Argosy holding tanks

[CanoeStream]

This works:

A newer ceramic toilet doesn’t fit the space. I’ll have to use one of those squat, cheaper looking plastic ones.

I do find the lack of “toe space” a problem at my age. Surprised you don’t. Maybe your personal plumbing is aging better than mine is.

Finally, it’s a design question. I don’t like the toilet perched up on a shelf. The tiny room will appear to be larger if it has a flat floor and good, clean lines.

This is a very well thought out plan. We'll be very interested in seeing it come together!

[LRPorter]

I have a 1976 Argosy 24' Trailer. It is currently at the shop getting new tires and an inspection. I plan to update the interior and freshen up the exterior. We bought the trailer to use and hopefully it will be functional with little updateing. Any advice on thing that must be upddated would be appreciated.

[balrgn]

Originally Posted by LRPorter

I have a 1976 Argosy 24' Trailer. It is currently at the shop getting new tires and an inspection. I plan to update the interior and freshen up the exterior. We bought the trailer to use and hopefully it will be functional with little updateing. Any advice on thing that must be upddated would be appreciated.

Very Nice, Welcome to the Forum, I have a '76 Argosy 24 that we are working on. Check ot what I have done to date here.

http://www.balrgn.com/Argosy/Argosy.htm

Good luck with your project, hope you can post some pics of your progress.

[dieterdog]

hello all, am anxiously awaiting the results of this topic, for the application to my new to me Argosy. Andre,, great job,,,. cannot wait to get started with mine,,, donna,, dieterdog

[mandolindave]

While my bathroom was out of commision, I used a porta-potti.
It was much more conveniant than my present built in system.
So the cassette system sounds great, except I wouldn't
want to cut a door in my trailer.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by mandolindave

While my bathroom was out of commision, I used a porta-potti.
It was much more conveniant than my present built in system.
So the cassette system sounds great, except I wouldn't
want to cut a door in my trailer.

Dave,
With the cassette toilet it is possible to install them so the tank is removed from an interior cabinet door. One of the popup manufacturers did it this way on a couple of models...Starcraft IIRC. Also you are not limited to the door shown on the website, you could install an Airstream Appropriate Hatch without too much trouble.

Aaron

[SmokelessJoe]

Friends:

Essentially we've decided to move the current grey forward and install another new grey as well as a new black - three tanks in all.

The cassette toilet has been dropped in favour of a new style ceramic.

Watch these pages later in the day; I'll have time then to describe our findings, opinions, solutions and techniques in more detail.

Lynn, you can go to the main thread on my project to see what we plan to do to my little Argosy.

It's here:

http://www.airforums.com/forum...ase-18448.html

Sergei

[SmokelessJoe]

Friends:

’m a couple days late in getting back to the forum. It’s Christmas time.

In the end we dropped the idea of a cassette toilet and came up with an entirely new option for the plumbing.

We’ve moved the existing 12 gallon grey forward about 24” to just rear of the axle.

This allowed a 30” x 30” clear space behind this grey for a new black to be installed BELOW the floor.

We are working with stock polyethylene holding tank sizes from COAST Distributors. I estimate the new black will be about 17 gallons.

The shower and sink will remain drained to the existing grey but we are putting another separate 26 gallon NEW grey between the axles. It will serve the kitchen sink alone.

The new capacities will therefore be about 39 gallons grey and 17 black, a good improvement.

The two grey tanks will each drain separately. Routing the new “between the axles” tank to the existing common drain at the rear would have been difficult if not impossible without a pump and I didn’t want to risk any back-up problems that might occur if the two greys were plumbed together.

The old rear grey and the new black will use the existing dump valve at the rear.

I dropped the cassette idea for the reason that it appears only Thetford has them in North America and they are not consumer friendly. I called both their head office in Ann Arbor, Michigan and their Canadian office in Mississauga. They want to talk to trailer manufacturers, not end-users.

They have no show room and they give out conflicting advice. Their web site says “available for retrofit” but their local distributor said the exact opposite.

I took Aaron’s advice (Wahoonc) and finally saw one at a Fleetwood dealer and found them plastic looking and unattractive.

I think I will get the new CONCERTO toilet by SeaLand.
It’s an expensive but very elegant all ceramic unit with a standard flush handle, like in your home.

Thetford makes a similar model called ARIA but SeaLand are customer friendly. They have already emailed me an owner’s manual and complete schematics for installation.

Happy Holidays.

Sergei

[SmokelessJoe]

Photo of the sheet metal surround for the grey that is being moved.

Note the 1" Styrofoam insulation around the edges and the vacuum formed plastic insert laying in the bottom. This is probably required to distribute the weight of water at 8/10 lbs per gallon.

