Extra fresh water tank?

[adamdegraff]

Still new to the POG forum. Wasn't sure if there was a better place to post this question. Sorry in advance, but I gots to know...

Can I add another fresh water tank on my bus? I have an outside entertainment bay next to my plumbing bay. With the way I use my bus, I think I would benefit more from another 100 or so gallons of fresh water. If I took out the entertainment unit (and carefully saved it for the day I sell my bus) could I install another fresh tank in that bay? Any thoughts on this subject. Questions? Comments? Let 'em fly.

Thanks,

Adam

[Joe Cannarozzi]

You are limited only by your imagination.

If you use that bay you will have to consider cold weather camping. You will have to heat that bay or winterize that tank when in colder climates.

I have also seen some gray tanks with pumps and that water used for flushing the toilet killing 2 birds with one stone.

A long time ago Winnebago also had an injector nozzle that sprayed the holding tank into the exhaust system:eek:

[dalej]

Adam,

You should consider that your black and gray tanks are a fixed size, so your fresh water should be equal or slightly less.

Now, you own the bus so you can do whatever your heart desires. If you are needing fresh water for other things outside the bus then adding another tank would work nicely.

The thought of keeping the bus original before selling it is a good one.

[tdelorme]

Adam the problem here is the weight of the extra water. Most folks at some point face the issue of their bus being overweight or close to it. Over time we load up extra "stuff" and before long all these things add up to a lot of unnecessary pounds we carry around. As handy as it might be, the extra 850pounds of water is just not a good idea.
Get creative about finding places to fill up with fresh water. We have never been refused water when I ask if I could get a hundred gallons from a hose bib at WalMart garden centers. Lots of rest areas have good fresh water. I would avoid filling up around dump stations, even those with a sign that says fresh water. Having an extra hundred gallons would be great, just not worth the trade off.

[merle&louise]

Adam,

One thing that you might want to consider is the added weight of the water tank. I believe that water weighs about 8# per gallon so you would be adding 800 pounds to your bus. Determine the gross vehicle weigh rating of the axle nearest to the bay that you are considering adding the water tank to and then subtract the actual weight of that axle. If the difference in the two is greater than 800# you are good to go.:D It would also be beneficial to check with your converter to get their opinion on the additional weight.

[adamdegraff]

Thanks for the input. I was just on tour in Iowa and, for the first time, I had a very hard time finding fresh water. Before that, I had never experienced such a lack of fresh water. (In ALL of my two months experience...) The strange thing, was that there were multiple public dump stations, easily accessible at all of the highway rest stops! NICE! But really, why have fancy dump stations, replete with a fancy fresh water rinse station and big sign reminding us not to drink the water, but NO fresh water? None of the gas stations had fresh water. Hey, maybe instead of asking if/how to install an extra fresh water tank, I should be getting advice about how to sniff out fresh water sources in obscure parts of the country. Thanks again for the input on the extra tank.

Adam

[merle&louise]

Adam,

I have only encountered difficulty in obtaining water once. It was outside of Phoenix and the truck stop had removed ALL of the hose bibb connections! I asked inside where I could get a little water and they told me that they did not provide that service. I can't remember if it was a Flying J or some other truck stop. Usually, water is not very difficult to get. Most places that sell diesel are more than happy to let you have a little water.

Like someone else said in a previous post, remember if you add 100 gallons of fresh water supply you need to add 100 gallons of grey/black water storage.
Can't have one without the other; unless you want to let your grey water run on the ground (not a good practice unless you are in the boondocks)!

[Petervs]

There are so many answers to be posted on this subject, let me just start with a few that come to mind:

1. In order to find fresh water while on the road you need one of those Y shaped sticks, I think they call them divining rods. Any hillbilly can show you where to get them.

2. Adding a water tank, on a Prevost anyway ( maybe not a Newell!) is just no big deal. A measly 900 pounds of extra weight is trivial. Just do it.

3. Before you add another 100 gallon water tank, consider instead the benefits of adding a few kegs of beer, or converting one bay into a wine cellar. You will make more friends that way than with water I think.

4. A bit of history here, injecting the waste water into the exhaust was a Liberty development, not Winnebago. But since on Liberty they do not separate the black and gray water, and with the advent of cars being towed and the modern easy to use towbars, they had to eliminate the water injection feature because the Dinghies were always getting covered with you know what.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

A macerator toilet combined with a Dave Mathews valve a dark night and a ditch would also be a simple solution:D

I am with Peter on the weight consideration.

[adamdegraff]

Dare I ask... what is a Dave Mathews valve? And just a quick statement... I would not be inclined to dump the contents of my black tank anywhere except an approved dumping station, however, I have wondered if there would be any harm in dumping the grey tank in an overhead sewer or ditch or something like that. We happen to use earth friendly soaps, detergents, etc... and our grey tank often gets filled up by our clothes washer. So, I'll admit that I as long as the grey water isn't being dumped into a ditch next to a playground, I don't think it poses any environmental or human danger. My 2 year-old's diaper... now that is another story. YIKES!

As for the weight of the water... I'm not sure what size tank would fit in that bay, but it would be replacing an existing entertainment unit with a 20 inch tv, speakers, and a solid wood cabinet full of drawers, etc. So a good bit of weight is already sitting there. Yes, I think the water would weigh more. Maybe twice or three times as much... so it certainly is at least a small consideration. Maybe this is especially true because the existing water tanks are centered in their location... between both wheels, not on one side of the bus. Guess I'll keep thinking about this. The idea posted by Petervs is also compelling... I could keep large quantities of beer in that bay... and then barter for water:-) Please, keep the suggestions and opinions coming. I'm seriously considering doing this. (the water, not the beer.)
Thanks!

Adam

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I am surprised that an entertainer such as yourself is unaware of the "mess" that the Mathews band caused in Chicago.

You definitely do not have the feature or you would know what it is.

[Coloradobus]

We travel with a full fresh water tank everywhere we go, whether coach or Airstream. Got caught 2 places without water ( empty tank)NEVER again. Running empty water in the coach vs full doesn't impact the coach just like towing either an 8600 lb E-350 Ford Van/Airstream, or Rover Disco 4800lb), or Chevy 4X4 X-tended cab Duramx (6220lbs) In trailers, depending where thge fresh tank is, it may incrase your tongue weight.
My parents 1970 27ft Airstream had a black water tank injection into the car's exhaust. It was pumped up from the trailer's rear tank to mid-stream of the car's exhaust. Didn't seem to coat the trailer with any undesirables as I remember.

[adamdegraff]

Ok, I looked it up. Here is the story just in case anybody else missed it. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4335667.stm

I frequently joke with my fellow musicians that we are all so busy that we never get to hear one another perform. That is one performance I am glad I missed! 800 lbs of raw, Dave Matthews excrement. But hey, I am from Chicago, and I can tell you that if it had missed the boat and fallen right into the river, that would have been the cleanest thing about the river. That is one nasty sewer.... I mean river. Remember when it flooded the coal tunnels in down town Chicago 15 or so years ago?

Adam