Well, I'm finally to the point of installing the plumbing on my MC-8. I've pretty much got it figured out, except for the tanks. First, I don't want to make tanks. Doing that will add months to this project. I'm leaning towards separate black and grey tanks with a macerator pump. At present, we (2-3 adults) won't be doing a whole lot of dry camping. One of the places we go doesn't have sewer connections at each site, but it's not uncommon to let a little grey water 'trickle' out as it's being created (as opposed to dumping gallons at a time). We will not be using this full-time, but for long weekends up to a week. I'd like to go a week or so without having to dump. I don't have a washing machine, but do have a small (18" width) dishwasher. I also don't mind taking advantage of campground facilities for showers when available. Would one like item number 170110315576 on ebay be appropriate for a grey tank? I know the auction is finished, but I just want to get an idea of size and construction. How does one add fittings to a tank like this? The black tank won't need to be nearly as big... maybe around 40 gallons or so. I'm thinking of perhaps trying one combined tank to see how it lasts before needing to be dumped. I guess my questions are what size (or dimensions) holding tanks do you guys / gals have and where did you get them? The same questions apply to the fresh water tanks, too (where and what size).
As to the macerator pumps, most I see have 1.5" inlets. Since most have that size, is it safe to assume that 'solids' will pass through with no problem? What I eventually plan on having the pump set up to drain the black tank first, then pump the grey into the black as a rinse, and finally pumping the grey from the black tank as a rinse. A pump will pretty much be required to dump at my house, as my sewer cleanout is around 50' from the driveway and I really like the idea of having the option of using 'most any cleanout as a dumping station without having to be so close to it. As always, thanks for any input and suggestions.
David
That is the tank I have in my bus. I was able to find one of these with fittings for freshwater and vents. I bought a second one with no fittings for a black/grey tank. I was going to do a seperate black tank, but no space for it.
I bought some rubber slip couplings for attaching the intake and vent pipes. They are a tight fit as they are designed for thinner ABS tanks. I ended up using one of these couplings with lots of silicone for the drain also. I have not tested the drain to see if it leaks yet.
The tanks are polyethylene and very difficult to weld. I found a guy who would do it, but he said it would most likely crack.
I bought my tanks from www.tankdepot.com They ship everywhere, have mfg facilities across the country and will put fittings anyplace you specify.
I use 6 tanks the same size; 1-black, 2-gray and 3-fresh water [not a new idea, others also have done this.]
Just to get the brain juices flowing.
Dale
Dale, what capacity do you have for fresh, grey, and black water? Thanks.
David
I believe the tank David originally mentioned is made by Amerikart. They will build them with fittings where you want, but you might have to order through a reseller like RV Surplus Salvage in Elkhart.
The Ebay seller has really raised the prices in the last 15 months. They used to be $225 including shipping. The cost of oil and fuel is driving up prices.
Brian Elfert
I have WAY TOO MUCH capacity. I used 95 gallon tanks so have 95 gal black, 190 gal gray and 285 gal fresh. More than filling one bay. I'd go with smaller if I had it to do over again.
Dale
Just checked out Tank Depot's website. They no longer offer spin welded fittings where you want them it seems. Sorry, I bought mine in 2003 and haven't been keeping up on them, just blindly reccomending them as I was pleased with what I got. DIY other-than-spinweld fittings are available though.
Dale
David I got my tanks from Dura-Cast Products 3308 Hwy 27 South, Lake Wales, Florida 33853. 1-800683-4116 Fax 863-638-2443. These tanks are PE Resin Natural white color. They will build them to what ever dimensions you want.They put the fittings where you want.
Fresh water FDA approved 100 Gallon $226.60 Grey water FDA approved 86 Gallon $184.20 Black tank FDA approved 55 Gallon $158.30. Shipping was only $41.31 to Louisville KY. These prices were in April of 2000.
Good Luck
JCB
David,
I don't know if you saw our tanks while you were at Timmonsville, but we use a combined gray/black tank.
We carry 50 gallons of fresh water in a tank under the bed along with a 5 gallon auxilliary tank underneath the counter, both plumbed so that with a couple of ball valves we can fill either or both from the city water. We can also transfer (gravity feed) from the aux. tank to the main tank to make cleaning the critters out of the main tank a lot easier. This also makes it so that when we do add bleach, it gets mixed thoroughly before going into the big tank. There is a opening at the back of the counter to add bleach into.
Our waste tank is 75 gallons and in it's former life was a step tank on a Diamond Reo truck. It's made of steel and I lined it with liquid glass to keep it from rusting out. It's been in service for 4 years so far and the only problem I've had is when I cracked the 3" line coming out the bottom of the bay. Remember.... always dump before you go anywhere that you could high center!
The reason I chose to use a metal tank is that it's very easy to cut a hole in it and weld in a fitting. I've also had to use my plastic welder on a few of the stick and staple plastic tanks because at some point they will crack either at a seam or at the spin in fittings.
You may also want to check out Aces waste tank, he used a round aluminum diesel tank and hung it from the ceiling of his bay. Pretty cool I think.
I would have kept the waste valve inside, but I don't have enough room in my bays to accomplish that.
If we only take sponge baths and use the campground showers for deep cleaning, we can go seven days without dumping. If we had a grey tank, I would do it like others and pipe it into the black tank to rinse.
