Small fresh water tank

djfrantic · 05-16-2007, 01:02 PM

I just thought I would share this info for all of you that own the 19' Bambi like we do. The problem we find is that the fresh water tank is too small for extended boondocking. But I came up with a solution that extends my time out by two days.

I bought a 55 gal water tank online that came configured for a valve at the bottom and I paid about $150. There are many sites that sell them, I can supply more info to anyone looking for one. I bought a square shaped tank as I thought it would be easiest to secure in my truck bed for the road. I added a gate valve to it so that I can attach my water hose right to it. When we go on trips, I fill it to whatever level I think I will need for that specific trip. (I don't automatically fill it all the way up.) For a 3 day trip , I fill it to about 35 gals. I also bought a 35 gallon portable dump so that if my waste tanks fill up I can deal with that also. FYI Camping World has them on sale right now for about $40 less than normal. I paid $199 for it.

With the fresh tank, the portable dump tank and a Honda 2000 generator we are able to extend our boondocking trips by at least 2-3 days. I don't know if we are just too wasteful with the fresh water but we were always running out and I was constantly worrying about it...so I came with this solution.

I don't have a pic of it...I didn't think to take one yet...but you can see it in this pic:
IMG_6484.JPG on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

on the right in my truck bed.

Anyway...hope this helps someone!

clancy_boy · 05-16-2007, 01:11 PM

Great Idea, but just a twist on it may be a "Water Bladder". They are a large plastc bags with fittings to allow the attachment of any fitting such as a valve or hose attachment. Military uses them allot and they may be available surplus now that there is a war on. Great thing is they fold flat and store easy. I have a 20 gal one and it works great. A company across the road from my office makes them for the Army - any liquid can be carried or dumped in them. Beats carring a bunch of 5 gal containers.

djfrantic · 05-16-2007, 01:20 PM

....but I wasn't really sure how to clean and dry the bladder post use. With the square tank, I dump what I didnt use, and keep the twist off cap (6" wide mouth) off of it for a couple days to air dry. Then I close it up for next time. I felt like that would be more hygienic long term. The downside is the tank is large (about 4' tall by 2' wide) and takes up space in the garage so I like the idea of the bladder....easier to store! But can you stack stuff on top of a bladder when it is full and in the truck bed? I also thought that when full, a bladder actually has a larger footprint in my truckbed. I pondered all of this for a while.....

Bambi's Dad · 10-24-2007, 10:48 AM

I have been considering the same thing! I run out all the time too. I had a bladder when I owned my '64 Bambi II and I didn't care for the bladder. To wierd to secure and move around and yes, the cleaning of it.

Thanks for the R&D!

- Rikki

Quote:

Originally Posted by djfrantic

I just thought I would share this info for all of you that own the 19' Bambi like we do. The problem we find is that the fresh water tank is too small for extended boondocking. But I came up with a solution that extends my time out by two days.

I bought a 55 gal water tank online that came configured for a valve at the bottom and I paid about $150. There are many sites that sell them, I can supply more info to anyone looking for one. I bought a square shaped tank as I thought it would be easiest to secure in my truck bed for the road. I added a gate valve to it so that I can attach my water hose right to it. When we go on trips, I fill it to whatever level I think I will need for that specific trip. (I don't automatically fill it all the way up.) For a 3 day trip , I fill it to about 35 gals. I also bought a 35 gallon portable dump so that if my waste tanks fill up I can deal with that also. FYI Camping World has them on sale right now for about $40 less than normal. I paid $199 for it.

With the fresh tank, the portable dump tank and a Honda 2000 generator we are able to extend our boondocking trips by at least 2-3 days. I don't know if we are just too wasteful with the fresh water but we were always running out and I was constantly worrying about it...so I came with this solution.

I don't have a pic of it...I didn't think to take one yet...but you can see it in this pic:
IMG_6484.JPG on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

on the right in my truck bed.

Anyway...hope this helps someone!

mandolindave · 10-24-2007, 10:57 AM

Two 25 gallon tanks might work well. If you didn't need a lot of water you could just fill one. I don't like to drive with have full tanks because the water sloshes around on curves and I can feel the rig swaying becuase of it.