Wherever We Land

If you’ve been following our journey with Glo, our 2023 Dodge Ram ProMaster conversion, you know that we aren’t professional plumbers, electricians, or carpenters. We are just two people moving by faith. Recently, we tackled one of our most daunting projects yet: the DIY van life water system.

If we had to answer the question, “How has a failure set you up for later success?” we would point directly to our kitchen sink. What looked like a series of frustrating setbacks turned out to be the exact preparation we needed for a solid build.

The Initial “Failure”: 3 Trips to the Hardware Store

In our first attempt to get the plumbing running, things didn’t go as planned. I (Snatcher) went into it with a diagram and a dream, but I quickly realized that having a plan doesn’t mean you have the right parts. I bought the wrong plugs, the wrong attachments, and the wrong nuts.

At the [00:04:24] mark, you can see the exact moment I realized I had an issue. Most people would call this a failure. I had spent hours at the store and still couldn’t wash a single dish. But as we always say, everything happens in Yah’s time. That “failure” forced me to stop, go back to the drawing board, and really study the mechanics of what I was building.

Lessons Learned from the “Drawing Board”

That initial setback taught us three valuable lessons that ensured our later success:

• Preparation is Key: Don’t just bring a diagram; bring the actual instructions for the faucet to the store!
• Expert Advice Matters: Sometimes God sends you an “ally” in the plumbing aisle. A gentleman at Home Depot eventually pointed me toward a simple cap and the right connectors that saved the whole project [00:03:36].
• The “Shark Bite” Solution: I discovered Shark Bite fittings—no glue, no tape, just teeth that bite down on the plastic for a permanent seal [00:16:55]. I wouldn’t have found these if I hadn’t been forced to research after my first failed attempt.

The Success: Water in the Van!

After what felt like 50 billion trips to the store (actually about seven!), we finally saw the fruits of our labor. We installed the Seaflow 42 Series 12V water pump and custom-rigged our fresh and gray water jugs.

One of our favorite “freestyle” wins was using a soldering iron to create a perfect, snug hole in the water jug cap [00:12:53]. It wasn’t the “standard” way, but it was the right way for us. When we finally flipped the switch and saw water flowing at [00:37:24], the feeling was better than if it had worked the first time. The struggle made the success sweet.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Give Up

To anyone out there struggling with a DIY project or a life goal: don’t ever give up. Every time something doesn’t fit or a plan falls through, you’re just gaining the experience you’ll need to handle the next level of your build. We learned patience, research, and the value of teamwork.

Nikki and I are one step closer to getting Glow on the road for our first camping trip. Thank you to everyone in the “gang” who left suggestions in the comments—you are part of this success too!

Remember: God’s got us, wherever we land.