1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 8. Fresh Water
This Part 8. Fresh Water, begins at a stage in our game of rebuilding the left sidewall of the camper. It is here on that side where we run into the utility connections, much of which are fresh water related. Other threads in this Resto Mod are...
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 1. Acquisition & Evaluation
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 2. Dismantling and Salvage
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 3. Structure and New Wood
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 4. Bathroom Remodel
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 5. Propane
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 6. Jacks & Tiedowns
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 7. Finishes & Finishing
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 8. Fresh Water
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 9. Electrical (AC/DC)
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 10. Galley & Greatroom
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 11. Night Chamber
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 12. Waste Water
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 13. Exterior, Skin & Openings
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 14. Viewer Perceptions
I'll start with a short description of our original fresh water set-up, and what we've determined we want for fresh water, at least in the limited space we're dealing with.
Our small 8' Travel Queen came with limited extras, much like today's smaller units. I guess manufacturers (and likely consumers) consider it natural for smaller RVs to be somewhat lacking in amenities, while much larger units have everything! We don't adhere to that model. Rather, we want as small as possible, but with as much luxury as possible.
So our camper came original with a 30 gallon fresh water tank, no water heater, and a single hand-pump facet at a double basin galley sink. It also had both gravity feed and city supply inlets, and a fresh water tank drain. And I thought 30 gallons was pretty darn good for a small camper with only a hand pump and single sink location!
We wanted as much capacity in a fresh water tank as would fit under the original cabinet (which ended up being 40 gallons), an on demand pump, a 6 gallon hot water heater and hot and cold water at: the galley double basin sink, the bathroom single basin sink, wet bath shower capabilities, and an exterior shower or spray port station. Of course we also want the gravity feed and city water supply inlets, but we want them behind a locking hatch, and we want a conveniently located fresh water drain, not to mention an easy to switch antifreeze pick-up and fresh water bypass, as well as the hot water tank bypass for simple winterizing.
As a side note, there is no space for a waste receptacle. Because of that I had planned a location under the cab-over step (which houses the fresh water tank) for a waste can. I'd hinge the step lid for access and the garbage can wouldn't be out in the floor space getting knocked over and tripped on. That decision reduced space under the cab-over step enough that I had resigned myself to a 30 gallon fresh water tank. Good enough.
Later, when it came time to order the fresh water tank, I measured again and purchased the larger dimension 40 gallon tank. While test locating it, I remembered about the waste can and smacked myself in the forehead! Doh!
Shipping had been high enough - I didn't want to double and triple it up. I racked my brain. I concluded there was a little more floor space than necessary for easy movement around the galley. The step up to the cab-over was deep enough, but a little more depth wouldn't hurt anything, especially as we get older. There was also some wasted depth space between the cabinet face and the water tank. I found if I just moved the face of the step out into the floor another 5" I could keep the 40 gallon tank, place TWO 6 gallon rectangular waste receptacles UNDER the step by the fresh water tank and still have plenty of floor space for maneuvering and cooking, a larger step up to the cab-over, and still retain the same raised floor space for the U-shaped dinette floor! So I rebuilt the face wall of the cabinet as one of my summer projects and retained the originally desired 40 gallon fresh water tank.
{2/15/17 Edit -- The above mentioned waste receptacles have by necessity, been changed to: one smaller receptacle, and a space for one vented battery, due to the need to remove it from the originally planned unsafe location of the power center cabinet.}
As I now begin the rebuild of the left side-wall of the camper, I'll begin placing fresh water related posts here in this thread. Fresh water being bery, bery good to me!
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 1. Acquisition & Evaluation
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 2. Dismantling and Salvage
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 3. Structure and New Wood
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 4. Bathroom Remodel
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 5. Propane
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 6. Jacks & Tiedowns
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 7. Finishes & Finishing
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 8. Fresh Water
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 9. Electrical (AC/DC)
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 10. Galley & Greatroom
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 11. Night Chamber
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 12. Waste Water
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 13. Exterior, Skin & Openings
1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 14. Viewer Perceptions
I'll start with a short description of our original fresh water set-up, and what we've determined we want for fresh water, at least in the limited space we're dealing with.
Our small 8' Travel Queen came with limited extras, much like today's smaller units. I guess manufacturers (and likely consumers) consider it natural for smaller RVs to be somewhat lacking in amenities, while much larger units have everything! We don't adhere to that model. Rather, we want as small as possible, but with as much luxury as possible.
So our camper came original with a 30 gallon fresh water tank, no water heater, and a single hand-pump facet at a double basin galley sink. It also had both gravity feed and city supply inlets, and a fresh water tank drain. And I thought 30 gallons was pretty darn good for a small camper with only a hand pump and single sink location!
We wanted as much capacity in a fresh water tank as would fit under the original cabinet (which ended up being 40 gallons), an on demand pump, a 6 gallon hot water heater and hot and cold water at: the galley double basin sink, the bathroom single basin sink, wet bath shower capabilities, and an exterior shower or spray port station. Of course we also want the gravity feed and city water supply inlets, but we want them behind a locking hatch, and we want a conveniently located fresh water drain, not to mention an easy to switch antifreeze pick-up and fresh water bypass, as well as the hot water tank bypass for simple winterizing.
As a side note, there is no space for a waste receptacle. Because of that I had planned a location under the cab-over step (which houses the fresh water tank) for a waste can. I'd hinge the step lid for access and the garbage can wouldn't be out in the floor space getting knocked over and tripped on. That decision reduced space under the cab-over step enough that I had resigned myself to a 30 gallon fresh water tank. Good enough.
Later, when it came time to order the fresh water tank, I measured again and purchased the larger dimension 40 gallon tank. While test locating it, I remembered about the waste can and smacked myself in the forehead! Doh!
Shipping had been high enough - I didn't want to double and triple it up. I racked my brain. I concluded there was a little more floor space than necessary for easy movement around the galley. The step up to the cab-over was deep enough, but a little more depth wouldn't hurt anything, especially as we get older. There was also some wasted depth space between the cabinet face and the water tank. I found if I just moved the face of the step out into the floor another 5" I could keep the 40 gallon tank, place TWO 6 gallon rectangular waste receptacles UNDER the step by the fresh water tank and still have plenty of floor space for maneuvering and cooking, a larger step up to the cab-over, and still retain the same raised floor space for the U-shaped dinette floor! So I rebuilt the face wall of the cabinet as one of my summer projects and retained the originally desired 40 gallon fresh water tank.
{2/15/17 Edit -- The above mentioned waste receptacles have by necessity, been changed to: one smaller receptacle, and a space for one vented battery, due to the need to remove it from the originally planned unsafe location of the power center cabinet.}
As I now begin the rebuild of the left side-wall of the camper, I'll begin placing fresh water related posts here in this thread. Fresh water being bery, bery good to me!
