TOO BIG! Switching Our Van Conversions Water Tank for Custom Underslung Solution
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 พ.ย. 2022
- It's served us well, but it's just TOO BIG and we need to change our vans water tank for one that makes better use of the space under our van conversion. So we've upgraded to a custom tank for our Mercedes Vario.
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We get to test out our underslung water tank mounts and install a new custom fresh water tank on our van conversion. We have also upgraded the tanks with tank blankets, designed to 'winterise' water tanks for cold conditions. This is just the first step though, and will do us for now - but watch out for future updates where we aim to fully prepare our vans water tanks for very cold climates.
The tank was custom made from a company named EMPF water tanks to my design. This was the cheapest way I could reuse my existing mounts, and the quickest way I could upgrade the tank. If I were to do it from scratch I may have been able to find a 175 litre tank for my Vario that would fit - but they are hard to come by.
Things used in this video:
- Crimp tool for 12v electrics amzn.to/3AafhpJ
- heat shrink waterproof butt connectors: amzn.to/3TJu95K
- Tank blanket (the big one)
- custom underslung fresh water tank from EMPF
- brass tank vents
- brass tap: amzn.to/3tqM8mG
- barbed connector: amzn.to/3g74Ooq
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Vans from this video:
In the video there are examples of two other tanks we have spotted that are custom. There are a few on the market that will fit between the rails at 175 litres/200 litres too. But here's the links to those featured:
The stricken Mercedes Varios (All are now well on the mend or fixed)
- Mavis Gets About: / mavisgetsabout
- @SometimesIWander new van 'mellow Yellow the Vario'
- The ever entertaining @kingingit
-
The tanks from Instagram:
- @lil_herbert_the_vario
- @matty_rostock_2.0
Don't forget we are on Instagram too: / wanderbusadventures
#vanlife #selfbuildcamper #campervanbuild - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Under hanging any tank is hard work, but saves so much space internally. Grand job 😁
Thank you 😊. Totally agree. For us it makes a lot of sense. Totally understand why people put them inside, but we are glad for the extra space for sure.
The tank looks excellent Richard.
Thank you John 😊
Love the tetris tank and great call on getting it designed to fit. Looking forward to the winterisation video :) Wow 2 years, it's been a journey and we've loved being along for the ride. Keep up the great work :)
We love that you’ve been with us. Hopefully we can meet up one day. Hope your build is going well
That looks like a much better install, and as usual these buses are never finished 😂
Thanks Paul. They never are - we haven’t actually finished our first list of jobs yet 😂. But wanted to sort this out first. Take care bud 🚐🚐🚐
Ooo that's a thing of beauty 😎
Kelly wouldn't get it but that's a right nice tank 😏
And a step towbar to finish it off uber cool 👍 even Kelly has to be slightly excited about a homemade step towbar 😁
Hehe. Glad you like it. It totally is. Time will tell on the step but I (Rich) sure am excited about making a killer bumper for sure.
Dat heb je mooi opgelost. ❤ Ziet er beter uit en veel meer ruimte.
Heel erg bedankt. Hoop dat je een fijne week hebt. Wees voorzichtig.
I really like your design . well done Rich x
Thank you 😊
Fantastisch Job! A great Idea to have a custom made Tank to fit snug in.
Thanks Thomas. And thanks for commenting on both videos 😊
Looking good. Plenty of clearance now
Thanks Martin 😊
Well done Rich. Great job
Thanks Donnie 😊
Morning Guys - looks really good
Thank you 😊. Hope you have a good one. Take care 🚐🚐🚐
Great ground clearance there now Rich, a much better overall water tank, as always take care buddy
Thanks Neil. Much more peace of mind now it’s up a bit higher. Take care bud 🚐🚐🚐
Hey there guys 👋 it's been a while since I've dropped in on your channel. As you asked for some transporter video footage I thought I best have a nosy and see what you're up too. 😁
When Mellow Yellow was coming off the low loader, watching that one inch clearance slowly shrink by an eighth every foot, I instantly thought of yourself and a few others if I'm honest.
