AVOID Major Plumbing FAILS! Must Watch

#tipsandtricks #sprinter #plumbing #vanconversion #vanbuild
In this video Julie and I will walk you through a few tips when it comes to plumbing your van.
If you’re interested in any of the products we used in our system I’ll be placing links to everything below!
Valterra Fill Dish : amzn.to/3OOlPRc
50gal Fresh Water Tank : tinyurl.com/y565f4y9
Fresh Water Fittings Kit with Sensors : amzn.to/3AWzeRl
Tank Sensor Monitor : amzn.to/3inhkB4
Water Pump and Accumulator Tank : amzn.to/3EPRkWi
Heavy Duty Three Stage Water Filter : tinyurl.com/4p47au69
This is the full Hydronic system we purchased from Heatso that provides us with our heated floor, hot air, and hot water. We have two videos covering the entire installation process if you’re interested in this sort of system.
Espar D5E Kit : tinyurl.com/6632kbyb
Heated Floor Install Tutorial : • How To Install A Heate...
Hydronic System Install Tutorial : • Heat Your Feet! How To...
Our wall mounted Kitchen Faucet : tinyurl.com/3zahv62k
Shower Mixer : amzn.to/3VG7ys7
Shower Head : tinyurl.com/3x8czj4u
P- Trap : amzn.to/3Fftk0w
Spare Tire Gray Water Tank : tinyurl.com/4wewvj7v
Waste Dump Gate : amzn.to/3GWOEJ5
Waste Dump Gate 1 1/2 Adapter : amzn.to/3ueyh3f
If you have any questions make sure to shoot me an email at [e-mail] or leave a comment!
You can also support the channel by becoming a Patreon member!
www.patreon.com/user?u=27667694
Oh yeah, we have some air fresheners available on our shop page here:
dogcatmanvan.myshopify.com/
Follow us on instagram @dogcatmanvan

[@Biffmin]

You and Julie together are so entertaining to watch. I've been loving the editing lately too.

[@dogcatmanvan]

Thank you!

[@waynec2962]

It's always great watching videos of other people screwing up cause then I won't make those mistakes when I build my van lol thanks for the video!!

[@ZWill07]

The production quality of your channel is outstanding! Great work guys!

[@DU112052]

Great video. It is so nice to see Julie smiling and laughing again!! Hope that you both have a great holiday season 🎄🎄

[@neowave777]

You guys are so funny. That devo song too hahaha WHIP IT!!

[@sunflowerseeds8007]

Shower door. -- Install a Nautilus Retractable shower door just inside your wood one.

[@TheSmitty665]

i wish i could like these videos more than once, that "confident" Ben needs to be a new character on here lmao

[@jeffsteinmetz7188]

Wow! That was an opening that will stay with us much to long. But hey, you got our attention.

[@welderman1221]

Youz 2 is QWAZI !!!! Love your vids!!

[@marcberm]

Shower door seal... Maybe rig up something kind of like how a refrigerator door seal works? Where the seal is magnetic and makes an airtight connection against the metal door frame. So maybe something with sheet metal or bar stock and magnetic tape or even an actual replacement refrigerator door seal retrofit.

[@dogcatmanvan]

That's an interesting idea

[@Swimdeep]

@@dogcatmanvanI was thinking something similar but the pocket door or retractable edition. Sorry I missed this video. Glad it showed up on my feed. 🌿

[@bergfpv6486]

You guys are a delight to watch. Great chemistry, and useful information. I'm about to embark on my own build. My first one. And I'm planning to use all of your mistakes to get mine right the first time. Thanks for this honest info.

[@dogcatmanvan]

Good luck and thanks for watching!

[@robinpaglomutan9316]

You guys are hilarious. Great opening!

[@LeahJonline]

Word! thanks for the tips. I'm crossing my fingees cuz my van is in MN and it's Friggin cold here! :)

[@jfxl1977]

Great advice, issued with spot-on humor, as always! Love those homemade safety glasses. 🤣 You guys rock!

[@dogcatmanvan]

They worked like a charm!

