¶ title: Van Water and Plumbing
description: Fresh water, gray water, pump, filtration, drains, and winterization notes for the Ford Transit camper conversion.
published: true
date: 2026-05-26T21:35:00.000Z
tags: van, camper, plumbing
editor: markdown
dateCreated: 2026-05-17T17:41:26.302Z
¶ Van Water and Plumbing
¶ Summary
Document water storage, pumping, filtration, sink, drains, gray water, outdoor shower, hot water, and winterization here.
¶ Page Rules
- This page owns water-system architecture, tank role assignments, plumbing runs, fixture/service routing, winterization requirements, leak-test procedure, and plumbing-specific install constraints.
- Keep purchased item order status, delivery status, costs, and receipt details on Inventory and Purchases; keep remaining active buy candidates on Purchase Tracker.
- Keep accepted tradeoff rationale on Decisions, current unresolved blockers on Gaps and Questions, and Rixen hydronic kit/source facts on Rixen Hydronic Heat and Floor.
- Keep line-level tank ports, vents, drains, valve logic, and hose-routing facts here. Keep the higher-level cross-system underbody-routing reconciliation on Gaps and Questions until those specific routes are closed cleanly against structure and neighboring systems.
- Keep summary/status rows here focused on current architecture and owner-page context. If a note starts reading like a live open-work list, move that explicit blocker tracking back to Gaps and Questions.
- BOM and shopping-list rows on this page are allowed only when they directly support a documented plumbing install phase or sourced plumbing architecture; once an item is purchased, summarize the installed use here and move live order state to inventory.
- Do not add generic all-
TBDplumbing placeholders. Add a row only when it names a real component, run, fixture, tank port, test, or physical audit item.
¶ Current Direction
| Area | Current Direction | Owner-page Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh water storage | S&B 10-3017 spare-tire tank as fresh water. |
Body-panel interface is a simple white city-water-only inlet. Tank filling direction remains pressure fill only, with no dedicated gravity-fill hatch. |
| Pump | Pickup path from a passenger-side low port on the spare-tire fresh tank into a dry interior passenger-side plumbing concentration area. | The current target pump family must not be treated as an exposed underbody install. Pump-selection and control blockers live on Gaps and Questions. |
| Filtration | No whole-coach carbon filter by default. | Use a pump strainer plus a point-of-use drinking-water filter at a separate sink spout. |
| Sink/galley | Passenger-side sink with a normal main faucet plus a separate filtered drinking-water spout. | The sink gray drain should include a fixture-side odor barrier; current preferred direction is a mobile-friendly waterless trap / sanitary waste valve rather than relying on a conventional water-filled P-trap. |
| Gray water | Passenger-side 20 gal S&B tank as normal sink/shower gray water. |
Detailed venting, drain-valve, and disposal blockers live on Gaps and Questions. |
| Urine storage | Driver-side 22 gal S&B tank as a dedicated urine tank for the sliding dry toilet. |
Detailed vent/dump and guided-hose blockers live on Gaps and Questions. |
| Hot water | Rixen's hydronic system provides domestic hot water for sink and shower. | |
| Shower | Tetravan fold-down shower at the foot of the bed plus a separate hot/cold rear-door shower hookup mounted inside the rear doors. | Treat the shower drain as needing an odor barrier between living space and the gray tank side. Whether that is a separate waterless trap or an integrated trap/seal in the final Tetravan drain stack still needs to be proven from the installed drain hardware. |
| City water | Simple white city-water-only inlet, drinking-water hose connected directly at the body panel, fixed 40-50 psi source-side regulator, and electric downstream selector logic. |
Current preferred fresh pressure-fill entry is the spare-tire tank's upper open 1/2 in port, not a newly opened 1-1/2 in membrane port. Exact mounting and routing blockers live on Gaps and Questions. |
| Winterization | Drain points, bypasses, and antifreeze procedure remain unresolved. | Keep the live blocker on Gaps and Questions; this page owns the finished winterization procedure once closed. |
¶ Component Register
| Component | Model | Capacity / Rating | Location | Maintenance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S&B Tanks spare-tire replacement tank | 10-3017 | 25 gal approximate | Spare-tire area, rear-center underbody | Inspect mounts/fittings, sanitize as fresh tank, drain or protect for freezing conditions | Current preferred fresh-water tank. Purpose-built spare-tire replacement tank with multi-port layout and more capacity than the side tanks. The canonical inventory row remains ordered - backordered. |
| S&B Tanks driver-side undercarriage tank | 10-3016 | 22 gal approximate | Driver-side undercarriage, Ford Transit 148/148 EXT | Inspect mounts/fittings, vent path, dump path, and freeze protection | Email-confirmed from Nomadic Supply order 150476. Current preferred role is dedicated urine storage, not fresh water. The canonical inventory row is delivered - metadata incomplete. |
| S&B Tanks passenger-side undercarriage tank | 10-3015 | 20 gal approximate | Passenger-side undercarriage, Ford Transit 148/148 EXT | Inspect mounts/fittings, venting, dump path, and freeze protection | Email-confirmed from Nomadic Supply order 150476. Current preferred role is sink/shower gray water. The canonical inventory row is delivered - metadata incomplete. |
| Passenger-side sink | Tec Vanlife black nanotechnology stainless-steel RV sink with retractable faucet / cover package | Current source-backed footprint 17.7 x 15.3 in, cutout 16.5 x 14.2 in, depth 9 in |
Passenger-side galley | Clean strainer/drain, inspect faucet and supply connections | Sink basin and main faucet direction are now selected. Remaining sink-side package work is the separate filtered drinking-water spout, exact point-of-use drinking-water filter, final drain/strainer hardware, and the exact waterless trap / sanitary waste valve package. |
| Tetravan folding shower | Folding Camper Van Shower System 2.1, stainless steel, front entry | 1.75 gpm low-flow showerhead; built-in drain path into downstream tube/drain plumbing | Foot of bed; folds down into center aisle | Dry curtain after use, inspect drain seal and latch, clean pan | Email-confirmed from Nomadic Supply order 150476. The canonical inventory row remains shipped - delivery proof missing. User clarified this should be treated as its own drain-tube arrangement rather than a standard shower drain assumption. |
| Rear-door shower hookup | not yet selected | Hot/cold quick-connect or shower port not yet selected | Inside rear doors | Inspect quick-connects, hose, seals, and shutoff behavior | Current preferred use is to open the rear doors and shower/rinse from inside the van opening. No dedicated drain path assumed. |
| Rixen's hydronic domestic hot water | MCS7 Hydronic with S-3 Gasoline Furnace Kit | On-demand hot water via plate heat exchanger | Utility/mechanical area not yet fixed | Maintain glycol loop, furnace, pump, mixing valve, and winterization path | Email-confirmed from Rixen's order E-3613 dated 2026-03-27; includes floor heat kit and engine heat kit. Also documented on climate page for air/floor heat. |
¶ Planned Layout and Plumbing Architecture
- Passenger-side galley sink.
- Tetravan fold-down shower mounted at the foot of the bed, deploying into the center of the van.
- Separate
hot/coldrear-door shower hookup mounted on theinsidenear the rear doors so the doors are opened for use. - Rixen's hydronic system supplies hot water to both sink and shower, plus air heat and radiant floor heat.
- Toilet will be
dry / non-water-flush, stored inside a bench on sliders, and used withurine diversionplus bagged solids / compost material. - There will be
no black tank. - The shower drain path still must be planned before flooring is finalized, but this is not a conventional shower-pan drain layout. The Tetravan has its own built-in drain arrangement that routes into a downstream tube/drain path.
- Sink and shower should share hot/cold supply routing where practical, but isolation valves should remain reachable for service and winterization.
- Fresh pickup can rise from the spare-tire tank into the passenger-side interior plumbing area, but the selected fresh-water pump direction is now
interior dry mount only, not an exposed underbody pump location. - The gray side needs
2different odor-control layers:- a
fixture-side odor barrierat each drain opening that connects living space to the gray system - a properly routed
tank ventso the gray tank itself is not trying to burp into the cabin
- a
- Current preferred fixture-side odor-barrier direction:
sink: use awaterless trap / sanitary waste valvesized for the final sink drain package instead of assuming a conventional water-filledP-trapshower: do not assume the Tetravan's included1.5 inmarine drain is itself a living-space odor seal; prove whether the final Tetravan drain stack includes its own trap/seal or add a downstream waterless trap in the fixed drain run
- The urine side is different:
- do
notintentionally create a trap in the urine hose - the urine hose should maintain continuous usable downhill slope in the deployed position and avoid residue-holding low spots when stowed
- odor control on the urine side should come from the dry toilet's own solids-vent system plus a dedicated vented urine tank, not from leaving pooled urine in a trap
- do
- Current preferred filtration strategy:
pump straineron the fresh-water suction side- no whole-coach carbon filter by default
- separate
filtered drinking-water spoutat the sink for drinking/cooking water only
- Current working fresh-fill assumption:
- no dedicated
gravity fill city water -> tank fillhandled through downstream electric valves- a separate dedicated fresh-tank vent is still required
- current preferred fresh-vent architecture is an
all-underbody high loopwith a protected exterior outlet, not a separate vent path entering the van
- no dedicated
- Current preferred three-tank architecture:
S&B 10-3017spare-tire tank = fresh waterS&B 10-3015passenger-side tank = gray waterS&B 10-3016driver-side tank = dedicated urine storage
- Current working routing assumption:
- Rixen floor-loop exit will likely be rear passenger side
- sink and shower drains will stay passenger-biased into the passenger-side gray tank if the underbody route works
- the spare-tire fresh tank gives a cleaner fresh pickup path because a passenger-side low port can rise directly into the passenger-side plumbing concentration area
- urine should remain segregated from normal gray water rather than combining the streams
¶ Tetravan Packaging Facts Relevant To Bed Height
Current stronger Tetravan 2.1 sources are the official product page and the 2024-11 customer drawing, not the looser FAQ wording when they conflict.
Current source-backed Tetravan packaging dimensions:
- outer flange width about
23 3/8 in - slot width
22 in - outer height
32 1/2 in - slot height
32 in - closed body depth
3 1/2 in - additional behind-wall space of about
3 1/2 infor plumbing lines and shower-head / hose storage - deployed pan projection
25 in - drain hole located under the center of the shower gutter
Planning implication:
- The shower does not by itself set the under-bed bike box height, but it does set a real minimum package at the bed foot.
- Bed-height closure therefore has to check both:
- bike box height under the bed
- Tetravan outer-height and behind-wall-depth fit in the bed-front bulkhead zone
- Tetravan's FAQ also says the deployed shower pan sits about
3 inabove the floor when in use. That matters for standing shower headroom, but the stronger contribution to bed-height packaging is the closed-body height/depth and the bed-foot bulkhead integration.
¶ Fixture-Side Odor Barrier Notes
These notes exist because the van now has gray tank venting, urine tank venting, and fixture-side odor sealing as three separate design problems. Do not collapse them into one generic add a vent answer.
¶ Gray sink and shower
- A gray tank vent by itself is not enough to stop odor at the sink or shower opening; the cabin also needs a fixture-side odor barrier.
- For a moving van, a
waterless trap / sanitary waste valveis the current preferred direction over a conventional water-filledP-trapbecause RV-specific HepvO guidance explicitly positions that valve as a substitute for aP-trapfor sinks and showers, and because it avoids slosh-out, evaporation, and freeze-loss of the water seal. - Keep any waterless valve accessible, in the correct flow direction, and close enough to the fixture outlet to protect only that fixture before any shared branch.
- The Tetravan FAQ confirms the shower drains through an included
1.5 inthreaded marine shower drain, but that source does not by itself prove an integral living-space odor trap. Treat trap/seal identity on the shower asnot yet source-closeduntil the installed drain stack is physically verified or a stronger Tetravan source is recovered.
¶ Urine line and urine tank
- The urine line should not get a
P-trapor waterless trap. A trap in that line would intentionally hold urine, which is the wrong outcome for odor control and cleanup. - The urine line should stay smooth-wall, guided, and slope-controlled so it drains out after use instead of leaving standing liquid in a low spot.
- Odor control on that side depends on:
- the dry toilet's own ventilation for the solids side
- a dedicated vent on the urine tank
- a urine hose path that does not create a residue-holding sag
¶ Source Notes
- HepvO RV applications says the valve is used instead of a
P-trapto protect the living space from gray/black tank or sewer odor and explicitly lists sink and shower RV use. - HepvO installation guidance says the valve should be installed at the fixture exit or in-line up to
6 ftaway, upstream of branch tees, in the correct flow direction, and in an accessible location. - Tetravan FAQ says the shower drains through an included
1.5 inthreaded marine shower drain, but it does not by itself establish that the included drain acts as a trap.
¶ Detailed Fresh-Water Working Schematic
This SVG is now the primary working visual for the fresh-water side only. It deliberately excludes gray/urine drain-side routing so the remaining city-water, tank-fill, pump, manifold, and domestic-hot-water architecture can be closed without mixing in the waste side.
Orange dashed boxes in the drawing are required elements whose exact hardware package is still open. Bulkhead-driven rows still require delivered-part cutout confirmation before drilling.
