1989 GMC Thomas 366 gas bus

[Dustin]

Custom Rotational Molding Products – Plastic RV Tanks, Water Storage Tanks, Marine Fuel Tanks – Custom Plastic Molding and Repair - Custom Roto Molding

This is a link to a site I found for tanks. I'm going to keep looking around.

Any opinions on what to do with the windows? Just tint some dark and build a wall or remove and replace with solid metal?

[The Nebuchadnezzar]

Got my tanks here:
classacustoms on eBay

[Tango]

I had great luck on Ebay too. Took a month or two of monitoring but I found perfect fits for my fuel & gray water at bargain prices.

[Dustin]

What would be the best way to mount the tanks to the bus? I've seen some people put their fresh water tanks under the bed and stuff. I'd like all the tanks under, but what would be the best mounting method? Welding brackets, etc.

[Tango]

Fresh water is best stored inside the bus. Keeps it from getting too hot (desert camping) or freezing (snow bound camping). And depending on their size, tanks can tear a bus apart if not properly secured. Water weighs about 8-1/2 pounds per gallon so a 50 gallon tank will contain around 425 pounds of fluid that will be in constant motion over the road. If you can find a tank with baffles, it will help a lot, but either way you need to secure that puppy in a serious fashion. Steel frame bolted thru the floor or even a crossmember is best.

That's my thinkin' on the subject...anyone else?

[EastCoastCB]

I've been thinking I'd put my fresh water tank under the master bed or in the rear of the bus where a "tool closet" will be. But Ideally I'd rather have the weight more forward than that.

[nat_ster]

My fresh water was going under my bed. Now I have lifted my entire bus another foot, the water is going below the floor to keep the weight lower.

Mine will be in the belly of the bus, with the bottom of the tank 12 inches from the ground.

Nat

[Tango]

Hey Nat --- given the weather in your part of the world, are you going to insulate the tank? If so, how.

[nat_ster]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

But Ideally I'd rather have the weight more forward than that.

I would put it behind the rear axle if I was you.

Your engine is even more heavy than the 5.9 cummins. Your bus is also has a longer over hang beyond the front axle than a TC2000.

This all means you need more weight father back, behind your rear axle.

Originally Posted by Tango

Hey Nat --- given the weather in your part of the world, are you going to insulate the tank? If so, how.

The tank will have 4 inches of rigid styrofoam on all sides. and heat lines from the boiler running under it, just like in my floor.

I was going to add a heat coil from the boiler into the tank and may still. But the lines under the tank will be far safer from glycol contamination of the fresh water.

Now that it's going under the bus, the fresh water tank will be 400 to 500 gallons.

Nat

[Dustin]

Seems like those under floor heaters placed around the tank between the outside and foam would be good. It's basically the same as those stick on oil pan heaters for engines. Just bigger. The amp draw could be the problem. Idk what they pull when on.

[nat_ster]

Originally Posted by Dustin

Seems like those under floor heaters placed around the tank between the outside and foam would be good. It's basically the same as those stick on oil pan heaters for engines. Just bigger. The amp draw could be the problem. Idk what they pull when on.

Mine are hot water, not electric.

My hot water will be heated with Coal, wood, solar, electric, and or propane.

Do not ever use a electric resistance heating wire where you cant remove it to replace it. They all fail in time. Some faster than others.

This is one of the biggest reasons I use water to transfer the heat. This keeps the electric heating elements in the boiler where they can be changed easily.

Nat

[Dustin]

U built your system or bought it?

[nat_ster]

Originally Posted by Dustin

U built your system or bought it?

Built all from scratch.

It's fully modeller, and can be as simple, or complex as you want it to be.

Google In floor radiant hot water heating.

Nat

[Dustin]

If u don't mind. Could u give me a short summary on how ur system is built to route the water. I went on Google a seen examples and will research in more depth once I'm home, but work now can u explain to me some basics. How much water this system holds, is it completely separate for the fresh water system (so examples on Google show it connected), and if connected have to prevent it for heating on summer days, etc.

[nat_ster]

Originally Posted by Dustin

If u don't mind. Could u give me a short summary on how ur system is built to route the water. I went on Google a seen examples and will research in more depth once I'm home, but work now can u explain to me some basics. How much water this system holds, is it completely separate for the fresh water system (so examples on Google show it connected), and if connected have to prevent it for heating on summer days, etc.

This would be a good spot to start.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/hy...-bus-9024.html

Hope that helps.

Nat

[Dustin]

Nat,
I like the information, going to review it a couple more times. I'm interested in having a small wood burning stove, but the idea of cutting a hole in the top is unappealing to me so I'm not really sure if I'd like to go that route.

But if I do, how could I use it to heat an in floor system. Also how do I guage the size for the pipe, the amount of pipe, and what is needed to heat the amount. I'm thinking I only need to cover the between the wheel wells and not completely where I put my bed because I'll make it easier and put the fresh water tank under the bed. I don't want the tank to receive too much heat.

Just to give u an idea of what I'm thinking, I want to build a system for the floor and include the heater system using the engine coolant. Hot potable water I thinking will be easier just to pull directly from the tank through a tank less heater. Plus the money saved from less heat exchangers I'd have to buy.

Also I plan on very little off the grid camping and living, but what size fresh water tank should I use. Even tho I don't plan to be off the grid I am a what if planner so I'd like to be able to go at least a week for example if I had to with city water and shore power.

[nat_ster]

Sorry I don't have the time to step you though this.

Wood stoves are a waste of time if your going to be connected to hook ups.

Just learn the basics of in floor heating, and run it off a single circulating pump, thermostat, and a simple electric hot water heater.

Heating a system like this from a wood stove takes a ton more knowledge, parts, and space. This is not something for the beginner.

Nat

[Dustin]

I want to use an electric water heater because I plan on using hook ups as much as possible.

Now my question is 30 vs 40 gallon tank, 3800 watt vs 4500 watt? What is better setup for less amp draw. I don't live where the winters are very cold long, but I would like to have it if I decided to travel farther north sometime.

After living in a camper with a 30 amp system that won't allow the ac and microwave to run at the same time I'd like to avoid this.

[nat_ster]

Originally Posted by Dustin

I want to use an electric water heater because I plan on using hook ups as much as possible.

Now my question is 30 vs 40 gallon tank, 3800 watt vs 4500 watt? What is better setup for less amp draw. I don't live where the winters are very cold long, but I would like to have it if I decided to travel farther north sometime.

After living in a camper with a 30 amp system that won't allow the ac and microwave to run at the same time I'd like to avoid this.

Get one with two elements, remove one and install a 120 volt 1500 watt element. Then rewire the tank so that both elements are fully independent.

This allows you to run the low wattage so you can run on less power, and you still have the option of using the high wattage element if big power is available.

For reference the low wattage element will take longer to heat the water.

You can also get direct current elements (DC). They come from 12 volts up.

Nat

[Dustin]

Cool. Does having the feed to the first manifold and return on the second on the same side have any affect on the heat being distributed evenly.