Installing a better water tap in the kitchen
Background
Our van came with an ok looking silver plastic water tap in the kitchen. It was all fine until we started using it regularly. We noticed that the last bits of water always ran down the shaft and accumulated on the kitchen countertop. That is not just annoying as we always have to notice and clean it up, it’s also not good for the longevity of the kitchen as we suspect some water will inevitably find its way into the wood.
In addition the water tap was quite low and felt extremely cheap. Moving and turning it made some weird noises very quickly.
So, we figured let’s get a better water tap that suits our needs and doesn’t have the water running down the shaft issue.
The original silver water tap
Our new water tap
We saw some other campers use a black water tap which was also higher. After some thorough research we decided to order the same model and give it a try.
This is the model we are now using and testing: Comet Modena
Installation
The installation was surprisingly easy. It took less than 30 minutes.
—> Please make sure to drain all the water first!
First we removed all the drawers from the kitchen for easy access. Then we checked that there really was no more water in the system. Once we were satisfied I cut the cold and warm water line as they were too long for the new tap anyway, but also because it was quite tricky to remove them from the tap.
Original tap still connected and installed
Water lines cut
Next I cut the cables for the micro switch which controls the water pump and put some cable connectors from “Wago” onto the blank cables.
Cables to micro switch for water pump cut and fastened with Wago cable connectors
Lastly I loosened the main nut and was then able to easily remove the old water tap.
Original tap removed
Original and new tap side by side
Once the original water tap was removed, I put in the new water tap. Due to its straight water connectors I had to angle it in a way that the mixer was facing to the right (see final image). Notice that the original water tap has angled connectors.
This is to avoid bending the water line due to the separator of the drawers and the cabinet.
Straight connectors need more space
Once I was pleased with the positioning, I went ahead and screwed the nut on tight, connected the water lines and the cables to control the water pump from the micro switch in the water tap itself.
Everything connected
With all of that sorted, the work was done and all that was left was to clean up.
Here is the final result.
Done, new tap is installed
Final thoughts
Replacing the water tap was surprisingly easy. Now we have far more space below the water tap and the water running down the shaft issue is a thing of the past.
You don’t need much skill to make this change, it is fairly easy.
If you plan to also change your water tap, please take note of the following tips to avoid catastrophe, but also for safety:
Ensure the water system is completely empty
Ensure the power is off
Have towels and a bucket ready in case some water was still in the pipes/hoses
Make sure you have all necessary tools
That’s it, enjoy :-)
