Replacing Plywood Tank Base

[Smokin Camel]

I just pulled my fresh water tank today. Good thing I used some PB blaster on the iron, because it would not move yesterday.

Getting to the one item that I expected to run into, the 1 inch plywood was "unussualy heavy". Has anyone replaced the 1 inch with 3/4 inch? I was thinking of using 3/4 AC and put spar varnish on the down side and edges. I thought a thin foam layer of 1/4 inch over the wood would insulate and cushion. My tank is 40 gallons and the wood is about 46 x 57. The weight should be about 350-360 Lbs (334 for the water the rest is the tank weight).

The plywood got soaked becasue of the demented cobble job that a PO did. The system would drain from a valve right over the tank compartment. The copper and old pump are now gone. Soon, new pex, new Propane+ elec. water heater, new pump etc.... It will be nice to have some of the idiocyncracies gone.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Smokin Camel

I just pulled my fresh water tank today. Good thing I used some PB blaster on the iron, because it would not move yesterday.

Getting to the one item that I expected to run into, the 1 inch plywood was "unussualy heavy". Has anyone replaced the 1 inch with 3/4 inch? I was thinking of using 3/4 AC and put spar varnish on the down side and edges. I thought a thin foam layer of 1/4 inch over the wood would insulate and cushion. My tank is 40 gallons and the wood is about 46 x 57. The weight should be about 350-360 Lbs (334 for the water the rest is the tank weight).

The plywood got soaked becasue of the demented cobble job that a PO did. The system would drain from a valve right over the tank compartment. The copper and old pump are now gone. Soon, new pex, new Propane+ elec. water heater, new pump etc.... It will be nice to have some of the idiocyncracies gone.

Suggest you stay with the one inch plywood, since your water tank is 50 gallons, not 40.

Andy

[Smokin Camel]

For some reason I thought I had a 40????????? I just checked the original owners manual and by G you were riight on. The 83 Lb difference is certainly substantial. It was a nice thought as 3/4 plywood is a lot cheaper (and lighter) Thanks for catching my error.

[PizzaChop]

I replaced my 1" support a year ago. Had to special order it for about $85, if I remember correctly.

I applied CPES to all plumbing pass-thru holes as well as adding a few other weep holes in case there ever was anymore water leakage. (The center bath unit has a plumbing cross over which passes beneath the FW tank on its way to the galley. Mine had frozen years ago and ruined the original plywood.)

Wasn't very easy to slide back in, either.

Good luck!

[Smokin Camel]

$*%85$, I know lumber went up but whoa!

I re-installed the 1 inch plywood. (Before I read the previous post) I also brushed and primed the brackets then put a little silicon on the friction side. One side of the wood was damp (or at least felt a bit that way). A week in a kiln and a good inspection showed it to be rock solid. 85$$$$ holy $#!&, I just can't get over ---was that at least a full sheet?

Back on subject - I measured the tank and without extracting the indent areas I came up with 44 gallons. The owners manual said 50, but when I estimate the indent areas this looks like a 40. I will check it out next spring when I fill it to test the new plumbing, which unfortunately will not be done before spring. The time is there but hunting season is coming up and I have several German Wirehair's that need their time! If I don't do dog and hunt time we could be over run with Pheasants, Grouse and Ducks and I wouldn't want to be responsible for that! I quit hunting geese a few years ago and now the place is crawling with them.

This AS has had a few non standard items like a single 20 amp circuit, the 40 gallon tank and a couple of other items that are different from the original owners manual. At least it is "solid". The waste tank set up could have been better, but some things I will have to live with (or get radical).

The one nice thing about removing the old tank was that I inspected it, hot rinsed it then sanitized it with Hypochlorite (think of it like high test Chlorox!). When I put in new tank lines I added a gravity drain by way of a two way valve. I will also put a separate blow down drain in after I get past the strainer and filter. The gas lines all tested good, and got new screws in the brackets.

It will be nice to get these last mechanical projects done so I can use the old camel again. Just the plumbing, then I am functional. There will still be some stuff left like three more awnings, a window gaurd and polishing the body and then recoating it! I will be a bit surprised if I get all of that done.

Ya know (as they say in MN) this thing may have passed from a hobby into an obsession! ($85 plywood wow!..., how thick was the gold plate?)

[Jim & Susan]

I replaced mine with a piece of 5/8 glued and then screwd into a piece of 3/8 to get approximately a 1" board. BTW, my tank is either 32 or 34 gallons (can't remember exactly). While I had it out, I actully measured it.

I'd like to see a few pics of the new drain you put in. Sounds interesting.

Jim

[Smokin Camel]

Originally Posted by Jim & Susan

I replaced mine with a piece of 5/8 glued and then screwd into a piece of 3/8 to get approximately a 1" board. BTW, my tank is either 32 or 34 gallons (can't remember exactly). While I had it out, I actully measured it.

I'd like to see a few pics of the new drain you put in. Sounds interesting.

Jim

I'll see if I can get the camera down the hole & take a photo. I am planning on going down to the machine shed this weekend. It was very easy. I did not have a gravity drain. I put a new supply line in and kept it parallel to the floor and just put a 2 way valve in the line and routed the alternate line from the valve through the base board.

I thought that 3/4 7ply would take the stress. As long as the 1 inch was still good I did re-use it. The way you are set up sounds like it should handle the load. I'll try to post one of my schematics with the picture. (I did spend some $ on extra valves and connectors, used both seatech and sharkbite). Of course I still have to execute some of the design.

[Smokin Camel]

The battery crapped out on the camera, I''l try agin when I take the batteries out. Here is a crude drawing of the gravity drain. The drain will have to be pulled first if I ever remove the tank base again as the is where the hole drilled for the drain.