I had a fixed under body 160ltr tank and a 20ltr gerry can with tap, strapped above the sink in a merc van. the 160ltrs I used for washing cooking and tea/coffee, and the 20ltrs I purified with micropur powder, for drinking. I never had any problems. micropur powder is excellent, leaves no taste and a film canister size container is enough for 10,000ltrs! very economic. I believe some of the overland companies use it.

I agree that the outside tank could freeze and mine did get hot! so I would keep it inside next time.

I used a foot pump which was fine.

Graeme

I have used old catering sized veggie oil containers in a wooden frame - total cost about 10 quid. Actually they are really tough. Also found that when you can get really cheap or clean water that a lot of 1.5 litre bottled water has advantages - always popular and easy to hand out when done. Tried sachet water but it couldn't hack the abuse

It's interesting to hear from you guys with the bigger trucks and the space for the large fixed tanks.

Personally for travelling in a Land Cruiser I would go for small 20-50l containers behind the 2rd row of seats with a pump to take it to the rear of the vehicle an some form of inline filter so that you don't have to think about whether it is drinking or washing water.

Travelling with children (we have 3.5 children!) means that car seats will have to be removed to drop the seats down to get at the tanks, but hopefully with larger cans this shouldn't need doing everyday.

In Morocco we went through around half a dozen bottles of water a day as well as two 20l solar showers (most leaked out so often ended up with only 5-10l in each) and then a 20l Jerry can would last us about 2-3 days. In the future I want to avoid using bottled water because you can become reliant on them and it's a problem when you then can't get any and also you end up filling your car up with full and empty bottles and with limited space (did I mention the 3.5 children!) this can become a pain to deal with and finding places to throw them bottles away (not many bins around Morocco!) can be a problem.

What do you do for hot water?

Any travelling I will do will most likely be with my family and having warm/hot water for washing ourselves and washing up after a meal does make life that little bit more comfortable - I have tried the solar shower which are great when the weather is good, but's it's the cold/wet days when you wouldd far rather be washing in warm/hot water than cold.

I think that the only time I would have a fixed tank would be for hot water, linked in with a heat exchanger, recycling the contents of the tank through a heat exchanger whilst on the move and then you have warm/hot water for washing in the evening - insulating the tank would keep it warmer for longer.

I have been wondering if it is possible to get some inline heaters, but I guess the main problem will be the power needed to heat the water, shame really, it would make life/plumbing easier ;-)

__________________
Cheers,

Julian Voelcker
Overland Cruisers - Specialising in Land Cruiser preparation and servicing.

Julian, you could always get a diesel-powered water heater-the type used to pre-heat engines and modify it to provide hot water. Never seen it done but I can't see why it couldn't be. Whether it's worth the effort though........

Q

Hi Julian, I'll try to take a photo of the swiss bags for you.
Re hot water :- I think alisport, or a friend of his did a heat exchanger off the cooling system - may have a reference somewhere.
I haven't got the 3.5 kids so I tend to use the kelly kettle if there's no sun with an ex army shower bag which i picked up from B.A.S.E. army surplus - they also do the swiss army bags which are not to be compared with the flimsy solar showers - you can drive over these things.
I'll post later
Cheers
Chris

__________________
Chris
-----------------
"Never have a stupid argument with an idiot - he gets a lot more practice than you"
there I go again
not too hard really

Hi Julian
I got a plastic 75l tank made to fit between the rear chassis rails, and a whale hand pump to lift it up into the sink. Easy to fill with a pipe fitted up the rear of the van, weight low down and best use of space. As to the freezing problem, head south!
Bruce

I found this link, I think these are the bags, they look a good alternative to the solar showers that I have always used. as someone said they leak. these look very good.

20 Ltr Swiss Water Carrier > Exarmy Ltd

Graeme

Well done graysworld, they're the ones but I paid about £8 .
As I said they are very strong and pack flat when empty which saves loads of space on short legs. I have euro boxes with lids for storage and they are about the same size when full - a ratchet strap over the top and everything stays put.
Try B.A.S.E. in bournemouth 01202 535555
The rope handles at each end can be used to hang it off the side of the car or tie it to the roof - I hang mine in the sunny side window ( no wind chill) in the afternoons and hot water for washing up even in the uk - when the sun shines.
The taps are push for on and close positively, very good and don't leak. With a little ingenuity you could rig up to a shower head.
Cheers
Chris
ps it's worth having your water in a few different containers then if 1 gets contaminated you don't have to dump the whole lot. Remember to fill up in diferent places too.

__________________
Chris
-----------------
"Never have a stupid argument with an idiot - he gets a lot more practice than you"
there I go again
not too hard really

water bag 10 euro + postege

__________________
Chris
-----------------
"Never have a stupid argument with an idiot - he gets a lot more practice than you"
there I go again
not too hard really

Hi there, it's Lio.

I followed the link you sent me and I'm now logged in under your ID!?

Anyway, here's my 0.2Euro opinion on the water storage subject:

When travelling with kids in a 4x4, the trunck tends to fill really fast (as you know ;o) but it's a strategic place for everyday life on the piste so should be loaded adequately.
In priority, I would use the trunck for things I cannot fit anywhere else on the vehicle and should be easily and quickly accessible (clothing, cookware, food, wine, kid toys, ...). In my case, all the roof is taken by the family rooftent so tools, recovery gear and the like need to find a place in the vehicle - and not under the car as they need to be accessible even if the vehicle is stuck - so they'll end up in the trunck.
This leaves very little palce in the trunck (unless comfort is compromised) an quiet some space under the vehicle. Space to be used in priority for things that are easy to "put" in and out (liquids? ;o) and are heavy (liquids? ;o).
=> For that matter, I'll statch all the liquids I can (water, fuel, oils, more wine ;o) under the vehicle.
It's easy to take it out with a submerged pump or inline pump that will not have to be installed/removed everytime water is needed.
It's a little more difficult to get it in but it's only water so you can poor it as slow as you want (unlike fuel) and can bear spilling a bit. My friend Franck who made his own under-body tank on the opposite side of the front muffler (LandCruiser HDJ80) fills it in thanks to a filer pipe that comes up under the bonnet, by the brake booster. The filler being so high, you could make several small tanks and fill them all up from the same filler. I know some people also use the space available when you remove the main muffler (HDJ80).
If this solution is the best to my eyes, I agree it's not ideal (but is there one ideal solution?) as the tanks are not transportable and not easily washable. That's why I'd still carry with me a empty 10L jerrycan (or the swiss army bags?) to carry the water from the source to the truck if needed.

Hope this help.

Lio
HDJ80 - France

__________________
Cheers,

Julian Voelcker
Overland Cruisers - Specialising in Land Cruiser preparation and servicing.