Here’s our guide on how to build a DIY water system in a camper van conversion. Having running water and a hot shower draw the line between “van camping” and “home on wheels”, so let’s do this! It’s not that hard, we’re here to help 🙂 Here is how it goes:
- PART A (THEORY): we talk about water system in general; it’s the basic stuff.
- PART B (OUR SYSTEM): we talk about OUR water system.
Contents
DISCLOSURE:
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click a product link and buy anything from the merchant, we will receive a commission fee. The price you pay remains the same, affiliate link or not.
Alternatively, you can visit our Say Thanks! page.
PART A: THEORY
Before we go any further, remember that we’re not building a motor home here; we will focus on components and systems that we think are more appropriate for a camper van conversion rather than a RV.
1. Fresh Water Tank
1.1- What Size?
It totally depends on your usage and how many days autonomy (without having to fill) you want. As a rough guideline and to help you make your calculations, here is our usage living full-time in the van:
- One shower (one person) uses a little less than 3 gallons of water. (that’s being very careful not wasting water, i.e. turning shower off when soaping, etc.)
- We dump between 2-4 gallons of grey water from the sink every day. (we cook a lot, so we wash a lot of dishes; you might dump less than that)
That being said, we fill our 25 gallons tank (amzn.to/2Lk0vSj) every 4-5 days in summer (depending on showers). Every 7 days in winter (we shower in aquatic centers or such and drink much less water).
When choosing the size of your tank, remember that water is not a luxury it’s essential! Having to search for water frequently is no fun, so make sure to select a tank that gives you plenty of autonomy!
Water Tank Links:
| SIZE | Buy Link |
| 10 gallons | amzn.to/2s4YiSe |
| 15 gallons | amzn.to/2IX6HRO |
| 20 gallons | amzn.to/2IzoFqe |
| 25 gallons | amzn.to/2Lk0vSj |
1.2- Inside or Outside?
By installing our tank and plumbing inside the van, we can use our system even during skiing season, nice! It works in temperatures as low as -15F (-25C). Of course, having the tank inside occupies precious space in the garage but that’s a compromise we are happy to make.
If we were to use the van exclusively in summer, we might consider installing our tank outside the van, underfloor. Installing the tank underfloor frees garage space AND improves the van handling because it lowers the center of gravity.
If we were to start over, now that we know that we use much less water in winter, we would consider installing a tank inside AND a tank outside the van. The idea is to maximize water capacity without occupying too much space in the garage:
- In summer, we would use both tanks (extra capacity for showers)
- In winter, we would winterize the outside tank and use only the inside tank
- Remember, this extra precaution is because we use the van below freezing temperatures! If that’s not your case, there’s probably no point on doing this.
- That’s food for thoughts, we don’t have any installation layout/details for that…
1.3- Tank Anatomy
1.3.1- Fill Port
You guessed it, the fill port is used to to fill the tank. While motorhomes and most pro-built campervans have a port outside to fill the tank, we don’t because we don’t want the van to look like a RV; we like our van to look like a normal cargo van (people refer to that as being “stealth”).
Filling our Fresh Water Tank
The tanks we recommend (see “Water Tank Links” table above) have 1-1/4″ diameter fill hole (no threads). We plug it using this test plug (http://amzn.to/2nIEWj8):
Test Plug. Buy from Amazon.
Fill Port (right) and Vent Port (left)
1.3.2- Outlet Port
The outlet port is used to connect the water pump.
The tanks we recommend (see “Water Tank Links” table above) have 1/2″ NPT female outlet port (so a 1/2″ NPT male fitting is required).
Outlet Port
1.3.3- Drain Port
The drain port is used to empty the tank for winterizing or for maintenance.
The tanks we recommend (see “Water Tank Links” table above) have 1/2″ NPT female drain port (so a 1/2″ NPT male fitting is required).
1.3.4- Vent Port
When pumping water out of the tank (or filling the tank), the water volume has to be replaced with air. That’s the role of the vent port. To prevent water coming out of the vent port (when breaking or on steep or rough roads, for example), a hose is connected to the vent port and we installed it about 15 inches higher than the tank.
The tanks we recommend (see “Water Tank Links” table above) have 1/2″ NPT female vent port (so a 1/2″ NPT male fitting is required).
See section 1.3.1 for picture.
2. Grey Water Tank
Grey water is what comes out of the sink drain (and shower, if we had one): water from washing dishes, washing our hands, brushing our teeth, etc. There are no excrement or chemicals in grey water.
Our take on the grey water system!
2.1- What Size?
That depends on how often you don’t mind having to empty it. As a guideline, we empty our 4 gallons grey water tank almost everyday:
- Washing dishes is what uses the most water. We cook a lot, so we wash a lot of dishes! You might get less grey water than we do.
- If we use our hole-in-the-floor (see “Our System” section below), we don’t have to empty our grey water tank everyday…
2.2- Inside or Outside
Because we use the van for skiing in winter, we had to install our grey water tank inside the van so it doesn’t freeze. It uses some space under the sink, but we’re happy that we can use our sink during winter!
3- Black Water Tank
Black water is what comes out of a toilet; there are excrement and/or chemicals in black water. It must be emptied at a RV Dump Station:
RV Life… (photo credit: sanidumps.com)
3.1- Yay or Nay?
We don’t have a black water tank and we don’t need to go after RV Dump Stations. Neat! How is that? Because we installed a Nature’s Head composting toilet 🙂 And we’re SO GLAD we did! We talk about our composting toilet here (how it works, how it’s emptied, what frequency, etc):
4- Water Pump
Pump up the jam.
