Ultra High Water Capacity: How did you implement over 200 gallons of holding tanks?

[gs1949]

Yeah, it's just amazing to me that people still do something so incredibly stupid. They probably put that setup together themselves and just didn't know about the result of no baffles.

I've been thinking that my water tanks should be resistant to freezing because I want to go moose hunting one more time. So my idea was to put long narrow water tanks under benches and cupboards. But then I thought about having a long horizontal column of water slamming into the forward end of an unbaffled tank every time the brakes were applied hard.

I've just done the calculations and a tank 1 foot square and 15 feet long would hold just over 112 US gallons, which would weigh just under 900 pounds. Even half that amount of water would generate a lot of force when braking hard.

So I think an unbaffled tank would have to break, and it probably wouldn't take too long. And I now think that even a baffled tank that long would probably create enough pressure from surges back and forth from braking and acceleration to cause the tank to start leaking eventually.

So I now think square or nearly square tanks would probably be better. Or even the food grade barrels that apple juice concentrate and stuff like that come in would probably work just fine and be much cheaper and easier to replace if they did get damaged somehow.

Or maybe something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Holdi...B07H5PHD4P/ref=pd_sbs_0_4/137-0440717-7414656

 

[Inner Love]

The surge from a couple hundred gallons spilt into at least 2 tanks wouldn't be noticable in a full size bus. Making sure the tanks are well secured so that they can't move during a surge is important.

Ted

This is what I’m thinking. Please say something if we’re underestimating the surge in the above scenario.

I looked up the tank dimensions Iceni John uses in his bus and his 115 gallon tanks are over $500 each, compare that to a common dimension 100 gallon tank and you have a $300 spread in per tank price. Since I don’t cry “too costly” and then dismiss the option completely based on cost and bias it’s just a matter of raising my income for the tanks that fits between the frame rails and skirt without losing considerable ground clearance.

 

[Iceni John]

This is what I’m thinking. Please say something if we’re underestimating the surge in the above scenario.

I looked up the tank dimensions Iceni John uses in his bus and his 115 gallon tanks are over $500 each, compare that to a common dimension 100 gallon tank and you have a $300 spread in per tank price. Since I don’t cry “too costly” and then dismiss the option completely based on cost and bias it’s just a matter of raising my income for the tanks that fits between the frame rails and skirt without losing considerable ground clearance.

I didn't pay that much! I ended up getting 400 gallons of tankage for $1000, including all the spin-welded fittings I could ever need: that's just $2.50 per gallon, not bad for good quality tanks rotomolded from 3/8" virgin polyethylene. And because Ronco Plastics is just a few miles from here, I transported them back in the bus, so no trucking fees either.

My primary consideration was to have the most gallons in the available spaces, with the least wasted space. I have only 1/8" space between the poo tank and the outside body skirt; I couldn't have done any better with fully custom tanks!

Ronco also makes tanks for other resellers such as Ardemco in Costa Mesa CA, but you always get the best deal directly from the actual manufacturer. I'm very happy with them.

John

 

[Inner Love]

I didn't pay that much! I ended up getting 400 gallons of tankage for $1000, including all the spin-welded fittings I could ever need: that's just $2.50 per gallon, not bad for good quality tanks rotomolded from 3/8" virgin polyethylene. And because Ronco Plastics is just a few miles from here, I transported them back in the bus, so no trucking fees either.

My primary consideration was to have the most gallons in the available spaces, with the least wasted space. I have only 1/8" space between the poo tank and the outside body skirt; I couldn't have done any better with fully custom tanks!

Ronco also makes tanks for other resellers such as Ardemco in Costa Mesa CA, but you always get the best deal directly from the actual manufacturer. I'm very happy with them.

John

Sounds great! $1000 for 400 gallons of tankage complete with spin welded fitting is very reasonable. Did you pick up at the factory? Or their warehouse?

Now what did it cost you in materials to secure the tanks in all six directions of movement? Did you have apprehension when installing the tanks thinking your mounting methods were not strong or durable or safe enough? Can you fill both freshwater tanks from one side? Did you weld, drill through the floor and hang by a bolt, or bolt then weld?

