Installing an onboard water tank

locky76

We bought a caravan recently and had our first weekend away last week.
However after this trip my wife is very anxious to install an onboard fresh water tank, at the moment we have an external fresh water (with a submersible pump) and waste water tank.
We are concerned with the hygiene element, vermin rooting around it etc.
Is there much work involved with installing an onboard water tank?

Buford T Justice

It depends on you're level of skill really. it wasn't that big of a job for me to do in my conversion.

I used a submersible from a caravan too, and if you check out this post, you'll see how I did it. The main bench is now built over the tank.

locky76

Cheers Fingers,
from your picture i would imagine my shopping list would be:

1. Onboard Water Tank
2. Filler Point, to be mounted on the outside

I would imagine the rest could be canabilised from the existing external water tank.

Three further questions:

1. How does the existing pump know when to turn on? (there is a master switch on board but i don't imagine the pump is running constantly)
2. Is the submersible pump mounted at the bottom of the onboard tank or does it float around? (there would be a sizeable amount of water left in the tank when it would start drawing air)
3. What sort of money does the tank and filler inlet cost? Where is the best place to buy them?

Fingers McGee wrote: »

It depends on you're level of skill really. it wasn't that big of a job for me to do in my conversion.

I used a submersible from a caravan too, and if you check out this post, you'll see how I did it. The main bench is now built over the tank.

Buford T Justice

locky76 wrote: »

Cheers Fingers,
from your picture i would imagine my shopping list would be:

1. Onboard Water Tank
2. Filler Point, to be mounted on the outside

You'll also need some filler pipe to go from the tank to the inlet

locky76 wrote: »

Three further questions:

How does the existing pump know when to turn on? (there is a master switch on board but i don't imagine the pump is running constantly)

The pump is controlled simply. All the taps are in series, and when you turn on any tap, then it closes the circuit and starts the pump. You should be able to use the existing wiring that is attached to the socket on the side of the caravan

locky76 wrote: »

Is the submersible pump mounted at the bottom of the onboard tank or does it float around? (there would be a sizeable amount of water left in the tank when it would start drawing air)

It sits just off the bottom of the tank. It doesn't float around. I haven't tested it on the road yet, but when i drained the tank it took most of the water out of it,.

locky76 wrote: »

What sort of money does the tank and filler inlet cost? Where is the best place to buy them?

I got mine from Donaghy Motor Homes in Letterkenny. They have a website www.partsformotorhomes.com

Water Tank here €65

They don't list a hose, or the filler cap that I can see but they definitely have them. You could take the trip up and make a day out of it, or they will send out either. Nice fellas.

Aidan_M_M

the other option re pumps is to fit the one we use , it has an in built pressure switch . So when you turn off a tap , it builds up pressure and cuts out . That way you only need wires to the pump , not to any taps. More flow , and better pressure too .

Buford T Justice

True, but if the taps are already wired, and the circuit closes at the socket for the outside pump, it would be easier imo.

locky76

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

the other option re pumps is to fit the one we use , it has an in built pressure switch . So when you turn off a tap , it builds up pressure and cuts out . That way you only need wires to the pump , not to any taps. More flow , and better pressure too .

cheers for that Aidan.
What sort of money for the tank, inlet and pipe?
Any other gear i would need to purchase?

Aidan_M_M

Fingers McGee wrote: »

True, but if the taps are already wired, and the circuit closes at the socket for the outside pump, it would be easier imo.

oh , true , no doubt , i just prefer the External pump , I see less of them going wrong.

locky76 wrote: »

cheers for that Aidan.
What sort of money for the tank, inlet and pipe?
Any other gear i would need to purchase?

TBH , I don't know about prices , service is my end of things at home , so I rarely get to see the price of any of that kind of stuff!

other stuff... hoseclips , pump , a drain valve/tap , and a way of mounting the tank?

Buford T Justice

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

oh , true , no doubt , i just prefer the External pump , I see less of them going wrong.



TBH , I don't know about prices , service is my end of things at home , so I rarely get to see the price of any of that kind of stuff!

other stuff... hoseclips , pump , a drain valve/tap , and a way of mounting the tank?

The Fiamma 70L Tank has its own mounting method which is simple enough to get through.

I know what you mean about the external pump. Time will tell if my bodge will work or not...

Fingies crossed.

Aidan_M_M

oh here , nothing wrong with your workmanship , tis better than a lot of so called experts!