¶ High-Level Plumbing Flowchart
flowchart LR
subgraph SourceSide
SPIG["Water Source / Spigot"]
REG["Valterra A01-1124VP<br/>Fixed 40-50 psi Regulator<br/>with Gauge"]
HOSE["Drinking Water Hose"]
end
subgraph Underbody
FT["Fresh Tank<br/>S&B 10-3017<br/>25 gal<br/>Spare Tire Area"]
GT["Passenger Tank<br/>S&B 10-3015<br/>20 gal<br/>Gray"]
UT["Driver Tank<br/>S&B 10-3016<br/>22 gal<br/>Urine"]
FVLOOP["Fresh Vent High Loop<br/>Protected Underbody Rise"]
VTERM["Fresh Vent Outlet<br/>Protected Underbody Termination"]
FH["Therma Heat Pad<br/>SL-T1218G-16G<br/>65W"]
GH["Therma Heat Pad<br/>SL-T1218G-16G<br/>65W"]
UH["Third Heat Pad<br/>Match SL-T1218G-16G<br/>or equivalent"]
FS["Fresh Sender<br/>Preferred: Garnet 710-ES3"]
GS["Gray Sender<br/>Preferred: Garnet 710-AR2"]
US["Urine Sender<br/>Preferred: Garnet 710-AR2"]
end
subgraph BodyPanelInterface
UTIL["JR Products 37262145<br/>White City-Water Inlet<br/>1/2 in MPT"]
end
subgraph Interior
V1["Electric Latching Valve A<br/>City Water to Coach"]
V2["Electric Latching Valve B<br/>City Water to Tank Fill"]
FPFILL["Fresh Pressure-Fill Line<br/>1/2 in high-pressure hose<br/>Selected upper 1/2 in port"]
FVENT["Fresh Vent Line<br/>Selected 3/4 in vent port"]
FPICK["Fresh pickup<br/>Passenger-side low 1/2 in port"]
FDRAIN["Fresh drain valve<br/>Second low 1/2 in port"]
PUMP["Pump / Filter<br/>Model not yet selected"]
HX["Rixen DHW Heat Exchanger /<br/>Mixing Valve<br/>Location not yet fixed"]
COLD["Coach Cold Manifold"]
SINK["Passenger-Side Main Sink Faucet"]
DFLT["Drinking-Water Filter<br/>Point Of Use"]
DSPT["Filtered Drinking Spout"]
SHWR["Tetravan Shower"]
RSHWR["Rear-Door Hot/Cold Shower Hookup"]
DRN["Tetravan Built-In Drain<br/>into Tube Path"]
GIN["Gray tank inlet<br/>preferred top 1-1/2 in path"]
GVENT["Gray vent<br/>preferred top 3/4 in path"]
GDUMP["Gray dump / drain<br/>1-1/2 in tank male adapter<br/>Valterra T1001D<br/>1-1/2 in camlock outlet"]
TOIL["Sliding Bench Toilet<br/>Dry / Urine-Diverting"]
ULINE["Urine Hose / Guide Path<br/>0.75 in ID tube<br/>Target installed length about 5 ft"]
UVENT["Urine vent / dump<br/>1/2 in high loop vent<br/>1-1/2 in tank male adapter<br/>Valterra T1001D<br/>1-1/2 in camlock outlet"]
TDISC["Tank 4-pin Service Disconnects<br/>Sender pair + heat-pad pair"]
CTRL["Custom monitoring / control<br/>mini PC / Home Assistant path not yet fixed"]
end
SPIG --> REG
REG --> HOSE
HOSE --> UTIL
UTIL -->|city water path| V1
UTIL -->|city water path| V2
V1 -->|city water to coach| COLD
V2 -->|city fill to tank| FPFILL
FPFILL --> FT
FT -->|fresh vent line| FVENT
FVENT --> FVLOOP
FVLOOP --> VTERM
FT -->|passenger-side low pickup| FPICK
FPICK -->|pump suction| PUMP
FT -->|dedicated low drain| FDRAIN
PUMP -->|tank mode cold supply| COLD
COLD -->|cold supply| SINK
COLD -->|cold supply| HX
COLD -->|cold branch| SHWR
COLD -->|cold branch| RSHWR
COLD -->|cold feed| DFLT
DFLT -->|filtered cold| DSPT
HX -->|hot supply| SINK
HX -->|hot supply| SHWR
HX -->|hot supply| RSHWR
SINK -->|gray drain| GIN
SHWR --> DRN
DRN -->|downstream drain tube| GIN
GIN --> GT
GT -->|vent line| GVENT
GT -->|dump / service drain| GDUMP
TOIL -->|urine diverter line| ULINE
ULINE --> UT
UT --> UVENT
FS --> TDISC
GS --> TDISC
US --> TDISC
FH --> TDISC
GH --> TDISC
UH --> TDISC
TDISC --> CTRL
FH --> FT
GH --> GT
UH --> UT
Notes:
- This is a planning diagram, not a final fabrication drawing.
- It reflects the current preferred three-tank assignment:
S&B 10-3017spare-tire fresh tankS&B 10-3015passenger-side gray tankS&B 10-3016driver-side urine tank
- It reflects the current preferred utility hardware:
JR Products 37262145as a simplecity-water-onlyinlet. - It reflects the current preferred hose hookup:
spigotsource-side regulatordrinking-water hose- directly into the
JR Products 37262145city-water inlet
- It reflects the current preferred city-water regulation approach:
Valterra A01-1124VP- source-side placement at the spigot/hose
- It reflects the current preferred plumbing modes:
city fill -> tankcity water -> coach
- It reflects the current preferred fresh-fill simplification:
- no dedicated gravity-fill hatch
- tank fill handled through the pressurized selector path
- fresh vent handled as an all-underbody high loop with a protected exterior outlet
- It reflects the current preferred sink filtration architecture:
main sink faucetfor normal hot/cold utility water- separate
point-of-use drinking-water filter - separate
filtered drinking spout
- It reflects the current preferred second shower endpoint:
rear-door hot/cold shower hookupmounted inside the rear doors
- It reflects the current preferred valve architecture:
2x U.S. Solid JFMSV000011/2 inSS304 full-port,9-24V AC/DC,3-wire,NSF- separate
city to coachandcity to tankbranches
- It now reflects the current fresh-tank low-point recommendation: use one low
1/2 inport for pickup and a separate low1/2 inport for a direct inline drain valve. - It now reflects the current tank-service wiring direction:
- one sealed
4-pindisconnect per tank - each connector carries the
2sender wires plus the2heat-pad wires
- one sealed
- It now reflects the current fresh-routing benefit that came with the spare-tire tank decision:
- fresh pickup can rise from a passenger-side low port directly into the passenger-side plumbing concentration area
- the pump itself should live on the interior side of that rise in a dry protected service area, not below the van
- It now reflects the current preferred toilet-waste split:
- normal sink/shower gray stays in the passenger-side gray tank
- urine is segregated into the dedicated driver-side tank
- It also reflects the current preferred sender and freeze-protection direction:
Garnet 710-ES3for the spare-tire fresh tank andGarnet 710-AR2for the two side tanksKUS S5U-10retained as the spare-tire-tank fallback if the external sender fit proves badTherma Heat SL-T1218G-16Gpads are now source-confirmed as the current two-pad baseline, with a third matching pad still on the active buy list
- The exact optional sediment stage, pump isolation details, valve interlock logic, final gray/urine dump-outlet placement and operating procedure, exact urine vent-outlet placement, water pump model, custom sensor interface, and Rixen unit location are still open.
¶ S&B Transit Undercarriage Tanks
¶ Identification
The side-tank pair is email-confirmed as the S&B/SB Tanks Ford Transit undercarriage products from Nomadic Supply order 150476, not the RB Components over-fender tank. The canonical inventory rows for both side tanks are delivered - metadata incomplete, and the side-specific order, shipment, and delivery emails line up with S&B's separate driver-side and passenger-side Transit products.
The currently preferred fresh-tank candidate is also an S&B Transit-specific product:
S&B 10-3017spare-tire replacement tank- approximately
25 gal - intended for the spare-tire area
- canonical inventory row remains
ordered - backordered
| Side | Part Number | Official Name | Capacity | Dimensions | Fitment Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | S&B 10-3016 | 22 Gallon Drivers Side Undercarriage Fresh/Grey Water Tank | 22 gal approx | 49.9" L x 14.6" W x 10.9" H | Listed for 2015-2026 Ford Transit 148" and 148" EXT. S&B says it does not work on Transit Trail or passenger vans because AC lines are in the way; works with factory and Owl running boards; not Flatline running boards. The canonical inventory row is delivered - metadata incomplete. |
| Passenger | S&B 10-3015 | 20 Gallon Passenger Side Undercarriage Fresh/Grey Water Tank | 20 gal approx | 59" L x 15.86" W x 10.55" H | Listed for 2015-2026 Ford Transit 148" and 148" EXT. S&B says it works with factory Transit, Transit Trail, and Owl running boards; not Flatline running boards. The canonical inventory row is delivered - metadata incomplete. |
| Spare tire area | S&B 10-3017 | 25 Gallon Spare Tire Replacement Fresh/Grey Water Tank | 25 gal approx | 22.9" L x 25.7" W x 14.1" H | Listed for Transit 130", 148", and 148" EXT on current product pages. Purpose-built spare-tire replacement tank. The canonical inventory row remains ordered - backordered. |
Both tanks are described by S&B as food-grade safe, BPA-free polyethylene, TEI tested/listed, RVIA approved, and pressure-tested in-house. They can be used as fresh or gray water tanks, but the system design must clearly label which is which before plumbing is closed in.
If the boxes actually say RB Components, the likely alternate product is RB Components 61459-280-KIT, a 20 gal polyethylene over-fender tank. That tank is not the same undercarriage install path; it mounts over a wheel well, can be placed on either driver or passenger side, includes 3/4" and 1/2" plugs, and is 43.5" L x 13" W x 15.75" H.
¶ Installation Materials
| Item | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| S&B 10-3016 product page | Driver-side tank | Primary product fitment, dimensions, compatibility, and overview media. |
| S&B 10-3015 product page | Passenger-side tank | Primary product fitment, dimensions, compatibility, and overview media. |
| S&B 10-3017 product page | Spare-tire tank | Primary product page for the current preferred fresh-tank candidate. |
| 10-3016 exploded view PDF | /van/artifacts/manuals/plumbing/sb-tanks-10-3016-exploded-view.pdf |
Local export of the official S&B exploded-view PDF; parts list and bracket/hook hardware reference. |
| 10-3015 exploded view PDF | /van/artifacts/manuals/plumbing/sb-tanks-10-3015-exploded-view.pdf |
Local export of the official S&B exploded-view PDF; parts list and bracket/hook hardware reference. |
| 10-3017 exploded view PDF | /van/artifacts/manuals/plumbing/sb-tanks-10-3017-exploded-view.pdf |
Local export of the official S&B exploded-view PDF; parts list and partial port-position reference for the spare-tire tank. |
| Driver-side reseller install overview | Vanlife Outfitters driver-side page | Notes that the tank includes straps/hardware, fits 2015+ Transit 148/148 EXT, and can pair with Cerbo GX/SeeLevel monitoring. |
| Passenger-side reseller install overview | Vanlife Outfitters passenger-side page | Notes non-pressurized/vented use, universal fittings, multiple port locations, and included straps/hardware. |
| S&B 10-3016 installation overview video | YouTube video | Spoken walkthrough of the driver-side tank geometry, port uses, no-drill mounting claim, and sender recommendations. |
| RB Components alternate | RB Components 20 gal fender-mount tank | Use only if physical labels confirm the tanks are actually RB Components instead of S&B/SB Tanks. |
¶ Exploded-View Hardware Notes
Driver-side 10-3016 exploded view includes:
- Tank body.
- Three
1-1/2" FPTflush spin-weld fittings. - One
1/2" NPTflush female spin-weld fitting. - One
3/4" NPTflush mount female spin-weld fitting. - Four 1/2" stainless washers and four nylon-insert lock nuts.
- Front and back brackets.
- Four L-hook anchor bolts in 9.25", 10", 9.5", and 9.75" lengths.
Passenger-side 10-3015 exploded view includes:
- Tank body.
- One
3/4" NPTflush mount female spin-weld fitting. - Three
1-1/2" FPTflush spin-weld fittings. - Straight and diagonal brackets.
- Four 1/2" stainless washers and four nylon-insert lock nuts.
- One
1/2" NPTflush female spin-weld fitting. - Four L-hook anchor bolts in 6.5", 10", 9.25", and 8.5" lengths.
Spare-tire 10-3017 exploded view includes:
- Tank body.
- Three
1-1/2" FPTports with membrane. - Four
1/2" NPTports. - One
3/4" NPTport. - Strap / mounting hardware for the spare-tire replacement installation.
¶ Port Location Map From Exploded Views
The exploded-view PDFs are enough to stop guessing about the port cluster geometry.
For both tanks, all five plumbing ports are grouped at one service end of the tank body:
2 portson thetop face3 portson thevertical end face
¶ Spare-tire fresh candidate 10-3017
The 10-3017 spare-tire tank is not the same geometry as the side tanks. The exploded view confirms:
3x 1-1/2 in FPTwith membrane4x 1/2 in NPT1x 3/4 in NPT
Visible from the exploded-view sheet:
- a lower visible side / service face with:
2x 1/2 in NPT1x 1-1/2 in FPT with membrane
- an upper visible face with:
1x 3/4 in NPT
- a top deck with:
1x 1/2 in NPT
The remaining large and small ports exist by count but are not all fully exposed in the single PDF view. Spoken product-video notes indicate the tank provides usable lower-side ports on both sides plus higher-side fill / vent candidates, which is why the current plumbing plan treats:
- a passenger-side lower small port as the leading
pickupcandidate - a higher driver-side small port as the leading
pressure-fillcandidate now that gravity fill is gone - a higher driver-side small / vent port as the leading
fresh ventcandidate
¶ Driver-side fresh tank 10-3016
Top face1x 1-1/2" FPT1x 3/4" NPT
Vertical end face2x 1-1/2" FPT1x 1/2" NPT
¶ Passenger-side gray tank 10-3015
Top face1x 1-1/2" FPT1x 3/4" NPT
Vertical end face2x 1-1/2" FPT1x 1/2" NPT
Important limitation:
- The PDFs resolve
which sizes are on the top face versus the end face. - They do not by themselves prove
which way that service end points once the tank is installed on the van. - Until the physical tank orientation is confirmed, document these as
top faceandservice-end face, notfront-of-vanandrear-of-van.
¶ Working Orientation Assumption
User install assumption as of 2026-05-17:
- both tanks have their
service end / port clusterfacingrearwardonce installed on the van
Treat this as the current planning orientation for:
- fill and vent routing
- pickup and drain access
- sender wiring access
- underbody serviceability
It is still worth verifying against the physical tanks during install, but this is now the documented working assumption.
