Ordered my Tanks!

[TomC]

Just ordered my tanks from Ronco Plastics since they are in Tustin, Ca just a few miles from my house.  I'm using the B302 @ 210gal for my fresh, B484 @ 141gal for gray and B242 @ 60gal for black.  If you order directly, the prices are 50% of catalog prices.  They took my order and since they are standard production tanks, will pay when done.  I'll pick them up from the factory and have them roto spin the fittings at that time.  Should have them in about a week.  Onward and upward!  Good Luck, TomC

[Iceni John]

That's where I got my four tanks last year.   I got two Ronco B433 for my fresh water, a B466 for gray, and a B297 for poo.   All in all, 400 gallons of tanks for about $1,000 total  -  not bad.   They spun in 1-1/4" threaded fill fittings for my fresh tanks, but I ended up not using them, instead using Uniseal U150 grommets  -  this way as I raised the tanks up into position the 1-1/4" Sch.40 PVC fill tubes mated with the tanks.   I have only 2-1/2" between the tops of the tanks and the underside of the floor, so there's no room there to connect things when the tanks are up in position.   I sheathed the tanks in 1/2" ply, to protect them from road debris and give them some extra rigidity, and they hang below the floor with ten 1/2" threaded rod hangers (five on each side), so they're not going anywhere!

Getting these four tanks in the bus when i bought them was exciting  -  I had less than 1/8" clearance getting them through the door, so I told Ronco to please not make them oversized, otherwise they wouldn't fit!   Fortunately they squeezed through, just.

I'm also just a few miles from Ronco, in Costa Mesa.   PM me if you want to see my tanks (and bus).

John

[rv_safetyman]

John, I looked up those sizes and they are:
B433 = 110 gal
B466 =  115 gal
B297 = 65 gal

Seems like a good combination.  We have 135 gallon fresh and we just went 14 days and did two loads of wash.  In all fairness, I commuted a couple of days and took a shower at home.

Just a small point, the DOT is not fond of thread rod.  It is not permitted for mounting bodies on frames of large trucks.  Not sure how else you would do it, but I thought I would mention it.  They would probably never do an inspection.

Tom C might comment on the issue.

Jim

[Iceni John]

Just a small point, the DOT is not fond of thread rod.  It is not permitted for mounting bodies on frames of large trucks.  Not sure how else you would do it, but I thought I would mention it.  They would probably never do an inspection.

My 100-gallon fuel tank is suspended under the frame rails by only four hangers;  each hanger has a short length of 5/8" threaded rod welded on to the strap that goes around and under the tank.   For little more weight than a full fuel tank, each water tanks' supports has about twice the weight capacity.   It may look slightly redneck, but it works!   Am I worried about the DOT  -  heck no, there's more important things in life to be concerned about!   (Like not getting Raptured.   Just kidding . . .)   What makes my setup slightly different than most is that the tanks are positively located laterally, by the frame rail, a cross stanchion in the front, and a surround made from Mil-spec angle steel, all of which absolutely prevents any movement whatsoever.   All the hangers have to do is hold the tank up against the underneath of the floor  -  they don't have to control any fore/aft or sideways loads.   There's no need for any cross-bracing at all.   I also feel that it's a stronger design than welding onto frame rails, with the attendant risk of bad welds or weakening the steel there.   Mind you, the main frame is almost 1" thick there;  no wonder Crowns last for ever!

John   

[belfert]

Man, how I wish I had room for over 200 gallons each of fresh and waste!  I only have 105 gallons of fresh water and a 105 gallon combined waste tank.  with 9 guys over 3 1/2 days it can be challenge with water.  We are usually so worried about water usage that we have at least 1/4 tank left at the end!

To be honest, I choose cargo bay space over tank space.  My systems except water heater fit in only one of three bays.  Even the generator is in that one bay.  I've thought of putting water tanks under the interior bunks, but I risk damage in case of leaks and reduce interior storage.

[TomC]

When hanging my gray and black tanks under my transit bus (fresh is inside under the bed) I first mounted the tanks on 3/4" plywood painted to protect from road grim.  I used 1x2's to surround the tank to hold it in position.  Under the 1x2's is 2" angle iron with the flat edge of the angle iron even with the edge of the plywood.  The tank is held down to the plywood with two angle irons going across the top of the tank with threaded rod going through the 1x2's and base angle iron.  But-to hold the tank in place, the 2" angle irons are used-4 going straight up and down and two more angled to hold the tank in place in a heavy braking situation (that's where you might run into problems with the threaded rod theory).  All is bolted together with lock nuts to easily be able to take the tanks down if needed (so far in 17 years, not yet).

Now with my truck, I can just simply bolt them to the 1" plywood floor for the fresh and gray, and the black will be outside on the right side in a compartment off the truck frame (not quite brave enough to put the black tank inside).  While the black tank is on the right side, the drain will still be on the left side. 

Interesting to note from Ronco Plastics-even with the big 210gal tank (60" x 36" x 24") they say that plywood is not needed to surround the tank.  And they suggest just using ratchet straps to hold it down in the base frame.  Almost to easy.  Good Luck, TomC