We will copy this technique in building the second holding tank and the new black.

Photo 2 shows the tank outside the metal holding box.

The boxes are supported by angle pieces at the front and back and on both ends.

[SmokelessJoe]

1. Next, I would like to consider a macerator and holding tank sensors.

Does anyone have advice or opinions to offer?

2. How do we start a new thread? I can’t seem to find out where we do that.

Thanks


Sergei

[Janet H]

Originally Posted by SmokelessJoe

2. How do we start a new thread? I can’t seem to find out where we do that.

Sergei

To start a new thread click on the forums tab and then find the area (sub forum) where you want to post. OPen that forum and then click on the "new thread" button. A new box will open and you can add your text. Be sure to pick a title that relfects the topic of the new thread. Hope this helps.

[Coloradobus]

Canoe Stream or anyone,

What was stated in post #3 about holding capacities, how about a 1977 28ft Argosy we are looking at. Are the holding cap. Grey tank 16 gallon, and Black tank 23 gallons the same as the 24 ft? This has they side bath.
Thanks

[Coloradobus]

Does the 1977 28ft Argosy, with side bath, have a grey tank? If so, what is the capacity? Capacity of the black tank? Is it above or below floor?
Thanks

[overlander64]

Greetings Coloradus!

Originally Posted by Coloradobus

Does the 1977 28ft Argosy, with side bath, have a grey tank? If so, what is the capacity? Capacity of the black tank? Is it above or below floor?
Thanks

According to the 1977 Argosy owners' manual, the 28' rear bedroom/side bath coaches had the following holding tank capacities:

• Potable Water -- 30 Gallons
• Waste Water
  • 23 Gallons Blackwater
  • 16 Gallons Wash Water
• Water Heater -- 6 Gallons

There is no mention of the Wash Water tank being other than standard in the specifications section; but in the waste plumbing section of the manual the following statement can be found: On models equipped with the auxiliary holding tank the waste water from the sink and bath lavatory drain into the tank.

I had thought that the Wash Water tank was standard starting in 1974 as it was with Airstream, but the manual doesn't clarify this point; and in fact, the section on waste water plumbing leaves the impression that the wash water tank may have been optional.

I am almost afraid to speculate, but from what is written in the manual, my suspicion is that the layout may be similar to my '78 Minuet -- both tanks may be mounted on top of the floor -- the omission of mention of the wash water collecting the bath/shower drain water makes me think that this may be a possibility. If this is the case, there is still the problem of dealing with the wash water drained from the bathroom's shower/tub.

Kevin

[CanoeStream]

Kevin -- My '76 Argosy manual looks to be generic across the entire trailer line and includes data for each trailer length. My grey tank is below floor. SmokelessJoe also has dealt with a below floor grey tank (actually has repositioned his). My overall and perhaps imperfect impression is that fresh water tanks are above floor in Argosy trailers. Isn't the black almost universally above floor and under the toilet?

Yes, my manual seems to list the grey tank under "Optional Equipment and Variable Weights" -- along with other 'options' such as A/C, Auxiliary Main Step, B.A.L. Jacks, individual weight of 4 LP tank options (5-7-10 gal, steel vs aluminum), Fridge RM 77 or Fridge RM 100, Safety Group, Spare Tire, Spare Tire, TV Antenna, and Vista View windows (not available on under 26'). This was probably for purpose of fine tuning specific option weights on a given unit -- now and then you'll see an Argosy without A/C and a few with a spare tire.

[SmokelessJoe]

I realized reading today’s post that I hadn’t kept the Forum advised of progress for some time.

For those interested, reading back into this thread - and monitoring a conversation with Chuck at:

http://www.airforums.com/forum...l-20759-2.html

- will trace our course from naivety and curiosity to a complete revamping of the undercarriage plumbing system.

We now have a new 14 gallon black - UNDER the floor - and a new 32.66 gallon grey, complete with No Fuss Flush, Micro Pulse sensors and the Sani Con Waste Management System.

Photos here show the compartment that was built for the Sani Con, inside and out, and shots of the new holding tanks.

There is also a shot of the now stripped out interior.

I’ve changed my mind and will now install a complete new interior, keeping only the original 1976 Argosy layout, which I like.

There is still a lot to do.

Sergei

[SmokelessJoe]

missing shot of the macerator compartment, inside....

[SmokelessJoe]

will it go now?

[dieterdog]

HI Sergei,,, quite impressive,,,, bet it functions quite well,,,, come out to the wilds of Montana and test it out,,,, dieterdog

[SmokelessJoe]

Donna:

Montana is not a good place for testing. The Grey Water Fairy lives out there, remember?

I will travel there - and in Saskatchewan - anyway, once I get this thing done.

Sergei