Non-plastic Fresh Water Tank

[digitalgypsy]

Hello Bongo comrades,

I've been trying to find a non-plastic fresh water tank which could be used in a conversion. It would be stainless steel and 12 or 20l I guess. Does anyone know of anything like that? Would much prefer to have something like stainless steel, be more comfortable to drinking from it.

Thanks,
Steve

[Poohbear]

Why would you not be comfortable drinking from a food grade plastic tank which is used by all other camper van and motorhome owners? I have never heard of a stainless steel tank, you could have one made but it would be expensive.

[digitalgypsy]

The safety of plastic when in contact with food or liquid for consumption, food grade or not, is a long debate i.e. research how safe is BPA free. Leave the water in your plastic water tank for any amount of time and see if it doesn't taste of plastic. We wouldn't put anything else but the correct fuel in our Bongos yet when it comes to ourselves we think we can consume anything without consequences. I totally agree though, very much doubt theres a stainless steel alternative for water tank in the camper

[Gasy]

I do lots of work with stored water
I clean cold water storage tanks for local authorities and loads of others
I'd not drink from stored water tanks
I always have a 5litre bottle water from supermarkets for kettle and drinks

Just a thought the potable water storage tanks always seem to be made of fibre glass
We bolt them together in sections
And they have sealed lids
But again require reg cleaning and disinfecting

[Bob]

I'm a bit with Gasy here, for the small quantities required for drinking why not consider something like this:


http://www.jerrycans.co.uk/new-stainles ... -333-p.asp

Or:

http://www.jerrycans.co.uk/stainless-st ... -108-p.asp

[cmm303]

It seems impossible to avoid water that has already spent time within plastic. Plastic piping carries water to our houses. Bottled water comes in plastic. Is it all about the type of plastic?

[helen&tony]

Hi
Bottled water every time! I would be FAR more worried buying meat from a supermarket than worrying about water containers...Incidentally, if worried about plastic, I trust that nobody buys meat in plastic trays, nicely sealed in cellophane, having been sprayed with water to make it glisten and dyes (permitted variety, of course,) to make it look better....or buy it "fresh" off the supermarket shelf having been delivered in plastic bags before you see it.
In order to keep down weight, I converted a camper-van with plug-in points for gas and water...no worries on gas and water bottle storage, and water-containers easy to sterilise out of the van.
Cheers
Helen

[helen&tony]

Hi
Just writing while you posted CMM....You're right about water coming into the house, BUT, usually supply pipes have a crusting inside which isolates the water from the pipe...I've lived in some rather old houses where the pipes were lead!. Frankly, I don't trust any tap-water anywhere, and we buy water in 19 litre carbuoys for a water dispenser at home, and 10 litre bottles for travelling....you can pop an electric pump straight in a 10 litre bottle for dedicated drinking water!
Cheers
Helen

[mikeonb4c]

Life is 100% fatal, although we've been managing to keep people going for longer in recent years. No-one's found a cure though. Assuming that the water source is uncontaminated, I think it is allowing water to stand in any container/pipe for a length of time that is the (potential) problem. So I agree with the idea of keeping containers as removable items that are left rinsed and empty except when needed for a mission.

Googling 'is plastic bottled water safe' brings up lots of interesting stuff, as does 'perrier water scandal'.

[Poohbear]

The reason on-board water containers are black is to block out light as most nasties in stagnant water need light to live and thrive. I and most other Bongo / Motorhome owners drink the water from the other on-board tanks as this is a frequent discussion on various forums, and when a poll is carried out most people say they drink the water. As I have never heard anybody getting ill or worse from drinking it I'll carry on drinking it, as will many others.

[mikeonb4c]

The reason on-board water containers are black is to block out light as most nasties in stagnant water need light to live and thrive. I and most other Bongo / Motorhome owners drink the water from the other on-board tanks as this is a frequent discussion on various forums, and when a poll is carried out most people say they drink the water. As I have never heard anybody getting ill or worse from drinking it I'll carry on drinking it, as will many others.

Absolutely. Do they advise to rinse it regularly, and leave it empty and ventilated when not in regular use? My observations were prompted more by the concern some have over build up of toxins that might leech out from the plastic container over time. I don't think its worth getting too paranoid about though, and the simplest precaution is not to leave standing water in a plastic container for a long time before drinking it.

On the issue of drinking bottled water. It may be safer germ-wise, but it could be that the plastic bottles they put it in present a problem, especially since the water (which might be sparkling and thus mildly acidic) may sit in the bottle for some time. I can't say I fuss too much about it though, rightly or wrongly.

[BigPanzer]

Hi,

I've never had any issues with water from the 10 litre plastic container in my removable conversion. Before each outing it is swilled out with sodium metabisulphite and I never keep water in there for long so I know its fresh. I also periodically run metabisulphite through the tap & piping. What I do have issues with is water that has come from a permanantly fitted container built into or under the van because I don't know if or when the tank has been cleaned out/sterilised and what water bourne nasties are thriving in it.
Personally I never drink unboiled water anyway unless it is sterilised with whisky.

Peter

[digitalgypsy]

Thanks all as always. Think this question has been thoroughly answered! Sometimes you need to get past that a Bongo isn't a house and accept the way things are and work with them. Going away in mine for an extended period of time soon, hopefully 6 months!

[winchman]

I too wont drink from the systems in campers or caravans.
I personally would just fit a plastic tank and drink bottled water.
I am sure a local fabricator will make you a tank but ensure its 316 Stainless and you will still have to periodically clean it.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Mike...
I work on the assumption that the water in bottles is safe enough , because there's a date-stamp if people can be bothered to look, and in a well- regulated industry ( no pun intended...oh...just a bit then! )....it surely takes the leaching of chemicals from the bottle into consideration. We're going through the idea of using a hydrophore system for the house as a booster for water pressure and backup for the days when supply is low...We have a small 300 litre tank ready to go in the barn, and a pressure-pump, but we may even think of having our own well bored, as we part-filled the old one....(pollution problems)...but it'll only be for washing...I won't touch tap water anywhere....a lot of the UK water is highly chlorinated....It may be that in a lot of UK homes, it would be safer to go for a dedicated drinking tap supplied by an R.O. unit
Cheers
Helen