waste tank size

[elewayne]

I'm adding a bathroom to my trailer where there was none before. So what size, in gallons, tanks do I need for black and gray water? I'm sure 200 gallons would be great but what is a decent size? Like is 10 gallons ridiculously small? Mostly I'd like to stay where there are hookups but sometimes that just isn't possible. So what would I need.
Wayne

[cowcharge]

If it's a small camper, you might want to go with a porta-potty to avoid all the expense and work of adding a tank. And when using a hookup, you can't leave your dump valve open. If you do, you'll drain all the liquid every time you use it, and none of the solids. Very bad. You need to keep a lot of liquid in the tank, so that when you dump it, the liquid takes the solids with it. IIRC, my 22' has something like a 37 gallon black tank.

[boandsusan]

Hi Wayne. We`re using a porta-potty in our camper. Once our kitchen sink is hooked up we intend buying a "tote" in place of a black or grey tank. We decided to go with a tote, to save on time, money, weight and plumbing involved with tank installation.. Every campsite we`ve stayed at has a dumping station for totes. We`ve found the tote we want at our local rv store for $125.00.

[61 Shasta]

Wayne, one thing to consider when you start talking about holding tanks is the weight distribution! Most of the older trailers that didn't come with holding tanks do not have the suspension to handle any great amount of extra weight. Hence, porta-potty is the mode of choice. that takes care of the issue of black water, now what about grey water. Well, as stated above by boandsusan, buy a "tote" or blue boy. Its a portable (on wheels) tanks that you park outside your grey water discharge and connect up. When it is full you can either manually pull it or hook it to your rig and pull it to the dump station. Believe the folks above, this arrangement is your best choice given the capabilities of these vintage units that didn't come with all the "conveniences".

[valewf]

Did you find a supplier for you tanks? Here is one I found but have not used yet. I plan to buy the shower pan/ toilet tank combo to go in the closet in my Compact.
www.rvsurplus.net/catalog/display.php?category_id=47
Looks like they do custom also.

BTW-The Porti Potti option that most everyone on the forum seems to use would never, in a million years, fly with my better half. Flush toilet or she's staying at home.

[valewf]

Also check out the Scamp camper store. They are the people that make the fiberglass egg campers. They have a neat little set up for their lightweight campers. Their 13 footer weighs about what a Compact weighs so the plumbing and tanks are small and lightweight but supposedly very usable.
Here is the link to their site
shop.scamptrailers.com/c-12-plumbing.aspx

[universalexports]

most of your better RV toilets use a bit over a quarter of a gallon of water per flush, I am putting a toilet/shower in mine, I will be using a 9.5 gallon combination shower floor/holding tank and a low profile thetford bravura toilet, that should work for 25 plus flushes easy, before I have to dump.

link to shower pan/holding tank

www.rvpartsnation.com/product/1590/m2853-combo-shower-pan

for the grey water I am considering using a 26 gallon tank I have found that is only 2.75 inches deep, to mount under the camper. it is 42x53x2.5 that will work for the sink/shower water I think the grey water tank will need to be bigger, for all the water used from showering and doing dishes, washing your hands etc.

[lopo]

I wish these last two comments, with the useful links, were in a thread of their own. I might want to find these links later but will never think to look in "waste tank size." How can that be done?

[joecamper]

My solution is a portable waste tank on wheels that I will place on ther ground below the rear corner under the toilet. We are painting it to look like a flower garden with a sky with clowds on its top.

Our solution to all the size and weight limitations of these little trlrs is the correct tow vehicle.

My PU bed is the solution. 100 gal of water and pump, inverter with 2 8-d batts a honda gen the waste tote another bin for hoses all the patio stuff and webber grill. 1 additional water line hookup between the 2 for boondocking is about the extent of the complexity and inconvienience. 30 gal waste tote is what Ill be using.

We also would not do this without a bathroom. The entire rear of the astrodome will be a bathroom on ours. Toilet pass rear shower drivers rear sink directly under the rear window.

[joecamper]

We once had a Class-C with 40 gal fresh tank. That would last the 2 of us 2 days of showers dirty dishes and toilet usage.

IMO PITA not big enough

Our bus had 125 gallon fresh water it would get us almost a week much nicer

If I put a custom tank across the entire front wall of the truck bed top to bottom it would only need to be about 6 inches wide to be 125 gal. Only need to fill it when necessary for all you weight conscious folks

[joecamper]

One other note. GOOD water on the road is IFFY at best. I would never leave town without a full fresh tank with water from home.

Ever see what comes out of a spicket as some camgrounds. It can be scarry

[cowcharge]

Lopo, just visit the links now and bookmark them in your browser. I made a "camper" folder in my bookmarks for all the stuff I can't afford right now.

[tylerbes]

Elewayne

I could not disagree more with the "dont use holding tanks in a vintage camper" mentality. Dont travel with water in your tanks of course... but I have three large tanks and it works FANTASTIC.

I used a smaller tank for my black water: 23 Gal
www.icondirect.com/holding-tank-center-end-drain-ht636ed/

Worked great and is penty of capacity for the toilet ( you really dont need much)

If you are adding a shower you really want to maximize your grey water tank. If possible want to be above 30 gals for that tank.

[joecamper]

Tyler what size fresh water tank and How about some photos of how they went in and where you got them?

I took some time and went thru your blog but didn't see photos of those tanks other than 1 shot where you say they went behind the toilet.

I am also wondering how much below the bottom of the frame they sit?

Thanksin advance

[cowcharge]

I'd listen to anyone who can make a trailer as beautiful as Tyler can. That AstroFlyte looks like a big piece of candy, lol.

Joe, my waste tanks are tucked up inside the frame, they don't protrude at all at the shallow end on the center line, if any ('76 22.5', and if the specs table I saw was accurate, the standard tank size was 27 gallons). The deep end at the edge of the trailer sticks down 2 or 3 inches, if memory serves, but nowhere near as far down as all the valves and plumbing. How deep is the steel frame in a Compact? Mine's around 6", I think.

[universalexports]

May 30, 2012 6:22:04 GMT -5 tylerbes said:

Elewayne

I could not disagree more with the "dont use holding tanks in a vintage camper" mentality. Dont travel with water in your tanks of course... but I have three large tanks and it works FANTASTIC.

I used a smaller tank for my black water: 23 Gal
www.icondirect.com/holding-tank-center-end-drain-ht636ed/

Worked great and is plenty of capacity for the toilet ( you really dont need much)



If you are adding a shower you really want to maximize your grey water tank. If possible want to be above 30 gals for that tank.

how did you get this between your frame? or is it mounted under? I dont think I have room , If I move the wooden frame piece over I can get a 24x34 inch one in there. how much does yours hang down below the frame? got pics?