| Author | Message | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 163 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 72.12.39.78 Rating: N/A |
I have been through the Ademco stock tank sizes and find that they have perfect tanks in stock for my grey and fresh tanks. But I have a very odd-shaped area for a black tank. Has anyone had any good experiences with a tank builder who will make a custom tank? The usual - looking for good quality at a reasonable price. Thanks, BH NC USA | ||
| Jerry Liebler (Jerry_liebler)
Registered Member Username: Jerry_liebler Post Number: 282 Registered: 3-2005 Posted From: 67.140.169.98 Rating: N/A |
Bruce, Yes, I have experience with an excellent custom tank builder, me. I built all my tanks to fit where I wanted them, using Gumpy's web site for guidance. My black tank holds 220 gallons, is made of 3/8" hot air welded polypropylene sheets. It's not all that hard and took about 3 man days to build. Mateials for the black tank were about $250 including all the fittings and valves. Regards Jerry 4107 1120 | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 196 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 96.232.83.31 Rating: N/A |
what is the deal with odor retention in plastic and fiberglass tanks. The boats i used to work on the smell would actualy start coming thru the tanks and hoses. Anybody have any problems with this? Granted the vents on boats are tiny compared to code on houses and R/V's. | ||
| Jack Campbell (Blue_goose)
Registered Member Username: Blue_goose Post Number: 48 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 71.101.55.168 Rating: N/A |
Jerry I had to say this you could go a year with that 220 gal black tank. I only have a 50 gal black and it will last about 2 weeks. Wish I had made the gray larger and the black smaller. | ||
| Jerry Liebler (Jerry_liebler)
Registered Member Username: Jerry_liebler Post Number: 283 Registered: 3-2005 Posted From: 67.140.169.98 Rating: N/A |
Jack, No I can't go a year. Though it's called a black tank it serves as gray too so it's not all that big. I have 190 gallons of fresh and can go a week easily but my bathtub takes 40 gallons so If I'm boondocking I have to enjoy tub baths sparingly. You simply can't have tanks that are too big. Regards Jerry 4107 1120 | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 521 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 66.217.101.120 Rating: N/A |
tankdepot.com ?? | ||
| Chuck Newman (Chuck_newman)
Registered Member Username: Chuck_newman Post Number: 238 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 69.111.92.23 Rating: N/A |
John, Do you, or anyone else, have any first hand knowledge with this "Uniseal" fitting? Does it hold up over the long term? Thanks. | ||
| Chuck Newman (Chuck_newman)
Registered Member Username: Chuck_newman Post Number: 239 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 69.111.92.23 Rating: N/A |
Bruce, Try http://www.incaplastics.com/ | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 522 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 66.217.107.101 Rating: N/A |
Chuck - As far as I know, you have to install UNISEAL from the inside... There was another brand fitting that could be installed through the same hole from the outside... How good? Dunno, never used 'em. If you have access to the inside, there are other types that screw together and seal well, but a lot depends on the amount of flexing the tank will present. In one Winnebago, the plastic tank had to be reinforced with a sheet of composition board to hold it rigid.... But, spin weld is probably the best way, if done right... Check *here* for other options. | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 1080 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 74.12.73.134 Rating: |
Yup, never heard anyone complain they had too much tank...black, gray, fresh, fuel, beer.... Same as AC, heat, insulation, sex... no such thing as too much? However, heard lots of folks complain they didn't have enough... All Hail! more is better! happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| H3-40 (Ace)
Registered Member Username: Ace Post Number: 688 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 75.200.195.120 Rating: N/A |
Hey Jerry, been there about a year or so ago when I did my tanks. Don't let em' tell you your full of it! LOL I proved them wrong so far! Ace | ||
| Rob Pacella (Rap16823)
Registered Member Username: Rap16823 Post Number: 2 Registered: 8-2007 Posted From: 12.177.54.20 Rating: N/A |
Jerry, Did you weld your own tanks? Do you have a link to gumpys web site? Rob | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 653 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.1.180.218 Rating: N/A |
