Date:         Sun, 27 Sep 2015 10:31:56 -0700
Reply-To:     Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG>
Subject:      GoWesty Electric and Water Tank Hookups
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed

A little over two years ago, I bought GoWesty's replacement Electric and
Water Tank filler hookups.  Yesterday, I got around to installing them.
  Very pleased!

Both were very easy to install.  Maybe 15 minutes for the electric hookup.

They pitch the electrical hookup as more rugged, and I'm sure that's
true. Otherwise, it's nothing special, although it's nice the door opens
more smoothly and stays open until you close it. GoWesty instructs you
to re-use the plastic box that protects the wires inside the hookup,
along with the screws that attach it.  That's no problem, but it does
leave a clunky old, yellowed plastic part in the van.  Oh, well.

The water tank filler hookup, on the other hand, is a HUGE improvement!
  It took a little longer to install, mostly because it took time to
carefully break up the old fitting after it broke off the back of the
old hookup.  I was able to pull the pieces out of the hose with
needle-nose pliers without damaging the hose.  And then it took some
time to test it for leaks and to ensure the overflow line works as
intended.  I bought the auto-shutoff quick disconnect adapter for the
hose from GoWesty, and it worked perfectly: When water started shooting
out of the overflow vent in the hookup, I pulled the quick disconnect
off to stop the flow.

I've never been able to get the filler hookup to work at all: Even with
the filler extension tube (they call it a nozzle), I couldn't get the
hose far enough into the bent filler tube inside the van to do anything
except spray water down the side of the van.  I've always filled the
tank by taking the hose inside and removing the large cap on top of the
tank.

It'll be a real pleasure to just hook up the hose to the outside to fill
the tank.

I'm so happy with these parts that I just ordered the parts to replace
the city water hookup.  I had entirely given up on city water.  When I
installed a Shurflo faucet years ago, I just disconnected the city water
line, so if somebody hooked a hose to it today, it'd just fill up the
van with water.  Today I ordered the hookup, check valve tee, and
pressure regulator.  With the quick-disconnect, I think I might actually
use it next time I camp somewhere with a faucet.

We'll see if it takes another two years for me to get around to
installing them.