[jonsobi]

Simple grey water solution

Although handling grey water properly is important, it does not have to be elaborate. My chief objective is to never release grey water where other campers have to set up after me. My second objective is to avoid visiting an RV dump station if at all possible. I just can not get comfortable walking around a hole in the ground that has been flooded with who knows what by who knows who, and then entering my vehicle with the same shoes.

And don't get me started on why never to fill fresh water tanks anywhere near a dump station.

So, with these objectives in mind, I focused on the simplest possible solution. A gravity system using two lug-able containers turned out to be the key. At my age that limits me to 5 gallon containers. My thinking is, if I can lug it, I can choose where to fill and/or dispose of it. I can still do so at a dump station, but there are more agreeable options. It's the same rationale for choosing a porta pottie.

The other key feature is using a main drained bowl, and a separate stow-able dish basin. The pics below show the layout. A high mounted 5 gallon fresh water container (<$15) with spout extender. A SS, inset cooking bowl with drain fitting (< $15), a stow-able dish basin (<$3), and an under-counter 6 gallon grey water container (<$15). So, for <$50 and some time and tools, I have a complete system.

The original plan was to use two full 5 gal fresh containers, but on our last three trips (2-5 days each) we never got below 1/3 on the first tank. We use paper plates and bowls a lot, and we use paper towels to pre-wipe the pots and pans before washing them. It cuts way down on fresh and grey water.

So there it is. Very KISS.

 

[foxharp]

nice plumbing setup. i want to do something very similar. our overhead bed claims most spaces that a gravity-fed fresh jug could go, though, so we'll probably have to add a small pump of some sort to the mix. and we were just talking the other day about how a dishpan separate from the sink would probably be the right choice.

love your build. nice job with the folding mattress.

 

[EddieZ]

... avoid visiting an RV dump station if at all possible. I just can not get comfortable walking around a hole in the ground that has been flooded with

That looks good. I'm right there with you, on the dumping. I don't even want to haul a 5 gal can, so, got the 3 gal -- I know you've seen. Since I won't be washing dishes, I'll have even less gray water. It will be easy to walk it to the outside utility sink often seen at state parks, outside the bathhouse.

 

[orton]

jonsobi: Nice simple system. KISS at its finest.

foxharp: I will use a small solar centrifugal pump to get the freshwater up to the sink faucet with lighted on/off switch on side of the sink. The problem with this pump is it is silent so I will someday forget to turn it off. To protect the pump there will be a small bypass tube plumbed into the system. A small amount of water will return to the fresh water tank when pump is running to keep the pump cool if/when I forget to turn it off. I only have cold water to the sink. The other issue is the pump needs to be located below the fresh water tank so it will be located at the back of the slider door step.

 

[jonsobi]

back to basics

Our hot water source is a SS kettle. We boil water outside or inside on the portable Coleman two-burner, and use a Melita manual cone-filter drip coffee system with our own ground coffee. The left-over boiled water is mixed for our facecloths and any dish washing.

I can't explain why, but after years of full-amenity RV living, there is something very satisfying about getting back to basics a little. And the rewarding spontaneity of stopping at any spot that takes your fancy, yet having your entire inconspicuous home right there with you, is simply magical.

I hope others out there are encouraged to do this. I can remember my first visits to this forum and reading Orton's posts on converting his Sprinter and Transit. It was those posts that encouraged me to do this.

Paying it forward.

 

[orton]

I also do not understand why traveling in stealth mode and stopping anywhere is so satisfying. It just is. Makes one feel very free.

Did learn that my Coleman 10,000 btu burner stove was a problem boiling water at times. Replaced that with a Camp Chef Ranger II with 17,000 btu burners which solved that problem.

Glad I contributed to your van life style.

Now if I could just get this second one done so I can get back on the road. Actually have slept in Transit about 30 times so far. Each time it is better because I get more done. Should get refrigerator in this week which will improve the lifestyle.

 

[jonsobi]

The Coleman is borrowed from our daughter. So far it seems okay, but I have heard similar comments on a need for more BTUs. I read some reviews on a Camp Chef Everest that caught my eye. Will see how it goes.

 

[hammerhome]

I use a larger sized camp chef for rafting type trips and it does not disappoint with the btu output. It boils water very quickly.

 

[jonsobi]

Hi-Mount Stop-Light As Outlet Vent Hole?

My dread of cutting a hole in my roof sheet has made me put the upper venting question on the back burner. There has been no discomfort without one...yet, so no real urgency. As long as the doors are open all day down here in the SW, things stay quite comfy camping in the T-Pod well into the 80s. There are no bugs, and the temp cools off nicely when the sun goes down. That's all going to change by May when we get to the humid buggy NE.