[@freedompanda9438]

Just found your channel, and my first video I watched was the Havelock wool insulation video. Loved it. You guys are great. 💯! So I thought, I’m going to binge a little, and scroll through all your videos to find a good starting point. As I began my scroll, I came across your video about losing Archer. I was going to leave a comment there, but you had turned the comments for that video off, understandably so. I’ll just leave you with a short message. I type this as my 18 1/2 year old fuzzmonster, Pittsburgh, is laying on my chest. I got her when she was a baby kitten. She’s lived on both coasts, in houses with lots of roommates to apartments, condos & a schoolbus with just the two of us. She’s an indoor girl, with outdoor cravings, and we have Outdoor Adventure Times. They are some of our favorite times. Last year, I bought a piece of wild property on a mountainside in NW Montana, because she was diagnosed with kidney issues and I wanted her last times here to be in her very own wild forest. She loves it. We don’t have freeways, or busy roads, but we do have wolves, fox, coyotes, mountain lions, minx, bear, etc. When we go out I carry bear spray, and a firearm. We’ve already encountered a wolf, and that turned out fine, although pretty crazy thinking about it. I guess I just wanted to share that it’s not the years you can pack into a lifetime, it’s the life you pack into those years. Archer had a life most cats could only dream of, from the sounds of it. His world, although it may have seemed to revolve around being outside, actually revolves around you and the life you two had. He knew who “his person” was. He knew you were “Dad.” That’s why he listened to you (sometimes lol). Life is not safe. It was never intended to be safe. We, as people, try very hard to make it safer. That’s all good, and as it should be. But we can never fully eradicate the risk that life brings, and in truth, we like it that way. And Archer liked it that way. There’s no adventure without risk. We know that. He knew that. I know the “WouldaCouldaShoulda” game by heart. I encourage you to never let that seep in to your heart and mind. From one cat dad to another: you’re a bad ass cat dad. That’s clear as day. I know it’s been a year. But they never leave us. Thank you for sharing, being vulnerable, and showing an absolute right time for a man to cry. Tonight, I tip one back for Archer. Blessings. 🙏🏼🍺😺

[@dogcatmanvan]

I appreciate you taking the time to watch and leave this comment. I still have moments where I think of him and get upset that he's not here anymore and that he could be if I would've done things differently. I try and remind myself that he was doing things his way on his terms and was happy when he left. It's nice to hear you've had an adventure buddy for such a long stretch of time and you're still at it with her. Thanks for sharing that with me.

[@ifell3]

You too are awesome, you make a great couple and channel!!

[@CEDROU95]

Man these edits are interesting XD. Love it.

[@philltwose4088]

Just a thought you could have rigged something like your underfloor heating to run a pipe through the grey tank like a heating element that calorifiers have to use your heating to warm the water maybe with a thermostatic valve to only circulate when below a set temp

[@user-lx3mk4bl4v]

thanks for the plumbing tips.

[@denisecafferky2248]

You two make me laugh xx

[@raymondford9240]

Love you guys! Your videos are some of my favorites!

[@dogcatmanvan]

Thanks for taking the time to watch!

[@TheSmitty665]

just knock a hole in the bottom of the tank and if someone says something about it leaking just be like "oh man, a rock or something must have put a hole in it, i'll fix that at the next stop". lol, trust me i'm an expert

[@rojergrison3752]

I have no intention of ever building or probably living in a van but I Love these videos and couple !

[@susantosi695]

Cutest couple ever!

[@BdManus]

Build is coming along great. Excellent video.

[@rav4living]

Loving this expert advice 😀

[@bennyhaa]

Your intros kill me every single time, I love it! Also, I love the return of the diagrams!! I also what to confirm the air fresheners are amazing, the dog shit scent is my favourite!

[@dogcatmanvan]

Glad you like them!

[@twallaceii]

Thanks guys!

[@RichardCrabbe403]

I always look forward to your videos! For the shower door you could install a nautilus sliding door on the inside of the bathroom door if there is enough space? Otherwise build a lip around the door frame and a bulb seal? For my grey tank I plan on having a small 10 gal. tank inside the thermal envelope of the vehicle and a larger tank underneath.

[@Michael-qq9tj]

great vid thanks for the tips!

[@scottlucas4408]

Great fun love the video’s

[@ClayGlerumArt]

You guys are great. In my professional opinion you deserve a great big following.

[@dogcatmanvan]

Maybe one day!

[@Swimdeep]

Really good and interesting video as always. Helpful tips and info. Re: Teflon tape and pipe dope-use them together is the counsel I got from the best plumber I’ve ever worked with. Apply pipe dope, then 3 full wraps of Teflon tape. Thread an tighten to specs. 🌿

[@keliplourde5601]

❤U guys

[@philltwose4088]

Posted early and no notification 😡 damn you yoootoooob

[@DzinEye]

Thanks for sharing great advice, especially those based on your mess ups! Umm.. I do have a question ... HOW DO YOU PLAN TO CHANGE THOSE BLUE FILTERS??? (Without water dumping everywhere!)