Glad to see that you have rectified your tank. It's all a learning curve and no matter how much research, questions you ask or procrastinating you do something will invariably need correction at some point. We all do it. 🙈 It's so true that a build is never finished!!! In our case 'Never, never, ever, ever' but hey ho, all part and parcel of being a #VarioFamily we help each out, as best we can, whenever we can. (Although Graham is taking the piss now 😂😂😂 I do say that jokingly and with humour)
Wishing you guys all the best, give a big hug to Lily from us and an extra special one from Bella 🐈⬛
XXX
Thank you. First off big thanks for the footage of mellow yellow and big hugs right back at you. We can’t wait to back with the Vario family.
It’s all a learning curve for sure. And we’ve a few other things to tweak before we move onto finishing touches and a few other additions inside. Then there’s the bolt on rusty bits we need to fix (doors, bonnets etc) but that’ll all come in time. It’s part of the fun.
Can’t wait to come and see mellow yellow. You’re doing a grand job you three. The three rustkateers needs a D'Artagnan. Keep up the good work on that 💪
@@WanderbusAdventures love your humour Rich, it keeps us going, you can be our D' Artagnen anytime. 🤗
Both John and I were saying that at some time in the future we are going to be picking your brain. Being the gadget nerd that you are, you are the man. 🤍 🤔
That would be awesome 😎 can’t wait 🤓
Morning!!
Morning Ian. Hope you’re doing well.
@@WanderbusAdventures yep all good here thanks - That’s a beaut of a tank! and in Victron blue too! Fab upgrade 😎👍🏻
Knew you’d spot it was Victron blue. When we ordered it we didn’t know if it’d be black or blue, so are glad it’s on brand 😂.
@@WanderbusAdventures seems a shame to cover it and hide it but you’ll know 😂😎👍🏻
@@ian_morg lol. That’s true
And think of the fuel you save without all that surplus weight!
That’s true. It’s a good sized person in weight saved.
Got me worried now as my tank is 350 ltr with about as much clearance as your old one, at the min i think i ll just run with it until it becomes a issues. Do you have a link to the wire connector with the glue on them please. great video as as always
That's what we did, and it was fine. Just worried if we did have to go anywhere very steep or on tow (fingers crossed we won't).
These are the butt connectors we use: amzn.to/3TJu95K and the crimp tool we have (but yours might do it) amzn.to/3AafhpJ they give a very good connection. Would recommend for sure. Thanks Terry 😊
Just out of curiosity are you planning a trip over winter to somewhere your tank will freeze?
Eventually that’s the plan yes. For UK trips the tank blanket should keep things fluid but we are planning on adding self regulating cable to the pipes themselves; and we will be lagging the tank should we plan to go anywhere super cold.
One other happy coincidence of the diesel heater being underslung and having low skirts is it actually heats under the van too. Not to super hot standards but the Ruuvi under there gets to 28 degrees and it’s on the opposite side. So we hope that’ll help too - but time will tell on that.
But as an aside would love to go to Norway and Scandinavia. We are much more interested in cold places - there’s something about them 😊
I don't do cold,why don't you just get a fridge freezer,and save some cash 😂
@@johngriffiths7621 that’s where we are right now John. Log burner on in the room for ambience.
I think I know who built that tank for you. He is based just outside Manchester if I remember correctly and his house is built by him
And you have to drive down a step hill to get to his? Is that right?
That’s right… we think. He’s based in Oldham we believe. Haven’t been to his place though so can’t comment. Once we’d sorted the dimensions and whatnot he built it very quickly and it seems very well built. And it’s blue, which we like 😂
@@WanderbusAdventures so far we won’t be using the van for fulltime but part time, so with our tanks inside it should be ok. If we need to adjust it in the future then we can always have him build one for us outside 😊
That makes sense for sure.
Good looking tank…now your ass won’t drag..
lol thanks Kev. Here’s hoping
Finally, we've got round to catching up on your videos .. your ceiling looks amazing!
🙌🏻.
We watched on the big screen, as we're tucked up in Mavis🙂🚐, and we see that we made a couple of appearances 🤦🏻♀️🤣
We've not weighed Mavis yet, we're going to hopefully get round to doing it in the next week.
Great videos guys 👍🏻🙂
Ah amazing. We need a big screen! Glad mavis has stopped being naughty. Pesky busses. Who’d have them?! 😂 Good luck with the weigh in x
@@WanderbusAdventures We love our projector. It's like being at the cinema🙂