Date:         Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:57:34 -0700
Reply-To:     Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Bottom-filling water tank
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So I've tried the following methods of filling the water tank:

1. The standard method: the fresh water inlet on the side. I made my own
fill hose using a limp 3/8'' i.d. food grade hose (don't ask, don't
remember, many years ago, McMaster.com) inserted far enough down the
throat of the filler tube to stay put when water turned on, but not
always, would sometimes pop out and turn into a noodle squirting all
over the place. Kind of a slow fill, cooled heels during process.

2. The rebel's method: through the top of the tank. Kind of a hassle for
me to empty the compartment, find the phillips driver, unscrew one of
the screws, slide the cover over, watch the screw fall into the opening,
remove the tank top, drag the hose into cabin, stick the hose into the
tank, walk to the faucet, and turn on the water. Last time I did it the
hose shot right out of the tank and water-noodled all over the place,
fountaining water throughout the cabin. There is a fool operating this
equipment so a higher degree of fool-proofage was needed. Also desirable
would be fewer steps. With fewer screws to drop into the water tank
compartment.

Now a new method (for me):

3. Because I wanted to be able to connect a bit of garden hose to the
bottom of the tank for filling a bucket to make sure my fire is out,
dead out! at the end of the trip without fumbling around trying to get
the cap back on when the bucket is full, I replaced the stock tank drain
cap with a new fitting Frankensteined out of a bunch of plumbing parts:
a 1-3/8'' PVC fitting -- needs a bunch of PTFE tape but it fits tightly
enough to not drip -- a 3/4'' NPT elbow which faces forward into a ball
valve and finally terminated in a female hose thread. It doesn't dangle
down very far so it seem not at risk for being knocked off. The valve is
easier to turn on and off compared to unscrewing and re-screwing the
stock cap, while kneeling in dirt rapidly turning into mud while fumbling.

This morning I thought to connect the fitting to a drinking water-grade
hose and then to my house's hose bib, using a female-to-female hose
thread adapter. Turn on the hose bib, open the ball valve and the tank
fills in about 60 seconds. Me likee. No noodlage.

--
Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
Bend, Ore.
1984 Westfalia. A poor but proud people.
1971 "Ladybug"-brand utility trailer ca. 1972 from a defunct company in
San Clemente, Calif., now repurposed as The Westrailia.

Sent from my kitchen.