4.1- Diaphragm Pump
A diaphragm pump keeps the water system pressurized at all time. It’s like having running water, just like at home a house.
Shurflo Revolution 4008 Diaphragm Pump. Buy from Amazon.
4.1.1- How it works
The pump has no on/off switch. It starts automatically when the pressure drops and shut-off automatically when the appropriate pressure is reached. For example, using the sink (or shower or whatever) creates a pressure drop; the pump senses it and runs until the pressure goes up again.
Shurflo Revolution 4008 Specifications:
- Shut-Off Pressure: 55 PSI
- Re-Start Pressure: 40 PSI
- Recommended Fuse: 10 amps
- Flow: 3 Gallons Per Minute
Resource:
4.1.2- Connecting the Pump
The Shurflo Revolution 4008 has one 1/2″ NPS male inlet and one 1/2″ NPS male outlet.
Because the pump produce quite a lot of vibration, it’s better to connect the pump using flexible pipes. We recommend using the Silencer Kit from Shurflo:
Shurflo Silencer Kit. Buy from Amazon.
It’s also a good idea to install a strainer at the inlet port of the pump, so debris can’t find their way through the pump and damage it:
Shurflo Strainer. Buy from Amazon.
4.1.3- On / Off Switch
We just mentioned a diaphragm pump doesn’t have on/off switch, true. But adding one is a good idea. Indeed, if the water tank runs empty (which happens sometimes, you know…) the pump will run indefinitely and could be damaged. Also, if there was a leak somewhere in our system (which happened when we installed the Sea Tech push-to-connect fittings; we then got rid of them…), we could turn off the pump quickly and prevent a major mess.
We use the following switch for the water pump and for the cargo lights; we really like the design and the “feel” of it:
Turn me on! JR Product ON/OFF switch (Buy from Amazon)
4.1.4- Electrical Wiring
The pump works on 12V DC and has a negative and positive wire. It doesn’t get easier than this! We wrote an in-depth article about campervan electrical system:
4.2- Manual Pump
To keep things really simple and to save on electricity, a manual pump can be installed:
Hand Pump. Buy from Amazon.
Foot Pump. Buy from Amazon.
5- Accumulator
If installing a diaphragm pump (like the Shurflo we recommend), you might consider adding an accumulator. The accumulator contributes to longer pump life, less noise, less amperage draw, and reduced water pulsation. And also reduces cycling (the pump starts less often), nice.
SHURflo 182-200 Pre-Pressurized Accumulator Tank. Buy from Amazon.
Per manufacturer: “The most efficient use of the accumulator occurs with the accumulator pressure set at the same pressure as the pump’s re-start setting.” (Hint: it’s 40 PSI for the Shurflo Revolution 4008 pump). We tested different pressures and we prefer to set it to 30 PSI as the water volume capacity is greater at that pressure (therefore the pump cycle less).
The pressure can be checked with a normal tire gauge (you have one in your glove compartment, right?) and adjusted with a bike pump (it’s a shrader valve), it’s super easy. When checking or adjusting pressure, just remember to turn off the pump and to open the sink faucet (this is to read the static pressure). The accumulator comes unpressurized.
Resource:
6- Sink
6.1- For Pressurized System
Pretty much any sink will do. We recommend the Dometic VA7306AC sink because it’s compact, foldable and looks great. If your counter space is limited, it’s a great way to optimize it. Be aware that it’s a high-quality product with a high price tag. The only downside we found is that the foldable faucet is in the way when washing/rinsing large items (such as full size plate or casserole); we wish it was located further back so we don’t have to swing it around.
Dometic VA7306AC Sink. Buy from Amazon.
6.2- For Manual Pump
If going for a manual pump, keep things simple!
Spout. Buy from Amazon.
Stainless Steel Sink. Buy from Amazon.
7- Hot Water
7.1- Nope
We don’t have a water heater (for the sink) and we’re totally OK with this: we just use our kettle to heat water. That’s the most economical way (water and gas) for sure! The most annoying part is that it’s not really practical to rinse the dishes using the kettle, so we rinse using cold water; that makes drying the dishes more difficult. For everything else, we don’t mind.
Super Simple hot water system. Buy from Amazon.
7.2- Diesel
If budget is not an issue, you might consider the Webasto Dual Top Evo. It’s an air heater (similar to ours: faroutride.com/air-heater-installation) AND water heater combined. It works with diesel and has a 11 liters water tank integrated. Fun fact: it’s over $3K…
Webasto Dual Top Evo. Manufacturer Website.
Resource:
7.3- Propane
7.3.1- Tankless Water Heater (on-demand)
As the name implies, a tankless water heater has no tank. Water is heated on-demand, so it can provide a continuous flow of hot water. It’s super efficient since it doesn’t have to heat water all day.
Mr Heater BOSS
This is what we used for the first 10 months of our trip. It’s super safe, efficient, portable, but cannot be integrated to a pressurized system (it has its own pump). We really enjoyed using it and highly recommend it, but we finally installed an EccoTemp instead because:
- After 10 months we realized we don’t need our shower to be portable.
- We also realized finding water is fairly easy, so we don’t really need the extra 7 gallons Aqua-Tainer.
- Having to connect the propane and water each time is a little irritating.
Again, there’s nothing wrong with the Mr Heater BOSS if it answers your needs. Here is our full review:
Resources:
Eccotemp L5
After 10 months on the road, we finally replaced the Mr Heater for the EccoTemp (see justification above). It’s a popular option with a reason: it’s good, cheap and easy to setup. It can be integrated to a pressurized system (diaphragm pump, like ours) or it can be ordered with a standalone pump. Be aware that the manufacturer does not approve it for interior permanent installation. That’s why:
- We installed ours near the rear doors (so it’s fully vented).