 

[Disastrogirl]

have you looked at Inca plastics? They have fresh and wastewater tanks in all shapes and sizes.

http://incaplastics.com

 

[Iceni John]

Sounds great! $1000 for 400 gallons of tankage complete with spin welded fitting is very reasonable. Did you pick up at the factory? Or their warehouse?

Now what did it cost you in materials to secure the tanks in all six directions of movement? Did you have apprehension when installing the tanks thinking your mounting methods were not strong or durable or safe enough? Can you fill both freshwater tanks from one side? Did you weld, drill through the floor and hang by a bolt, or bolt then weld?

I bought all four tanks directly from Ronco Plastics' factory in Tustin CA, so no trucking fees.

I don’t know what it cost me to mount the tanks. I generally don’t pay too much attention to costing individual jobs, and I prefer to spend whatever it takes (within reason) to do the job well enough that I will never need to redo it ever again! As with most things I do, it’s much more labor-intensive than money-intensive - I spent many hours devising how to do it in the first place, then many more hours hand-fabricating all the bits and pieces. I have absolutely no concerns about the security or reliability of any of my work, tanks included; I have far more important things to be concerned with! Each of the two water tanks and the gray tank are hung by ten lengths of ½” threaded rod from the frame rails or structural underfloor members, and the poo tank is hung by six similar hangers, so they’re not going anywhere. If in doubt, I overbuild! All the tanks are laterally secured by their tops being surrounded by frames attached to the floor (Crowns have 1.5” marine ply floors) and to other steelwork, and this completely prevents any fore/aft/sideways movement. By doing this, the hangers only need to support vertical loads. Each tank sits on a support frame made from military-surplus angle steel, and their floors and sides have ½” plywood to protect them from road debris and to help support their sides. Nothing is welded; everything I do is good ol’ bolting, which makes it easier to make changes later if I want.

Each water tank has a stainless-steel Whitecap 6125 marine deck fill, much nicer than the usual cheesy plastic RV junk, for gravity filling them. Because both tanks are interconnected, I can also fill them from the city water connections on each side by just opening a valve. The right tank has a sightglass to show its water level, and it also has a ½” inlet for not-yet-hot-enough hot water to avoid wasting it before it runs hot enough at the bathroom basin. Both tanks have ½” vents to equalize pressure inside when being filled, so when water comes out of them I know they are full.

The gray and poo tanks are similarly hung, but they have a different venting system. Each of them has two 2” vents: both those tanks are interconnected by a vent pipe that loops under the frame rail between them, and each tank’s other vent allows fresh air to enter or exit. This will allow the aerobic bacteria in them to do their work and prevent bad smells. When driving, fresh air is pushed into a high louvered vent, down into the poo tank and across the gray tank, then sucked out at road level just ahead of the differential; when parked the airflow is reversed, with cool air entering the gray tank from ground level, circulating through both tanks, and exiting out the louvered vent due to natural convection. There are three cable-operated Valterra 3” dump valves for the gray and poo tanks on the driver’s side, and an additional 1.5” gray water dump valve on the other side that points straight down just ahead of the right rear wheels. If the gray tank is full I can transfer gray water into the poo tank by a transfer pump that squirts it in just above its drain to help break down any Mounds Of Doom that may be there, and if that doesn’t help I can also connect city water to also jet into the poo tank there; obviously each inlet has a check valve to prevent any backflow.

John

 

[family wagon]

have you looked at Inca plastics? They have fresh and wastewater tanks in all shapes and sizes.

Home

I bought mine from Inca. I'm not local like John is to Ronco.. but I found some construction equipment I wanted to buy a few hours away from Inca's factory and made a road trip from Utah to California to pick it all up. There was some misunderstanding and they didn't have the tanks ready when I arrived. They literally made the tanks while I waited. I haven't actually installed the tanks yet, but I do like how they turned out.

