Use these water tanks in your DIY campervan

We hear that our bodies are approximately 60% water. Water covers 71% of the planet. About 6,800 gallons of water are required to grow a day's food for a family of four…. Armed with these fascinating, yet trivial facts, we decided it was in our best interest to carry water with us on our journey.

Water tanks can take up a lot of space, depending on how much water you choose to carry. We use our water for cooking, doing dishes, brushing teeth, keeping everyone hydrated, and showering (occasionally). We felt the more water we carried, the more options we had and the longer we could go between fill-ups. We’re carrying 44 gallons of water when topped off and that can sustain us anywhere from between a week and a half to more than 3 weeks at a time (even longer if we fill our Berkey Purifier in a lake or stream!)

So where the hell do you put a 44-gallon container in your rig? 44 gallons of water equals 10164 cubic inches of space (nearly 6 cubic feet!). No one wants to sacrifice 6 cubic feet of space inside their build, so most people opt to locate their tanks underneath the vehicle. We take issue with this placement for a few reasons. A) A tank mounted on the exterior of the van will have very hot or very cold water. B) If you plan on boondocking in the snow, then you’re going to have to add a heater to your tank to make sure your system doesn’t freeze and burst your pipes C) A tank mounted on the exterior of your van is susceptible to punctures from rough roads or debris (party over!) For these reasons, we wanted our tanks INSIDE the build. But where?

We did a ton of research on tanks and looked at squeezing all sorts of shapes into all sorts of places in our design. We had the hardest time justifying the space our tank was going to take up until we happened upon Northwest Conversions wheel well water tanks. These incredibly well-designed tanks fit the Sprinter 2500, Sprinter T1N and Transit single rear wheel vans. The fit is amazing and it actually helped to square up the awkward spaces around the wheel wells.

Northwest Conversion’s tanks are made from Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), which they have rotomolded for their sweet professional van builds. They carry 20, 22, and 32-gallon tanks. The tanks come fitted with (2) 1.5” ports, (2) 1/2” ports on each end and (1) 1.5” port on top that can be used for fill or a sensor. The tanks can be fitted on either the right or left wheel well, but in our case, we purchased two 22 gallon tanks so that we could evenly distribute our water over both rear wheels. Boom! 44 gallons of water in a space that was basically a dead zone in our design. Amazing!

Why We Love It: These tanks allow us to carry a lot of water and we don’t miss the space they are using at all - it’s practically magic!. We love that the weight from the water is equally distributed over our wheels and keeps a low center of gravity in a tall van. The addition of the tanks actually made our empty Transit drive better! We don’t have to deal with our water freezing or being too hot in the summer and we don’t worry about the tanks being punctured when driving around in the backcountry. They also help with acoustic and thermal insulation! Wow!

Things To Keep In Mind: Make sure to check the dimensions on the tanks, as they are not symmetrical. You will want to make sure you understand where the tanks will start and stop, so you don’t have to reconfigure the rest of your build when they arrive in the mail. The tanks do not have interior baffles, but it seems the facetted geometry reduces any sloshing or shape deformation.

The Take Away: What ends up being the right solution for you will depend entirely on how you choose to use your rig. If you plan on staying in campgrounds frequently, then there isn’t as pressing a need to carry as much water as we are. Choosing not to put a shower in your build will reduce the need for large reserves as well, although having at least 20 gallons of water should be considered a bare minimum for any #vanlifer. For us, a shower and the flexibility of being off the grid for long stretches of time were essential elements. So, if you’re like us and only the best tanks will do, then the Northwest Conversions wheel well tanks are the right solution for you.

If you haven’t checked out the Northwest Conversions tanks yet, head on over there now!!!

Looking for the cheap weekender option? Look no further than this two-pack!