¶ Driver-Side Video Findings
The S&B driver-side overview video adds a few practical install claims that are not obvious from the exploded PDF alone:
- The tank tapers
inwardandrearwardso water pools toward the rear corner. - The speaker explicitly describes the rear service-end ports as:
1-1/2"rear port1/2"rear port1-1/2"rear port- plus
3/4"top port - plus
1-1/2"top port
- The
1/2"lower rear port is described as a goodfresh-tank pump feedand also a candidate for agravity drainwith a valve. - A rear
1-1/2"port is described as the place to adapt into astandard RV dumpstyle arrangement if desired. - The
top 1-1/2"port is described as ideal for agray-water inletif the tank is used as gray. - S&B says you can also
add a top entryby punching through the membrane on a top fitting area if a straight-down drain path is needed. - The top of the tank is described as
flat, with space up to the floor/crossmembers, and the referenced crossmember area is described in the video assheet metalrather than structural framing. - The tank is described as mounting via
studs into the bodywithno drilling or cuttingfor the tank mount itself. - The video calls out compatibility with:
Garnet 710-ES2stick-on level sensor- traditional
screw-insender on a top1-1/2"location after opening the membrane with astep drill bit
These are still video-claim notes rather than a substitute for physical verification, but they are useful for port-assignment planning.
¶ Passenger-Side Video Findings
The S&B passenger-side overview video adds several useful details for the 10-3015 tank:
- The video states the passenger tank port set as:
1/2"on thebottom1-1/2"and another1-1/2"on the tank3/4"on top1-1/2"on top
- S&B describes the
1-1/2"top port as suitable for athread-in level sensor. - They also show the
Garnet ES2stick-on sender as an alternative, but say they prefer thethread-instyle for reliability. - For
gray-water use, the1/2"bottom port is described as usable with a switched drain valve setup. - For a more traditional gray-dump arrangement, the video says you can adapt from a
1-1/2"port upward into a more RV-style valve arrangement. - The video explicitly says the
1-1/2"port is where you wouldfeed gray water into the tank. - For a straight drop into the tank, they describe using a
grommetand pushing the drain pipe straight into a top entry. - The
3/4"top port is explicitly described as thevent. - For
gray-water use, they say the vent hose can run straight to ground. - For
fresh-water use, they recommend routing that vent somewhere more protected so dirt and debris cannot get into the tank. - The passenger tank is shown working with the
factory running boardcutout geometry. - The mounting is again described as using the supplied hangers/brackets into
existing factory holes, with the tank held up by the hangers and lower supports.
These points are directly useful for the gray-tank port-assignment step, especially because they clarify:
top 3/4"= venttop 1-1/2"= natural gray inlet / sensor locationbottom 1/2"= a legitimate drain option
¶ Pre-Install Checklist
- Confirm the van is the 148" wheelbase extended body configuration and that the tanks match S&B 10-3015/10-3016 labels.
- Confirm no factory option, aftermarket running board, heater, AC line, exhaust, wiring, lift point, or body hardware occupies the tank envelope.
- Photograph the undercarriage before installation, including every mounting point, factory line, harness, and clearance issue.
- Decide fresh vs gray assignment before installing fittings. Do not mix future potable and waste use without retiring the tank from potable service.
- Decide what should be installed or test-fit on the tank before the tank goes under the van: vent fitting, pickup/fill/drain fittings, sender if used, wiring exit, and any unused-port plugs.
- Confirm the assumed rear-facing port-cluster orientation before final hose and valve routing.
- Plan serviceable access for fill, vent, pickup, drain, level sender wiring, and winterization.
- Protect every hose or wire crossing metal with grommets, loom, clamps, and abrasion protection.
- Use thread sealant compatible with potable water and plastic fittings; avoid over-tightening threaded fittings in polyethylene spin-weld ports.
- Confirm the tank is vented. The passenger-side reseller notes these tanks are intended for non-pressurized systems and must be vented.
- If adding level monitoring, verify sender length before drilling or wiring. The passenger-side page references an 8" KUS sensor height; the driver-side page should be verified against S&B documentation or physical measurement.
- Fill-test each tank while still visible and accessible. Check spin-weld fittings, threaded fittings, brackets, and hose runs for leaks or movement.
¶ Operation Notes
- Treat the undercarriage tanks as non-pressurized reservoirs. The pump should draw from the tank outlet; do not pressurize the tank body.
- Keep the fill and vent design simple and visible enough to diagnose slow filling, burping, or siphoning.
- Label fill, drain, and gray-water points permanently.
- Consider weight distribution: 42 gal total water capacity is roughly 350 lb of water before tank/hardware weight. Keep this in the payload and axle-load plan.
- Do not travel with unsecured partially installed tanks. Final mounting hardware must be tight, lock nuts engaged, and brackets seated.
- If either tank is used for gray water, keep a dedicated drain valve and cap, and dispose only at legal dump locations.
¶ Maintenance and Winterization
- Before first potable use, clean and sanitize the tank and plumbing. CDC guidance for storage containers calls for washing with soap and clean water, then sanitizing with a solution of unscented household bleach and water, followed by safe-water rinse or air drying.
- For ongoing potable-water safety, drain stale water, avoid questionable fill sources, and sanitize after long storage, contamination, odor, slime, or any plumbing rework.
- Inspect undercarriage tanks at every oil change or before long trips: brackets, lock nuts, straps, hoses, fittings, abrasion points, road-debris damage, and signs of freezing expansion.
- In freezing conditions, drain tanks and low points completely or use a documented RV antifreeze procedure for the full plumbing path. Undercarriage tanks are especially exposed.
- Keep the drain valve reachable without removing interior cabinetry.
- Record the final fitting map, valve positions, sender model, and photos after installation.
¶ Tank Prep Before Installation
Do the tank-prep work that benefits from bench access before the tanks go under the van:
- confirm the current tank-role architecture:
S&B 10-3017spare-tire tank = freshS&B 10-3015passenger-side tank = grayS&B 10-3016driver-side tank = urine
- identify which ports are fill, vent, pickup, drain, cleaning access, and sender access
- install or test-fit vent fittings and route concept
- install the actual low-point drain / dump hardware for any tank that is expected to be service-ready after mounting
- identify which large
1-1/2 infactory-sealed knockouts actually need to be opened - only buy/install plugs for ports that are already open or intentionally opened and then left unused
- count the open small ports deliberately:
10-3017spare-tire tank =4x 1/2 inopen ports10-3015passenger gray tank =1x 1/2 inopen port10-3016driver urine tank =1x 1/2 inopen port
- install or plan sender hardware if tank monitoring will be used
- pressure / leak test the fittings while the tank is still easy to access
- document the final top-side vent strategy before the tank is trapped under the van
- finalize all floor/body penetrations that belong to the tank package before installation:
- fresh pressure fill
- fresh vent
- fresh pickup / low-point service
- gray inlet path
- gray vent
- gray dump
- urine line
- urine vent
- urine dump / service path
¶ Tank-Install Materials Matrix - Outside-In Phase
This matrix records the sourced materials and remaining material choices for the get the tanks mounted phase. It is intentionally biased toward outside of van -> through body/floor -> into tank, and it now assumes the tanks should go in fully outfitted and service-ready, not half-finished with critical drain or vent paths deferred. Rows that are already purchased keep only install-use context here; canonical lifecycle state stays on Inventory and Purchases.
¶ Fresh Tank Materials
| Qty | Item | Current Recommendation | Est. Cost | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City-water inlet | JR Products 37262145 white city-water inlet with brass check valve |
delivered | etrailer 37262145 | Delivered identity; current preferred simple body-panel water interface. The canonical inventory row is the delivered/partially canceled etrailer mixed order that also covers the paired FL57FR, CAM22243, and T1001D hardware. |
| 2 | Fresh pressure-fill adapters | Everbilt 800409 1/2 in Barb x 1/2 in MIP nylon adapters, one at the tank and one at the hose-fed branch if the selector plumbing also terminates in 1/2 in FNPT |
working recommended | Home Depot Everbilt 800409 | Current preferred adapter family. No matching canonical inventory row exists yet; keep this as a sourced recommendation until the specific purchase/source record is recovered into Inventory and Purchases. |
| 1 | Fresh pressure-fill hose | Flair-It FL57FR 1/2 in ID high-pressure potable hose, cut to length |
delivered | etrailer FL57FR | Delivered identity. Use hose rather than hard PEX at the tank to absorb vibration and keep the underbody tank interface serviceable. |
| 1 | Fresh vent adapter | NHB-400B 1/2 in barb x 3/4 in MIP nylon adapter |
delivered | N/A | Delivered replacement for the Home Depot-canceled adapter. Threads into the fresh tank top 3/4 in vent port and connects to 1/2 in vent hose. |
| 1 | Fresh vent hose | Everbilt HKP002-PVC003 1/2 in ID 10 ft braided vinyl tube |
17.97 |
Home Depot Everbilt HKP002-PVC003 | Current preferred mainstream vent-hose option. Reinforced, easy to source, and eligible for Home Depot military discount. |
| 0 | Fresh vent body/floor fitting | No dedicated vent body fitting planned | 0.00 |
N/A | Current preferred direction is a protected all-underbody high-loop vent with an exterior outlet, so there is no separate body or interior vent fitting to buy. |
| 1 | Low-point pickup stub | 1/2 in barb x 1/2 in MIP nylon adapter |
working recommended | Home Depot Everbilt 800409 | Current preferred tank-side pickup stub. No matching canonical inventory row exists yet; keep this as a sourced recommendation until the specific purchase/source record is recovered into Inventory and Purchases. |
| 1 | Fresh pickup hose | Flair-It FL57FR 1/2 in ID high-pressure potable hose, cut to length |
delivered | etrailer FL57FR | Delivered identity. Gives the fresh pickup its own underbody-to-pump transition hose instead of leaving that leg implied. |
| 1 | Fresh low-point drain valve | Camco CAM22243 threaded fresh-water drain valve, installed inline on a dedicated low 1/2 in port |
delivered | etrailer CAM22243 | Delivered identity. This is the cleaner answer if a second low 1/2 in port is dedicated to draining instead of building a tee manifold. |
| 1 | Spare-tire fresh 1/2 in port plug |
SharkBite 25828A 1/2 in nylon MNPT test plug |
3.60 |
Home Depot SharkBite 25828A | Assumes the recommended architecture: 1x upper 1/2 in port used for pressure fill, 1x low 1/2 in port used for pickup, and 1x second low 1/2 in port used for the drain valve. That leaves 1x spare open 1/2 in port. |
| 0 | Large fresh-port plugs | Not buying yet | 0.00 |
N/A | Large 1-1/2 in bosses now appear to be factory-sealed threaded knockouts. Do not buy plugs until a specific large port is intentionally opened and then left unused. |
¶ Gray Tank Materials
| Qty | Item | Current Recommendation | Est. Cost | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gray vent adapter | NHB-400B 1/2 in barb x 3/4 in MIP nylon adapter |
delivered | N/A | Delivered replacement for the Home Depot-canceled adapter. Threads into the gray tank top 3/4 in vent port. |
| 1 | Gray vent hose | Everbilt HKP002-PVC003 1/2 in ID 10 ft braided vinyl tube |
17.97 |
Home Depot Everbilt HKP002-PVC003 | Use the same Home Depot hose as the fresh vent for sourcing simplicity. |
| 1 | Gray tank-side male adapter | Charlotte Pipe ABS001090800HD 1-1/2 in ABS DWV Hub x MPT Male Adapter |
delivered | Home Depot Charlotte ABS001090800HD | Threads directly into the S&B tank's 1-1/2 in FPT dump port and provides the hub socket that the dump valve glues into. |
| 1 | Gray dump valve | Valterra T1001D 1-1/2 in Spigot x 1-1/2 in MPT |
delivered | etrailer T1001D | The valve's spigot end glues into the ABS male adapter hub. The male-thread outlet accepts the valve-side camlock quick-disconnect adapter. |
| 1 | Gray valve-side quick-disconnect adapter | HYDROMAXX Alum-A-150 1-1/2 in Part A aluminum camlock adapter |
shipped | Home Depot HYDROMAXX Alum-A-150 | This replaces the old 3/4 in reducer elbow and keeps the full 1-1/2 in dump path. The canonical inventory row remains shipped until delivery or physical receipt is documented. |
| 1 | Gray inlet hardware | NHB-645B 1-1/2 in Barb x 1-1/2 in MIP nylon adapter on the top 1-1/2 in inlet port |
delivered | N/A | Delivered replacement for the Home Depot-canceled inlet adapter. Current recommendation for the tank-side gray inlet if sink and shower are combined into a 1-1/2 in trunk before entering the tank. |
| 1 | Gray inlet run material | UDP T30006005 1-1/2 in. x 1.90 O.D. x 10 ft. PVC Spa Hose |
on hand - source confirmed | Home Depot UDP T30006005 | User physically confirmed on 2026-05-31 that this spa hose is already in possession. Home Depot's product page remains the current dimensional source; order/receipt recovery is still open in Inventory and Purchases. |
| 0 | Gray-port plugs, large | Not buying yet | 0.00 |
N/A | Large 1-1/2 in bosses now appear to be factory-sealed threaded knockouts. Do not buy plugs until a specific large port is intentionally opened and then left unused. |
| 1 | Gray-port plug, small | SharkBite 25828A 1/2 in nylon MNPT test plug |
3.60 |