I installed several UniSeals in the black and gray tanks from the outside. I drilled a hole using the proper size hole saw (per UniSeal instructions)and installed the UniSeal in place. A little dish soap on the PVC pipe and slid into place through the UniSeal. All the UniSeals I installed were in the top of the tank. Although UniSeal says they can be used on the sides of the tank below liquid level, I was afraid to trust them. For those fittings, I used spin welded fittings. Jack | ||
| Chuck Newman (Chuck_newman)
Registered Member Username: Chuck_newman Post Number: 240 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 67.126.203.95 Rating: N/A |
Jack, Do you have an old tank laying around that you can demo the spin weld technique during Bussin' 2008? If not, I'll be happy to order one and have it shipped to you since we will be flying in. Let me know if I need to purchase some fittings also. Thanks. | ||
| Jerry Liebler (Jerry_liebler)
Registered Member Username: Jerry_liebler Post Number: 284 Registered: 3-2005 Posted From: 67.140.169.98 Rating: N/A |
Chuck, It's not really necessary to spin weld the fittings. The same welding techniques that one uses in fabricating tanks can equally well be used to weld fittings. In either case it's vital that the fitting be made of the same material as the tank. Regards Jerry 4107 1120 | ||
| Jerry Liebler (Jerry_liebler)
Registered Member Username: Jerry_liebler Post Number: 285 Registered: 3-2005 Posted From: 67.140.169.98 Rating: N/A |
Rob, Yes I welded my tanks, basically following Craig's excellent advise but I added a step of tacking all seams first with a temperature controlled soldering iron. It takes a little practice to get good welds but it's not hard at all. Here is the link. http://www.gumpydog.com/bus/MC9_WIP/Plumbing/Holding_Tank_Fabrication/holding_tank_fabrica tion.htm send me an off board message and we'll trade phone numbers and I'd be glad to talk about anything related to busses. Regards Jerry 4107 1120 | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 654 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.1.180.218 Rating: N/A |
Chuck, I do not have any fixtures for my router to spin weld (it takes a different fixture for each different fitting). I have the fittings spin welded when I buy the tanks at DuraCast in Lake Wales. | ||
| Douglas Tappan (Dougthebonifiedbusnut)
Registered Member Username: Dougthebonifiedbusnut Post Number: 47 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 75.69.44.219 Rating: N/A |
Hey Bruce, Is there a reason you are using both a gray and a black tank? I will be using one tank for all. I haven't heard a good argument for the use of seperate tanks yet. | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 164 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 72.12.39.78 Rating: N/A |
Douglas Tappan wrote: "Hey Bruce, Is there a reason you are using both a gray and a black tank? I will be using one tank for all. I haven't heard a good argument for the use of seperate tanks yet." I'm not sure if it's a good reason (I think it is) but I have room for about a 40 gallon tank installed nestled in the chassis under the floor. I don't want black inside my bus and I need more than 40 gallons total. So I'm planning a 60 gallon grey (behind the kitchen drawers/40 gallon black/100 gallon fresh system. I don't have bays. I will also have the grey drains set up so that the grey can be drained through the black to wash it out (after the black has been drained, of course. And if the grey if full and the black is not, I'll be able to bleed a little of the grey into the black tank for the short term (of course, this will be a very good indication that it's time to find a dump station NOW!) But working backwards ... I think I need at least 100 gallons fresh. I can only get about 40 under the floor (outside the bus interior) so that means I need a second tank for about 60 gallons. Since I only have an available area inside the bus, that tank should be grey. I'd prefer a single tank but I don't think it would work in my situation. The reason that I feel that I need a custom tank is that readily available tanks don't fill the space (leaving me with too little capacity). To get 40 gallons or so in that space, I'll need a tank that really fills up edges and crevices. I could get some extra capacity by using a tank taller than the depth of the chassis but that would leave it hanging down and thus vulnerable to hitting on bumps, road debris, etc. I think it would be a good idea to design in a way to avoid this and I think the best way to do so will be to keep the bottom of the tank at or above the lower edge of the frame rail. Thanks to everyone for the good info. I had read the Gumpydog website but, alas, I think that I need to get my bus finished rather than learning to do another thing badly (we won't even talk about my metal welding). |
