So finally....
Inspired perhaps by the Youtube footage guy who offered up his conversion and after reading all you folks thoughts and experiences I have completed the conversion.
Most parts were new (tank excepted) and the best quality I could find. Indeed I found out some fittings were not good or under sized and they form a tray of rejects still here.
Where to start?
The Tank is alloy and on the small side at 25 litres but does fit neatly and well within the chassis line. I bonded a cradle and a further bottom to it and secured with stainless bolts.
It has two outlets one to the water heater and one to the IP valve.
The valves I have shown before, here they are in situ taking up the only and oddly most suitable space in a Defender engine bay:
Three of the fellas - Pevekoil with 10mm ID fittings sit on a bespoke bracket with the secodary tank filter. The proximity of these valves to the IP means only 300mm of shared pipe work before they enter the IP.
Also fitted are two FPHE's one at the filter and one just prior to the IP valve. They both get hot and are fed off the engine water jacket or the Eberspacher diesel water heater.
The water heater can get them both hot in 5 minutes flat which is pretty impressive I reckon. As I have conflicting advice on heating regular diesel up to high temps - 90C perhaps I have fitted gas ball valves to create a shunt circuit that can isolate both if required.
The original cam driven lift pump - only a few months old was removed and the space left blanked off, the new pumps were fitted in the driverside locker on a plinth mounted on rubber feet.
Both are Facet - the bio one being the blue top version which is the most powerful Facet make. Central to this is a 50l a minute 240v pump which is permanently plumbed to both tanks via 19mm ID pipe work. Regulation of which is via ball valves.
Also in the locker is a small glass bowled filter, gas ball valves for the fuel (security as much as anything) and a manual filler point for the secondary tank.
In the rear wheel arch is a sedimenter this is as close a possible to the tank and is the only original piece of fuel pipe left everything from there onwards is 10mm ID pipe with the same sized fittings.
Here is a pic of the underside plumbing:
Here is the 1000w inverter:
Controlling the lot is my bespoke switch box (Maplins) into which is a fuse box, 5 relays, a temp sensor (reading the exit temp of the last FPHE) and switches. It was a squeeze getting it all in there trust me.
Job done - I doubt it will save what it cost but it has kept me busy for a few evenings and the odd weekend.
Inspired perhaps by the Youtube footage guy who offered up his conversion and after reading all you folks thoughts and experiences I have completed the conversion.
Most parts were new (tank excepted) and the best quality I could find. Indeed I found out some fittings were not good or under sized and they form a tray of rejects still here.
Where to start?
The Tank is alloy and on the small side at 25 litres but does fit neatly and well within the chassis line. I bonded a cradle and a further bottom to it and secured with stainless bolts.
It has two outlets one to the water heater and one to the IP valve.
The valves I have shown before, here they are in situ taking up the only and oddly most suitable space in a Defender engine bay:
Three of the fellas - Pevekoil with 10mm ID fittings sit on a bespoke bracket with the secodary tank filter. The proximity of these valves to the IP means only 300mm of shared pipe work before they enter the IP.
Also fitted are two FPHE's one at the filter and one just prior to the IP valve. They both get hot and are fed off the engine water jacket or the Eberspacher diesel water heater.
The water heater can get them both hot in 5 minutes flat which is pretty impressive I reckon. As I have conflicting advice on heating regular diesel up to high temps - 90C perhaps I have fitted gas ball valves to create a shunt circuit that can isolate both if required.
The original cam driven lift pump - only a few months old was removed and the space left blanked off, the new pumps were fitted in the driverside locker on a plinth mounted on rubber feet.
Both are Facet - the bio one being the blue top version which is the most powerful Facet make. Central to this is a 50l a minute 240v pump which is permanently plumbed to both tanks via 19mm ID pipe work. Regulation of which is via ball valves.
Also in the locker is a small glass bowled filter, gas ball valves for the fuel (security as much as anything) and a manual filler point for the secondary tank.
In the rear wheel arch is a sedimenter this is as close a possible to the tank and is the only original piece of fuel pipe left everything from there onwards is 10mm ID pipe with the same sized fittings.
Here is a pic of the underside plumbing:
Here is the 1000w inverter:
Controlling the lot is my bespoke switch box (Maplins) into which is a fuse box, 5 relays, a temp sensor (reading the exit temp of the last FPHE) and switches. It was a squeeze getting it all in there trust me.
Job done - I doubt it will save what it cost but it has kept me busy for a few evenings and the odd weekend.