Home Depot SharkBite 25828A | Only needed if the final gray dump/service hardware is still unresolved at install time. |
¶ Urine Tank Materials
| Qty | Item | Current Recommendation | Est. Cost | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urine inlet adapter | Delivered Everbilt 3/4 in barb x 3/4 in MIP nylon adapter, SKU 548472 |
delivered | Home Depot Everbilt 800249 | Current preferred adapter from the canonical source-confirmed - receipt unknown Nifty-NETTY urine tube into the driver-side tank's open 3/4 in port. The canonical inventory row for this adapter is delivered. |
| 1 | Urine inlet hose | EZ-FLO 98624 3/4 in ID clear vinyl tubing, cut to an installed target of about 5 ft |
delivered | Lowe's EZ-FLO 98624 | The user does not recall a hose being included with the toilet kit, and the installed slider path does not need more than about 5 ft, so 10 ft stock trimmed to fit remains the install basis. |
| 1 | Urine vent adapter | 1/2 in barb x 1/2 in MIP nylon adapter (800409) |
working recommended | Home Depot Everbilt 800409 | Current preferred tank-side vent fitting if the open 1/2 in port becomes the urine vent. No matching canonical inventory row exists yet; keep this as a sourced recommendation until the specific purchase/source record is recovered into Inventory and Purchases. |
| 1 | Urine vent hose | Everbilt HKP002-PVC003 1/2 in ID 10 ft braided vinyl tube |
17.97 |
Home Depot Everbilt HKP002-PVC003 | Use the same vent hose family as the fresh and gray tanks so all three tank vents share one sourced hose type. |
| 1 | Urine vent hardware | No special top fitting needed; use the 1/2 in vent hose in a real high loop with a protected downward-facing underbody outlet |
included with vent hose + clamps | N/A | The vent function is handled by hose routing and outlet placement, not by a dedicated molded 180 fitting. |
| 1 | Urine tank-side male adapter | Charlotte Pipe ABS001090800HD 1-1/2 in ABS DWV Hub x MPT Male Adapter |
delivered | Home Depot Charlotte ABS001090800HD | Threads directly into the S&B tank's 1-1/2 in FPT dump port and provides the hub socket that the dump valve glues into. |
| 1 | Urine dump valve | Valterra T1001D 1-1/2 in Spigot x 1-1/2 in MPT |
delivered | etrailer T1001D | Same valve as the gray tank for serviceability and shared hose compatibility. |
| 1 | Urine valve-side quick-disconnect adapter | HYDROMAXX Alum-A-150 1-1/2 in Part A aluminum camlock adapter |
shipped | Home Depot HYDROMAXX Alum-A-150 | This replaces the old 3/4 in reducer elbow and keeps the full 1-1/2 in dump path. The canonical inventory row remains shipped until delivery or physical receipt is documented. |
| 1 | Urine line / guided-hose hardware | Guided flexible sweep using the shared split loom and cushioned support clamps, not a loose bungee | included in shared hardware bundle | N/A | The remaining work is the exact clamp count and routing proof. The support method itself is now chosen: protect the hose in split loom and force a repeatable loop with insulated clamps. |
¶ Shared Materials
| Qty | Item | Current Recommendation | Est. Cost | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresh external tank sender | Garnet 710-ES3 |
shipped | RV Upgrade Store 710-ES3 | Current preferred fresh-tank sender because the spare-tire tank is the taller tank in the set. The canonical inventory row remains shipped until delivery or physical receipt is documented. |
| 2 | Gray + urine external tank senders | Garnet 710-AR2 |
shipped | RV Upgrade Store 710-AR2 | Current preferred side-tank sender because the gray and urine tanks remain in the shorter-height range. The canonical inventory row remains shipped until delivery or physical receipt is documented. |
| 1 | Tank sender cable | Syston Cable Technology 50 ft. 18/2 Black Stranded Tinned Copper Electrical Wire (8108-SB-BK-50) |
20.34 |
Home Depot 8108-SB-BK-50 | Current preferred low-current sender cable because it is tinned, waterproof-rated, and easy to source from Home Depot. |
| 2 | Heating pads | Canonical source-confirmed - receipt unknown row: Therma Heat SL-T1218G-16G |
source-confirmed - receipt unknown | N/A | Install timing should be coordinated with sender placement and road-spray protection. The canonical inventory row still lacks vendor identity, order reference, delivery/receipt proof, and cost evidence, so do not treat these pads as receipt-proven until that trail is recovered. |
| 1 | Third tank heating pad | Match the existing Therma Heat SL-T1218G-16G spec; mainstream fallback is LaSalle Bristol 210SLT1218RTBX 12 in x 18 in thermostatic 12V pad |
41.84 |
Home Depot 210SLT1218RTBX | The urine tank now needs the same freeze-protection posture as the other two tanks unless a deliberate alternate strategy is documented. |
| 1 | Tank heat-pad branch wire | Syston Cable Technology 100 ft. Black 14/2 Stranded Bare Copper Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting Wire (8917-SB-BK-100) |
49.47 |
Home Depot 8917-SB-BK-100 | Current preferred branch wire for the three 12V pad circuits because it is stranded copper, outdoor-rated, and direct-burial capable. |
| 1 | Waterproof splice kit | Syston Cable Technology 22-10 AWG Waterproof Heat Shrink Butt Connector Kit (3030-SB-MS-100) |
29.99 |
Home Depot 3030-SB-MS-100 | Covers sealed underbody splices and pigtails on the fixed harness side. Tank-side serviceability is handled separately by the chosen 4-pin disconnects. |
| 1 | Tank service disconnect pack | Lukyamzn 4-Pin Electrical 16 AWG 4-Wire Connector Waterproof Male and Female Way With Heat Shrink Tubing (6 Kits) (PH02027B145) |
33.33 |
Home Depot PH02027B145 | Current preferred tank-side disconnect strategy: one sealed 4-pin disconnect per tank so the sender pair and heat-pad pair can unplug together during service. One 6-pack covers the three tanks with spares. |
| 1 | Shared removable waste hose assembly | HYDROMAXX Alum-C-150 1-1/2 in Part C female camlock coupler + EZ-FLO 98636 1-1/2 in ID x 15 ft lay-flat discharge hose |
split canonical state | Home Depot HYDROMAXX Alum-C-150, Lowe's EZ-FLO 98636 | Current shared dump-hose direction. The EZ-FLO 98636 hose is delivered, while the HYDROMAXX Alum-C-150 coupler remains shipped in the canonical inventory layer. This remains the active shared dump hose for both gray and urine tanks. |
| 1 | ABS solvent cement | Oatey 309993 4 oz medium black ABS cement |
working recommended | Home Depot Oatey 309993 | Required to bond the Valterra T1001D spigot into the Charlotte ABS hub adapter on both waste tanks. No matching canonical inventory row exists yet; keep this as a sourced recommendation until the specific purchase/source record is recovered into Inventory and Purchases. |
| 1 | Hose clamps set | Everbilt stainless clamps in three sizes. Working buy count is 8x 1/2 in - 1-1/4 in, 4x 3/4 in - 1-3/4 in, and 4x 1-3/4 in - 2-3/4 in so the tank package has enough clamps plus a little spare. |
2.18 to 3.18 each |
Home Depot 6712595, Home Depot 6720595, Home Depot 6736595 | This count covers the chosen vent hoses, urine hose, gray inlet run, the short fresh pressure-fill connections, and the shared 1-1/2 in lay-flat waste hose assembly with a small spare margin. |
| 1 | Grommet assortment | Gardner Bender GHG-AST assorted grommets pack |
4.38 each |
Home Depot GHG-AST | Two packs are currently on hand per the user clarification recorded on 2026-05-31. These only cover 1/4 in, 3/8 in, 1/2 in, and 3/4 in IDs, so they help with smaller wiring/vent-class penetrations but do not close the larger fresh/gray plumbing holes. |
| 1 | Split loom | Gardner Bender FLX-1007GRT 1 in x 5 ft split flex tubing |
3.98 |
Home Depot FLX-1007GRT | Use on exposed underbody runs and on the sliding-toilet urine-hose sweep where abrasion protection is needed. |
| 1 | Cushioned support clamps | Gardner Bender rubber-insulated clamp set: PPR-1550 1/2 in, PPR-1575 3/4 in, and PPR-1600 1 in |
1.76 to 2.41 each |
Home Depot PPR-1550, Home Depot PPR-1575, Home Depot PPR-1600 | These are the current recommended supports for vent hoses, pressure-fill hose, and the guided urine-hose loop. |
| 1 | Sealant | Sikaflex 221062 white flex construction sealant |
8.47 |
Home Depot 221062 | Current preferred mainstream sealant for protected floor/body penetrations after deburring and rust treatment. |
¶ Working Penetration Plan
Based on the currently selected hose families, the tank-install phase can now be mocked up around the following penetration assumptions:
JR Products 37262145city-water inlet uses its own manufacturer cutout in the body panel.Fresh vent,gray vent, andurine ventare all currently assumed to stay under the van in high loops with protected downward-facing outlets, so they do not require floor penetrations unless the vent-routing plan changes later.- The current working floor-penetration count for the tank package is:
1xfresh pressure-fill line1xfresh pickup line1xgray inlet trunk1xurine hose1xshared sender / heat-pad wiring penetration if the tank wiring is brought into the van as one grouped service bundle
Current pass-through hardware audit:
| Run | Selected Hose / Bundle | Approx. OD | Purchased Grommet Match | Hole Size From That Purchased Grommet | Protection Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh pressure fill | Flair-It FL57FR |
7/8 in |
Grommet-only direction is no longer the primary plan. Amazon orders on 2026-05-31 to 2026-06-01 now prove two candidate purchased hardware paths: Fitvell stainless-steel 1/2 in bulkhead fitting B0B718JHKH as the preferred fresh-liquid interface and suiwotin 7/8 in ID / 1 in drill hole grommet pack B0DRCM5T5F as fallback stock. |
not yet closed from delivered bulkhead body/cutout measurement | etrailer's product page for the delivered FL57FR only closes 1/2 in ID in the main specs, but etrailer's expert Q&A explicitly states the outer diameter is 7/8 in. Do not treat the old 1-1/4 in value as grommet-backed; the next honest closeout step is the delivered bulkhead-body measurement. |
| Fresh pickup | Flair-It FL57FR |
7/8 in |
Same purchased-hardware state as the fresh pressure-fill line: Fitvell stainless-steel 1/2 in bulkhead fitting B0B718JHKH is the preferred current liquid-interface direction, while suiwotin 7/8 in ID / 1 in drill hole grommets B0DRCM5T5F remain fallback stock. |
not yet closed from delivered bulkhead body/cutout measurement | Same delivered 1/2 in ID pressure-side hose family as the fresh pressure-fill line, with the 7/8 in OD coming from etrailer's expert Q&A for FL57FR; do not drill from the old blanket 1-1/4 in assumption. |
| Fresh vent | Everbilt HKP002-PVC003 |
3/4 in |
The purchased Gardner Bender GHG-AST assortment includes a 3/4 in ID grommet. |
1 in if a penetration is later needed |
Under current all-underbody vent plan this stays 0 penetrations. Gardner Bender's published fit says the 3/4 in grommet snaps into a 1 in drill hole. |
| Gray vent | Everbilt HKP002-PVC003 |
3/4 in |
The purchased Gardner Bender GHG-AST assortment includes a 3/4 in ID grommet. |
1 in if a penetration is later needed |
Under current all-underbody vent plan this stays 0 penetrations. Gardner Bender's published fit says the 3/4 in grommet snaps into a 1 in drill hole. |
| Urine vent | Everbilt HKP002-PVC003 |
3/4 in |
The purchased Gardner Bender GHG-AST assortment includes a 3/4 in ID grommet. |
1 in if a penetration is later needed |
Under current all-underbody vent plan this stays 0 penetrations. Gardner Bender's published fit says the 3/4 in grommet snaps into a 1 in drill hole. |
| Urine inlet | EZ-FLO 98624 |
1 in |
Use the purchased Unique Bargains S26032300UX4620 top-hat silicone grommet (25 mm / 1 in ID, 30 mm / 1-3/16 in drill hole, white 7-pack). The user later confirmed that the physical pack on hand is white and measures about 1 in ID and 1.2 in OD at the body/lip, which is consistent with this purchased row. |
30 mm / 1-3/16 in |
Lowe's closes this delivered hose at 3/4 in ID and 1 in OD, so this is now a product-page-backed direct match rather than only a planning assumption. Preserve sealant and clamp support; this grommet is still protection hardware, not the whole water barrier by itself. |
| Gray inlet trunk | UDP T30006005 |
1.90 in |
Grommet-only direction is now superseded by the ordered gray bulkhead concept: Outus 1.5 in PVC bulkhead B08SJW2CMV plus the ordered 1-1/2 in adapter pair B0FNCG43TG. |
not yet closed from delivered bulkhead body/cutout measurement | Home Depot's product page closes the on-hand hose family at 1-1/2 in ID and 1.90 in OD. The Amazon listing metadata for the bulkhead is still sloppy on thread details, so verify the delivered bulkhead body size and adapter-thread compatibility before drilling the floor. |
| Shared sender + heat-pad wiring bundle | 18/2 sender cable + 14/2 pad wire in selected 1/4 in ID split loom |
about 1/4 in raw wires before loom; typical 1/4 in split-loom OD is about 0.37-0.40 in |
Use the purchased Gardner Bender GHG-AST 1/2 in ID grommet around the selected 1/4 in ID loom bundle. Current selected loom direction is Alex Tech 1/4 in split wire loom tubing, Amazon ASIN B07TDGMDW4, now supported by Amazon order 112-3672013-5534621. The 3/8 in grommet is too tight for the typical outside diameter of 1/4 in split loom. |
11/16 in |
This closes the bundle strategy if the bundle is intentionally loomed before the floor pass-through. The current on-hand GHG-AST packs provide the grommet; only receipt/delivery closure now remains for the selected loom. |
Clamp-planning assumptions:
Fresh pressure fill:2xworm-drive clampsFresh vent:1xworm-drive clamp at tank +2xcushioned support clampsGray vent:1xworm-drive clamp at tank +2xcushioned support clampsGray inlet trunk:2xworm-drive clamps +2xcushioned support clampsUrine inlet hose:2xworm-drive clamps +3xcushioned support clamps for the slider loopUrine vent:1xworm-drive clamp at tank +2xcushioned support clamps
These hole diameters are now the current recommended drilling targets for the tank package. What still needs verification on the van is the exact location of each hole so the route clears ribs, crossmembers, exhaust, brake/fuel lines, and any future cabinetry or service panels.