[@thebenson1983]

You can blow out water lines then change the filters. Just like if you winterize the system with the air pressure. I actually did it yesterday on the customers van.

[@dogcatmanvan]

Tommybound is exactly right!

[@jessegreywolf]

my pipes never freeze because i dont have running water lol. too much aggravation and work for very little payoff

[@eppell]

Out of sheer curiosity, did you ever try one of those bird bath heaters that you can fully submerge? My parents used to put it at the bottom of a birdbath in 20 degree weather and it kept the bird bath from freezing. They make flexible ones that may fit in the tank opening.

[@dogcatmanvan]

No, I never thought about those. I wonder how much power they draw

[@kaoskev]

My motorhome has sinks on one side and the shower far away on the other side. I waste so much water waiting for the hot water to finally get to the shower.

[@dogcatmanvan]

Yeah I would just step to the side or stand in the blast of cold water channeling my inner Wym Hof

[@roannathephoenix8561]

Hi Ben and Julie! Always enjoy your updates. PS Ben; don't chew on your dogs.

[@dogcatmanvan]

I can't help it. We wrestle a lot!

[@roannathephoenix8561]

@@dogcatmanvan 🤣😂🤣

[@andreajaquelinearellanodia6250]

You know those Electronic valves that dump your grey tank with a switch? Have you tried those? Or do you think they would freeze even if not in use

[@azharpradhan1530]

Love your stuff! How did you guys build the bathroom walls?

[@dogcatmanvan]

It's all red cedar planks that have been sealed with 6 coats of marine varnish

[@johnhoogestraat1001]

Don’t know if it’ll work for your guy’s design but I was planning on having the “RecPro RV Retractable Rolling Shower Door” for my bathroom and try to tuck it away. And only use that whenever I shower, but still have the main door just to use the bathroom. Just a suggestion.. also where’s the stache Ben???

[@dogcatmanvan]

We didn't build the door frame for something like that. I hacked it off. I can only stand it for so long haha

[@decepticons_destroy]

Ur a bad liar, u said handsome, which u are! Despite what Julie thinks, I’m still gonna marry you. I said that in your first van tour video 😏

[@jessesmithchannel]

Have the sideways mounted filters caused any headaches? Seems like it would get a bit messy when it's time to change them out.

[@dogcatmanvan]

If we time filter replacements with a low water tank, we can purge the system entirely and there honestly isnt much water left in the filters. Then just refill our tank after swapping the filters. So far we've taken them out twice in this manner without a big issue, just using a small catch tray and rag for any drips.

[@andrer.mallet2410]

Why would you ever mount your water filter housings horizontally?? So basically you're going to end up with a gallon of water on the floor every time you change the filters, right?

[@dogcatmanvan]

No we just drain the lines and it drains the filters. When we pull them off we just place a small Tupperware underneath and it catches the small amount of water that comes out. We put them that way since we couldn’t fit them under the bench vertically with everything else.

[@gregvittore5004]

Hey guys! Good job!! I'm a bit worried about the filters. They will be full of water and when you unscrew them to clean it all the water will spread out in the van. Not enough space for a vertical mount? Cheeeers

[@dogcatmanvan]

No there wasn't enough space to place them vertically. I actually recorded a whole segment explaining how we empty the filters and change them without making a mess but deleted it since it took 2 minutes. I just shut the line off from the fresh tank, drain the lines with the pump and take them off while placing a small Tupperware or bowl underneath. Barely any water comes out and it doesn't make a mess. We've done it several times now since we pull them out when we're not in it during the cold nights we've been having.

[@gregvittore5004]

@@dogcatmanvan nice! There's always a solution! Wishing you all the best 🤘

[@coolfrip]

😂😂❤

[@thebenson1983]

If I believe so that you actually put your water lines on the outside of your walls. I think in your first van you put them in the walls that was your biggest mistake.

[@dogcatmanvan]

Yes the lines running past the shower to the water heater were placed behind the driver side shower wall.

[@yodcbens8465]

Where is the cat ;(

[@corvuschromatic_G-69]

Maybe you should go back a few videos and find out?

[@alexwyler4570]

The new kitten is at his mom's house - a couple of videos ago. Would love to see how big she got.

[@dogcatmanvan]

We can try and show how big he has gotten in a future video haha

[@yulandasoscia2211]

HEY Ben, another great vid! Sent you an email a few weeks ago about a partnership invitation. Just following up to make sure you checked it out! Thanks!