Even when we have sewer hookups we leave the dump valve closed and let the liquid build up in the tank for a few days, then dump all at once. This keeps the piles of "Brown Trout" from accumulating on the bottom and becoming immovable.
Good Luck on whatever you decide to do, but above all, do it your way!
And remember, pooh flows downhill.
Dallas
GO BUSSING!
Ditto on the Dura Cast http://www.duracast.com/content/ They will spin weld fittings where you want them. I personnaly would stay away from the slip rings on the black tank.
After pricing out all the prebuilt tanks on the web and trying to get them to fit in the bay with capacity that I req'd, I found a local place that could build a custom tank for a third less than the ones I could buy (and not fit).
They built the 2-tanks (1 potable 150 gals / 1 black, gray 160 gals) out of gray PVC plastic and welded the baffles in and glued sides together with outlets as spec'fied by me. They then fiberglassed (chop gun) each tank exterior for strengh on the side seams. Then they joined the 2 tanks together and put a pc of 3/4 plywood 16 x 18 on one end and fiberglassed the 2 tanks together and the plywood, which I mount the pumps, filter, etc to. Because they only weld the baffles in and glue the sides on it's way cheaper and with the fiberglass exterior way stronger than the rotocast or welded tanks you can buy premade.
This gave me a tank that was 2" narrower than the bay and 1" below the center tunnel. The single tank was easy to install the plumbing to and easy to pull if req'd. I made up 2 straps that went across the top of the tank with a 3/8 redi-rod on each side of the tank through the floor.
I bought 2 polyethylene, 100 gal. tanks from Tractor Suppy (www.mytscstore.com) for $135 ea. My fittings came from Roational Moldings in Fl and my plastic welder came from Harbor Freight. As for the rumor of welded fittings ask Gumpy about his. They have been done for some time now.
I personally haven't heard of anyone having a PE tank or the welded fittings crack or leak. At least it hasn't been reported on either of the boards for the last 4 years that I've been reading them.
Ed
How many folks are really welding polyethylene? I thought the folks making their own tanks and such are using polypropylene? PP is no problem to find someone to do the welding or to do yourself.
"You may also want to check out Aces waste tank, he used a round aluminum diesel tank and hung it from the ceiling of his bay. Pretty cool I think."
Dallas, Yea I think they are cool too! The coolest thing about it is it was FREE, easy to work with and after almost 3 years, they STILL WORK! I wouldn't recommend doing it this way to anyone else due to all the flack I got for doing it the way I did not to mention the way I hung it or was it the material I used? Anyway, I Did it MY way and your free to do it that way too if you so dare! Oh yea, Mine hasn't broke loose from the hangers and rolled out into the interstate killing a family of five yet! That was the funniest thing I heard about my tanks yet except maybe the tank seminar they held in Arcadia one night right after I showed up thanks to Niles! ;D That was worth the trip by itself!
Oh well... tanks are tanks and tanks for reading this before it gets deleted! ;)
Ace
Hi David,
I was just griping about my choice of black and grey holding tanks.
I've got 55 grey and 55 black. 110 gallons of freshwater. The 110 fresh is just right. The black 55 is OK, but the 55 grey is a little undersized. Although the can be combined, once you do that, it must be dumped in a proper dump station.
Losing a little grey is pretty common. Quite few small RVs don't even have grey holding tanks.
I'd consider a bayonet macerator if you must have one. Permanently mounted a macerator will require a good bit of plumbing. You can remove it and store it at home. It'll attach to a standard 3" Valterra dump bayonet.
I used slip fittings in the waste holding tanks and they have not caused any problems in 5 years of use. They offer a bit of flex. Any totally rigid pipe mount is going to cause problems...maybe. All of my drains have flex joints installed to allow slight movement. The dump valves are ABS and cemented into the tank...they are rigid.
Be careful with your planning and leave room above, and below the tanks for dump valves, shower drains, pottie plumbing...etc.
This is what a 110 gallon fresh tank looks like mounted in the RH side of and MC9.
Best, JR
After I did my system I read or heard that there are thicker tanks for blackwater. it seems that the odor can permeate the thinner tanks. Anybody heard of this?
I had my tanks custom built out of hdpe and had all the openings installed where I wanted them (look in the yellow pages under plastic welding or plastic supply). I had the black and gray tanks made lower profile so I could install the drains into the top and the fresh tank taller because I only need to fill it. I also installed vents in the top of all three tanks (because I could have all the openings I want installed) the fresh and gray have baffles and the black does not. I used "CT" connectors to connect all the drains vents and assorted piping so there is a little flex in every run. I also planned the "CT" connectors so if I disconnect them all the tanks will slide out and leave the rest of the plumbing in the coach. I'm sure because I designed that way I will never have to take them out. I installed a lot of passive vents in the system so it could breath. Just my way -- good luck with your search for tanks.
Melbo
Quote from: Melbo on June 04, 2007, 07:13:09 PM
I used "CT" connectors to connect all the drains vents and assorted piping so there is a little flex in every run. I also planned the "CT" connectors so if I disconnect them all the tanks will slide out and leave the rest of the plumbing in the coach. I'm sure because I designed that way I will never have to take them out.
Melbo
I'll Ditto Melbo (is that legal :o ::))
Mine were not installed that way and I need to replumb it now, there will be some connectors next time.
Get some lean toward the drain too