Ronco tanks

[Iceni John]

Today I visited Ronco Plastics in Tustin CA just to see what they do.   They make all their tanks on-site, and they also seem to make Ardemco's tanks.   Their place is definitely busy, and I could see some of their rotational molding equipment working in the back.   They stock some sizes, such as the 48 x 24 x 24.5 tanks I will use for my fresh water, and other non-stock sizes take only two days or so to be made.   Scott the manager was very helpful, and told me I could get my four tanks for less than list price if I order them all at the same time.

So, another local resource that will save me from paying shipping charges when the time comes.   My challenge will be to get the tanks in place under the body sides  -  I plan on jacking up one side of the bus at a time and slide the tanks in underneath the bottom of the body, then lower the bus down on top of the tanks before I jack them up into position and secure them in their support frames.   Should be fun!   This way I can keep all my underfloor luggage bay for Other Stuff.

John

[jackhartjr]

Lots of sailors use them, I have never heard a complaint over oon the Sailboat owners boards.
Jack

[Iceni John]

Yeah!   I got all four tanks today.   400 gallons total, for about $2.50 per gallon  -  not bad!   Ronco put the fittings into the two fresh water tanks today, but I'll take the grey and poo tanks back later to have their fittings put in when I've decided where they'll be.   The quality seems pretty good, and they're friendly folk to deal with.   Fortunately they all fit through the bus door, with less than 1/4" to spare!   All four will be sheathed in 1/2" plywood to protect them from road debris and to help support their sides, and to help insulate them slightly.   On Sean's suggestion I will use a simple sightglass on one of the fresh tanks instead of some fancy expensive electronic level display, and both the fresh tanks will be interconnected to keep their weight balanced.

I then went to Mike Thompson RV to look at freshwater fill connections.   Oh dear  -  the ones they had are nasty cheapo plastic that made me realize how nasty and cheapo most S&S RVs are.   It looks like I'll have to make both my freshwater fills;  let's hope the Shurflo city water connection is better quality than the junk I saw today.

John

[gumpy]

... both the fresh tanks will be interconnected to keep their weight balanced.

Suggest you use 3/4" minimum to interconnect if you are going to be filling from one end only. Smaller interconnect might cause pressure on the input side which could potentially cause a failure in that tank.  BTDT.

[Iceni John]

Yup, that's what both tanks' outlets are, with 1-1/4" fills and 1/2" vents.   Theoretically each vent only needs to vent its own tank, so that's why I went small there.

For the grey and poo tanks' fittings I'm thinking of the usual 3" outlets on both, and separate 2" vents for each.   I will also pump grey water into the poo tank through a line that feeds into the poo vent pipe, to avoid any risk of backflow  -  does this sound OK to you?   (You are the tank king here, so I will defer to your experience and wisdom!   Maybe this makes you The Great Poobah.)

Thanks, John

[twocnusa]

for fill connections, check out west marine. they make stuff for boats, good quality.  ron

[Lin]

Tank monitors are not really very costly, and if the manufacturer installs the sensor contacts, there is no real danger of compromising the tanks.  I just put some in today, so I can't say how they will be in the long run.  If they are dependable, I'll like them--if not, I've blown another $50.

[Iceni John]

for fill connections, check out west marine. they make stuff for boats, good quality.  ron

That's a great suggestion  -  thanks.   There are two West Marine stores nearby, so I'll pay them a visit.   Also, there's a yachting/boating/nautical surplus store that has lots of everything imaginable salvaged from old boats, so I can also go there.   If I can find something good I won't have to make them.

Thanks, John

[Iceni John]

West Marine in Newport Beach had a Whitecap 6125 Hose Deck Fill With Key  -  very nice, but a bit pricy at $40.   Just out of curiosity I then went to another West Marine store a mile down the road  -  guess what, they had them for $30!   I bought two (one for each side):  they're about the same price as those cheapo plastic gravity fills with locking doors made by JR Plastics, but these are solid 316 stainless steel with a polished outer flange and a threaded cap with chain and O-ring, in other words way nicer than your typical RV junk:
http://www.whitecapindustries.net/productDetail.cfm?productId=174
They even take 1-1/2" hose, exactly what I'll be using to connect to the tanks' 1-1/4" inlet fittings.   Yeah!

John

[Brassman]

Just a word to the wise--they make expensive junk for the boat world too!