So, I got pretty tired of wrestling with my garden hose every time I wanted to give the car a proper wash. You know how it is, it's either too short, or I'm tripping over it, or it decides to kink up at the worst possible moment. Just a real hassle. I figured, what I really needed was a dedicated water tank setup, especially for detailing work.

Figuring Out What I Needed

I started looking around a bit, saw some pretty fancy and expensive setups out there. But honestly, I just wanted something basic that would get the job done. I thought a tank around, say, 20 to 25 gallons, would be about right. Big enough to get through a whole car wash, but not so massive that I couldn't move it if I had to. Decided on a simple plastic utility tank – nothing special.

Then, I started thinking about the pump. Needed a 12-volt water pump, the kind you might find in an RV or on a boat. Something reliable but not over the top. Also grabbed some clear tubing for the bit between the tank and the pump inlet, and then a longer, more sturdy hose for the outlet, the part that would go to my pressure washer or just a spray nozzle.

Essential bits and bobs I gathered:

• The plastic water tank.
• A 12V diaphragm pump.
• Hoses – intake and outlet.
• Various fittings and connectors to match the tank and pump.
• Hose clamps – can't have too many of these.
• Thread seal tape (PTFE tape) for all the connections.
• A simple on/off switch.
• Some electrical wire and connectors.
• And I decided to power it with a spare 12V deep cycle battery I had lying around.

Putting It All Together

First thing was getting that tank unboxed and giving it a good rinse out. You never know what dust or bits might be in there from the factory. Then I had to pick a spot for the pump. I wanted it mounted low, near the tank's outlet, to help with priming. My tank had a threaded outlet at the bottom, which made things a bit easier.

I got to work on the plumbing. Wrapped some thread seal tape around the male threads of the tank outlet and screwed on a fitting for the intake hose to the pump. Connected the clear, short hose from that fitting to the pump’s inlet. Tightened up the hose clamps really well. This part is important – you don't want any air leaks, or the pump will struggle.

Next up was the outlet side of the pump. More thread seal tape on the pump's outlet threads, attached another fitting, and then connected my main, longer water hose to that. Again, made sure those hose clamps were good and snug. Seriously, double-check all your connections for tightness. Saves you a lot of wet surprises later on.

For the electrical side, I kept it straightforward. Ran a wire from the positive terminal of my battery to one side of the on/off switch. Then, from the other side of the switch, a wire went to the positive lead on the pump. The pump's negative lead went directly to the negative terminal on the battery. I used some crimp-on spade connectors to make sure the connections to the switch and pump were secure. I even mounted the switch onto a small piece of wood I attached near the top of the tank, just to keep it handy and off the ground.

The Moment of Truth: Testing Time

Alright, with everything plumbed and wired, it was time to see if this contraption would actually work, or if I'd just created a complicated sprinkler. I filled the tank about halfway with water using my old garden hose – much easier to fill it in one go than drag the hose around the car!

Connected the battery terminals. Took a breath. Flipped the switch. For a split second, nothing. Then, I heard that little pump whir to life! It took a few seconds to prime itself, gurgling a bit as it pulled the water from the tank through that clear intake hose. And then, success! Water started flowing out the end of the main hose. It wasn't like mains pressure, obviously, but it was a good, steady flow, perfect for feeding my little electric pressure washer.

I carefully checked all my connections for leaks. Had a tiny drip from one of the pump fittings, so I gave it another gentle tighten with the wrench, and that sorted it. Phew.

So, Was It Worth the Effort?

You bet it was. Now I can easily move my water source right next to the car, no matter where I'm parked. No more tripping over hoses snaking across the driveway or struggling to reach the far side of the vehicle. Filling the tank is the only time I need the main hose now. It's not the prettiest, most professional-looking setup in the world, more function over form, but it does exactly what I built it to do.

And there's a certain satisfaction in building something yourself that just works. If you're on the fence about doing something similar, I’d say give it a shot. It doesn't have to be super complicated or expensive to make your car detailing life a bit easier. The biggest win for me? No more wrestling with that long, awkward hose. That alone makes it a success in my book.