Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (July 2007, week 1)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Tue, 3 Jul 2007 06:46:45 -0700
Reply-To:     Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Those undersink hoses!
Comments: To: Troy Delnicki <colorworks@GCI.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2007070302342837@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Hiya, Troy -- thanks for the followup on the hose thing. An interesting idea, bringing the sink drain out the side of the van. Do you have a link to that discussion on the other site?

I'm less wary about cutting a hole in the side of the van than I am about putting a 90-degree elbow in the sink drain line. We had an experience with a rogue coffee bean last year that caused all sorts of drainage problems. It had lodged in the ball valve of the garden hose shutoff I'd screwed onto the sink drain outlet. After it had been dealt with (swiftly and humanely, I want to emphasize) I vowed that that line would forevermore remain clear of obstructions or narrow parts. But there has to be a way to get that stupid thing out of the way under the sink.

Metal lath as a stove grill hole plugger-upper sounds like a simple and inexpensive solution. That stuff is some kind of mild steel, isn't it? Might get real rusty after the first couple of uses.

You bet I'm in full van mod and prep mode. That's because in five days I'm leaving on a camping trip. First six nights I'm on my own, camping my way up 395 behind the Sierra Nevada mountains. Then I pick up Mrs Squirrel in Reno, where she'll have been attending a conference, and we'll camp for another five nights or so. The temps in the lower elevations on the east side look to be in the 100's during the day, so we'll be staying up high. Al Knoll, Mark Drillock, and Pete (don't have his last name, lives in Murphys, CA), and a fellow I met in Joshua Tree National Part named Jim who works at the Tioga Pass Resort during summer all have kindly provided excellent suggestions for places to camp. And I've pulled ideas from the "Best of Tent Camping" books,* northern and southern California editions, as well.

A-and then, in August, we have our favorite site reserved in the Laguna Mountains. It's right in the middle of our tropical moisture thundershower season. Last year we found ourselves in a delightful warm summer downpour followed by hail and thunder, and then by brilliant blue skies. Such things are commonplace in some parts of the country, but if you live in coastal Southern California, like we do, anything resembling weather is sufficiently rare that it becomes a novelty and worth seeking.**

* Subtitle: "A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RV's, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos."

** Except for that snow stuff. Mrs Squirrel comes from Mediterranean stock and finds anything below, say, 70F to be (in her words) "fur-EEEzing."

-- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano KG6RCR

Troy Delnicki typed: > Hi Mike: > > There was talk on another site about routing the drain out the side of the > van via a 90° elbow. This particular person actually cut hole in the side > of the van, mounted a decorative face plate that had a garden hose > connector under the lid. Very slick idea. I suspect the decorative piece > could be purchased from Go Westy as the stock water inlet. Personally, I > would be a little wary about cutting a hole in the side of the van, but > it's actually much more functional and practical than the stock drain. I > suspect one could also just reroute the hose via some 90° connectors > (visit your local Ace hardware or depot for hose barb fittings). I would > guess that adding more 90s would slow the drain flow down a bit, but I > think that would be a minor inconvenience for the added space. (on my list > to do;) > > Speaking of the depot, I was over there this evening and spotted some > metal lath. Nice thick stuff (3/32") with perfect size holes (diamond > shaped) to fit over the stove grate. It's thin enough so that the lid can > close-- yet another way to deal with the grand canyon holes in the > grate/grill. > > Cheers! > > You ever going to get out there and do some camping Mike? Sounds like > you're in full van modification mode? I'm getting ready to head off to > Valdez Alaska, can't wait! > > Best, > > Troy >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.