Hole in my camper

[Urlauber]

Does anyone know what this thing is hiding? It is placed between the driver/passenger seat. Of course I could just unscrew it and look but I am afraid what might jump out there!

This is on a Thor Rize...

[MsNomer]

Access to the fuel pump and aux pickup tube in the gas tank.

[Urlauber]

Cool, thank you. Bonus question - when would I ever want to take off that cover and muck around in there?

[MsNomer]

For example, if you wanted to add an auxiliary heater—Webasto, Espar—that runs off the fuel tank. I’m guessing your rig already has one.

In the DIY van world, this is a big deal. While Transit and Sprinter owners are removing and drilling holes in their fuel tanks, we PM owners just open that hatch and plug onto the auxiliary port.

[Urlauber]

Thank you very much. Interesting solution.
Yep, my Rize uses Propane to run the Truma and Generator.

[jrobe]

Originally Posted by MsNomer

In the DIY van world, this is a big deal. While Transit and Sprinter owners are removing and drilling holes in their fuel tanks, we PM owners just open that hatch and plug onto the auxiliary port.

My Sprinter came with the KL1 auxiliary fuel tap making it very easy to tap into the fuel tank for a heater. Even without this option, the auxiliary port is built into the top cap of the fuel tank so no one would ever have to drill a hole. Not sure about Transits.

[MsNomer]

I’m just remembering guys discussing it on the Sprinter forum. Maybe the issue has gone away, or maybe it is/was an option?

[avanti]

Originally Posted by jrobe

My Sprinter came with the KL1 auxiliary fuel tap making it very easy to tap into the fuel tank for a heater. Even without this option, the auxiliary port is built into the top cap of the fuel tank so no one would ever have to drill a hole. Not sure about Transits.

Transits are similar to Sprinters, with an optional second fuel standpipe. There is a separate option that allows one to connect to this standpipe without dropping the tank. However, the standpipe is larger than Espar specifies, which causes cavitation. So smart people replace it with a genuine Espar unit, which requires dropping the tank. I suspect that attempts to use the Transit OEM standpipe is largely responsible for the belief that petrol Espars are unreliable.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by Urlauber

Does anyone know what this thing is hiding? It is placed between the driver/passenger seat. Of course I could just unscrew it and look but I am afraid what might jump out there!

This is on a Thor Rize...

Originally Posted by MsNomer

Access to the fuel pump and aux pickup tube in the gas tank.

Or is it? I think your caution is prudent. That's just the response someone would give if they didn't want you to release whatever is in there . . .

[Urlauber]

Hah... may have found Pandora's box after all?

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Urlauber

Hah... may have found Pandora's box after all?

I think it works like this:

[MsNomer]

[Bertiboo]

Originally Posted by Urlauber

Cool, thank you. Bonus question - when would I ever want to take off that cover and muck around in there?

If or when your fuel pump goes, that access port will save the mechanic hours, allowing the job to be done in an hour. Removing the fuel tank is a big job, and the only other way to change the pump if this port wasn’t there. For non-DIYers this port should probably be labeled “No User Servicable Parts”. (DIYers ignore such labels. )

[Urlauber]

Originally Posted by MsNomer

Oh that looks a bit scary. Are you cooking with gasoline too?

[MsNomer]

Nope, just heat with a Webasto. Inside cooking and heating shower water are electric. No propane.