NW Conversions 22 Gallon Wheel Well Water Tank - Right (SP-R-22)

The short one. Twenty-two gallons in 31 inches of length — for builds where a 48-inch tank simply will not fit.

Every other wheel-well tank in this range is 45 to 48 inches long. This one is 31. That single number is the entire reason to buy it: if your galley cabinet, your bench or your slider-door step has eaten the run of wall a full-length tank needs, the SP-R-22 still gets 22 gallons into the same corner.

It buys that length back in depth — 18" deep and 16" tall, so it is a chunkier block than the long tanks. Check your aisle width before you order. In a 144" Sprinter with a fixed bed and a wet bath, those 18 inches can be the difference between a walkway and a squeeze.

Should you buy this tank, or a different one in the range?

• Buy the SP-R-22 if you have less than 45" of usable wall length on the passenger side.
• Buy the SP-C-24 instead if you have the full run and would rather have the extra two gallons in a slimmer package.
• Buy the 20 gallon galley tank if the space you are trying to fill is a cabinet bay, not a wheel well.

Confirmed fitment

Manufacturer measurements: 31" long × 16" tall × 18" deep. The listed shipping dimension is 31 × 18 × 16 in.

Specifications

These tanks are not pressure vessels. They must be vented to atmosphere — a sealed tank will balloon on a hot day and collapse inward when the pump draws it down.

What ships to you

• (1) SP-R-22 22 gallon rotomolded tank
• Fittings, hose, straps and level sender not included

Installing it: what actually happens

Short tanks are easier to lift and harder to strap. With only 31" of length there is less room to spread the load, so we build a full-footprint plywood base rather than relying on two cross straps.

Because it is deeper than the long tanks, check aisle clearance with the tank physically in the van before you commit to a cabinet line. Eighteen inches reads very differently on paper than it does standing in a 144.

• Full-footprint base plate, then strap. Do not hang a short, deep tank on two thin straps.
• Drill only the ports you will use, on the bench, with a 2-1/8" hole saw.
• The extra depth pushes the outlet further into the aisle — plan the pump location so the suction line does not cross a walkway.

Questions we get asked about this part

Do I have to drill the ports myself?

On the wheel-well tanks the 1/2" NPT ports arrive open and ready to thread. The 1.5" ports are spun closed at the factory so you only open the ones your plumbing actually uses. Open them with a hole saw on the bench, before the tank goes anywhere near the van, and vacuum the shavings out. Plastic chips inside a fresh water tank are a mistake you only make once.

How much weight am I adding to the van?

Water weighs roughly 8.34 lb per gallon, so 22 gallons is about 183 lb of payload once full, on top of the dry weight of the tank. Put that number in your build budget before you order rather than after — it is the most commonly forgotten figure in a van conversion.

Does the tank need a vent?

Yes. It is designed to run unpressurized. Run a vent line from the top 1.5" port up above the maximum fill level and out through the floor or a body vent. Skip it and the tank will deform on a hot day, then pull its walls in when the pump runs.

Why is it deeper than the other tanks?

Because it has to be. Getting 22 gallons into 31 inches of length means the volume has to go somewhere, and it goes into depth. It is a deliberate trade for builds that are length-constrained.

Pairs well with

• Van water tanks and plumbing — the rest of the NW Conversions range

Sold and shipped by Campervan Parts R Us, the parts counter of Noke Van Co. — a working van conversion shop in Roanoke, Virginia. If you are unsure whether this fits your van, email us the year, model and wheelbase and we will check it against a build sheet before you order.