Under bed mounted water tank/vs jerry cans

[javajoe79]

Thought about this right after posting but aluminum would probably make the water taste funny. Looks like stainless steel will do it though. I feel that if I find a plastic tank that will fit my space well, I will still have to build a skid pan to cover it, which adds complexity.

 

[fiddypal]

Is the sound of water sloshing around in the tank annoying when driving? This looks like a sweet tank to fit on the back wall of my silverado, but i would rather put it in the bed if its annoying to listen to. Not sure if there are baffels inside to help prevent the water movement.

Nice setup!

Thanks!

 

[rayra]

Real easy to modify any of these tanks, plastic or metal, with a drain petcock at a low point.


That behind the seat vertical tank is awesome

 

[TeriAnn]

I believe that the RV people have discovered that water left sitting in a tank goes all funky if left unused long enough. Seems to me that it will be a lot easier to clean and even sterilize jerry cans. Just a thought . . .

The answer to your suggestion is in your suggestion. Have a drain plug to empty the tank when not in use and don't keep water just sitting in the tank.
It is very easy to sanitize built in water tanks. Add one tablespoon of unscented bleach to each gallon of water as you fill the tank. Drive the vehicle for a couple of miles to let the solution splash around then drain the tank.

I have a 15 gallon stainless steel water tank that was custom built to fit unused space between the inside & outside body panels. It has an outside filler. I keep the tank empty when I'm not on a trip. just before going out I sanitize the tank then refill it with drinking water. When I return I drain the tank, sanitize it then drain it again and leave it dry until I'm ready to go out again.

The best place for weight is at frame level. I have the equivalent of three 20L jerry cans of water (about 120 lbs) at frame level that takes up no usable space inside or outside the vehicle. Just about every gas station and park campground has a water faucet. I carry a short white with blue stripe drinking water hose to use to top up my tank. If you want there are hose connected charcoal filters that you can put on the hose to filter out impurities that could cause an undesirable taste. My system also has a water filter between the 12V pump and faucet which gets disconnected and drained so it is stored dry in between trips. Left full of standing water the filter can get icky growth if unused for a long time.

If you live in an area where winter days are well above freezing and you want to keep your water tank full, just drain and sanitize it about once a month to keep it clean.

 

[jkcobra]

I like the mounted tanks for the pressurized water. I have a frontrunner water tank that would probably work great behind your seat if you didn't want to mount it under the truck. only takes up 3.5" of space.

How do you guys keep your tank from freezing in the winter? I've got a frontrunner water tank in my JKU living in San Diego it's not much concern, but I'll be moving to the midwest soon... Now when trying to "winterize", I can't seem to get the water out to the lines with my Surflow pump alone. Once it gets low I get a gurgle but it doesn't clear the lines. I'm thinking about putting a valve stem in the lid and adding a few PSI of pressure to help push water out. Anyone try this?

Us RV users drain free water as best as possible and then add RV anti-freeze to our lines in the winter. It is safe for potable water systems and you just flush it out with fresh water when ready. You can find it at wal-mart or any RV supply.