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Water Tank Security/Safety

vito61

Member
Messages
392
Location
Stonehenge
Hi All

Tank Security. Important topic.

I have a Merc Vito. It's got 'D' rings in the floor as standard. I've made up a frame using 26mm Key Clamp tubing (it's like mini scaffold tubing, galvanised). The tank sits in this and in theory it shouldn't slide about. I've also got a 1 tonne strap over the top of the tank using the tubing to secure it down.

I purify the water in my shed using ro and di and then transfer it from the tank (650 ltr) there to my van tank (350). This means I don't need other filters in the van. I just have a pump box, 100 mtr hose reel and poles for wfp cleaning. With the tank empty I can remove it all (leaving frame in place) in about 5 mins.

What have you done to make sure your water tank is secured in your vehicle? Have you bolted through the floor? Used straps? Wedged it in somehow? It can be expensive and inconvenient but essential.

Hope to see some good posts

 
Thanks washerman

Good to see an idea put forward. I hope to see a lot more. From the level of response so far it seems almost a taboo subject.

 
Vauxhall combo, put 350 lt in, have 7 inches either side of sides of van, pushed up again bulk head and ratchet strapped to bulk head.. I have d rings, and the tank is just 3'' short of the wheel arches.. I used a 3x3 post in front of tank nice fit between wheel arches, 2 bolts threw d rings and posts.. Also but 3x3 post along one side which strapping along top screwed down, then screwed there bulk head to secure it.. I just have to do something now on other side, where the tap is.. Was prob going to use a smaller bit of 3x3 somehow..

Hope u can make sense of this, I'm building up pics to show u all lol

 
citroen berlingo first with a 350 tank held down by two 5 ton ratchet straps to the d rings, i was told 1ton straps are no where strong enough but was also told straps are only as good as your d rings

 
Well I thought I'd throw a potential spanner in the discussion but also mention something that you may think worth looking into.

I got my van with a 450l tank already fitted. When I was arranging the insurance I mentioned the modification of a water tank in it. They wanted to know if it was in a frame and bolted through the chassis. Fortunately it is. It might be worth checking with your insurance company whether they are happy with straps etc rather than the standard safety requirement (for my insurance company anyway) of frame bolted through chassis. If you had an accident and hadn't checked your insurers requirements beforehand it may be you find you aren't covered. A few hundred kilos of water going forward with the force from 30-70 mph to a sudden stop is a hell of a force against straps.

Thought it worth mentioning.

 
your right & my insurance knows the size & way i've secured my tank. but i also heard if your tank is bolted down then its a modification & costs more

 
i think that the rated load of a ratchet strap is only half of the actual tested load so for example if

a strap is rated to 1 metric tonne it has actually been tested to destruction to x2 of the rated load

im just trying to find some info to back this up as im a bit rusty on this sort of stuff .

But for example if you are using a 1 tonne strap on a 350 litre tank this would be suffice as 1 litre of water

weighs 1 kilogramme so in my opinion there should be no problem at all .

 
i think that the rated load of a ratchet strap is only half of the actual tested load so for example if

a strap is rated to 1 metric tonne it has actually been tested to destruction to x2 of the rated load

im just trying to find some info to back this up as im a bit rusty on this sort of stuff .

But for example if you are using a 1 tonne strap on a 350 litre tank this would be suffice as 1 litre of water

weighs 1 kilogramme so in my opinion there should be no problem at all .
It would seem so but how is that rating calculated? Is it that the strap will hold a tonne of weight against it (holding up/ leant against etc)? 400 kilos of water coming to a sudden stop at 30-70 mph increases the actual weight of the water by many many times.... Can't remember the calculation, force = mass x acceleration or something. The force of the water mass going forward is no longer equal to the 400 kilo it was when stationary, it is now many many tonnes (I'll try and work out how much).

Be interesting to know if anyone has told their insurance they strap a tank and to see if the insurance were ok with it. I have no experience with strapping a load etc so it would be informative, to me at least.

 
Hi All

Tank Security. Important topic.

I have a Merc Vito. It's got 'D' rings in the floor as standard. I've made up a frame using 26mm Key Clamp tubing (it's like mini scaffold tubing, galvanised). The tank sits in this and in theory it shouldn't slide about. I've also got a 1 tonne strap over the top of the tank using the tubing to secure it down.

I purify the water in my shed using ro and di and then transfer it from the tank (650 ltr) there to my van tank (350). This means I don't need other filters in the van. I just have a pump box, 100 mtr hose reel and poles for wfp cleaning. With the tank empty I can remove it all (leaving frame in place) in about 5 mins.

What have you done to make sure your water tank is secured in your vehicle? Have you bolted through the floor? Used straps? Wedged it in somehow? It can be expensive and inconvenient but essential.

Hope to see some good posts
In my case, I have bolted a little stand for my water tank which is not that big and I also used straps to keep it secure in my mini van...

 
It would actually be a lot safer to have 15 20l tanks joined together with some plumbing joints, thank it would to have one giant 300l tank.... Reason being the water in each compartment can only move so much and would not create such an enerca(can't spell)

I know the 300l have a partition in the middle, but that still 150l either side to slosh about. I'm seriously consider maybe 6x smaller tanks plumbed together inside a frame.... Much safer

 
I have a vivaro with 500 ltr tank in the middle i want to keep it in the middle, it has a strap going across the middle of the tank going to each of the hooks either side of the van, what else would people suggest i can do to make it secure? D.i.y

 
The payload d rings fitted to vans normally put on with just two spotwelds may I add so no matter what strapes you have are not designed to hold a water tank in place in the event of a collision. They are simply there to help lighter stuff stop moving about in the back of the van when driving around. Simples....

This crash test shows what can happen if the tank is not properly secured through the floor/chassis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVrCGTqVqA

 
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