Orton DIY - Gray Water Tank

Malindi

New member
Greetings gents,

Following the discussion here with interest ... I am currently assembling a bunch of data and ideas to buy a 170 x-high roof stealth van. Planning on 400 ah and running most things on electric with a 2000W puresine Magnum.

As to water ... I am wondering what you are doing for frost protection? Especially for the gray water tanks and the ball valves etc....

Thanks for any info.

Kevin
 

Graphite Dave

Dave Orton
Fresh water is inside and gray water tank is under van. In freezing weather just dump the gray water contents and leave valve open. Do not use gray water tank in freezing conditions.

Just spent an hour reading about your travels on www.nohorizons.net. I am extremely jealous and have wasted my life. Would have loved to made such a trip.
 
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Malindi

New member
Fresh water is inside and gray water tank is under van. In freezing weather just dump the gray water contents and leave valve open. Do not use gray water tank in freezing conditions.

Just spent an hour reading about your travels on www.nohorizons.net. I am extremely jealous and have wasted my life. Would have loved to made such a trip.
Ah well ... :)
It's never too late to travel. And life is full of choices. I don't have a house, family, kids... so it's a trade off no matter what way you look at it.
 

OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
Instead of P or U traps and air admittance valves, look into HepVo drains--now used by several RV manufacturers including Airstream. Saves space from straight drains and elimination of air admittance vents. Still need tank vent.

In housing industry, sometimes HepVo drains are allowed, sometimes not.

Also look into 360 vent for vent at roof. Supposed to eliminate back odors from tank.
 

Graphite Dave

Dave Orton
Do not need P traps or Hepvo drains. If you locate the drain inlet holes on the gray water tank in the correct location they are not needed. An RV is different than a house. House sewer is just nasty air in the pipes that requires a trap. Pipes are not full of water. With an RV you have a tank with gray water in it. Proper drain location at the bottom of the tank seals the drain with the water in the tank. I would use a trap to a black water tank.
 
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GeorgeRa

2013 Sprinter DIY 144WB, Portland OR
Hi Dave,

I am in the midst of designing the stainless steel fresh and grey water tanks. The 12 gal fresh water tank design is done with the vent and the inlet in the upper right side of the engine compartment. The tank will be located below the sliding door under the floor.

I don't have access to the space behind wall panels yet and have a question about a possible drain route from the galley's sink behind the driver seat to the gray tank. With the removable galley I would like to have all water and electrical I/O mounted on the side wall behind the galley.

So the question is: is it possible to run the drain line down behind the wall panel and penetrate the outer wall of the below the floor cavity, a few inches above the van's side wall edge? I would like to fill the 12.75" cavity width to maximum - about 11.25" so there will be no place to run the drain down on the side of the tank like you did.

Thank you,

George.
 

Attachments

Graphite Dave

Dave Orton
Do not know the answer to your question. Could you look a a new cargo van at a dealer to see what is possible? I use a sink with a 1" outlet. Connected sink drain to a 3/4" copper elbow and then across van with 3/4" copper pipe. OD of 3/4" copper elbow works with a 1" ID hose.
 

Malindi

New member
Hi Dave,

I am in the midst of designing the stainless steel fresh and grey water tanks. The 12 gal fresh water tank design is done with the vent and the inlet in the upper right side of the engine compartment. The tank will be located below the sliding door under the floor.

I don't have access to the space behind wall panels yet and have a question about a possible drain route from the galley's sink behind the driver seat to the gray tank. With the removable galley I would like to have all water and electrical I/O mounted on the side wall behind the galley.

So the question is: is it possible to run the drain line down behind the wall panel and penetrate the outer wall of the below the floor cavity, a few inches above the van's side wall edge? I would like to fill the 12.75" cavity width to maximum - about 11.25" so there will be no place to run the drain down on the side of the tank like you did.

Thank you,

George.
George,

Nice ghost diagram you have there... I just spent a few hours measuring the insides of a new 170 high roof. Is there a public site where I can get those ghost diagrams?

Measurements:
Wheel wells (protrusions - left and right) = length 91.5 cms, height at center = 93 cms
Height (measured front, center and back) = 193 cms to the cross members, 199 cms to the roof
Rear to wheel well = 93 cms
Front to wheel well = 247 cms
Width at the floor = 179 cms
Width (between wheel wells) 135 cms
Width (at 5 feet) 160 cms
Width (at roof) 140 cms
Interior top front to back = 414 cms
Interior floor front to back = 430 cms
 

Thanasis

Active member
.