- We installed a valve for propane AND water (so we can shut it off after each use).
- We drain it after each use (per manual).
Eccotemp L5. Buy from Amazon.
Here is our review:
Resources:
7.3.2- With Tank Water Heater
Atwood have a wide range of water heater models, but the one that catches our attention is the G8A-6E model. Overview:
- Tank Capacity: 6 gallons
- Water Temperature: 100F to 150F
- Energy: Propane
- Recovery: 11.6 gallons per hour
- Dimensions: 16″ high x 12.5″ wide x 18″ deep
Make sure to check Atwood website for all their available models: http://www.atwoodmobile.com/water-heaters.asp
Atwood G6A-8E. Buy from Amazon.
8- Misc (Pimp my System)
8.1- Bike Wash (a.k.a Dog Poop Wash)
Washing a bike uses quite a lot of water, so we obviously don’t use it very frequently. But there are some occasions where the bike wash is a real life saver; removing a layer of mud from the down tube by hand is no fun!
Now, can someone explain why Antoine is CONSTANTLY walking in dog poo while Isabelle is not??! We’re thinking of renaming it for “Dog Poop Wash (a.k.a Bike Wash)” as it has become the primary use…
Dog Poop Wash (a.k.a Bike Wash). Buy from Amazon.
9- Plumbing
9.1- Pipes
Let’s get straight to the point, PEX tubing is probably what you want.
- PEX tubing has become the standard for houses and RV.
- It’s cheap and readily available in any hardware or RV store.
- It comes in red/blue color to differentiate hot/cold side (both color as the same properties).
- It resists freezing (but fittings might crack, don’t let it freeze!) and high-temperature.
- It’s easy to cut, easy to connect, easy to route (flexibility: 5″ minimum radius for 1/2″ diameter PEX).
- It won’t corrode.
- Note that PEX is NOT UV resistant and should not be installed where is sees constant sun exposure.
Nice!
PEX. Get it from your local hardware store or from Amazon.
PEX tubing can be cut with a carpenter knife, but a PEX cutter will make your life easier:
PEX Cutter. Buy from Amazon.
9.2- Leak Free Connection
9.2.1- Clamping
This is the method we recommend for permanent, leak free connections. It’s easy, fast, fun (yep!) and there is very little chance for error. It’s also good to know that a clamp tool can clamp any ring size (as opposed to crimp). Here is how it goes:
Photo Credit: halvorsonhouse.com
- Insert the clamp ring on the outside of the PEX tubing.
- Insert the barbed fitting into the PEX tubing.
- Using the Clamp Tool, compress the clamp ring. The clamp tool will not release from the clamp ring unless a properly-secured connection has been made; therefore GO/NO-GO gauge is not required!
SharkBite Clamp Tool for 3/8″ up to 1″ rings. Buy on Amazon. (the third handle allows one-hand operation.)
SharkBite Clamp Ring 1/2″. Buy on Amazon.
9.2.2- Crimping
Crimping is very similar to Clamping; a crimp ring is used instead of a clamp ring. Both methods give as good results, except a GO/NO-GO gauge has to be used for crimping to ensure the crimp ring was sufficiently deformed. Crimping is the cheapest method for large projects.
SharkBite Crimp Tool for 1/2″ and 3/4″ ring. Buy on Amazon.
SharkBite Crimp Ring 1/2″. Buy on Amazon.
9.2.3- Compression Fittings
The disadvantage with clamp/crimp is that it might be impossible to operate the tool in tight spaces. In that case we suggest Flair-it compression fittings as they require no tool for installation:
Photo Credit: americansupplyandairproducts.com
We personally haven’t tried them, but they’re very popular in the RV industry and they’re tried and tested. Flair-It fittings come in a variety of shapes and functions: amzn.to/2KqccKm
9.2.4- Push-to-Connect Fittings
Push-to-Connect fittings are almost too good to be true. Just push the PEX tubing into the fitting and voilà!
credit: Sea Tech.
In fact, maybe they are indeed too good to be true. We first used these fittings to make our water system and when we applied pressure, 2 fittings disconnected and 2 had slow-leak.
- We’ll take the blame for the fittings that disconnected. We probably made the mistake of not pushing them enough. But we’re all human and we all make mistakes… in our opinion, a good design is a design that doesn’t allow to make mistake.
- Slow leak are the worst because they’re hard to notice and could create damage in the long run… Why had we a slow leak? The Sea Tech fittings rely on an O-ring that goes on the outside of the PEX tubing (not inside); the surface of the PEX tubing must be scratch and damage free. These fittings are “reusable”, but the action of disconnecting create scratches on the outside surface of the tubing…
- O-Ring dries and loose efficiency in the long run.
- Some people reported having no issue at all after many years, but we think they are too sensitive to installation, outside tubing surface condition and O-ring deterioration. We’re not 100% confident so we pass. (we would be OK with them for temporary repair or outside installation).
9.2.5- Threaded Fittings
For all threaded plastic fittings:
- Do not use Teflon tape or Teflon paste! These are lubricant, not sealant, and will promote over-tightening = cracks = leaks.
- Don’t over-tight: finger tighten plus one or two turns.
- Use plastic-safe thread sealant (not lubricant) such as LA-CO Plato-Joint. Don’t worry it’s not permanent; it’s a paste that does not dry and can be removed easily.
- We did not use thread sealant on the Shurflo fittings attached to Shurflo appliances (pump & accumulator).
-
LA-CO Plasto-Joint. Buy from Amazon
10- Winter
10.1- To Winterize
Don’t EVER let your water system freeze. Freezing water expands and components (fittings, spray nozzle, water heater, etc) will crack and leak. Prior freezing, drain water from all the components.
