Pressurized Fresh Water Tank

[Sixty3TW4US]

I have a "63" Trade Wind, it has the origional fresh water tank and it is in excellent condition. When i am not hooked up to city water i use the pressurized system. I just hook up a small 12v air comp. to pressure the tank, and there is plenty of water pressure. Don't use the 12v water pump at all, never have. I love this method when boondocking. The tank stays pressurized for along time. I don't have to listen to that water pump kick in at night and it conserves my battery life. I have left the tank pressurizes for a few months at a time with no problems or loss of air.

Just wondering, anyone else useing the pressurized system? any coments?

Also do the new AS have this feature? If not when did AS stop useing it?

[Nuvite-F]

Hi, 63TW,

I saw your post a while back and meant to respond but was busy with other things. Since then I have answered some of the same questions on this thread.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f443...tml#post737633

The RV industry moved away from pressurized water tanks in the early 60s when inexpensive demand water pumps became available. An unpressurized tank can be made of inexpensive plastic and made to fit the shape of the space it goes into, so can hold more water in a given space.

But if you have a working pressure tank system there's nothing wrong with them, and they do have some virtues of their own.

Like being able to flush the toilet in the middle of the night without the pump (under the bed!) starting up and waking your sleeping spouse!

Cheers,
Nuvi

[Sugarfoot]

Yes, I'm using pressurized in my Tradewind. I love the simplicity and minimal power drain. The downside is a smaller tank. To build a pressure vessel the shape must be cylindrical, so like Nuvi said, you can't fill available space. I'm going with larger tanks and a demand pump in the Sovereign of the Road.

[dwightdi]

Slight disadvantage: metal tank= heavy, metal tank= corrosion, pressurized all the time = if you develop a leak when you are not there, it floods the trailer. I have had it happen. I converted and leave the pump off till I need water.

[LHall]

We use our pressurized system and have had no issues with the system. We do drain our tank after each trip. I love the simplicity and the fact that it does not require that the pump run every time you use the water.

[Sugarfoot]

Originally Posted by dwightdi

Slight disadvantage: metal tank= heavy, metal tank= corrosion, pressurized all the time = if you develop a leak when you are not there, it floods the trailer. I have had it happen. I converted and leave the pump off till I need water.

Good point. I narrowly escaped that same scenario with the original aluminum one. Aluminum gets nasty, very nasty with corrosion and pin hole leaks over time too. I had mine rebuilt to same specs in stainless. Expensive but only slightly heavier that the original.

[goransons]

Sugarfoot, how much did the new stainless tank set you back? Still making decisions to stay with pressure system or go to a pump system with a new tank. Our tank wasn't aluminum, it was galvanized steel and shows signs it is near its end.

[Sugarfoot]

Originally Posted by goransons

Sugarfoot, how much did the new stainless tank set you back? Still making decisions to stay with pressure system or go to a pump system with a new tank. Our tank wasn't aluminum, it was galvanized steel and shows signs it is near its end.

Stainless was just over $400 from a local welding and metal fabrication shop. I spec'd a pressure vessel to 90 psi since the original was designed for that pressure when winterizing. Only one out of the 4 shops I checked with was willing to fabricate a pressure vessel. The new tank in these shots still has the protective plastic on it. You can see a bunch of old patching on the original.


The fill neck and drain pipe were purchased and threaded elsewhere. Someone with a drill press fitted the Schrader valve and the fitting for the compressor. Be sure to use enough layers of plumbers tape when installing them on the tank.

Here's the before and after.

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by goransons

Sugarfoot, how much did the new stainless tank set you back? Still making decisions to stay with pressure system or go to a pump system with a new tank. Our tank wasn't aluminum, it was galvanized steel and shows signs it is near its end.

Much as I am a fan of the old pressure tank systems, I don't think I'd go so far as to have a new pressure tank fabricated. Unless you are trying for strict originality, if your old tank is shot, IMHO your best bet would be to buy a rectangular plastic tank as used in the newer trailers and a demand type pump. I expect you could buy them both for less than the cost of a new pressure tank.

Best,
Nuvi

[overlander63]

Not that anybody asked me, but I think that if your pressurized tank doesn't leak, use it. If and when it does, switch to non-pressurized. Ours in our '63 leaked like a sieve, so it went away and I put a small (15 gallon) tank in its place.