 

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

Normal practice and idea?
In my mind?
You only move with your fresh water tank full or run with your tank empty until you get to a fresh water site at the wherever your staying for the night?
If you take off with freshwater then as you use it that freshwater goes either into the grey tank or black tank which includes whatever solids you just added?
The weight of water is 8'lbs per gallon? Know for a fact!
A 100 gallon fresh water tank feeding a 35-gallon grey tank and a 50-gallon black tank won't run out of water because of the solids sent into the waste tanks ?
Position your tanks properly and they will equalize themeselves.
For the one that brought up baffles?
Yes they are a good idea.but for the low amount of water in an RV tank they are not necessary if the tanks are installed correctly.
My family is fire fighters for life and my dad rolled a tanker truck in the 60's cause a lady pulled out in front of him?
He is retired now but they completely re-built that old Mack and he still drives in parades and for funerals

 

[Kriver16]

I have two 110-gallon water tanks, one on each side of the fuel tank. No problem. I could even have fitted a slightly larger one on the right side, but 220 gallons should be enough! My gray tank is 115 gallons and the poo tank is 65 gallons, so I have 400 gallons total tankage (plus 100 gallons of diesel). All the water and waste tanks were rotomolded by Ronco Plastics in Tustin CA, with umpteen threaded fittings spin-welded into each one. They are all rectangular/square section to minimize wasted space, sitting on support frames that hang from the frame rails and body longerons.

After I installed the water tanks I filled them and took the bus for a test-drive - I couldn't feel any difference to its steering or braking at all, and it rode slightly smoother because of the extra ton of weight behind the front axle. So far, so good.

John

Hi John!! I would love to talk to you more about your water tank system!!! I’m remodeling right now and trying to decide what the best option is for 200 gallons of fresh water! I have no idea where to start to even consider where to put the tank or tanks! Weight distribution is a very been concern of mine.

 

[Iceni John]

Hi John!! I would love to talk to you more about your water tank system!!! I’m remodeling right now and trying to decide what the best option is for 200 gallons of fresh water! I have no idea where to start to even consider where to put the tank or tanks! Weight distribution is a very been concern of mine.

Just PM me on this forum and let me know what bus you have and where/how you'll be using it, then I can answer any questions you have.

John

 

[Seanym]

I realize this is an old post but for what it's worth...I have 4 tanks, 2x 95 gal fresh, 1x 110 gal grey, and a 90 gal black. Between those (all rectangular) and the propane tank and front mini split there isn't an inch of underside space on a 40' Blue Bird All American bus. I already had 2 small storage boxes on each side. Fresh tank and grey are insulated and use cattle trough heaters to keep warm. Spring 2025 is launch time for this land yacht so none of this is real world tested yet. Unless I dedicated a bunch of space inside the bus I could not get more fresh capacity. Having said all of this I feel that this set up will allow a minimum of 21 days boondocking. we'll see what real life has to say.

 

[Omnibot2000]

I realize this is an old post but for what it's worth...I have 4 tanks, 2x 95 gal fresh, 1x 110 gal grey, and a 90 gal black. Between those (all rectangular) and the propane tank and front mini split there isn't an inch of underside space on a 40' Blue Bird All American bus. I already had 2 small storage boxes on each side. Fresh tank and grey are insulated and use cattle trough heaters to keep warm. Spring 2025 is launch time for this land yacht so none of this is real world tested yet. Unless I dedicated a bunch of space inside the bus I could not get more fresh capacity. Having said all of this I feel that this set up will allow a minimum of 21 days boondocking. we'll see what real life has to say.

Hardest part is convincing the wife to conserve. I tell her time and time again to watch her water usage and I get the same canned response "I know, stop reminding me" So our last trip she started her feverish cleaning and was going ape nuts. After she was done a stood up and hit the water level monitor and showed her she went through 35 gallons of water to clean the kitchen and dishes. Guess what.....she got mad at me because I was not nice enough telling her what she did wrong.

 

[cadillackid]

one of the reasons I dont build a skoolie to camp in is I like my Long showers (no im not about to pump nasty ass water around in a circle and back on my body).. and I also like things clean.. and use water to do so.. if i built one id probably have to carry a few hundred gallons of water... or tow a tanker trailer..