So the question is: is it possible to run the drain line down behind the wall panel and penetrate the outer wall of the below the floor cavity, a few inches above the van's side wall edge? I would like to fill the 12.75" cavity width to maximum - about 11.25" so there will be no place to run the drain down on the side of the tank like you did.
George.
In a T1N, you can channel a hose or wiring from inside the van to under the van via an opening that begins behind the driver and leads to the round hole under the van right next to the fueling hose.
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?p=127356#post127356
 

GeorgeRa

2013 Sprinter DIY 144WB, Portland OR
George,

Nice ghost diagram you have there... I just spent a few hours measuring the insides of a new 170 high roof. Is there a public site where I can get those ghost diagrams?

Measurements:
Wheel wells (protrusions - left and right) = length 91.5 cms, height at center = 93 cms
Height (measured front, center and back) = 193 cms to the cross members, 199 cms to the roof
Rear to wheel well = 93 cms
Front to wheel well = 247 cms
Width at the floor = 179 cms
Width (between wheel wells) 135 cms
Width (at 5 feet) 160 cms
Width (at roof) 140 cms
Interior top front to back = 414 cms
Interior floor front to back = 430 cms
If I remember correctly I found this file in the .dxf format on this forum. Try to search for .dxf 170". You will need some CAD system to read it. Good luck. George.
 

GeorgeRa

2013 Sprinter DIY 144WB, Portland OR

tigernassau

New member
Just spent an hour reading about your travels on www.nohorizons.net. I am extremely jealous and have wasted my life. Would have loved to made such a trip.
Malindi,
awesome trip - I want us to open another office in western SA (either Ecuador, Chile, or Argentina ) - after getting Sprinter experience here in US will either ship it or get another down there and want to travel around to decide where to have office (leaning towards Argentina) - pls email me at tigernassau@gmail.com to exchange some info re traveling and camping). Had the chance to talk to Belgium couple that shipped their Sprinter to Argentina - said the Mercedes shops there were great, much better than what they experienced in US - what was your experience. They had such a positive experience they spent several yrs traveling around.
 

Malindi

New member
Malindi,
awesome trip - I want us to open another office in western SA (either Ecuador, Chile, or Argentina ) - after getting Sprinter experience here in US will either ship it or get another down there and want to travel around to decide where to have office (leaning towards Argentina) - pls email me at tigernassau@gmail.com to exchange some info re traveling and camping). Had the chance to talk to Belgium couple that shipped their Sprinter to Argentina - said the Mercedes shops there were great, much better than what they experienced in US - what was your experience. They had such a positive experience they spent several yrs traveling around.
I would certainly NOT take Argentina to set up an office... The political situation is pretty dire there. I would go to Santiago, Chile for business or even better, Bogota or Medellin in Colombia. I didn't camp at all on my trip, mostly staying in cheaper hotels etc. so I can't help you there. Lovely place to travel though and a camper would make 100% sense in South America versus a bike + tent.
 

53x11

New member
Are your drainage pipes 1" in diameter throughout? I am trying to figure out a complicated routing of 1.5" PVC on my build, but using some flexible 1" hose would certainly save me a lot of plumbing headaches - if 1" works for basic water drainage.
 

Graphite Dave

Dave Orton
Are your drainage pipes 1" in diameter throughout? I am trying to figure out a complicated routing of 1.5" PVC on my build, but using some flexible 1" hose would certainly save me a lot of plumbing headaches - if 1" works for basic water drainage.
1" ID sink and shower rubber hose drains on the sold Sprinter worked fine. The new Transit will have the same.

No separate traps required because drains enter the gray water tank in the bottom of the tank. Hoses go down below the tank bottom and then up into the tank. The first water out of the shower or sink fills the hose to create a "trap".

Tank had a 1" OD SS tube for the inlets and a 1/2" OD tube at the top edge of the side for an overflow & vent.

Transit tank will have a 1" ID ball valve for a drain. Transit tank will have only one inlet at the bottom middle of the tank. Shower drain will tee into the sink drain. There will be a tee at the tank inlet. Drains go in one side and dump hose with ball valve out the other side of the tee. Do not put an inlet on the tank toward the front of the vehicle. Putting foot on the brakes may create a small old faithful inside.

I use 3/4" copper fittings for 90's and tees. Fitting OD matches hose ID.

Rubber hoses less susceptible to splitting due to cold weather.

Sprinter tank:

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showpost.php?p=193531&postcount=1
 

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