10.2- Or Not Winterize…
Since we live full-time in the van and all our components (pipes, water heater, fresh water tank, etc) are located inside (warm-side), we can use our water system ALL-YEAR, sweet! We even used it when it was -15F (-25C). We only take the precaution of winterizing the bike wash / shower at the back of the van; this area can freeze occasionally (it’s far from any heat source) so we don’t take any risk and drain it.
-15F (-25C) outside, water still works so we can do our things!
11- Hacks
11.1- Water Bandit
To increase our chance of finding water while we’re on the road, we carry a neat Water Bandit. It can be fitted on almost any tap thanks to the rubber side, then a hose can be connected to it thanks to the “garden-hose-fitting” on the other side:
Water Bandit. Get one on Amazon.
11.2- Sillcock Key
Following this post, many of you recommended us to get a Sillcock Key. Apparently, this tool can open water supplies of several rest areas, campgrounds, corner stores, etc. We’ll give it a try! Here is the tool:
Cobra Products PST154 4-Way Sillcock Key. Buy from Amazon.
PART B: OUR SYSTEM
12- Identifying our Needs
Before designing or building anything, we always take the time to identify our needs. Here is what we want:
- Pressurized System
- 4-6 days autonomy
- Hot Shower
- Spray Nozzle to wash our bikes occasionally (why not?!)
- Use year round, but easy to winterize if required
- No Black Water
By making the list above, we know where we are heading. (we are heading to section 13- below, keep reading!)
13- Water System Diagram
The water system diagram below answer our needs! You might have different needs and come up with a different diagram and that’s totally fine 🙂
13.1 Interactive Water System Diagram
This is an interactive diagram: hover/click on products for more!
13.2- High-Resolution Water System Diagram
Download a high-resolution, printable, pdf file of our water system diagram. You will get two things:
1- High-Resolution Water System Diagram (printable pdf):
2- Our “Water System Tutorial in 17 Steps” that contains additional hints on where to apply sealant and how to test the system for leaks
NAME YOUR PRICE! Yep, you pay whatever you think our help is worth to you. That means you can get both the water system diagram and the tutorial for 0$(minimum) or for 100,000,000,000$ (recommended) 😉
Name a price of 10$ and up and we’ll send you a free sticker!
Free sticker!
14- Material List
To replicate our Water System:
- click on any product in the diagram above.
- or use the table below:
Component Description Quantity Buy Link MAIN Fresh Water Tank 25 Gallons 1 amzn.to/2Mj9rIl Test Plug To plug the fill hole of the water tank 1 amzn.to/2JPtCz7 Fitting: 1/2″ MPT to 3/8″ Barb To install the vent hose 1 amzn.to/2JQ4WXi Hose: 3/8″ I.D. clear That’s the vent hose 1 amzn.to/2MofzPv Fitting: 1/2″ MPT to 1/2″ PEX To install the drain valve 1 Buy on eBay Valve: 1/2″ PEX To drain the fresh water tank 1 Buy on eBay Fitting: Shurflo 1/2″ MPT to 1/2″ Hose Barb To install the vinyl tubing for the drain 1 amzn.to/2ubmELD Tubing: 1/2″ Braided Vinyl Clear Flexible drain that can be folded away 1 amzn.to/2L9vrEF Shurflo Water Pump Diaphragm Pump, 3 gallons per minute, 55 PSI 1 amzn.to/2JAhkeP Shurflo Accumulator To reduce cycling 1 amzn.to/2JRuMdn Shurflo Strainer Prevent damaging the pump if crap enters the system… 1 amzn.to/2l9joM5 Shurflo Silencer Kit Reduce noise from pump vibration 1 amzn.to/2sTwHV8 ON/OFF switch “Emergency” water pump switch 1 amzn.to/2y78qzX Fitting, “Tee”: 1/2″ PEX to 1/2″ PEX to 1/2″ PEX To split the PEX pipe for sink & shower 1 Buy on eBay Valve: 1/2″ PEX We turn this valve off in winter and drain to prevent freezing (we don’t use the shower or bike wash in winter) 1 Buy on eBay SINK AND GREY WATER Dometic VA7306AC Sink The sink… 1 amzn.to/2y4zjo6 Swivel Fitting: 1/2″ FPT to 1/2″ PEX To connect the PEX pipe to the sink 1 Buy on eBay End Cap: 1/2″ FPT To cap the unused hot water sink fitting (essential!) 1 amzn.to/2JIs4DH Drain The sink does not include the drain, so make sure to order this! 1 amzn.to/2t5xzW8 Camco Flexible Drain 1 amzn.to/2MrGMAC Wye & Valves To direct grey water into aqua-tainer or through-floor 1 amzn.to/2sVpbsK Quick-Connect To easily detach the aqua-tainer for dumping 1 amzn.to/2JzgBKK Garden Hose 1 amzn.to/2l4vjuu Hose Clamps, Worm-type To ensure the garden hose doesn’t slip out of the aqua-tainer 1 amzn.to/2sTwSje Aqua-Tainer 4 gallons grey water tank 1 amzn.to/2JJhFHO SHOWER EccoTemp L5 On-demand propane shower 1 amzn.to/2MmczTI Swivel Elbow Fitting: 1/2″ FPT to 1/2″ PEX To install the water valve 1 Buy on eBay Valve: 1/2″ PEX Water Valve 1 Buy on eBay Valve: 1/2″ FPT to 3/8″ Flare Propane Valve. See our Propane System article for more. 1 BIKE WASH Spray Faucet with coil hose 1 amzn.to/2JAl53V Swivel Fitting: 1/2″ FPT to 1/2″ PEX To connect the PEX pipe 1 Buy on eBay End Cap: 1/2″ FPT To cap the unused hot water sink fitting (essential!) 1 amzn.to/2JIs4DH OTHERS Fitting, “Tee”: 1/2″ PEX This is required if, like us, installing both the shower & the bike wash 1 Buy on eBay Fitting, Elbow: 1/2″ PEX The PEX pipe can bend 5″ radius max. For tighter turns, use this elbow. As Required Buy on eBay Bend Support This has less restriction than an elbow As Required Buy on eBay PEX Tubing, 1/2″ a.k.a. pipe, hose… As Required amzn.to/2s0Co2m Fitting, MISC We can’t possibly list all the fittings you might need for your installation! Here is the complete SharkBite catalog. SharkBite Catalog PEX Cutter PEX tubing can be cut with a carpenter knife, but this tool will make your life easier 1 amzn.to/2l7pGMf 15- Installation
