Water Tank Location

[DanDweller]

Hello all, I don't see what would be the appropriate subforum for this question, so I'm putting it here.

I'm converting a 2015 Ford Transit Connect and would like to install a 20 gallon water tank under the back of the van, where the spare tire would normally go.  (I'm mounting the spare on a swing-down hitch-mount tire carrier.)  My concern is this: Would this much weight (~170 pounds of water) all the way in the back be bad for how the car handles when driving?

 

[Weldman]

Be like having 170 pound person back there, shouldn't affect driving with the offset weight of other objects in the van in front of the rear axle.

 

[MrNoodly]

Consider that 170 pounds is the same as a medium sized adult. Would you worry about a person sitting at the very rear of the van? Besides, compared to the total weight of the rest of the things you'll probably have in the van, 170 lbs will probably be no big deal. It's good that the water would be mounted low, keeping your center of gravity closer to the road.

 

[highdesertranger]

I would have 2 concerns about mounting it there,

1. I would rip it right out of there. I have already done it with spares so I can't mount them under there either. even if you don't rip it out, you run the risk of hitting it and cracking or punching a hole in the tank. I know a member here that did that.

2. with the tank being outside the living area the chance of freezing is greatly enhanced. I have to watch this on my tank and I have had freezing issues before. on my new trailer the tank and all water lines will be inside.

highdesertranger

 

[MrNoodly]

I would rip it right out of there.  I have already done it with spares so I can't mount them under there either. 

DanDweller, keep in mind that highdesertranger's driving habits aren't typical. He goes way off road. Things ripping off is a concern of his because he tends to push the limits of his rig.

 

[B and C]

I have a 35 gallon gas tank and a Onan 2800K watt generator back there with no adverse handling.

 

[tx2sturgis]

The weight issue and clearance issue has been addressed, but what about exhaust routing? Will the hot pipes be too close to the plastic tank, assuming it is plastic.

If it is plastic, you might need to install heat shielding to protect the tank.

 

[DanDweller]

Thanks for the input. I think I'll just go ahead and put the tank there. Not too worried about freezing-- am 100% determined never to be in a place where it gets that cold--avoiding that kind of masochism is one of the deciding factors that made me choose van life, in fact. Just head south in the winter. As far as ripping out or damaging the tank, I guess I'll just have to drive carefully, and avoid the highdesertranger roads Maybe I could install a metal panel reinforcement on the bottom of the tank. The exhaust already has a heat shield around it-- I've felt under there in the spare tire area and found it not to be too hot. All in all, it just seems the obvious place for a water tank. All the Transit Connect mods I see on youtube have a water tank on the inside of the van, which makes absolutely no sense to me, since space is already so limited in such a small van.

 

[highdesertranger]

I don't know where you plan on going to were it doesn't freeze. but even Arizona, Texas. and most of Florida is no guaranty against freezing. if you are careful you really don't have to worry about the tank freezing but the line. this is where I have had problems. since the line feeds from the bottom of the tank it's is quite venerable to freezing and cracking of the fittings. besides having the water pump feed line down there you also need a drain valve at the low point. you seem quite determined to putting the tank there but I think you really need to think this through. BTW the member that punch a whole in their tank was not on a 4x4 road. highdesertranger

 

[tx2sturgis]

Adding pipe insulation will help, as will a short length of heat tape, or a tank heater pad, but of course those last two items require electricity, either 12v or 120v.

If the ambient temps drop to 30 degrees or so, then recover the next day to above about 50 degrees, an insulated line and fittings should be fine.

But if your overnight temps drop below 20 degrees or so, and daytime temps never get above freezing, those fittings are subject to cracking.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

There are a number of auxiliary gas tanks that fit in that location.  Search online and see how they support the weight; you should be able to find one for your vehicle.  Water and gas weigh about the same.

If you have a pump, water can be extracted from the top; you just need the pickup to be at the bottom of the tank.  Eliminates a source for leaks.

Water has a high heat capacity, so unless you are staying in an area where the daytime temps don't get much above freezing, you should be fine.  Freeze damage always occurs at the most difficult place to fix (corollary to Murphy's Law).

 

[ZoNiE]

I'd put it under the bed

 

[tx2sturgis]

I would not use water (for personal use) that occupies a steel, plastic, or aluminum gas tank, even if the tank had never been filled with gasoline. They are not designed for that.

Rust would be a concern, if the tank was made of steel, as would any coatings or oils used during pressure testing and protection during storage and transport before installation.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I guess I wasn't clear.

I didn't mean to use a aux gas tank but to look at how they are supported, since water will weigh more than a spare tire.

 

[highdesertranger]

I am not saying to use a gas tank for a water tank. but the gas tanks that I have seen that fit there are kinda shaped like a tire. do they even make a water tank like that? highdesertranger

 

[DanDweller]

I am not saying to use a gas tank for a water tank.  but the gas tanks that I have seen that fit there are kinda shaped like a tire.   do they even make a water tank like that?  highdesertranger

The space itself is rectangular.  I need to measure the exact size, but it looks big enough to fit one of the 20-gal water tanks that appear when I put in a search for "rv water tanks".