I bought this gravity-fill hatch among my van plumbing parts. Locating openings before fitting interior panels is a clear priority in my Day 87 planning notes.
The cargo floor during my preparation session before sound deadening.
The item in my kit
I bought RecPro Black Gravity-Fill Hatch as part of my camper van equipment.
I bought this gravity-fill hatch among my van plumbing parts. Locating openings before fitting interior panels is a clear priority in my Day 87 planning notes.
Where it fits my build
My Day 87 plan put the body openings ahead of the aluminum framing, flooring and wall panels. I specifically included the shower drain and the openings for three water tanks in that order of work.
I removed cargo tie-down hardware to leave mounting points for the extrusion framing, and removed door trim for the later insulation and paneling. SketchUp helped me plan how those separate jobs would fit together.
Removing stuck-on residue during the floor cleanup.
My build notes
The useful part of this diary entry is the sequence. I wanted to finish the drilling while the interior metal was bare, so later work would not mean opening finished surfaces again.
The photographs show my preceding floor-preparation session. Sweeping, washing and removing residue created the starting point for the interior work I described next.
I planned the openings and mounting access before enclosing the interior.
Alternative products
Two alternatives to compare
Valterra offers another individual black gravity-fill inlet. The JR Products hatch combines gravity fill and city water in a single enclosure, which calls for a different exterior opening and layout.
Valterra Black Gravity-Fill Inlet
This black inlet provides a capped gravity-fill opening. Its mounting flange surrounds the opening at the exterior panel.