¶ Tank Wiring Rough-In Assumptions
Garnet 710-AR2sender runs are now assumed to use a dedicated low-current18/2cable routed with the tank service bundle.- Heat pads are now assumed to use dedicated
14/2branch wiring sized for the current pad loads with individual branch protection upstream. - Current preferred rough-in pattern is:
- bring sender and pad wiring off each tank in protected loom
- route the bundle through a single protected service penetration where practical
- terminate each tank harness at a sealed
4-pindisconnect so the sender pair and pad pair unplug together - leave enough service loop to lower a tank without immediately stressing the harness
- Current preferred disconnect hardware is a sealed
4-pinwaterproof connector pack sized for16 AWGclass conductors. This keeps the service disconnects outside the van and lets a tank come down without cutting wires.
¶ Still Deferrable Only If The Penetration Route Is Not Yet Final
city fill to tank pressure branch- this depends on the final selector-valve packaging, but if you want all tank-related floor/body penetrations done now then the tank-side port choice and penetration route still need to be finalized in this phase
sink and shower fixture hardware- the fixtures can wait, but the gray inlet path cannot if you want all penetrations resolved now
¶ Large-Port Construction Note
Based on the current physical inspection, the larger 1-1/2 in bosses should be treated as:
female-threaded ports- with an intact
factory plastic knockout membraneacross the center
That means:
- they are not normal removable shipping plugs
- they are already sealed until you intentionally open them
- you do not need to buy separate large-port plugs just to leave an unopened large boss unused
- a large-port plug only becomes relevant if you open one of those bosses and then decide not to use it
¶ Small-Port Closure Reality
The open small ports are different. Those are real open threaded ports now, so any one that is not immediately being used needs a plug or service fitting before the tank goes under the van.
Current plug logic:
10-3017spare-tire fresh tank:4xopen1/2 inports total- current recommendation is to use:
1xupper1/2 inport for pressure fill1xpassenger-side low1/2 inport for pickup1xsecond low1/2 inport for a direct inline drain valve
- that leaves
1xspare open1/2 inport, so the fresh-tank plug count drops to1x
10-3015passenger gray tank:1xopen1/2 inport- if the
1-1/2 indump stack is used as recommended, the small1/2 inport becomes a spare and should be plugged
10-3016driver urine tank:1xopen1/2 inport- current preferred direction is to use the open
1/2 inport as the urine-vent candidate - the open
3/4 inport is now better used as the toilet urine inlet
- any open
3/4 invent or service port still needs either:- its real vent hardware, or
- a temporary closure
If the goal is install everything on the tanks now so they are ready to go, then the preferred direction is:
- use plugs only where a port is truly spare
- use final dump / vent / service hardware where that function is definitely required
- avoid calling a required low-point drain a
laterproblem
¶ Hose Recommendations
For the current tank-install phase, the hose choices should be:
Fresh vent:1/2 in IDreinforced hose from the fresh-tanktop 3/4 invent adapter to a protected all-underbody high loop and exterior outlet- current preferred product: Home Depot Everbilt HKP002-PVC003
Gray vent:1/2 in IDreinforced hose from the gray-tanktop 3/4 invent adapter to its final vent termination- current preferred product: Home Depot Everbilt HKP002-PVC003
Pressure fill:1/2 in IDhigh-pressure potable hose using1/2 in Barb x 1/2 in MIPnylon adapters at the tank-side branch- current preferred product: etrailer Flair-It FL57FR
- current preferred adapter: Home Depot Everbilt 800409
Fresh pickup:1/2 in IDhigh-pressure potable hose from the tank pickup stub up to the pump / strainer transition- current preferred product: etrailer Flair-It FL57FR
Urine inlet:0.75 in IDsmooth-wall hose from the sliding toilet to the driver-side urine tank3/4 ininlet- current preferred product: Lowe's EZ-FLO 98624
Gray inlet trunk:1-1/2 inspa hose from the drain collection path into the gray tank top1-1/2 ininlet- current preferred product: Home Depot UDP T30006005
Do not over-buy flexible hose for the future coach-pressure side just because the tanks are going in now. Once the system moves inside the van and becomes the normal pressurized supply side, the current plan is still to transition to PEX rather than keep long runs in flexible hose.
¶ Hose vs PEX Strategy
The current plumbing strategy is not “all barb fittings everywhere forever.”
It is:
hose + barb fittingsat the tanks and on the non-rigid / moving / waste portionsPEXfor the fixed interior pressurized distribution
Use hose + barb fittings for:
- fresh pressure-fill branch at the spare-tire tank
- fresh pickup branch at the spare-tire tank
- fresh vent
- gray vent
- gray inlet trunk
- urine inlet hose from the sliding toilet
- urine vent
- any short underbody transition that needs flexibility, vibration tolerance, or service slack
Use PEX for:
- city-water
coachbranch once it is inside the van and no longer at the underbody tank interface - pump outlet to the cold manifold
- cold manifold to sink / shower / water-heater feed
- hot-water distribution from the Rixen domestic-water side to fixtures
In other words:
underbody tank interface= hosemoving toilet hose= hosevents and waste= hosefixed interior pressure plumbing= PEX
That is why you see so many barb fittings in the tank-install BOM. That BOM is intentionally focused on the tank package, not the later interior distribution system.
¶ What the Tank Sources Actually Require
- S&B's product pages position these as undercarriage tanks that can be used for fresh or gray water, but they are still non-pressurized reservoirs rather than pressure vessels.
- The current S&B product pages expose top-side install issues that matter before the tanks go under the van:
- fitment conflicts
- venting requirement
- sender-height planning
- deciding which ports and fittings get used
- The tank itself is not the same kind of floor-penetration problem as the Tetravan drain. The tank creates a routing problem above it:
- where the vent line rises
- where the fill or pickup lines pass into the van if needed
- where sender wiring enters the protected interior if used
- That is why venting and port assignment should be resolved before installation rather than after the tank is bolted up under the van.
¶ Current Preferred Tank Architecture
Fresh:S&B 10-3017spare-tire replacement tankGray:S&B 10-3015passenger-side tankUrine:S&B 10-3016driver-side tank
Why this is the current preferred split:
- the spare-tire tank gives the build the largest fresh-water capacity
- the spare-tire tank offers a cleaner fresh pickup path because a passenger-side low port can rise directly into the passenger-side plumbing concentration area
- sink and shower drains already want to stay passenger-biased, so the passenger-side tank is the natural gray tank
- urine stays segregated from normal gray water rather than turning the whole gray system into a toilet-waste tank
¶ Working Spare-Tire Fresh-Tank Port Strategy
The S&B 10-3017 exploded view and product/video notes suggest a flexible multi-port layout with lower service ports on both sides plus higher-side fill/vent candidates. The working strategy is:
| Tank Port Zone | Recommended Function | Why |
|---|---|---|
Passenger-side low 1/2" port |
Pump pickup |
This is the main reason the spare-tire tank now works well as fresh: the pickup can come straight up into the passenger-side plumbing area instead of crossing the van first. |
Second low 1/2" port |
Direct inline fresh drain valve |
This is the cleaner answer if a dedicated low drain is acceptable. It avoids the tee-manifold packaging problem entirely. |
Driver-side upper small 1/2" port |
Pressure fill inlet |
A dedicated pressurized tank-fill branch is still the preferred no-gravity-fill architecture, and this avoids opening a 1-1/2" membrane port just to reduce back down immediately. |
| Driver-side upper vent port | Fresh vent |
Keeps the tank as a vented, non-pressurized reservoir with a deliberate vent path rather than using a combo gravity-fill hatch. |
Unopened 1-1/2" membrane ports |
Leave sealed until needed |
Do not open large ports early unless a specific fill/dump/service use is locked. |
¶ Fresh-Tank Logic
- The spare-tire tank is now preferred for fresh because capacity and pickup geometry improved at the same time.
- The pickup route is easier because it can rise on the passenger side directly into the sink / shower / pump concentration area.
- The remaining hard work is on the
pressure-fillandventside, not thepickupside. - Because gravity fill is no longer part of the active architecture, the fill hose no longer dictates the whole tank choice.
¶ Dedicated Urine-Tank Logic
- The driver-side
10-3016tank is now reserved for urine rather than fresh water. - This keeps the toilet waste stream segregated from sink/shower gray water.
- The current canonical toilet-kit row is
source-confirmed - receipt unknown:The Nifty-NETTY by Johnny Compost Toilets. - That kit establishes the current urine-line size assumption:
0.75 in IDsmooth tubing from the diverter to the liquid collection container or external urine tank
- The kit's included ventilation hardware is also now known:
1.25 invent hose class60x60x25 mm12Vfan
- The toilet-kit ventilation should be treated as
toilet compartment / solids ventilation, not as a substitute for a dedicated urine-tank vent. - The open implementation work is not the tank role itself; it is:
- urine hose geometry from the sliding bench toilet
- urine venting
- urine dump / rinse workflow
- freeze protection expectations
¶ Current Recommended Decisions
If the goal is to put the tanks in fully outfitted and service-ready, the current best recommendations are:
Fresh pressure fill- use the spare-tire tank's
upper open 1/2 inport as thecity water -> tank fillentry - use a short
1/2 inhigh-pressure potable hose at the tank rather than hard PEX - current preferred hose:
Flair-It FL57FR - keep the
1-1/2 inmembrane ports sealed until there is a real reason to open one
- use the spare-tire tank's
Fresh pickup and low-point drain- use one passenger-side low
1/2 inport for pickup - use a second low
1/2 inport for the drain - current preferred drain hardware:
Camco CAM22243threaded drain valve
- this is simpler than building a tee manifold and matches the user's preference for an inline low-point drain
- use one passenger-side low
Gray inlet- use the
top 1-1/2 inport as the combined sink/shower inlet
- use the
Gray dump- use a
1-1/2 inRV-style gray dump valve, not the small1/2 inport as the main dump path - current preferred full-bore hardware chain:
Charlotte ABS001090800HD1-1/2 in Hub x MPTmale adapter into the tankValterra T1001D1-1/2 in Spigot x 1-1/2 in MPTdump valveHYDROMAXX Alum-A-1501-1/2 inPart A camlock adapter at the valve outlet- shared
HYDROMAXX Alum-C-150+EZ-FLO 98636hose assembly
- this gives a clean sequence:
- tank
1-1/2 in FPTport - male adapter threads into tank
- valve spigot glues into adapter hub
- valve-side camlock adapter threads onto valve outlet
- removable
1-1/2 inlay-flat hose snaps onto the camlock when needed
- tank
- use a
Urine inlet- use the canonical
source-confirmed - receipt unknownNifty-NETTYkit's0.75 in IDurine tube sizing as the design basis - current preferred direction is:
0.75 in IDsmooth urine tube from the sliding toilet- into the driver-side urine tank's open
3/4 inport - via a
3/4 in barb x 3/4 in MIPadapter
- do not open a
1-1/2 inmembrane port just for the urine inlet unless real-world testing proves the0.75 inline is unacceptable
- use the canonical
Urine dump- use a
1-1/2 inRV-style dump valve, not a tiny low-point drain as the primary emptying method - current preferred hardware chain matches the gray tank:
Charlotte ABS001090800HDValterra T1001DHYDROMAXX Alum-A-150
- same connection logic:
- tank
1-1/2 in FPTport - male adapter
- spigot-side valve
- valve-side camlock adapter
- shared
1-1/2 inlay-flat hose assembly
- tank
- use a
Tank vents- fresh can vent through an all-underbody high loop using its dedicated vent port
- gray can keep the current
3/4 invent-port assumption - urine no longer has the
3/4 inport available for vent if the current urine-inlet recommendation is followed - current urine-vent direction is therefore:
- use the driver tank's open
1/2 inport as the urine vent candidate - run the hose in a real high loop like the fresh tank
- terminate it in a protected downward-facing underbody outlet
- keep the
1-1/2 inmembrane ports reserved for dump or future service
- use the driver tank's open
- urine venting still needs odor awareness, but it does not require a special top-of-loop fitting right now
These recommendations are based on serviceability and daily usability, not just minimum parts count.
¶ What Not To Do
-
Do not mix urine into the main passenger-side gray tank just to avoid a third waste path.
-
Do not open every large membrane port on the tanks before the final plumbing role is clear.
-
Do not assume the urine line from the sliding toilet can be an uncontrolled loose flex loop; it needs a guided slope-controlled path.
-
Do not use a loose bungee as the primary urine-hose support. The hose needs a defined sweep that repeats in both the stowed and deployed positions.
-
Do not let the old driver-fresh assumption survive in the active plumbing design just because those notes were written first.
-
Confirm the
1/2"port is in fact the true lowest usable point in installed orientation. -
Confirm the selected second low
1/2"port is still a true usable low point for draining in installed orientation. -
Confirm the tank-fill line can route cleanly from the downstream selector path to the chosen top fill port.
-
Confirm the vent line can rise continuously above the tank and terminate without trapping water.
-
Confirm the drain valve branch can be reached after the tank is mounted.
¶ Detailed Tank Installation Procedure
This procedure assumes the current three-tank architecture:
Fresh=S&B 10-3017spare-tire tankGray=S&B 10-3015passenger-side tankUrine=S&B 10-3016driver-side tank
It also assumes the tanks go in fully outfitted and service-ready, with tank-related penetrations completed in the same phase.
¶ 1. Stage the complete tank package
Before drilling or lifting anything under the van, stage:
- all three tanks
- all selected tank fittings from the active BOM
1x Garnet 710-ES3for fresh2x Garnet 710-AR2for gray and urine3xheat pads total- sender cable, heat-pad branch wire, splice kit, and
4-pinservice disconnects - all hoses, clamps, split loom, insulated support clamps, grommets, and sealant
- the shared gray/urine
1-1/2 inlay-flat hose assembly parts:HYDROMAXX Alum-C-150EZ-FLO 98636
- S&B mounting hardware for each tank
Do not start the install with missing hose sizes or “I’ll figure out the last fitting later.” The hole locations and tank routing depend on the actual parts.
¶ 2. Confirm the final port assignment on the bench
Put each tank in installed orientation and mark the intended active ports before opening membranes or threading in fittings.