15.1- Tank Installation
The tank is installed above the wheel arch:
The Tank Support (it’s attached to the bed frames)
The tank is secured with BoatBuckle Kwik-Lok Tie Down 2″x4′ (amzn.to/2tm6KzC). They’re super strong and easy to install/remove. They are attached to Stainless Steel Tie-Down “D” Ring (amzn.to/2tbkMAe):
Hold On
When the tank is full, there is noticeable “bow” on the unsupported side of the tank; we therefore added a wood support to counterbalance the bow (the straps alone won’t help). Note that the wood support must go across the entire height of the tank (from bottom to top) to be effective (otherwise the strap will flex):
15.2- Water Pump, Accumulator and Tubing Installation
Pump (on the left) & Accumulator (on the right)
We build a “shield” for the pump and accumulator and installed the switch on it:
Think inside the box. Not much to see here…
It looks like this with the “shield” on:
Don’t pay attention to the tubing; see next picture for that.
This is the tubing near the pump and the accumulator:
And this is the tubing where it splits toward the bike wash / shower:
15.3- Sink and Grey Water Installation
The sink installation into the cabinet in covered in our Sink & Stove Cabinet article: faroutride.com/sink-stove-cabinet/
Under the hood
Grey Water Installation.
Meanwhile in China.
15.4- Bike Wash
PEX routing to the bike wash
The spray nozzle holds with a Quick Fist Clamp (amzn.to/2u1ishD).
15.5- Hot Shower Installation
To connect the cold water (blue PEX tubing), we used a swivel-elbow adapter (eBay) followed by an elbow (eBay); this way the valve (which act as the shower handle) is easily accessible and is routed around the propane valve (see also following picture for a different view angle).
Connections (left to right): Propane, hot water, cold water. They’re all 1/2″ NPT.
When not in use, the shower head is stored using a Quick Fist Clamp mini (amzn.to/2IZHx18):
The shower head holds in the window using a suction cup adapter (amzn.to/2KElEdl):
There are 3 connections for the Eccotemp L5 (all of them are 1/2″ NPT male):
- Cold Water Input
- Hot Water Output
- Propane Input (faroutride.com/propane-system)
The unit fire-up (and shut off) automatically when it detects water flow. The ignition is powered by two “D” batteries; no permanent 12V required.
This article covers the DIY shower curtains:This article covers all about the Eccotemp L5 (installation, operation, review, etc.):WAIT FOR IT! REVIEW COMING SOON! 🙂
16- Resources
- We were inspired (a lot) by Traipsing About. Check them out they’re awesome!
ON SECOND THOUGHT
- October 2017 : One month living full-time in the van! We talk about the water system in our “First Month on the Road” article: faroutride.com/first-month/
- December 2017: We modified our grey water system so we can dump water directly through the floor (or in the grey water tank).
- June 2018: We traded the Mr Heater BOSS for an EccoTemp (see justifications above in this article). We also re-plumbed our system using PEX tubing instead of braided vinyl tubing (because that’s the proper way to do it). You will find our “old” Water System article here: faroutride.com/water-system-2017
WANT MORE?
Check out our Build Journal, learn everything about The Van, read our VanLife Guides, or if you’re new to this start by reading The Prologue.
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ABOUT US
Hello! We’re Isabelle and Antoine 🙂 In 2017 we sold our house (and everything in it), quit our engineering careers and moved into our self built campervan. We’ve been on the road since then and every day is an opportunity for a new adventure; we’re chasing our dreams and hopefully it inspires others to do the same!
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Leave a reply
56 comments
Comment by Courtney
Courtney October 30, 2018 at 9:21 am
Hey guys! Great website. It has been very helpful in our build. We are pretty much using your water sysytem set up. Quick question, do you use any type of water filtration?
Comment by Antoine
Antoine October 30, 2018 at 9:58 am
We don’t, but if we’d travel out of Canada/USA we probably would! Haven’t looked for a specific system yet…
Comment by markley
markley October 9, 2018 at 2:44 pm
Glad to see your back on the bike again! Quick question, have you ever noticed any odor when you initially turn on your faucet? We went with a very similar setup (same pump, accumulator). It seems that we get a strange funky smell a second or so after water turns on and last for a few seconds?? I am pretty sure it is not the water (have used various sources; all have same odor) or the water tank (it doesn’t smell funny). At this point I am assuming it it either the pump, accumulator, or something in faucet (though I doubt). Anyway just thought I’d ask to rule out some things:)
Comment by chris
chris September 12, 2018 at 11:28 am
do you know of a good sink faucet thats retractable style so you can just pull it out and shower? wondering why you didnt go with that setup
Comment by Antoine
Antoine September 12, 2018 at 3:23 pm
I don’t know about that, but we take our shower in the back of the van (faroutride.com/exterior-shower) for privacy so I wouldn’t really work for us. Might work in a different layout though!
