Looking for cheap tanks.

[Oregonconversion]

I am looking for two 200 or 250 gallon tanks for my conversion of my MC8. One for fresh water and one for the black/grey water. Where can I find tanks at a good price? I don't mind used. I have looked at craigs list around me with no luck.

Links anyone?

Also, what is the best porcelain toilet for under $250? I was looking at the Aqua Magic® Style Plus. Anything better?

[cody]

Not sure on the tanks, those are pretty big but Bontragers has the porcelean sealand toilet that is an excellent toilet for a little over 100 bucks, thats really low cost for a toilet of that quality, you'd have to get a quote on shipping tho, you can contact them for other things for your conversion too, they got a lot of stuff you might be interested in for a fraction of the price of other places, they are a rv surplus dealer and the stuff is all new, just surplus, you can google them to get the phone or email address.  I go there and loot and pillage now and then and have always been happy with what I find and the prices.

[luvrbus]

Oregon, in your part of the world spend a day and go to Northwest RV surplus in Eugene at I 5 and collage (take cash it works better)     good luck

[jjrbus]

I have had 3 RV toilets a bottom of the line plastic, a Sealand and The Aqua Magic style plus. The Aqua Magic is the winner. Best one so far.   Jim

[rv_safetyman]

Regarding the tanks.  Several folks have made their own.  Some use stainless steel, some fiberglass/wood and some welded polypropylene.

When you make your own tanks you can get exactly what you want in terms of fit.

Craig Shepard has a great discussion/how-to about fabricated tanks at:  http://www.gumpydog.com/bus/MC9_WIP/Plumbing/Holding_Tank_Fabrication/holding_tank_fabrication.htm

No matter what type of tank you choose, I think the most important point is to support them properly.  That is especially true of large vertical surfaces.  Tanks in buses tend to be tall and the pressure can cause bulging and lead to a fatigue type failure.

I bought rotomolded polyethylene tanks.  I got them from:  http://www.ardemco.com.  I just went to their website, and was very disappointed.   I thought they would list the hundreds of sizes available, but they don't seem to have that information.  They advertise in BC magazine and I would recommend you support them if they have what you want. 

Ardemco has two levels of the tanks.  I chose the thick wall.  They will put fittings anywhere you would like them (I had extras installed and was glad that I did). 

For my Eagle, I got the following tanks (they fit very nicely and give me a very good balance of weight vs length of boondocking):

Fresh water:  B300, 135 gallon, 76 X 28 X 16
Gray water:  B204, 95 gallon, 76 X 27 X 11.5
Black water:  B299, 85 gallon, 76 X 28 X 10

These tanks cost a bit over $1000 about 8 years ago.  A bit costly, but they fit so nicely and I got product that was designed for the application (and proven in thousands of applications).  You can see a few more details on one of my project pages:  http://www.rvsafetysystems.com/busproject2.htm

We can go for well over a week with these tanks while using normal RV usage. 

Jim

[makemineatwostroke]

Oregonconverter; if you can find a Micrphor toilet for $250 at a surplus buy it best toilet for a RV i just installed a new one in my conversion after owning the Aqua Magic   

have a great day

[JohnEd]

OregonCon,

I have a source local to you that is unbeatable and no shipping.  Send me a PM or email.

John

[Jriddle]

I'm sure you could find room for 200 to 250 gallon tanks but do you really need this much storage? I'm in the early stages of my build and find myself moving things around in my mind to try to conserve space. I know when it is done I will want to have room for tools and toys. I installed two 105 gallon tanks and have room on one side for water heater, webesto heater and water pump. the other side will fit propane tanks. That will fill one bay. Front bay has generator and will house inverter and batteries. I will have about 1/4 to 1/2 bay left for storage. The middle bay I'm hoping to leave for storage.

Just my thoughts John

[Oregonconversion]

I will be full time in this rig and I may go up to a month without water or pump.  It will just be me alone. Do you think I can get away with less?

[Jriddle]

I'm by no means an expert on how much water you will need. But can imagine you will use at least 5 gallons per day for one person. If you stay in one spot that is about 150 gal for 30 days. If you are full time moving around you will find spots to dump and refill. You might check rules on dumping gray water where you live. If you don't dump chemicals in your tanks you may be legal to do so. I have lived in Montana and Neveda most of my life and know this may not be an option as rules do change.

[Melbo]

I have 165 gallon fresh 100 gallon gray and 65 gallon black water tanks in an MC8 and they take up all the space I have in the third bay with just enough room for the pump and some plumbing to keep all the liquids contained.  I might have gone for a smaller black but would not give up a gallon of fresh. I'm sure with some creative engineering you could gain 30 to 50 gallons but I made my tanks ( had them custom fabricated ) so that I can remove them if I need to for any reason. As you can see there is room on the left but that is where all the drains are.

HTH YMMV

Mel

[Oregonconversion]

Maybe 150 fresh and 150 black/grey combo will be more reasonable.

[JohnEd]

OC,

The previous post wasn't clear.  If you combine the gray and black water you MUST use a dump station and when you are full you must move to find one.  No option.  If you have a separate gray and black you can dump your gray at your campsite using a 25 foot garden hose to get it down hill from you.  That is legal in some states but is done everywhere.  Calif has a tax credit if you dump your gray from kitchen and bath in your yard or garden.  If you do this you can't use any tank treatment or deodorant and you should NEVER use those products anyway.  You ever have smells you have a pipe and vent problem.

I have a 50 gal black tank and it lasts months with two of us.  It will only need 2 quarts(or less) for a flush on #2 and a cup (or less)for #1.

Good luck,

John   

[Jriddle]

John I have a black and gray combo but have plumed in a way  to let gray out when needed. I do not know what others do but know I will dump gray when needed and I not where I will bother other campers. When the situation is not good it will go into the black tank as you need some water to flush tank when dumping.
John

[usbusin]

We have been RVing since 1982.  First in our GM4104 for 16 years and now in our truck conversion for 7+ years.  

Our water useage has been 5 gallons per person per day.  This is using water judiciously.  We take "Navy" showers.  And, for the shower we have a flex hose with a "dish sprayer".  The type on your kitchen sink or the type for rinsing a RV toilet.  Works great!  This allows you to wet down; soap and then rinse off with-out using a lot of water.

We have 120 gal fresh, 115 gal grey and 68 gal black.  This allows us 10 -12 days dry camping or two weeks if we're careful.

That has been our experience.