Because of my aforementioned reluctance to jigsaw my roof, I have long pondered the use of the 13" x 1 1/4" hi-mount stoplight cutout as a potential exit vent in my T-Pod. It is located at a high point within the interior, there is a nice 3x5 oblong cutout for a potential small fan, and it presents no profile or height changes to the exterior. But is it large enough to be effective?

To start the research process, I removed the stoplight (20 second job) and taped a plastic flapper plate in place. Sure enough, the flapper flapped open anytime a door was closed. I buttoned up the van and turned the HVAC fan on full blast at the floor (I would hope to count on this source of air intake). Sure enough, the flapper stayed open a 1/2 inch exhaling air. I went for a drive and saw daylight through the flapper hole in my rear view mirror. I am encouraged.

I now need to design a weatherproof baffle, figure out how to integrate a small fan, and make sure I can still maintain a hi-lamp stoplight function. It will be a non-destructive experiment, so if it fails to please, I can return things to stock and get back to fretting about using that jigsaw.

If anyone has attempted this or sees any insurmountable pitfalls, I would be glad to hear about it.

 

[GROOVY2]

the vent idea looks Great




-

 

[EddieZ]

Pretty sure you're breaking new ground, considering top stop light for vent. I like the thinking. 13 square inches - I have doubts about that being enough for humidity control with 2 people. And, even more doubtful about it as heat mitigation with van nearly buttoned up. 14 inch vent with fan - say 13 inch opening - is 132 square inches, 10x the area.

Hey, what's that light got for weather sealing? I didn't see any gasket, looking from the outside.

 

[foxharp]

new ground, indeed! i love this forum.

seems like you might simplify things by separating the light from the vent -- surely one can get surface mount lights that could substitute for the third brake light in the eyes of the law? perhaps two, each mounted somewhat outboard of the current opening?

 

[foxharp]

also -- did you see that Hein is now selling a roof adapter to make installing a roof fan easier? that's made me less queasy about that project -- though drilling the first pilot hole is still going to suck.

 

[Thurman]

NICE BUILD! About the portable fridge, does it also make ice? I like beer o.k., but a Martini is a must. Do any of the portables have a separate freezer? Could be a game changer if it is only a refrig. or only a freezer. Thanks.

 

[jonsobi]

Hey, what's that light got for weather sealing? I didn't see any gasket, looking from the outside.

The seal is on the lens housing. The top seal on my lens is defective, Ford is replacing it. I will look for a small 12v fan today and continue to work the idea.

Foxharp, a separate stop light is a good plan B option. My first thoughts are to add the stock stop light to the extended fan shroud. We'll see how that works out. Someone posted about bondo for projects, was wondering if this would be a suitable project?

Thurman, my 45 qt is either or. It has a fast freeze function which is very effective. We only use it as a fridge, setting it to 38/39 deg. Martinis are important, though..

The 85 qt model is both a fridge and freezer. A good friend of mine just bought the 85 qt. I might experiment with mine by putting a sliding divider in it to see of I can get both fridge and freezer results.

 

[jonsobi]

Hi and Low Vent Update

I continued my experiments over the past few days using the Hi Mount stoplight slot as an upper air vent.

To maximize the convection effect, I installed a lower air intake by inserting a length of dryer vent from the under-left-corner 3x4" rubber cap and fed it to the inner oblong opening at bottom of the driver side rear-door post (see pic). I also placed sponge baffles into either side of the upper roof cavity to direct cabin air out thru the stoplight slot only. This provided both a low inlet and high outlet to provide natural convection release of hot air.

At 1pm in full sun, I placed my indoor temp display in the shaded open garage, and the outdoor sensor in the van, and buttoned it up, save for the upper slot and lower 4" vent. I put my reflectix covers on the rear and front windshield. After one hour the temp in the shade was 83, and the van interior read 90. At 4pm, the shade temp was 86, and the van interior was 96.

Unfortunately I do not have a set of baseline figures without the low and high vents. I could certainly feel hot air exiting the upper vent with my hand, but could not use that as a reliable measure. Over the next few days it will be 90 here, so I will try to get a stable vent and no vent comparison over an identical time and temp period.

I think it has some effect, but it is doubtful it can match a conventional square roof vent.

More to follow.

 

[foxharp]

I continued my experiments over the past few days using the Hi Mount stoplight slot as an upper air vent.

To maximize the convection effect, I installed a lower air intake by inserting a length of dryer vent from the under-left-corner 3x4" rubber cap and fed it to the inner oblong opening at bottom of the driver side rear-door post (see pic). I also placed sponge baffles into either side of the upper roof cavity to direct cabin air out thru the stoplight slot only. This provided both a low inlet and high outlet to provide natural convection release of hot air.

i'm curious: why was it important to isolate the openings that way? where else would the air have gone, or come from?