Cheers!
Comment by Dave
Dave August 13, 2018 at 3:11 pm
Hey Antoine,
Have a similar set up to yours. Mid build. While testing the system today, I failed to keep an eye on the grey water tank and it overflowed rather a lot. Is there a failsafe for this? I believe I have to keep the vent open for it to work, but would love to get some warning (sink backing up, etc.) to tell me the tank was full rather than discovering puddles in my cabinetry. Thanks!
Comment by Antoine
Antoine August 14, 2018 at 11:08 am
We don’t have any failsafe, you would have to install a sealed tank with an overflow I guess… We just empty it everyday even if it’s not full
Comment by Mike
Mike July 17, 2018 at 9:39 pm
Hey!
Thanks for another great write up! Came just in the nick of time as I am working on my water system in the coming weeks. One question though, it looks like you linked to a 120volt pump? I am assuming you meant to link to the 12 volt DC version? Yes?
Thanks!
Mike
Comment by Antoine
Antoine July 17, 2018 at 11:28 pm
Oh boy, THANKS for letting me know! I meant to link to the 12V DC version yes…
I fixed the links,
cheers!
antoine
Comment by John Nava
John Nava July 17, 2018 at 8:44 am
“To China”
love that =)
Comment by Antoine
Antoine July 17, 2018 at 8:48 am
😛
Comment by Luke
Luke June 11, 2018 at 1:49 pm
What do you guys do for potable/drinking water? Do you consume water coming out of the shureflo? I installed a similar setup and the water tastes awful!
Comment by Antoine
Antoine June 12, 2018 at 10:39 am
We drink the water from the pump and taste good. At first it needs a few cycles before it gets better. It tastes like plastic at first because everything is new: the tank, the pipes, the sink, etc.
cheers!
Comment by Matt
Matt May 6, 2018 at 6:48 pm
No pipe strainer? Thoughts on this? https://www.amazon.com/SHURFLO-255-313-Twist-Pipe-Strainer/dp/B000V2W0GE
Why did you decide against it etc? Would a 7-gallon grey tank be better?
Comment by Antoine
Antoine May 6, 2018 at 9:54 pm
We do have that strainer! A 7 gallons would last about twice without being emptied, but use more space. I still prefer the hole in the floor with a 4 gallons grey tank. But that’s up to you
Comment by Matt
Matt May 7, 2018 at 11:32 pm
OK, I didn’t see it listed! Thanks, How often you still empty you jug manually? I’m trying to decide if a 7 gallon removable with passthrough is better than something like this : http://www.plastic-mart.com/product/3193/9-gallon-rv-water-tank-rvb532
Comment by Antoine
Antoine May 8, 2018 at 9:28 am
It totally depends where we park, so I can’t tell exactly.
Comment by Duane
Duane March 27, 2018 at 4:40 pm
Antoine
Do you miss not having hot water at the sink? I’m wondering about adding an instantaneous water heater, or combo furnace/water heater.
Comment by Antoine
Antoine March 29, 2018 at 10:16 am
We don’t miss it, except for rinsing dishes; cold water makes it difficult to dry. Otherwise we don’t mind.
Comment by Ivan
Ivan March 12, 2018 at 1:17 pm
How did you attach the quick-connect fitting to the aquatainer? It looks like you glued it up somehow? I’m planning a similar set and I’m having a hard time finding the right male fitting that screws into the aquatainer’s female cap.
Comment by Antoine
Antoine March 12, 2018 at 7:07 pm
Yeah I don’t think there is a male fitting to the aquatainer unfortunately…
We just inserted the garden hose (with the quick-connect attach to it) into the aquatainer and attach a worm hose clamp around the garden hose inside the aquatainer; this way the garden hose can’t escape. Then we sealed with silicone. It’s not 100% water tight, but so far we had no spill or drips!
You might come up with a better solution 🙂
Cheers!
Comment by Taco Otten
Taco Otten January 13, 2018 at 3:36 pm
What are you doing to manage frost with the Shurflo pump?
Comment by Antoine
Antoine January 14, 2018 at 10:33 am
We keep the van above freezing temperatures at all time using the Webasto or Propex heater.
Comment by Ryan
Ryan November 12, 2017 at 11:34 am
How has your 25g water tank worked out so far? If you were to do it again, would you install a bigger/smaller tank?
Comment by Antoine
Antoine November 12, 2017 at 11:54 am
We last more or less 4 days, we would go with the same size!
Comment by Brian J
Brian J October 27, 2017 at 3:03 am
I copied much of your grey water tank setup today! Thanks for the helpful suggestions!
Comment by Antoine
Antoine October 27, 2017 at 9:09 am
You bet!
Happy conversion 🙂
Comment by Brian J
Brian J October 28, 2017 at 11:26 pm
Now on to the fresh water system! Great idea to cap the second sink inlet… though won’t it be possible to have water gather in the capped tube? At the hardware store today I found a T fitting with a 1/2 MPT inlet and two 3/8 compression fittings (which is what my sink’s inlets are) so I should flow water into both inlets. I also bought a faucet connector 1/2in FPT to 1/2 FPT, eliminating the need for barb and hose clamp fittings from the pump to the sink. That all said, I haven’t hooked anything up yet!!!! As always, thanks for the great write ups! Did your pump have two red wires coming off of it? I think I have the same one but can’t figure out where the second wire goes…
Comment by Antoine
Antoine October 29, 2017 at 10:15 am
Water gather in the capped tube? You’re probably right! Are you worried about germs and stuff? Using both inlet is a good idea, let us know how it turns out!
