2 would be an ideal place for a tank (provided that I can get one to fit though the access doors).

Surely there is some way of accessing the storage space underneath the seat cushion rather than through the access doors?
I can't believe that Bailey have fully sealed down the top of the storage that the cushions sit on

CAK have offered good advice over the phone, do give them a call if you need specific help.

PaulT · Nov 10, 2012

I stand to be corrected but, as far as I'm aware, the front storage area cannot be accessed from inside the 'van.

WatsonJohnG · Nov 11, 2012

I have been fitting my own tanks for 20 years now to different vans
Fiamma have a range of tanks as do C A K tanks previously mentioned
I fit 12V contacts in the existing caravan water inlet and divert the pipe from it to fill the tank via a new submersible pump in the aquaroll
A pipe from the tank then goes to the inlet of the onboard pump to supply the taps
There is a low level warning light and tank fill switch to the submersible pump which has a pump timer switch to cut out when the aquaroll is almost empty
I always travel with just enough water in the tank to extinguish the low level light
The tank is in one of the front bed lockers
Hope that helps

Derb · Nov 16, 2012

Hi Fellas. I wouldn't be without underfloor tanks. We have 2 x 80 litre fresh and 1 x 180 litre grey with 20 litre Thetford cassette toilet. Is good for around 4 days freedom camping including showers. Trick with weight balance is to have grey water tank above axle centres and between the fresh tanks so van balance stays the same. Avoid in-tank pumps. Ensure shower is 50mm or so above van floor to assist drainage. JMHO. Cheers.

Dustydog · Nov 18, 2012

We find the onboard tank a great asset. During winter touring the water is warmer, ie less chance of freezing. The pressure at the shower head is greater as the pump doesn't have to pull the water up from the aquaroll. SWMBO doesn't have to send me out so often, night time for a refill.

I've said in another thread Bailey have made a big mistake abandoning the onboard tank in their Unicorn 2

MichaelE · Nov 18, 2012

I also thnk the onboard tank is a real asset, for a start i only have to take 1 aquaroll away with me.
I am able to draw from the onboard or aquaroll so the last day the i never refill the onboard tank so dont have to empty before i leave.
I always dry the tank out when not being used and leave the cap off, as i noticed it still left about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom when drained.
I thought the underslung tanks were a very good idea so didnt waste space inside, shame they seem to have stopped fitting them?

WatsonJohnG · Nov 18, 2012

Michael E said:
I also thnk the onboard tank is a real asset, for a start i only have to take 1 aquaroll away with me.
I am able to draw from the onboard or aquaroll so the last day the i never refill the onboard tank so dont have to empty before i leave.
I always dry the tank out when not being used and leave the cap off, as i noticed it still left about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom when drained.
I thought the underslung tanks were a very good idea so didnt waste space inside, shame they seem to have stopped fitting them?

I also let the level run down on the day before leaving and empty the aquaroll so that its stored away the day before
The aquaroll for waste water is emptied and replaced with a bucket the night before leaving and stored away as its one less job to do in the rain the next morning
I used to fit my tanks underslung but in the present van there is plenty of underbed room so the 75 litre Fiamma tank is inboard under the nearside front bed

Willi-Wonti · Nov 18, 2012

Ray S said:
Mount the tank as near the axle as possible. You can tow with the pump installed and the tank about half to two thirds full without sloshing any water out, or with more water if you remove the pump and replace the plastic top. Another reat advantage is that you can remove the entire 'tank' easily for cleaning.

To tow with less than a full tank will cause the water to "slosh about"
The only way to stop it "sloshing" would be to fill the tank, then the water & tank become a solid mass
We carry 1600 litres of water in our appliance tanks, & even though the tanks have baffles to stop the "sloshing", we keep the tank topped up at all times.
I have a 40ltr inboard cold tank & a 10ltr hot water tank in my Burstner that are empty when traveling

PaulT · Nov 18, 2012

1600 litres!!!! One and half tonnes!! Isn't that a bit excessive?

Dustydog · Nov 18, 2012

PaulT said:
1600 litres!!!! One and half tonnes!! Isn't that a bit excessive?

Whoops!

Surely 0.161 tonnes???
The MTPLM of my Wyoming is 1670kgs.

I think you may have had too many sherberts?

Sproket · Nov 18, 2012

I think Sir Prised is on about the works truck

WoodlandsCamper · Nov 18, 2012

Willi-Wonti said We carry 1600 litres of water in our appliance tanks,
The clue is in his avatar, he is a fireman talking about the fire engine, not his caravan.
Dustydog - yes 1600 litres do weigh 1.6 tonnes.

(Update - Sprocket beat me to it

)

Willi-Wonti · Nov 22, 2012

PaulT said:
1600 litres!!!! One and half tonnes!! Isn't that a bit excessive?

Our pumps will pump 1000 gallons of water per min (4500 ltr)
By using 1 hose reel the tank will last for about 12 mins. 2 hose reels 6 mins, and the big hose about 1.5 min
Thats why we have to carry so much water till we can find a hydrant

emmerson · Nov 22, 2012

Oh, and as for running out, I use two barrells.

emmerson · Nov 22, 2012

My Royale has two underfloor tanks, totalling 12 gallons, but I've never used them.I prefer to pump straight out of the Aquaroll. Using the tanks means that you either fill them at home, therefore carrying all that extra weight, or fill them on site, which means filling the Aquaroll, pumping it into the tank, then when you use the water, pumping it back out again! That means using twice the battery power.Don't see the point.

20170602yuanyuan · Jun 2, 2017

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On Board Tanks

PaulT

RayS

Gybe

PaulT

PaulT

Gybe

PaulT

WatsonJohnG

Derb

Dustydog

MichaelE

WatsonJohnG

Willi-Wonti

PaulT

Dustydog

Sproket

WoodlandsCamper

Willi-Wonti

emmerson

emmerson

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