Current required port plan:
Fresh tank 10-3017
- upper open
1/2 inport = pressure fill - one low
1/2 inport = pickup - second low
1/2 inport = fresh drain valve - one remaining open
1/2 inport = plug - selected
3/4 invent port = fresh vent - all
1-1/2 inmembrane ports stay sealed
Gray tank 10-3015
- top
1-1/2 inmembrane port = gray inlet - top
3/4 inport = gray vent - selected
1-1/2 inmembrane port = gray dump stack - open
1/2 inport = plug
Urine tank 10-3016
- open
3/4 inport = urine inlet - open
1/2 inport = urine vent - selected
1-1/2 inmembrane port = urine dump stack
If any chosen port creates an impossible hose route or bad service access, stop and revise the port plan before cutting membranes or drilling the van.
¶ 3. Open only the membrane ports that are actually needed
For each 1-1/2 in membrane port you intend to use:
- support the tank securely
- open only the center membrane
- deburr the opening
- remove every chip from the tank before fittings go in
Under the current architecture:
- fresh tank: open
0large membrane ports - gray tank: open the top
1-1/2 ininlet port and the selected1-1/2 indump port - urine tank: open the selected
1-1/2 indump port only
¶ 4. Bench-install the tank-side fittings
Install the fittings while the tanks are still easy to access.
Fresh tank
- install pressure-fill adapter in the selected upper
1/2 inport - install pickup adapter in the chosen low
1/2 inport - install
Camco CAM22243drain valve on the second low1/2 inport - install
1/2 in barb x 3/4 in MIPvent adapter in the vent port - install
1/2 inplug in the remaining spare open1/2 inport
Gray tank
- install
1-1/2 in barb x 1-1/2 in MIPgray inlet adapter in the top inlet port - install
1/2 in barb x 3/4 in MIPvent adapter in the vent port - install
Charlotte ABS001090800HDinto the selected1-1/2 in FPTdump port - solvent-weld
Valterra T1001Dinto that adapter - thread
HYDROMAXX Alum-A-150onto the valve outlet - install
1/2 inplug in the spare open1/2 inport
Urine tank
- install
3/4 in barb x 3/4 in MIPurine inlet adapter - install
1/2 in barb x 1/2 in MIPurine vent adapter - install
Charlotte ABS001090800HDinto the selected1-1/2 in FPTdump port - solvent-weld
Valterra T1001Dinto that adapter - thread
HYDROMAXX Alum-A-150onto the valve outlet
Use thread sealant compatible with potable water and plastic fittings. Do not over-tighten polyethylene threaded bosses.
Shared dump hose assembly
- clamp
HYDROMAXX Alum-C-150onto one end of theEZ-FLO 98636lay-flat hose - pressure-check that assembly with clean water before first waste use
- mark it clearly as
waste only
¶ 5. Bench-install the senders, heat pads, and service pigtails
Do the tank electrical work before the tanks go under the van.
- verify the sender mounting face is clean and flat enough
- install the
Garnet 710-ES3board on the fresh tank and theGarnet 710-AR2board on each side tank - install one heating pad per tank
- build one service pigtail per tank:
2wires for sender2wires for heat pad- one sealed
4-pindisconnect
- protect the short tank-side harness in split loom
- leave enough slack to lower a tank later without cutting wires immediately
For this build, the spare-tire fresh tank now uses 710-ES3, while the two side tanks stay on 710-AR2.
¶ 6. Mark the required body and floor penetrations from a real mockup
Use the selected hose ODs and the current drilling targets:
- fresh pressure fill =
1-1/4 in - fresh pickup =
1-1/4 in - urine inlet =
1-1/4 in - gray inlet trunk =
2-3/8 in recommended - grouped sender + heat-pad wiring bundle =
1 in
There should be no floor penetrations for fresh, gray, or urine vents under the current all-underbody vent strategy.
Mark each hole from both sides and verify:
- no Rixen floor conflict
- no body-rib or crossmember conflict
- no exhaust heat issue
- no brake/fuel/factory harness issue
- no future cabinet or service-panel conflict
¶ 7. Drill, deburr, rust-treat, and protect each penetration
For each approved hole:
- pilot drill only after both-side verification
- confirm pilot location from the opposite side
- open to final size
- deburr the edge
- rust-treat bare metal
- install grommet or edge protection
- test the actual hose or loom through the finished hole
Do not leave raw sheet metal against hose or wiring.
¶ 8. Pre-route the hoses, vent loops, and tank harnesses
Cut and pre-route:
- fresh pressure-fill hose
- fresh pickup hose
- gray inlet trunk
- urine inlet hose
- sender / pad wiring bundle
Also pre-build:
- fresh vent high loop and outlet
- gray vent route and outlet
- urine vent high loop and outlet
Support all underbody runs with insulated clamps and abrasion protection while access is still good.
For the sliding toilet hose:
- no loose bungee
- protect the hose in split loom
- use insulated clamps to force a repeatable curve
- verify the line drains in the deployed position
- verify it does not form a residue-holding trap when stowed
¶ 9. Mount the tanks in a controlled order
Recommended order:
- fresh tank
- gray tank
- urine tank
At each tank:
- lift and support the tank safely
- install the S&B brackets / straps / hardware
- confirm clearance to body, exhaust, and suspension movement
- connect plumbing lines
- connect the
4-pintank disconnect - clamp and protect every hose/wire run
- verify access to dump valves and the fresh drain valve
¶ 10. Do not leave any tank-connected hose open
If a downstream component is not installed yet, the interior end of the hose must still be closed.
Examples:
- if the pump is not installed yet, cap or valve the fresh pickup hose at its interior end
- if the selector branch is not installed yet, cap the fresh pressure-fill hose at its interior end
An open hose end is an open tank path.
¶ 11. Leak-test the installed tank package before closing access
After the tanks are mounted but before surrounding buildout hides them:
- fill the fresh tank and inspect:
- pressure-fill port
- vent port
- pickup port
- drain valve
- sender area
- run water through the gray inlet and inspect:
- gray inlet adapter
- gray vent
- dump stack
- water-test the urine path and inspect:
- urine inlet
- urine vent
- dump stack
- inspect every penetration for rubbing, pinching, and sealant coverage
- verify every dump/drain valve is reachable and operable
Do not move on to cabinetry, shielding, or floor closeout until the tank package passes this inspection.
¶ 12. Record the as-installed configuration immediately
Before access gets worse, capture:
- photos of each installed tank
- final port map by tank
- final hose routing
- vent outlet locations
- disconnect locations
- sender positions
- heat-pad positions
- measured hose lengths
- actual clamp counts
Update the BOM and routing notes the same day if anything differs from the planned configuration.
¶ Fresh Tank Pressure-Fill Recommendations
¶ Current Direction
The current architecture is now:
simple city-water-onlybody interfaceno dedicated gravity-fill hatchcity water -> tank fillhandled entirely by the downstream electric valve architecturecity water -> coachas the second pressurized modefresh ventas a separate dedicated line with its own termination
This is the cleaner answer if the fresh-tank packaging no longer supports a sane large gravity-fill hose route.
¶ Recommended Body-Panel Interface
Current preferred inlet:
JR Products 37262145- white
- surface mount
- brass check valve
1/2 in MPT1-1/2 incutout- current retailer price found: about
$24.83 - buy link: etrailer 37262145
Why this is the better fit now:
- one simple hose connection on the outside
- no large gravity-fill cutout
- smaller body cut than the combo hatch
- easier to place wherever the final fresh-tank architecture demands
- keeps
city water -> tank fillversuscity water -> coachas an internal plumbing decision instead of an exterior-hardware decision
¶ Recommended Plumbing Modes
From this point forward, the fresh-water system should be designed around only two city-water modes:
city water -> tank fillcity water -> coach
There is no dedicated jug-fill hatch in the current design. If manual jug filling is wanted later, solve it as a separate transfer-pump or service-port problem.
¶ Recommended Plumbing Architecture
Current preferred architecture:
city-water inletsource-side regulatordrinking-water hose- inside the van:
electric valve A->city water -> coach cold manifoldelectric valve B->city water -> tank fill
fresh ventstays a separate hose path from tank to final termination
The tank remains a vented, non-pressurized reservoir.
¶ City-Water Regulator Recommendation
Current preferred regulator:
Valterra A01-1124VP- fixed
40-50 psi - gauge included
- buy link: etrailer A01-1124VP
- fixed
Keep it at the spigot / hose source, not buried in the van.
Working pressure target for this build:
- normal target:
40-50 psi - design center: about
45 psi - do not intentionally run above
60 psi
¶ Electric Selector Valve Recommendation
Current preferred direction remains:
latching motorized ball valves- no continuous hold power
- smart-system control through the custom mini-PC stack
- source-side hose valve remains the normal manual upstream shutoff
Current active hardware recommendation:
2x U.S. Solid JFMSV00001
¶ Fresh Vent Recommendation
Dropping the combo hatch does not remove the need for a proper fresh vent.
The fresh vent still needs:
- a dedicated hose from the tank
top 3/4 invent port - the highest protected underbody rise you can achieve
- a protected exterior outlet back under the van
- no venting into a closed wall or electrical cavity
What is still open:
- exact clamp / protection / outlet packaging for the underbody route
- exact high-loop and outlet location under the van
- detailed routing relative to exhaust and road spray
¶ Practical Rule
The simplified fresh-water system should now be optimized in this order:
good fresh-tank packagingclean pressure-fill routingclean vent routingsimple exterior inlet
It should not be optimized around preserving gravity fill if gravity fill is what is making the tank layout worse.
¶ Superseded Gravity-Fill Analysis
The notes below reflect an earlier combo hatch + gravity fill direction. They are kept only as historical reasoning and are not the current recommended architecture.
¶ Historical Fill Strategy Direction
Use a hose-connected city-water inlet on the body panel and handle tank-fill versus direct-city-water selection downstream.
Why:
- it gives you the exterior interface you actually want
- it keeps the body panel to a single hose connection
- it still allows the fresh tank to remain vented and non-pressurized
- it decouples the body-panel choice from the selector-valve implementation
- at that stage, it fit the then-current driver-side fresh-tank assumption
This means the tank is still filled through a vented plumbing path, not by treating the tank itself like a sealed pressure vessel.
¶ Historical Fill-Port Direction
At that stage, the recommended direction was driver side, high on the body, close to the fresh tank, and above the tank waterline.
flowchart LR
T["Driver-Side Fresh Tank<br/>S&B 10-3016"] --> H1["Best: Exterior driver-side body panel<br/>high and near tank"]
T --> H2["Second: Interior panel just inside driver side<br/>only if still near tank"]
T --> H3["Third: Hidden exterior flap / service door"]
X1["Avoid: Passenger-side fill"] -.-> T
X2["Avoid: Low step / B-pillar base"] -.-> T
Ranked options:
-
Best default: external fill hatch on the driver-side body panel, high and close to the tank- keeps the city-water inlet on the same side as the fresh tank
- shortest clean pressurized feed run if the tank sits forward of the rear wheel
- avoids routing the fill line across unrelated systems such as the electrical area
- matches the normal RV utility-side logic you want for this van
- simplest service geometry if shore power is also on the driver side
-
Second choice: interior-side fill on a panel just inside the driver side, only if it is still close to the tank- can keep the fitting protected from weather
- only makes sense if the interior panel is actually near the tank and does not force the feed path through other systems
- worse than the exterior body-panel option if it makes the fill route longer or harder to service
-
Third choice: hidden external location such as behind a service door or fuel-door-style flap- still keeps the fill on the driver side
- cleaner exterior appearance than a normal RV hatch
- can work well if you want the van to stay visually discreet
- adds custom-bodywork complexity and still needs proper vented tank-fill plumbing
Avoid by default:
-
passenger-side fresh fill- adds unnecessary cross-van fill routing when the fresh tank is already driver side
- increases the chance of awkward hose slope, trapped water, or slower filling
-
low driver-door step / B-pillar base fill- tempting because it looks easy to access
- but spill risk is worse there
- builder feedback specifically calls out water getting under step trim and creating corrosion risk over time
-
fill point below the top of the tank- makes vent routing and clean service geometry harder
- is usually unnecessary when there is usable body panel space higher up
¶ Current Best Recommendation
For this van, the cleanest answer is:
- use a
city-water inlet - mount it on the
passenger-side exterior body panel, all the way aft in the current package direction - split it immediately inside the van so one branch can feed the
cold manifolddirectly and the other branch can pass through the floor to fill the fresh tank - keep the tank-fill branch in the
aft of the passenger wheel wellzone - run a separate vent line that rises above the tank before terminating
- keep the selector-valve architecture separate from the body-panel choice
This fits your current build better than the older driver-side assumptions:
- the exterior hose connection stays where the user wants it:
passenger-side aft body - only the
tank-fillbranch becomes a floor penetration; thedirect city-waterbranch stays inside the van and feeds the cold manifold - the body-panel choice is now explicitly decoupled from the spare-tire tank's centerline location
- the current architecture is a
selector/splitlayout, not a simple one-path body inlet
This means the pressure-fill penetration tracked on Build Plan only owns the tank-fill branch, not the whole city-water architecture.
¶ Historical Combo-Inlet Alternative
The notes below capture an earlier combo-inlet direction that is no longer the active architecture. Keep them only as source-backed comparison against the current JR Products 37262145 city-water-only inlet and pressure-fill-only plan.
At that stage, the preferred body-panel direction was:
- use a
standard hose-connected city-water inleton the driver-side body panel
The reasoning at that stage was:
- one hose connection on the outside
- a combined gravity-fill plus city-water exterior interface
- the ability to fill the fresh tank through downstream plumbing logic
- the ability to bypass the pump and run on pressurized hose water through downstream plumbing logic
¶ Historical Combo-Inlet Recommendation
Valterra A01-2000VP lockable white combo inlet
Valterra A01-2000VP- current retailer price found: about
$74.99 - buy link: etrailer A01-2000VP
- current retailer price found: about
Why this looked attractive at that stage:
- white lockable exterior hatch
- gives you
city water,gravity fill, and a dedicatedair ventconnection at one body location - supports filling from a hose or from jugs
- reduces the need for a separate vent exit elsewhere
- better aligned with the then-active utility-side combination-interface direction
This was the right candidate only for the older one-hatch combo-interface direction that kept gravity fill alive alongside city water.