I don’t think we had two red wires… and there is nothing about that in the manual: http://shurflo.com/images/files/RV_Product_Manuals/Fresh-Water-Pumps/911-1008.pdf
Good luck!
Comment by Brian J
Brian J November 6, 2017 at 4:28 pm
It works! We now are enjoying running water in the van! Thanks again for your help. The second red wire was my mistake, the pump just has a wire connecting one part of the pump to another. And the T-fitting works as expected.
Comment by Antoine
Antoine November 6, 2017 at 9:18 pm
YES!
Nice work, keep it up!
Comment by Tom
Tom July 29, 2017 at 6:32 pm
Hi Antoine,
You can disregard me e-mail if you respond here first. Just wondering why you used a 3/8 tube for the vent instead of 1/2?? Seems like it would be easier just to deal with size hose for everything and use 1/2 for the vent too. Thanks for all your great work…amazing website!!
Tom
Comment by Antoine
Antoine July 29, 2017 at 7:38 pm
The 1/2″ hose is quite bulky and not much flexible. The 3/8″ can be routed more easily, that’s all!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Comment by Terri
Terri July 22, 2017 at 8:54 pm
Are you happy with the garden hose quick connect? Do you attach a garden hose and tip it to drain it or do you take it outside and remove the lid to pour? How did you attach the quick connect to the aquatainer?
Comment by Antoine
Antoine July 24, 2017 at 6:43 am
There is a short garden hose length that we just slide into the aquatainer; we “sealed” it with silicone, but it just detached so we’re looking for something stronger. Maybe epoxy?
To empty it, we detach the quick connect and we take the aquatainer outside (and remove the lid).
So far we’re happy with that setup, except that we have to find a better way to attach it the the aquatainer lid.
Cheers!
Comment by Terri
Terri July 11, 2017 at 10:19 am
I have a question about your gray water jug. Is there any vent? It seems like the sink would drain sluggishly or not at all without a vent.
Comment by Antoine
Antoine July 11, 2017 at 10:24 am
Yes, there is a vent! The aquatainer comes with a small vent on top surface in the back, similarly to a gas jerry can.
Have a good one!
Comment by Andre
Andre May 22, 2017 at 7:01 pm
Antoine, I was hoping to mount it between the bike tray and wall on the driver side. That way to utilize as much of the dead space as possible and leave the passenger wheel well side open for more storage. Since the tank is bowed out a couple extra inches on each side, it would hit the bikes so that is a no go. We ended up mounting it on the passenger side. Didn’t feel like moving the bike tray, it worked out in the end. I am disappointed in the bowing and overall craftsmanship of the tank (“wrinkling” along the bottom base). We are working with tank 2 which is worse than tank 1, which we sent back last week. Planning to connect all the fittings and try it up tonight, hopefully no leaks! The reason I am sticking with it for now is the dimensions – I love the lengh twise geometry compared to width wise of other tanks. It fits perfectly along the side of the van leaving more space for open floor storage. Not to mention more weight directly over the wheel for traction :). I plan to mount the AGM battery over the other wheel well. Thank you again for your insights and this website, its truly an inspiration and source of excellent info. Cheers!
Comment by Antoine
Antoine May 22, 2017 at 7:55 pm
I’m sorry you’re disappointed with the quality of the tank. Maybe it’s a question of expectation? Being less than half of any similar product, it fulfilled my expectations. I’m sure there are higher quality tanks around, but the price will vary accordingly.
Thanks for the compliments on the website!
Good luck with your tank installation.
Comment by Andre
Andre May 30, 2017 at 2:39 pm
Installed the fittings and turned up the water system this past weekend. Everything worked well! All said I am happy thus far with the tank, pump/accumilator setup. I went with an Eccotemp shower/water heater. I plan on splitting the accumilator outlet to a sink when I get to that point. One question, I did a quick and poor rinse job on the inside of the tank prior to installing it. We had another 5 gallon tank for drinking water this weekend and used the 25 gallon tank for showering. I noticed a slight plastic taste to the water from the 25 gallon tank. Any tips on how to properly rinse the tank? As always thank you for your help. Hope all is going well with life and finalizing the build! Cheers
Comment by Antoine
Antoine May 30, 2017 at 3:46 pm
Glad to hear your system is up and running!
We just rinsed our tank with water 2-3 times before using it, that’s all.
There are some product to sanitize the RV Plumbing and Tank, but i don’t know much about them: http://amzn.to/2rRtgiE
Good luck with the conversion! Don’t hesitate to drop a line!
antoine
Comment by Andre
Andre May 18, 2017 at 9:44 pm
As always, awesome post! We received our tank today and it has a noticeable “bow” on both sides, length wise. Looking at your picture it does not appear that way. It wouldn’t be a huge problem except where I plan to mount it. Did yours bow out after use?
Comment by Antoine
Antoine May 19, 2017 at 3:21 pm
Now that you mention it, yes, ours “bow” too. Like, a few inches on each side near the center of the tank. That’s why pressurized tanks have cylinder shape! In my case, one side of the tank leans against the wall, the other side is strapped; i don’t mind that it bows.
What is it in your installation that cause problem with that? Just curious.
Comment by Tom
Tom April 20, 2017 at 4:34 pm
Derp, can’t edit my post. I also added an extra metal strap front to end since I took those pics. I do REALLY like the quick release for your grey water tank. Going to totally steal that, as right now I have a garden hose attachment on mine and it’s a pain to unscrew.
