Van Build Water Tank Installation

by NW Conversions | Oct 9, 2020 | watertanks

Northwest Conversions wheel well water tanks are great for making the most of your van build space. Our water tanks are designed to fit over the wheel well, optimizing the space and having a lower center of gravity. The tanks are made from BPA Free Food Grade Plastic.

We offer a variety of models of different sizes and include ports that are located both in the front and the back of the tank. The 32 gallon wheel well water tank, and other water tank sizes, are designed to use the wasted space around the well. Our clever engineered tank fits the Sprinter 2500, Sprinter T1N and Transit single rear wheel vans. The water tank can also fit other vehicle makes and models.

We have manufactured the tanks with ports on both ends and the top to help meet your layout and plumbing needs. There is additional ports on top for filling or for installing a sensor to monitor the level. Each tank is specified as follows:

Meet Tyler, owner of Northwest Conversions, giving a presentation of a quick pre-installation of our water tanks of what needs to be done before installing into your travel van. Here are our 22 gallon water tanks that go around the wheel wells. The two water tanks will be going into a Sprinter 144″. The tanks will be connected in series to give a combined volume of 44 gallons of fresh water.

Orientation wise, there will be an emblem on top — NW Conversions — along with an 1.5 inch sensor location or fill port on the top. The ports are an inch and half and half inch. The half inch ports will be provided with plugs. Use a 3/8 inch T-handle Allen key tool to remove the plugs. Reinstall the plugs in unwanted ports along with using plumbers tape or similar to seal the threads.

The 1.5″ ports have a membrane that is water tight. To remove this membrane use a 1 3/4″ hole saw that is just smaller than the threads to drill the 1.5″ ports out that are to be used. Make sure to clean all particles out of the tank before installing fittings. This is easiest to do with an air compressor or vacuum. Once again, use plumbers tape or pipe sealant on all fittings.

Your tank is ready to be installed.

SHOP WATER TANKS

Van-Build-Water-Tank-Installation port hole

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you sell kits for filling the tank and connecting the tank to the sink?

We do not offer “plumbing kits” at this time.

Can you tell me specifically what type of plastic is used for the fresh water tanks please?

The tanks are made from polyethylene plastic. The tanks are food grade, non BPA plastic tanks. Made in Bellingham, WA USA.

Do you recommend an adhesive that I can use on your tanks?

The tanks are made from polyethylene so you would need to have an adhesive that will stick to that substance. Lexel does make some adhesives that may work for you on this application.

What shipping carrier do you use?

NW Conversion water tanks are shipped via FedEx. Shipping is best calculated just before checkout when your address has been entered for accuracy.

Where do you recommend the vent hole and what size? On the top?

The tanks need to be vented. The upper end corners or top port are the normal venting locations. Filling the tank slowly will help as well to reduce the chance of pressurizing the tank. The amount of water coming into the tank and the air going out of the tank needs to be about the same or the tank may expand due to pressure.

How do the water tank ports and NPT threads work?

Our water ports on the tank have female NPT threads, so you’ll need male NPT fittings. These fittings are widely available at hardware stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Amazon. Boat supply stores also typically carry a good selection. Nylon fittings are the best choice for optimal performance. You may try looking for MNPT (male national pipe thread) that will screw into the tank ports.

The ports are 1.5″ NPT (National pipe thread). The measurement comes from the inner dimension of the pipe diameter. The external threads will measure larger than the internal pipe size.

Pipe size is measured by the inside diameter (ID) and the hole saw is measured with the outside diameter (OD). By measuring the port size a 1 3/4″ hole saw will fit just inside the threads and not damage any threads.

Will I have room to insulate the wheel well before installing the tank with a Promaster?

Yes, the tanks are designed to have Thinsulate or similar insulation over the wheel well.

Can I use brass fittings or have you experienced issues with the brass fittings damaging the threaded polyethylene ports?

For fittings, brass will work but we have found that the nylon fittings seem to seat better. The brass and PVC type fittings seem to be a bit sharper and more fine thus making it easy to cross thread. All NPT fittings will work along with thread sealant of some sort (teflon tape) but the nylon seem to be best in our experience.

Does any of your tanks fill over the wheel arch of a Ford Econoline?

Yes, the wheel well tanks will fit the for Ford Econoline vans. The wells of the Econoline are a bit shorter in height.

Can I safely install a heating pad on one of your exterior tanks?

Yes, heating pads can be used on the water tanks. Make sure they are designed to be used with polyethylene material.

Do these tanks need to be vented?

You can typically gravity feed into the water tank and the pump. If the tank is plumbed this way, it must be vented, usually as a vent overflow.

Does the 32 gallons whell well water tanks fit on a Promaster?

Yes, the SP-C-36 gallon tank will fit the Promaster if elevated about 3.5″. Please see the product description. We do also have a 28 gallon Promaster specific tank. (PM-C-28)

Do you make a tank larger than 32 gallons?

Yes, we offer a 36 Gallon Water Tank and a left (SP-L-33) or right (SP-R-33) 33 Gallon Water Tank. There is also the option of having 2 interior tanks with one on each side installed over the wheel wells if you need more water. For the Sprinter van, the capacity can be as much as 72 gallons using the 36 Gallon Water Tank on both sides. This helps balance the weight load over the rear axle. Shop all size water tanks here.

Do you ship to Canada?

Yes, we do ship to Canada, although you will need to manually submit your order. Please use the form on the contact page.

Do you offer a 20-25 gallon over-wheel well water tank for the passenger side of a Chevrolet Express 15-passenger van, fitting forward of the wheel well?

Yes, we have had customers install them in the Chevrolet Express in the past with success. The wheel well of the Chevy is a bit smaller allowing the tanks to fit. Please refer to the product page for measurements of the particular tank you are looking for.

Can your water tanks be used as a graywater tanks?

Yes, the water tanks can be used for either fresh or grey water systems.

Do you have water level sensors to recommand?

Yes, there are several different kinds of sensors to use. You will need to find one that works with your other systems.

KUS makes a sensor that works great with our tanks. Verify that it will work with your monitoring system first as it is a resistive sensor.

How should I secure the water tank to the van?

There are so many different builds and layouts to accommodate the installation and ways to secure the tanks. We have pictures and posts about strapping down the tank. We use bent metal straps for our custom builds that are bolted through the wall and the floor of the van to secure the water tanks.

What is the wall thickness of the water tanks?

Due to the manufacturing process, the thickness of the tanks does vary. Most panel thicknesses are about 3/16″ + / – with the corners be much thicker. We do have a manufacturing minimum standard of 0.1″.