¶ What This Historical Option Did Not Decide
Choosing the body-panel inlet does not lock where or how the selector is implemented.
The downstream plumbing still needs to support two operating modes:
-
Tank mode- fill tank through the gravity side
- pump supplies fixtures
-
City water mode- hose pressure supplies fixtures directly
- tank and pump are bypassed or isolated appropriately
At that stage, the preferred selector logic was:
- an electric valve set controlled by the smart system
Manual valves can still exist as service isolation points, but not as the normal mode-selection interface.
That older combo-inlet path still required:
- a clear city-water feed path into the cold-water distribution
- a pressure regulator on the city-water path
- appropriate check-valve / backflow behavior
- a decision about whether the pump stays isolated automatically or manually
- pressure-safe plumbing on the city-water branch
So the inlet itself was straightforward, but it still implied a real dual-mode plumbing design.
¶ Historical Plumbing Behavior With This Layout
The intended behavior for that older combo-inlet direction was:
gravity fill openingcan always fill the fresh tank directlyselector in tank fill positionroutes city-water pressure to the fresh tankselector in city water positionroutes city-water pressure to the cold-water distribution directly- city water should not be used to intentionally backfill the fresh tank
- the pump should be isolated from city-water pressure with proper check-valve behavior and/or a manual service valve strategy
That keeps the modes clean:
tank modefor off-grid usecity water modefor campground hose pressure
¶ Recommended Three-Mode Plumbing Intent
From a plumbing standpoint, the system should support all three of these behaviors:
-
Gravity fill- pour from jugs or a loose hose into the gravity opening
- water goes straight to the fresh tank
-
City fill to tank- connect hose to city-water inlet
- selector routes city water to the fresh tank fill path
-
City water to coach- connect hose to city-water inlet
- selector routes city water to the cold-water distribution
- pump is bypassed / isolated
That was the intended functional goal for the combo-inlet phase.
¶ Historical Plumbing Architecture
The corresponding plumbing architecture at that stage was:
gravity fill barbfrom the Valterra goes to the fresh-tank fill pathtank vent barbfrom the Valterra goes to the fresh-tank vent pathcity water inletgoes first to:- fixed
40-50 psipressure regulator with gauge - optional sediment/filter stage if desired
- then a selector valve or valve set
- fixed
Selector outputs:
city water -> coach cold manifoldcity water -> fresh tank fill
The city water -> coach cold manifold branch should land on the cold side downstream of the pump suction system, with proper backflow isolation so city-water pressure does not drive backward through the pump.
¶ City-Water Regulator Direction
This supporting choice remains current across both the old combo-inlet concept and the active city-water-only plan:
- use a
fixed 40-50 psi regulator with gauge - place it at the
water source / hose side, not buried in the van
Current recommended part:
Valterra A01-1124VP- fixed
40-50 psi - built-in gauge
- lead-free brass
- source: Valterra official
- buy link: etrailer A01-1124VP
- fixed
Why this remained a sound supporting choice:
- no adjustment required
- matches the RV-safe pressure band already documented for this build
- gives pressure visibility without adding a separate gauge
- protects both:
city water -> coachcity water -> tank fill
Working pressure target for this build:
- normal target:
40-50 psi - design center: about
45 psi - do not intentionally run above
60 psi
¶ Preferred Sink Filtration Layout
This sink-side filtration direction remains current:
main sink faucet- normal
coldfrom the coach cold manifold - normal
hotfrom the Rixen domestic hot-water side
- normal
separate filtered drinking spout- cold only
- fed by a dedicated point-of-use drinking-water filter
Current sink-side filtration direction remains:
- do not put a carbon drinking-water filter on the entire coach cold side by default
- do not run all sink water through the drinking filter
- use the filter only for the dedicated drinking spout
Why:
- only drinking/cooking water actually needs fine taste/odor filtration
- main sink flow stays stronger for washing and cleanup
- filter life is better
- the rest of the coach plumbing is simpler
- stored fresh water is less dependent on whole-coach carbon treatment
¶ Tec Sink Second-Hole Constraint
Current source-backed sink-side constraint for the selected Tec Vanlife sink:
- the official Tec Vanlife product page for the selected black sink says a
soap dispensercan be addedby drilling a custom hole in the sink - that wording is useful because it implies the page is not advertising a factory second-hole punchout for an accessory spout
- the same official page currently emphasizes that the included retractable faucet drops below the counter so the bamboo cover can sit flush
- no indexed local Tec sink manual or installation PDF is currently saved in this repo
- the current official Tec sink page also did not expose a downloadable PDF manual in the recovered page content; the only installation aid surfaced there was the linked faucet-install video
Current planning implication:
- do not assume the selected Tec sink has a built-in second faucet hole or knockout for a separate filtered-water spout
- if a separate filtered spout remains required, treat it as a
custom-drill plus under-cover clearanceproblem until stronger Tec source material or a direct physical inspection proves otherwise - because the bamboo cover is intended to sit flush over the sink, any separate drinking-water spout would need both:
- a location that does not collide with the cover footprint
- a stowed height/profile that actually fits below the cover when closed
¶ Electric Selector Valve Direction
At that stage, the preferred direction was:
- use
latching motorized ball valvesfor the mode switching - avoid valves that require continuous power to hold position
- expose the mode control through the custom smart-van system
- let
Home Assistantor the final automation layer command the valve state
The intended control states were:
gravity fill: no powered valve action requiredcity fill to tank: electric valves route city water to the tank-fill branchcity water to coach: electric valves route city water to the cold manifold
The intended safety stance was:
- choose a defined
power-loss default state - avoid any state where city-water pressure can accidentally feed both tank-fill and coach branches at the same time
- do not assume extra local shutoff hardware is required just because the mode valves are electric
Important consequence:
- latching valves will normally stay in their last commanded position on power loss
- so power-loss behavior must be handled by overall system design, not assumed from the actuator
Preferred implication at that stage:
- use latching valves for low standby draw
- treat the hose/source valve as the normal upstream manual shutoff for city water
- make valve state visible in software
- add local manual isolation only where it materially helps service or winterization
¶ Fill-To-Tank Branch: Two Sane Ways To Do It
Because the S&B fresh tank only has one obvious top large fill port plus other reserve large ports, there are two sane ways to implement city fill to tank:
-
Shared tank-fill path- gravity fill and city-fill branch join before the tank
- both ultimately use the same tank fill port
- simpler hose routing
- but requires careful check-valve / backflow thinking so city-fill pressure does not try to drive back up the gravity neck
-
Separate pressure-fill branch- gravity fill uses the main top fill port
- city-fill branch uses another assigned tank port
- cleaner hydraulically
- avoids pressurizing the gravity neck
- usually the better answer if the extra port geometry and routing are workable
Even in the older combo-inlet phase, the cleaner hydraulic answer was use a separate pressure-fill branch.
That is the cleaner plumbing design for your stated goals, even though it adds one more floor penetration.
¶ Pump Isolation Recommendation
Do not rely only on the pump's internal check valve for city-water isolation.
Preferred approach:
- a real check valve or isolation strategy on the pump discharge side
- regulator on the city-water branch
- latching electric selector logic that makes the active mode obvious
- local manual service shutoffs only where they materially help maintenance or winterization
That will matter more than the exact brand of selector valve.
¶ Historical Alternative: Exterior Water Center
If you later decide you want the selector exposed on the outside instead of hidden just inside a service area, then a full RV water center becomes the alternate path.
The cleanest official example I found is:
B&B Nautilus P5 Panel- official page: CPG Brands Nautilus P5
- listed price:
$300.00
Why it was not the preferred direction even then:
- larger cutout
- more integrated features than you asked for
- more visible RV-style panel than a simple hose inlet
¶ Simpler Historical Alternative
JR Products 37525
- official page: JR Products 37525
- current retailer price found: about
$14.55 - buy link: etrailer 37237525
This remained the simpler option only if the build dropped direct city-water operation and cared only about fresh-tank fill.
¶ Not Recommended As The Primary Fresh-Tank Fill
Aquor RV City Water Inlet
- official page: Aquor RV City Water Inlet
- current listed price:
$90.00
This is a good product, but it is not the best first answer for your fresh tank fill.
Why:
- it is fundamentally a
pressurized water interface - it can be adapted for tank fill, but it is not the simplest gravity-fill solution
- it is better suited for:
- future
city waterhookup - washdown port
- exterior utility water quick-connect
- future
So the combo-inlet phase recommendation was:
main body-panel water inlet->Valterra A01-2000VPmanual diverter candidate if wanted later->B&B BM35RRfuture premium custom quick-connect utility port-> considerAquorlater if you still want that feature
¶ Historical Vent Recommendation At The Body Interface
For the fresh tank:
- use the combo inlet's dedicated
air ventconnection if the chosen part includes one - run the vent line
upwardfrom the tank's top3/4 invent port - keep the rise as continuous as practical before it reaches the body-side inlet assembly
If you use a combo inlet such as the Valterra A01-2000VP, the fresh tank vent still remains a real hose path from the tank to the inlet assembly. The part gives you the exterior vent termination; it does not remove the need for the vent line itself.
¶ Historical Fresh Fill Hardware Direction
Useful product patterns:
-
Valterra A01-2000VP- city-water connection
- gravity-fill connection
- dedicated
1/2"air-vent connection - lockable white hatch
-
B&B BM35RRdiverter valve- still a useful candidate if you decide the selector should be a simple manual valve
- specifically described as eliminating the need for an exterior gravity fill
- can be mounted with or without the instruction plate
The recommendation inside that older combo-inlet phase was:
exterior interface->Valterra A01-2000VPselector architecture-> decide separately
That gave the older utility-side combo-interface direction more flexibility while still letting the switching logic live elsewhere.
¶ Historical Optional Hardware Direction For A Cleaner Hose Interface
If you dislike the typical RV city-water flange itself, a flush hose interface such as an Aquor RV City Water Inlet can be used as part of a custom tank-fill / city-water system, but that is a more designed system rather than the simplest answer.
That route makes sense if you want:
- a cleaner external look
- a more premium hose connection
- a combined utility-water / washdown strategy
It makes less sense if your main goal right now is to get the fresh tank working with minimum plumbing risk. A normal RV city-water inlet plus selector valve is simpler.
¶ Historical Venting Recommendation for Fresh Fill
- Give the fresh tank its own dedicated vent line.
- Keep the vent line rising to a high point before it exits.
- Avoid low spots that can trap water and slow filling.
- Do not rely on a sloppy fill hose arrangement as the only vent path.
¶ Historical Practical Rule
The fresh fill should be:
highshortsimple on the tank-fill sidedriver-sideseparately vented
If a proposed fill location makes the hose run longer, flatter, or more likely to trap water, it is probably the wrong location unless another packaging constraint forces it.
¶ Historical Fill and Vent Routing
For the older combo-inlet phase, the likely routing was:
Valterra A01-2000VPon the driver-side body panelgravity-fill linefrom the combo inlet down through the floor to the tank top1-1/2 infill porttank vent linefrom the tank top3/4 invent port up through the floor to the combo inlet's vent barbcity-water linefrom the combo inlet into the downstream selector / distribution plumbing
That means the default assumption should be:
- one floor penetration for the
fill line - one floor penetration for the
vent line - plus the pressurized
city-waterline routing into the utility area
They can share the same general service zone, but they should remain separate plumbing paths.
Important rules:
- do not vent the fresh tank into a closed wall cavity
- keep the vent line rising as continuously as practical before it exits
- keep both penetrations grommeted / bulkheaded and sealed
- leave both paths serviceable
¶ Tank Monitoring Recommendation
Because this is intended to be a smart van, tank level sensing should be designed in now rather than retrofitted later.
Current tank-monitoring direction:
- plan for
fresh,gray, andurinetank level senders from the start - route the sender wiring with the tank plumbing plan before the tanks are installed
- leave service access for sender replacement and calibration
Because monitoring will run on a custom mini PC stack instead of a Cerbo GX, sender choice should now be driven by:
- reliability in an undermount-tank environment
- ease of wiring and service
- how cleanly the signal can be acquired by the monitoring stack
- how easy it is to calibrate to a non-linear tank shape
Do not buy senders just for Cerbo compatibility. Buy them for the actual custom integration path you plan to use.
¶ Spare-Tire Fresh-Tank Sensing Recommendation
For the S&B 10-3017 spare-tire tank specifically, the tank maker does publish a matched threaded sender recommendation:
KUS S5U-10- official
10"sender height called out directly on the S&B10-3017product page 1.5"NPT mount
Why this matters:
- this is the only sender option that S&B explicitly names for the
10-3017 - it is a standard resistive sender family rather than a proprietary RV tank-monitoring bus
- that is a better fit for your custom mini-PC monitoring direction than a Garnet-first assumption
Relevant source points:
- S&B
10-3017product page publishes:Kus level sensor height 10"Kus level sensor part number S5U-10
- KUS publishes the
S5Uas a1.5"NPT reed-switch liquid-level sender available in4"through60"lengths - KUS notes a recommended
1"clearance from the bottom of plastic tanks
Current fallback recommendation for the spare-tire fresh tank:
- treat
KUS S5U-10as thefallbackif the external sender fit is poor - verify the actual mount location, depth at that port, and bottom clearance before purchase if you end up using it
¶ Active External-Sender Direction
User direction as of 2026-05-17 is to keep the same external electrical sensor type across all tanks rather than mixing a threaded in-tank sender on fresh with external sensors elsewhere.
That makes the active recommendation:
fresh / spare tire tank:Garnet 710-ES3gray / passenger tank:Garnet 710-AR2urine / driver tank:Garnet 710-AR2
The reason is consistency of sensor family without forcing the tall fresh tank onto the shorter board:
- same sender family on all tanks
- same mounting style
- same wiring concept
- same spare-parts story
¶ Spare-Tire Tank Background Note With Garnet
Garnet is viable on plastic tanks, but the spare-tire tank still carries more fit risk than the side tanks:
- the tank is about
14.1"tall overall - Garnet's own current manual says:
710-AR2single is best for3.5" - 11"710-ES3single is best for11" - 14"
- Garnet also requires:
- a flat sender area
- about
1"clearance from metal around the sender edges - about
2"clearance in front of the sender face - practical top/bottom installation margins
So Garnet is still the active recommendation because of the cross-tank consistency requirement, but the fresh tank now steps up to ES3 while the two shorter side tanks stay on AR2.
