Holding tanks

[GoneCamping]

I've got a few....

This is the two tanks mounted side by side...



Carriage bolts through the plywood to hold everything up, and the tank brace also works as a cross member on the cargo deck floor...



The plumbing is in place here, but not yet glued....so I have that blue bungee holding things up....



Running the piping wasn't hard, I drilled the holes through the wood with the tank in place, this allowed the pilot hole to go through the plastic tank top, I pulled the tank out from underneath to complete the hole cutting though...



I used slip-joint gaskets to make pipe insertion easy....



Then you just drop the pipes into the slip-joints to complete....

[Jarlaxle]

I used 55 gallon drums for holding tanks--mine were originally two car wash soap barrels (gray), one windshield washer fluid barrel (black), and three soda syrup barrels (fresh).

I sealed off the openings, drilled holes of my own, & added my own fittings. They're mounted on their sides, in the bus, on heavily padded cradles.

[GoneCamping]

If you can get away with using drums like that then all the power to ya. Here in Va in order to title the bus as a MH it's gonna have to go through inspection by VDOT and meet certain specs. I'm not sure what specs they want, but have been told by others to make sure tanks and stuff meet DOT regs... so that is why I use them. I did look at using some large fuel tanks (I have access to used ones here at work) but in the end decided to stick with RV type tanks...

[captainkf]

can anyone see any potential problems with using an old fuel tank? I hadn't considered that. I have a 60 gallon gas tank (off a bus) that I was planning on using, but now I am thinking as a waste tank it would be dandy. One concern I see is emptying it as it is not bowed to the drain (which needs to be installed).

-Richard

[the_experience03]

If it has baffles or trapdoors as many larger tanks have, I can see that as being an issue. A baffle could become a shelf for....well....it just wouldn't be nice. If you can find one that is just a hollow container though I don't see why it wouldn't work.

[KC10Chief]

I'm planning to get my tanks from http://www.plastic-mart.com. They're kind of expensive but you can get some massive tanks for a few hundred bucks. I got the idea from Von Slatt. Check out his website under the tanks and plumbing section. http://www.vonslatt.com. Lots of good ideas there.

[sportyrick]

you know that most tanks are held in with straps. Look at any fuel tank, 100 gallon, 150 gallon etc. and you will see straps holding them in. a length of sheet metal with the end doubled over will hold up the world and you don't have angle iron, all thread or whatnot hanging down to snag them on. I made square tanks and used treated plywood on the bottoms to hold them up ( they have corners and need to be supported differently than a round tank). NEVER weld anything to a tank to support it, pretty much all tanks are supported with straps. The moving liquid continuously stresses the weld and makes them crack. I remember welding a huge tank.......... that's another story I'll tell you some time. sportyrick

[crazycal]

I can see a big problem with using a fuel tank for a black water tank. If you are not careful when you hook up the lines and mix them up, you might clog your fuel filter with poop.

[LRflip]

I'm bringing this back from the dead.

And I'm doing it.

Nat, talk me out of it.