T6 LWB T30 140 Acapulco blue - Build Thread

[T6 Dave's Dad]

As a longtime caravanner, may I remind those who drain grey water to the outside to always use a bucket to contain the grey water and to empty it down a waste drain. I am sure this is an unnecessary reminder but some motor caravans don't do this and get all caravanners a bad name. As an example see @Fish's post on page 47 of "Where have you been in your van today?" and I hasten to add that @Fish is NOT the guilty party.

 

[Roadrunner]

@T6 Dave's Dad is right caravans do have an external container for grey water to drain into something like this Fiamma Caravan And Motorhome Waste Roll Tank - Grey then you can wheel it off to empty, they do bigger ones like WaterHog or Wastemaster which take 40 litters, think the days of buckets are long gone. The Cali has one but I could not say where it's situated as I never looked on mine when I had the SE

 

[GarryM]

Stick twin spares on hatch, water tanks where the spare sits...

The hatch is already part of the bed slide out and the canvas covering will not allow tires. I have a set of gas strut locks to keep the door open with the annex all fitted up as it tended to sag.

 

[xpfloyd]

With regards to grey water the local convertor who done my roof said it's not a legal requirement to catch grey water in the uk and as such all of their hire vans free drain. Is that wrong?

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

With regards to grey water the local convertor who done my roof said it's not a legal requirement to catch grey water in the uk and as such all of their hire vans free drain. Is that wrong?

@xpfloyd it may not be illegal, I don't know. What I do know is that it is antisocial and on a campsite you would possibly be asked to leave. What would you think of a camper that dumped their smelly grey water in the street outside your house and not down a drain, or on the pitch next to your awning?

 

[Veema]

I questioned my converter about this too as when caravanning we had a waste water hog and he said you just let it drain out...when we go to France, all the europeans just let it drain straight out, or chuck it in the bushes...there's rarely a point for emptying waste water on french sites. I can't really see me using the sink that much...there's no water heater, so washing up is a faff, will probably only clean my teeth in it.

 

[xpfloyd]

I hear what you are saying @T6 Dave's Dad but what's going to be in the water? Water and a bit of fairy liquid at most? I don't see it being smelly.

However this has brought it to my attention and I will rethink my plans as I was originally planning on letting it free drain.

You could argue fairy liquid is not good for the environment which it probably isn't , but I bet most people on here wouldn't think twice about washing their vans with car shampoo and washing it off into the street

 

[Roadrunner]

Your right @T6 Dave's Dad campsite provide areas to empty the water tanks on Motorhomes & campers, if you were free draining on site the owner woul dbe having words with you. Caravans free drain but they use what I showed in the link or if like me pump it into the nearby drain which is part of the pitch. If I saw some one dumping grewater in the road outside my house I'd be taking a photo and reporting them to the council and Thames Water

 

[xpfloyd]

Please dont take this as me condoning free draining grey water but to play devils advocate how would that be any different to you washing your car outside in the street?

 

[xpfloyd]

Also - Its a bit different with larger motorhomes as they collect the water then dump it once the tank is full. With a T6 camper surely its just a sink full at a time when the dishes are done? I need to have a serious look at the options now as I am limited space wise for where a waste tank can go. With my van being lowered it will be hard to slip a catch tank under the van when parked. I was planning to install an underslung LPG tank to free up cupboard space but that new space may well be taken up now with a waste water container!

 

[Roadrunner]

Please dont take this as me condoning free draining grey water but to play devils advocate how would that be any different to you washing your car outside in the street?

Problem is that the area under the van on a campsite if it's on grass will become wet & boggy if your there for a while, plus any food stuff going down will attract vermin hence get a catch tank to catch the stuff and put it down a drain

 

[xpfloyd]

@Roadrunner yeah that's a point. Back to the drawing board me thinks

 

[T6 Dave]

The Aires in France have dumping points, as do the Marie.. It might not be illegal, but it is antisocial, and avoidable.. Do we need to promote such a bad image of ourselves and the "scene" to Jo public over something avoidable.. The French also piddle anywhere within reason.. You did that here you'd be arrested!

 

[xpfloyd]

Hmm maybe its just me but I just dont see what is antisocial about it. A small sink full of water with fairy liquid and probably some food crumbs etc. Sure it gets the grass wet below the van but so does the rain. Its not environmentally friendly to pour it down a storm drain (and probably illegal) but if its out on the grass it will filter naturally. Parked up in an ASDA car park and letting it out is definately anti-social but out and about wild camping im not so sure. Potential for mice if theres food crumbs etc but outside of a campsite is that really an issue? For a campsite I can see the argument for not doing it but I will be mostly wild camping.

Again - not condoning it, just weighing up my options and looking at both sides of the argument

 

[T6 Dave]

End of the day, you do what you want to do.. Hoping someone won't make a law that prevents you doing it in the future.. Piddle on the same patch of grass long enough.. It stinks, even after its rained.. Same for waste water..

 

[xpfloyd]

End of the day, you do what you want to do.. Hoping someone won't make a law that prevents you doing it in the future.. Piddle on the same patch of grass long enough.. It stinks, even after its rained.. Same for waste water..

Yep, thats why I can see not to do it on a camp site.

Not sure what way I will go with this. Limited options for where to put a tank

 

[T6 Dave]

I hear what you are saying @T6 Dave's Dad but what's going to be in the water? Water and a bit of fairy liquid at most? I don't see it being smelly.

However this has brought it to my attention and I will rethink my plans as I was originally planning on letting it free drain.

You could argue fairy liquid is not good for the environment which it probably isn't , but I bet most people on here wouldn't think twice about washing their vans with car shampoo and washing it off into the street

In Germany it's illegal to wash your car in the street in some areas as far as I know..

 

[Roadrunner]

A few years ago I did an extension on my house, my wife & I ended up living in our caravan outside the front of the house which was a gravel drive. I used acatch tank under the caravan and emptied it a few times a day, it was taking the water from the shower (four People) and washing up , it overfloed quite a few times and I think there was a leak in the pipework to boot. end story was there was a patch of area soaked by the overflow and it stank for weeks. Remember that if your on a campsite if a load of people do the same it will start to smell and the next person to camp there won't thank you. Wild camping is somthing else but I feel it is still anti scocial to people who come there especally if you take a dump in the bushes or pi$$ in the bushes though the latter is not so bad ( we all do it now and then). Just use you common sence when camping and think of other people who will be doing the same

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

In Germany it's illegal to wash your car in the street in some areas as far as I know..

Correct.

 

[Veema]

I've found a small waste water hog Fiamma Roll-Tank Waste Tank - 23W | Leisure Outlet