¶ Cross-Tank Sender Strategy
The active cross-tank strategy is now:
Fresh / spare tire tank: preferGarnet 710-ES3Gray / passenger tank: preferGarnet 710-AR2Urine / driver tank: preferGarnet 710-AR2
The side tanks do have published KUS height references on the S&B product pages:
10-3015passenger tank:Kus level sensor height 8"10-3016driver tank:Kus level sensor height 9"
Those published KUS heights are still useful reference data, but they are no longer the active architectural direction.
¶ Custom-Monitoring Implication
The user-preference trade here is simple:
Garnetgives consistent external hardwareKUSgives simpler generic resistive sensing
Current project direction is to prioritize the consistent external hardware.
¶ Research Status
10-3017fresh sender direction: active recommendation is nowGarnet 710-ES3KUS S5U-10remains a researched fallback for the spare-tire tank- gray/urine sender direction: remain on the external
710-AR2family
¶ Garnet Direction
The notes below are now the active direction because the project is using one Garnet sender family with the taller board on the taller tank.
¶ Why 710-ES3 On Fresh And 710-AR2 On The Side Tanks
Official Garnet sizing puts the 710-AR2 in the low-profile range and the 710-ES3 in the taller standard-tank range.
Your known side-tank heights are approximately:
- driver
10.9" - passenger
10.55"
The side tanks are both still in the low-profile range. For this build, the spare-tire fresh tank uses 710-ES3, while the two side tanks stay on 710-AR2.
¶ Important Architecture Point
Because the tank-side hardware direction is now Garnet, the integration side still needs a compatible monitor/module or custom interface plan. Garnet's protocol is proprietary.
User direction as of 2026-05-17:
- do not assume a Garnet display/module purchase right now
- keep the canonical shipped Garnet sender set as the tank-side hardware direction
- leave the integration side open while the custom mini-PC interface strategy is worked out
That means the tank-side sender hardware is selected, while the display/module/custom-integration side remains open.
¶ Selected Tank-Side Sender Hardware
1x 710-ES32x 710-AR2- do not buy a
709-BTP7or708-RBTunless the custom integration plan later shows that one is actually needed
The canonical inventory row remains shipped.
¶ Current Sender Decision
- use
1x 710-ES3for fresh and2x 710-AR2for gray and urine - do not buy a Garnet module/display yet
- keep
KUS S5U-10in reserve only if the plan changes later and you intentionally abandon the external-sender approach
¶ Current Build Assumption
For this build, treat the following as confirmed:
- the spare-tire tank uses
710-ES3 - the two side tanks use
710-AR2 - the mixed
ES3 + AR2buy no longer blocks the all-Garnet plan - the canonical inventory row for the Garnet sender set remains
shipped - the custom integration plan still makes sense with
Garnetas the tank-side sensing method
¶ Freeze-Protection Notes for Undermount Tanks
- User confirmation established the current canonical tank-heating-pad row for below-freezing travel.
- Confirmed heating pads:
Therma Heat SL-T1218G-16G, quantity2. - Rating per pad:
13.5VDC,65W. - Treat the heating pads as an operational cold-weather aid, not as a replacement for winterization.
Document before installation:
- current draw
- whether the pad includes its own thermostat
- mounting instructions and surface-prep requirements
- fuse size and switching method
- how the smart-van control system will enable, inhibit, or alarm on pad operation
- current routing assumption:
1 pad per tank- mount near the
rear / deepestsection of each tank - route pad wiring with sender wiring and other tank-service wiring where practical
Operational recommendation:
- underbody tanks should still have a documented drain / winterization path even if heat pads are installed
- keep plumbing low points, exposed valves, and the Tetravan drain path in the freeze-protection review, not just the tanks themselves
¶ Source Notes
- S&B product pages checked
2026-05-17; pages list 2015-2026 Ford Transit 148" and 148" EXT fitment. - S&B exploded-view PDFs downloaded and text-extracted
2026-05-17. - Fill-location pattern research checked
2026-05-17across Ford Transit, Sprinter, and general van-conversion builder discussions. The useful part that still applies is the caution against low step-area fills and the need to keep the fresh tank vented even when using a hose-connected fill strategy. - Hardware references checked
2026-05-17: B&BBM48RR, B&BBM35RR, B&B NautilusP5, JR Products37525, ValterraA01-2004BKVP, and AquorRV City Water Inlet. - Water sanitizing references: CDC safe water storage, CDC emergency water supply, and EPA emergency disinfection of drinking water.
- Tetravan model, finish, and entry orientation verified from Gmail order confirmation and shipment emails for Nomadic Supply order
150476. - Tank model names and side-specific product identity verified from the Gmail order and fulfillment email trail for Nomadic Supply order
150476.
¶ Tetravan Folding Shower
¶ Identification
Email-confirmed product from Nomadic Supply order 150476 on 2025-05-08: Tetravan Folding Camper Van Shower System 2.1 (Stainless Steel) - Front Entry. The canonical inventory row remains shipped - delivery proof missing.
Current manufacturer reference page: Tetravan Folding Shower 2.1 with Magnetic Zipped Curtain. Tetravan lists front, right-side, and left-side curtain entry variants; the canonical shipped - delivery proof missing unit identity is front entry.
Saved local source artifact: Tetravan customer drawing PDF.
Key manufacturer specs and install constraints:
| Item | Value / Note |
|---|---|
| Nested shower size | 21.75" W x 30.75" H |
| Outer flange | 23.25" W x 32.5" H |
| Required depth | About 7" total: 3.5" shower depth plus 3.5" clear behind for plumbing, hose, and showerhead storage |
| Cutout | 22" W x 32" H, starting from floor level |
| Weight | 65 lb |
| Plumbing connections | Hot/cold water connect via 1/2" NPS-F fittings |
| Drain | Tetravan product page now explicitly lists a Scandvik 1.5 in straight drain fitting and says the drain accommodates a standard 1.5 in threaded fitting. The local install-instructions PDFs further confirm a direct floor penetration at the shower drain location, specify a 2.375 in through-floor hole with the top 0.375 in to 0.75 in enlarged to 3.125 in, and call out the downstream 1-1/2 in threaded hookup into the gray-side plumbing. If there is no plywood subfloor at that location, Tetravan says the 3.125 in diameter may need to continue through the full thickness instead of only the top layer. The remaining unresolved interface is not the raw hole size; it is the exact mating thread standard needed to choose the final adapter stack confidently, plus whether the final downstream drain arrangement provides a living-space odor barrier on its own or needs an added valve/trap. |
| Mounting | Twelve 0.25" flange holes; woodscrews included or bolts depending on structure; compatible with 1" 8020 |
| Showerhead | Adjustable flow, low-flow; Tetravan FAQ cites 1.75 gpm continuous-flow rate |
¶ Installation Notes
- Planned location is the foot of the bed, folding down into the van center aisle. This aligns with Tetravan's bed-front bulkhead/under-bed layout examples and puts the user near the tallest part of the van.
- Build a rigid mounting bulkhead; 65 lb plus user handling loads should not rely on thin finish paneling.
- Confirm the folded-down pan can rest flat on the finished floor without hitting bed supports, cabinetry, toilet, galley, or floor vents.
- Coordinate ceiling hooks or carabiner points for the curtain before ceiling panels close. Curtain loops/grommets allow height adjustment and the curtain widens above 30" near shoulder height.
- Plan the downstream drain tube path from the Tetravan's built-in drain arrangement before flooring is finalized. Photograph and protect the underside drain route before installing tanks, floor heat, insulation, or underbody shielding.
- Tetravan's emailed install instructions now close the raw floor-opening geometry for the drain: drill
2.375 inthrough the floor, enlarge the top0.375 into0.75 into3.125 in, and if there is no plywood subfloor at that location, continue the3.125 indiameter through the full thickness. - Route drain to the gray tank if possible. Direct discharge should be treated as a fallback only where legal and appropriate.
- Keep a service path to the mixer valve, quick-connect hose, and hot/cold connections.
- Plan drying: Tetravan says the waterproof ripstop curtain often dries if left up for about 30 minutes, depending on humidity and temperature.
- For this build, do not drill the drain route opportunistically after the floor is glued down. Resolve the drain-tube route together with the Rixen floor map and the underbody hardware layout first.
¶ Operation Notes
- For low water use, prefer quick-rinse operation instead of continuous flow.
- At 1.75 gpm, a 5 minute continuous shower uses about 8.75 gal; a 10 minute continuous shower uses about 17.5 gal. That matters with a 42 gal total tank pair, especially if one tank becomes gray.
- Run the roof fan or ventilation after showering to control condensation.
- Fold and latch only after the pan has drained and loose water has been wiped or allowed to drip into the gutter.
¶ Maintenance Notes
- Inspect the compression latch, hinge, flange fasteners, curtain magnets, drain fitting, and sealant after travel and before long trips.
- Clean soap residue from the pan and drain gutter so the folding drain path remains clear.
- Do not store a wet curtain sealed inside the folded shower for long periods.
- Add the shower drain and hot/cold supply lines to the winterization path.
¶ Plumbing Runs
| Run | Material / Size | From | To | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh pickup | 1/2 in barb x 1/2 in MIP nylon adapter + 1/2 in pressure-side hose transition |
Spare-tire fresh tank passenger-side low port | Pump / strainer | Underbody plus passenger-side plumbing area | Current preferred fresh pickup path. This is easier than the old driver-side fresh layout because it rises directly into the passenger-side plumbing concentration area. |
| Fresh low-point drain | Camco CAM22243 inline threaded drain valve on dedicated low 1/2 in port |
Spare-tire fresh tank second low 1/2 in port |
Service drain outlet | Underbody service access | Current preferred low-point drain path if a dedicated second low port is available and equally usable in installed orientation. |
| Fresh pressure fill | 1/2 in ID high-pressure potable hose + 1/2 in barb x 1/2 in MIP adapters |
City-water selector branch | Spare-tire fresh tank upper open 1/2 in port |
Underbody route from inlet branch to tank | No dedicated gravity fill in the active design. Current preferred direction is to use the existing upper 1/2 in port instead of opening a 1-1/2 in membrane port. |
| Fresh vent | 1/2 in ID braided vinyl tube + 1/2 in barb x 3/4 in MIP adapter |
Spare-tire fresh tank vent port | Protected underbody high loop and exterior outlet | Underbody only | Separate vent required because the fresh tank remains non-pressurized. Current preferred direction is to keep the vent entirely under the van rather than route it into the van or through a separate body fitting. |
| Hot water supply | not yet selected | Rixen's domestic hot water outlet / mixing valve | Passenger-side sink and Tetravan shower | not yet defined | Use reachable isolation valves; protect from freezing and abrasion. |
| Cold water supply | not yet selected | Fresh tank / pump / coach cold manifold | Passenger-side main sink faucet, Tetravan shower, rear-door shower hookup, and Rixen's domestic hot-water feed | not yet defined | Rixen's domestic hot water still needs cold-water feed to plate heat exchanger. |
| Rear-door shower supply | not yet selected | Coach cold manifold + Rixen hot-water side | Rear-door hot/cold shower hookup inside rear doors | not yet defined | Current preferred direction is a hot/cold shower/rinse point used with rear doors open. No dedicated drain path assumed. Protect from freezing and keep winterization access simple. |
| Filtered drinking-water supply | not yet selected | Coach cold manifold through point-of-use drinking-water filter | Separate filtered sink spout | not yet defined | Current preferred direction is a dedicated drinking-water spout rather than filtering all sink water. |
| Shower drain | Built-in Tetravan drain path to downstream tube/plumbing; final connection not yet closed | Tetravan shower drain outlet | Preferred route: passenger-side gray tank | final floor/underbody route not yet closed | Must avoid radiant floor tubing and underbody obstructions. |
| Sink drain | not yet selected | Passenger-side sink | Preferred route: passenger-side gray tank | not yet defined | Keep route simple and serviceable if passenger-side gray assignment holds. |
| Urine line | 0.75 in ID smooth tube |
Nifty-NETTY urine diverter |
Driver-side urine tank 3/4 in port |
not yet defined | Current preferred direction based on the canonical source-confirmed - receipt unknown toilet kit identity. Needs a short guided path that maintains usable downhill slope in the deployed toilet position and does not trap liquid when stowed. |
| Urine vent / dump | 1/2 in ID vent tube + Charlotte ABS001090800HD / Valterra T1001D / HYDROMAXX Alum-A-150 dump stack + shared 1-1/2 in lay-flat hose assembly |
Driver-side urine tank 1/2 in vent candidate plus 1-1/2 in dump stack |
Exterior vent termination and dump point | Underbody service access | Keep segregated from normal gray water. Toilet-kit ventilation is separate and should not be confused with the urine-tank vent. Final vent termination and rinse workflow still open. |
¶ Leak Test Checklist
- Pressure-test fresh water lines before closing cabinets.
- Test pump cycling and accumulator behavior if installed.
- Confirm every fitting is reachable or photographed before enclosure.
- Test drains while parked level and on a slope.
- Confirm gray tank venting and drain-valve access.
- Record winterization process after the first complete system test.
¶ Verification Date
- Created
2026-05-17. - Updated
2026-05-22with water/plumbing page ownership rules that separate architecture and install constraints from inventory, active purchasing, decisions, and unresolved gaps. - Updated
2026-05-22to remove live tank order/delivery state from the component register and point those lifecycle facts back to inventory. - Updated
2026-05-22to convert the Garnet sender section from pre-purchase advice into selected tank-side hardware and move vendor/cost/order-state ownership back to inventory. - Updated
2026-05-22to convert the tank-install shopping list into an install-materials matrix and remove duplicated live order/cost state from purchased material rows. - Updated
2026-05-22to replace remaining summary-level plumbing placeholders with explicit unknown or not-yet-defined state while leaving named design-open items intact.