In our Youtube episode, you can see how we convert the 70’s vintage pot into a sink as well as some electrical tips.
DIY Sink in a Van
We wanted a simple, easy, and budget friendly plumbing set up that allowed us to have as much running fresh water, as possible with out compromising too much space. We figured if we used all our tanks for fresh water and had our gray water dump out the van floor, then, we wouldn't have to sacrifice space to carry around gray water. Then, we would be maximizing the room under the sink for fresh water.
We purchased two of the infamous, slim, 6 gallon, BPA free, Reliance containers. We use these for our freshwater tanks. For our grey water, we drilled a 1-1/4” hole in the floor of the van and ran a 1-1/4” silicone tube to the drain assembly and out the floor of the van (see picture).
We wanted a small DIY sink and were originally thinking to use a stainless steel bowl but we figured that was too lame. So, Dani took on the sink project. She found a sweet little pot with a hippie flower on it and it was a perfect fit for the van.
She put a 1” hole in the center with a metal hole saw and then used a bar sink strainer which was a great fit for the small sink. Figuring out the proper assembly for the tail piece was a pain in the butt. Thanks to the folks at our neighborhood True Value, we were able to figure it out!
We used a small little Seaflow sink pump that pumps just enough water for our little water spout we have food grade tubing for the sink and pump. And again, the greywater drains out of the bottom of the van.
The sink drain assembly was honestly the most confusing part of all the plumbing. We bought a bar sink drain that connects to a 1-1/4” Flanged Tailpipe. Then, the flanged tailpipe goes into a 1-1/4” to a 1” where we added a nipple that connects to our 3 foot 1” tube. That 1” tube drains out to the bottom of the van. We have a picture with everything labeled, as well as, amazon links for the entire set up below.
Plumbing can seem like a confusing task, but it can be as easy or as difficult as you want. We went with the easiest and cheapest way possible.