Comment by Brad
Brad June 11, 2017 at 1:32 am
Digging your build as well. Do you also have a site with info up on how you went about setting up the shower? Do you have pressurized water running to a sink as well or just to the shower? Trying to figure out in Antoine’s photos I see that a “pump or drain” option on each end – if one needs to go to the actual water pump, I assume that’s “pump”… does the same apply for the shower line? I guess I’m just a little confused as to what happens if I drill out both of those holes and connect one to the pump and one to a shower line how do I prevent the water from filling in the shower line (or does it just fill with water and I have to just make sure the nozzle is on an “off” setting)?
Thanks all!
Comment by Antoine
Antoine June 11, 2017 at 7:33 am
Hi Brad,
We still have to install the shower; for now only the sink is functional (apart from the Mr Heater BOSS which is independent of our pressurized water system). Since it’s the pump the build the pressure into the system, we will add splitter (a “Y”) after the pump (in fact, after the accumulator): one hose will run to the sink, the other hose will run to the shower/bike-wash (http://amzn.to/2rZuXIi).
In other word, you don’t have to drill an extra hole in the tank to add a shower! You just add split the hose after the pump.
Hope that helps!
Comment by Tom
Tom April 20, 2017 at 4:30 pm
Have some direction for you as far as outdoor shower is concerned. I went a little more hardcode on the bracing and the strapping, and I’d recommend the same. 20+ gallons of water sloshing around is a TON of momentum force.
I got the shower off Amazon too (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019F81FQ0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and here it is installed. It’s pretty great. I also went with a little more robust drain than a PVC valve. You don’t want something accidentally hitting it and cracking it. Lastly, if you install a nice beauty panel on the back like I did, you can get a pretty water inlet (with vent hole too) here https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C5SOXNU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://goo.gl/HVARDe
https://goo.gl/xpIOCC
https://goo.gl/XOR9fs
Comment by Antoine
Antoine April 20, 2017 at 4:41 pm
Nice, your build look super clean! Well done!
Can you adjust the spray on your shower? I’d like to have a small, high-pressure spray for the bikes..
Thanks for the tips!
antoine
Comment by Tom
Tom April 20, 2017 at 5:07 pm
You cannot, it’s sort of a low pressure-ish spray. But it’s actually PERFECT for the bikes. You don’t want to use a small high pressure spray to wash bikes and smoosh water into all the bearings/etc.
Speaking of bikes, I 100% stole your bike rack idea and it’s awesome. Thanks for the links and detailed writeup. You mentioned about some sort of protection for the floor of the tray. I originally tried a vinyl drawer liner and it looked pretty decent, but was peeling up/etc. Kinda meh. So I painted the whole thing gray to match my wall panels and decided to start sticker bombing the tray portion. Totally worked and I’ve been loving it.
https://goo.gl/VwFlx4
https://goo.gl/ucPObL
Comment by Diego
Diego April 20, 2017 at 7:48 am
Very nice and inspiring. Using this setup, are you able to connect the heater to the pressured water system? I wonder how you did the heater connections. Thanks!
Comment by Antoine
Antoine April 20, 2017 at 8:06 am
Hi Diego!
Are you referring to the Mr Heater (shower)? If so, no it cannot be connected to the system. The Mr Heater (shower) uses its own pump, so water is pumped from a jug such as the Aquatainer http://amzn.to/2pG1PUP. If you wish to connect a tankless water heater, look for the Eccotemp L5 (or similar): http://amzn.to/2o7qPYb.
Antoine
Comment by Wes Greenwood
Wes Greenwood April 19, 2017 at 6:29 pm
Thanks for the reply! I liked the fact the L5 can plug right into the vans water system and the cheaper cost. I believe that will be the model we will go with but its open to change as we haven’t ordered a water heater yet.
Looks like you are getting close to the finish line with your build! Super exciting. Im looking forward to seeing the final product rolling on to the start of your adventure!
Comment by Wes Greenwood
Wes Greenwood April 19, 2017 at 12:38 pm
Hey Antoine!
Quick question?
What made you choose the boss water heater over the eco temp l5 overall?
I’m leaning towards the ecotemp but I am also installing 40 gallons of water storage capacity as well.
Are you planning to have the boss water heater pull water from still sources such as a lake since it has an integrated pump?
Comment by Antoine
Antoine April 19, 2017 at 1:19 pm
I only heard good things about the Eccotemp L5 and it’s much cheaper than the Mr Heater. We leaned toward the Mr Heater for the portability: in summer we will shower outside, in winter inside. The Eccotemp L5 claims 30-35 degrees rise VS the Mr Heater up to 45 degrees rise (i did not verified that). The Eccotemp L5 can be incorporated into a camper water system, the Mr Heater cannot (as we mentioned in our post). That was the majors Pros/Cons I think.
There is no clear winner/loser here… decisions, decisions, decisions…
P.S. The manual of the Mr Heater proscribe from using the unit from a lake or any source that might contain particles/dust/debris… I guess we could have some kind of filter.
Comment by Don
Don August 2, 2017 at 2:53 pm
Hi Antoine,
I noticed you said you were going to use the Mr Heater shower “inside” in the winter. How are you planning to do that? Do you have some kind of shower tub in the van? If so, how do you drain it?
Thanks!
Comment by Antoine
Antoine August 2, 2017 at 7:11 pm
Not sure how well this will work, but here is the plan:
– A Plastic drain pan (http://amzn.to/2wmZ7pW)
– A shower curtain
– velcro
– 1/2 PEX tubing
And it should look like this:
(we will connect a drain hose to the pan and drain it outside, somehow)
We will work on it next week or so!