 

[Omnibot2000]

one of the reasons I dont build a skoolie to camp in is I like my Long showers (no im not about to pump nasty ass water around in a circle and back on my body).. and I also like things clean.. and use water to do so.. if i built one id probably have to carry a few hundred gallons of water... or tow a tanker trailer..

You can do other things so you can have your nice long, clean, shower.

I'm currently plumbed to also be hooked up onto onsite water. Pressurised and unlimited water.

My in-laws always calls dibs on the bus when they come for a visit. It's hooked up for them ready to go with no need to conserve.

It's the times you do need to conserve.....

To use 35 gallons of water to clean 12 square feet of counter top, stove and dishes is not realistic in any means.

I know you like showers but in a pinch...I get wet, turn off water. soap up. Turn on water and rinse. I don't typically go off grid though.

Alot of the campsites that I have gone too, has showers on site. You plan your trip accordingly.

 

[desrtdog]

I know you like showers but in a pinch...I get wet, turn off water. soap up. Turn on water and rinse.

aka “the submarine shower” … when we were lucky enough to be able to take showers …

 

[AlphaHare]

A lot of the campsites that I have gone too, has showers on site. You plan your trip accordingly.

Some of my best showers have been at National Parks. Maybe because I'm tired and dirty after a hike. That said, I always run out of patience way before I run out of quarters.

 

[TaliaDPerkins]

If you use about 4 to 6 filters of decreasing size and the last is a 0.2 micron and if you have a UV sterilizer, you can get rid of all bacteria, fungi, and most viruses. I wouldn't want to drink it and I would want to rinse with fresh water, but for longevity in boondocking I will at least consider a recirculating shower.

 

[Rucker]

You can do other things so you can have your nice long, clean, shower.

I'm currently plumbed to also be hooked up onto onsite water. Pressurised and unlimited water.

My in-laws always calls dibs on the bus when they come for a visit. It's hooked up for them ready to go with no need to conserve.

It's the times you do need to conserve.....

To use 35 gallons of water to clean 12 square feet of counter top, stove and dishes is not realistic in any means.

I know you like showers but in a pinch...I get wet, turn off water. soap up. Turn on water and rinse. I don't typically go off grid though.

Alot of the campsites that I have gone too, has showers on site. You plan your trip accordingly.

Agreed with all of this. I'm not a full timer, but honestly even though I have a fantastic shower in the shuttle bus we don't use it except to rinse off.

When we camp, we use the campground shower, or swim in the lake.

I'm sure it's totally different if you full-time. I could not live without my half hour showers...

 

[Clouse House]

I have 240 gallons of fresh and 240 gallons of gray under my bus. I found these 120 gallon tanks that fit between my frame rails and between the frame and skirt. I used 3in angle iron as well as 1.5 angle iron and 1.5 flat bar to create the supports. Imagine a cube. The top and bottom squares are made of the 3in angle iron. The 4 corners connecting them are the 1.5in angle iron. then on the four sides I have the 1.5in flat bar connecting them even more. On the top and bottom i have more 1.5in flat bar going from left to right. The 3in angle iron top square is welded to all the 1.5in angle iron and flat bar drop downs. The tank sits inside the 3in angle iron bottom square and is lifted up into the top portion with multiple ratchet straps. 1/2in grade 8 bolts are used to fasten it all together. I used the ceiling panels I pulled down from in the bus to create metal walls on all 6 sides. I have two tank pad heaters on the bottom of each tank, good for 50gallons each. So 100gallons of heating per tank. I also have a loop with my water heater that can dump the clean hot water back into the fresh water tank or into the gray tank to help heat things up.

The fresh water tanks are connected with 3in ABS pipe for balancing from front to back, that can be closed during travel. The gray water tanks are connected from left to right in the same way. The gray water tank drain is actually tee'd off of that 3in ABS pipe.

The attached pdf is the layout for under the bus. each tiny square is a 1in square for reference.