Water tanks

[harleyman_1000]

 Ok so this is the second time trying to post this. The first time the whole post just disappeared   So here I go again. While running new plumbing for my radiator sprayers , I noticed my combined black and grey tank which is made out of metal is rusted through on the top, and starting to rust in a even line all across the front (leaks a small amount in front).
My tank measures 28" wide, 15 inches in height, and 65" from front to back. I don't have any more room to add wider or front to back, but might be able to go 5" higher, but not sure because of the grey and black piping that comes into the tank. I am thinking on switching from 1 tank to a separate grey and black tank. My existing tank hold 118 gallons. How would you recommend splitting this up size wise? I have looked at tanks at the rv surplus places online, but have yet to find a tank this size. If I use a grey and black tank setup do these tanks come with the dump valve and plumbing openings already installed? Can you all post some pictures of your setup, so I can get this mind going in the right direction? Any ideas of how to put 2 tanks where I have 1? Would side by side or on top of eachother be better?

[harleyman_1000]

 I forgot to ask if anyone else has had this problem with metal tanks and if so did any of you repair these? Can these be patched with welding or can I repair the spots with waterproof metal putty?

[eagle19952]

IIRC this outfit built my tanks....and spin welded more pipe bosses than i could use for free...plus free shipping.
see if they have dimensions you can use:
https://www.ardemco.com/content/TANK_CATALOG.pdf
NOTE: HEIGHT CAN BE WIDTH..THATS WHAT I DID  
IF THEY SAY THE TANK IS 33 TALL AND 32 LONG X 12 HIGH...12 CAN BE THE WIDTH SET THE TANK ON EDGE
...SEE HERE: https://www.ardemco.com/content/ardemco_fax.pdf
AND ORDER HERE:
http://www.ardemco.com/

YOU COULD USE TWO TANKS MODEL 43W IF I READ YOUR SPACE AVAILABLE CORRECTLY...taller tanks drain better, imo.that would give two 58 gallon tanks and you could divert grey to black, which you should want any way.

THIS WILL ALSO FREE UP  about 20x28 inches i think...

[eagle19952]

do these tanks come with the dump valve no
and plumbing openings already installed? no  

BUT THEY WILL PUT FEMALE PIPE BOSSES ANYWHERE/ANY SIZE YOU WANT

Can you all post some pictures of your setup,,no  

Any ideas of how to put 2 tanks where I have 1 yes

Would side by side or on top of each other be better?

[Dave5Cs]

Agree Scott with Eagle. that tank company is really good. You just give them the dementions of which tank you want and where you want them to put the drain pipes and sizes you will be using and they will put in your spin- weld fittings which they spin with a big drill and it esentially melts the poly to it so it won't leak. As if it is then one unit. When you get it if you gave them the correct measurements where you wanted your drains, vent pipe, etc. to go, you just hook them up and glue them in or thread them on whatever type you are going to use.
And no they don't put on the dump valves but those are pretty cheap at any RV supply and just use ABS pipe to each one.

Dave

[eagle19952]

all of the spin welds are female pipe thread up to 4" i had 3/4 and 1 inch drain/feeds and vents on drinking water and 1 1/2" fill.
on the grey i have 2 inch fills and drains and 3/4 vents
black is 4 inch fill and 3" drain and 1 1/2" vent iirc.
70 gallon black
60 gallon grey
2- 60 gallon drinking. in the bay here (i have remodeled)  there is the original black (where the plywood covered slot is behind the AC), but now there is a fresh water between it and the back of the AC, the same dimension (basicly) as the black, and then at a right angle to it is the second fresh along the right side of the bay wall.my grey is in the rear bay with the hot water heater.

[lvmci]

Hi Scott, years ago people used to dump their grey water tank, on the move, to save weight and get better mileage.  That's illegal now in most places, alltho many still do it. My thoughts tend to the thinking, that the weight of the sink and shower water, carries the waste material out with more force and you end up with a cleaner dump, so to speak! And I dump my black/grey tank every time I leave a park and get on the highway, saving the weight also, in the future if I get new tanks they will be more vertical stacked like books on a shelf, lvmci...

[Iceni John]

Any reputable roto-molding company can make you tanks in polyethylene  -  I used Ronco because they're close by and I could pick up my four tanks myself and save trucking costs.   Here's what Ronco offers  -  other companies may offer a similar range:  http://www.ronco-plastics.com/newRonco/index.php    If they're making your tanks to order, ask them to make them 3/8" thick instead of the usual 1/4" or 5/16", then they'll bow out less when full.   The fittings should be included in the tank's price, and if spin-welded they'll be completely secure and reliable.   If you have a choice you should choose the thickest heaviest-duty threaded fittings because they stretch least when threading Valterra flanges and nylon MPT connections into them  -  Ronco used these fittings in all my tanks: http://www.bunnweb.org/spinwelding.com/index2.htm (click on Fittings).     In my two waste tanks I have eleven spin-welded fittings!

John

[Lostranger]

Who makes tanks and has a good reputation in the southeast? We're in western North Carolina, and I'd prefer not to pay for cross country shipping.

Also, does anyone know of a southeastern source of polyester plastic in 4x8 sheets? I'm considering building my own tanks with a heat welding gun. That would make maximum use of a nonstandard space. The only source I've found is in Michigan, and, again, shipping is an enormous factor.

My research convinces me that metal tanks — even stainless steel — will never stand up to black water. They always fail at the welds. Urine is a powerful corrosive.

Jim

[eagle19952]

the link provided has free shipping. my tanks are 10 years in place, no problems at all.

[Dave5Cs]

So if Mexican food lol

[Lostranger]

the link provided has free shipping.

To which link are you referring, and what kind of black tank do you use?

Thanks,

Jim

[eagle19952]

To which link are you referring, and what kind of black tank do you use?

Thanks,

Jim

the ones in my post above:

http://www.ardemco.com/

https://www.ardemco.com/content/ardemco_fax.pdf

https://www.ardemco.com/content/TANK_CATALOG.pdf

[Cary and Don]

If you are considering two tanks, I would make the grey tank about three times the size of the black tank.  We have never filled a black tank before filling the grey tank. It also didn't make any sense to have the holding tanks much larger than the fresh tank. You will always be filling and dumping at the same time.

Don and Cary

[Lee Bradley]

I had my gray/black water tanks made the same size (well they are standard size) because they fit in the space.  I added a pipe to let the gray flow into the black when full.