At 1pm in full sun, I placed my indoor temp display in the shaded open garage, and the outdoor sensor in the van, and buttoned it up, save for the upper slot and lower 4" vent. I put my reflectix covers on the rear and front windshield. After one hour the temp in the shade was 83, and the van interior read 90. At 4pm, the shade temp was 86, and the van interior was 96.

Unfortunately I do not have a set of baseline figures without the low and high vents. I could certainly feel hot air exiting the upper vent with my hand, but could not use that as a reliable measure. Over the next few days it will be 90 here, so I will try to get a stable vent and no vent comparison over an identical time and temp period.

I think it has some effect, but it is doubtful it can match a conventional square roof vent.

More to follow.

i'm wondering if the effect would be different if the inlet and exit weren't directly almost vertical from one another -- i.e., one toward the front, the other in the rear. i realize you have no control with your current setup. just seems like there might be a lot of dead air in the van that's not moving at all, while a lot of air flows past the rear door. you might try moving your temp sensors both into the van, and see if the door area is cooler than the front of the van.

that might help decide whether using a floor vent somewhere else further forward would be an improvement.

 

[jonsobi]

i'm curious: why was it important to isolate the openings that way? where else would the air have gone, or come from?


i'm wondering if the effect would be different if the inlet and exit weren't directly almost vertical from one another -- i.e., one toward the front, the other in the rear. i realize you have no control with your current setup. just seems like there might be a lot of dead air in the van that's not moving at all, while a lot of air flows past the rear door. you might try moving your temp sensors both into the van, and see if the door area is cooler than the front of the van.

that might help decide whether using a floor vent somewhere else further forward would be an improvement.

Good questions, I did not want the lower incoming air to find its way up the hollow rear frame tube, sort of like a long chimney, and going straight out the upper vent. This would reduce the amount air entering into the main body... I think? Not entirely sure how the air flows throughout the van with all the myriad cutouts and cavities. I do remember when working behind the drivers seat in cooler months feeling a strong cold draft coming from the b pillar lower tube hole. Not sure where it entered, but it was a significant flow.

I agree the location of the lower tube is not ideal. It may even be counter productive if air is already entering from other places forward in the van, by reducing the draw at those locations. Wish I had a colored smoke bomb thingy to see where air comes and goes!!!

I picked up some very interesting vent covers from the furnace section in HD yesterday that I will be retro fitting as add-on vents for the front open windows. It should provide extra air flow out and/or in. Will post more pics, although I am running into Orton's Syndrome, i.e. reaching my picture posting limit.

 

[jonsobi]

Vents and Ceiling Finally Done

I abandoned the idea of using the hi-mount stop light vent for the time being. I decided instead to fabricate vent-screens for the front windows. Once we head North, we won't see temperatures in the 80s again until July, so we'll see how the window vent/screens perform till then. Still trying to avoid that jigsaw on my tin roof!

I purchased two SS 8x16 screen vents at HD for under $3.00 each, and attached them to plywood frames. The frames fit into the upper window grooves, and are latched to the lowered windows. So far they look like they will provide decent overnight or daytime cross ventilation in inclement weather.

Installing the ceiling turned out to be one of my least favorite projects. I attached a 4x8 sheet of 3/16 primed plywood, from Lowes, directly to the ceiling cross-ribs. I used self tapping metal screws with rubber sided washers that I picked up at a mobile home outfitters. Due to the sloping and narrowing front roof, the 4x8 sheets bowed near the front making it impossible to get tight seams with the filler panels. It looks... okay, but nobody will mistake my van for a Roadtrek.

So the T-Pod is now ready for our big touring trip up North. We will head up through Flagstaff Az, and spend some time in Utah. Then up through Idaho and Washington to Vancouver. We will also ferry to Saltspring Island and later, Vancouver Island. I expect to get some good rain testing on my window vents!!

At some point in late April we will head East across the continent towards home in Ottawa, Ontario. We will be getting up close and personal with our T-Pod, and will let you know how it goes.

 

[unclebob]

Did you apply any adhesive or caulk to the back side events before you attach them to the plywood?

I had the same idea on the vents but but my idea had the plywood in the channels at the top and sides also which would make it critical to raise the window just the correct amount.

Your system eliminates that problem and will also make inserting and removing the vents from the channel much simpler.

I'm going to order a can of spray paint that matches my Blue Jeans blue color of the van and color match the exterior of the vents to my van.

Thanks so much for the idea, now my project can move on from the pondering stage.