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vanster · 10-07-2013, 08:13 PM

We are on the search for new water tanks. I think we can go about an inch below the axle. What is the maximum depth?
Also is there a preferred tank maker. We have found 3. All Rite, Inca and Plastic Mart. Prices range from the reasonable to "take your breath away" expensive.

Inland RV Center, In · 10-07-2013, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanster

We are on the search for new water tanks. I think we can go about an inch below the axle. What is the maximum depth?
Also is there a preferred tank maker. We have found 3. All Rite, Inca and Plastic Mart. Prices range from the reasonable to "take your breath away" expensive.

Your 67 Caravel had the water tank below the front window.

It carried 30 gallons.

It is still available.

Andy

Jewel65 · 10-08-2013, 02:45 PM

I think you are talking about the fresh water tank? It should be above the floor as if it was below it could freeze in the winter. I assume original is still available from inland, or VTS (Vintage Trailer Supply) should carry an after market that fits your space. I haven't checked on one as I think my original is still good in my 65. I will be trying to re-use the original. Hope this helps.

If you are talking about grey tanks, that is another issue that I am debating now.

vanster · 10-09-2013, 08:17 AM

Thanks for the response
We are going to put the fresh water tank. grey water tank and black tank under the floor just forward of the axle. We are not going to put the fresh water tank where the original tank was placed. My question there are a number of tanks available that are 7 or 8 inches in depth. Currently the shell is off.

Jewel65 · 10-12-2013, 04:08 PM

7 or 8 inch depth would put it 4 or 5 inches below the belly pan. Is that okay? I like to keep those tanks within or slightly below the belly pan. I'm not trying to question your decisions, just realize Airstream designed the black tank and fresh tank above the floor for a good reason... So they won't freeze in cold weather.

vanster · 10-14-2013, 06:24 AM

Thank you for your opinion. We have managed to obtain tanks that are 7 inches deep. 1-32 gallon fresh water tank which will be just forward of the axle and and a 22 gallon grey water nested next to a 9 gallon black water tank behind the axle. We can still run the belly pan under the tanks. I believe this will work, at least it does on paper. Regarding freezing, living in California this has not been a consideration, but it's now in the conversation

tonyseidel · 10-22-2013, 05:14 PM

I'd give serious consideration to installing a nine-gallon blackwater tank. The original in my '66 Caravel is 10 gallons, and that's good for about a weekend, especially dry-camping. If you're in a park without hookups but convenient permanent bathrooms, you probably can stretch that weekend to 3 or 4 days. I'd rather have a large black tank and no grey tank at all myself.

65CV · 10-22-2013, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jewel65

....

I haven't checked on one as I think my original is still good in my 65. I will be trying to re-use the original. Hope this helps.

Jewel -

We thought our '65 Caravel tank was still OK. I filled it with water and it passed a leak test on the deck. It cracked on our first cross-country trip. It was the aqua colored plastic. It was a PITA to replace once the dinette was built around it. I really wish I had replaced it early.

putback · 10-22-2013, 05:57 PM

I considered using a below floor fresh tank on our safari. That raised the question of the water pump above the tank, which required the pump to lift and push. I set the tank / pump up on the floor, pump 3 inches above the tank. There was a loss of water pressure with the tank full. Very noticeable with the tank water level below half. It seems with a below floor tank you may need a high end pump. The pump was a new shureflow. It did and still does work fine on the same level with the tank.

Jewel65 · 10-23-2013, 08:20 AM

Sierratony, yes bigger is better, and I am thinking similar thoughts to the black tank being more important than the grey. BTW, check out VTS website for a new 11.5 gal black tank that will be available January for Caravels. Steve H. and I worked this out and it will be a great option for Caravel and Globetrotter owners.

My thinking lately about grey tanks, is to put a small one (maybe the 18x18x10 one that VTS has) above the floor, either under the kitchen sink or under the bath sink. I am thinking a small grey tank, just for the sinks would be better than none. At least you could use the sinks on the road. If you camp more than a few day, you would need a pretty large under floor grey tank, or you would need to empty into a blue boy anyway. So, a blueboy with these small trailers is almost a necessity. It would not be fun to have to leave your campsite after setting up, just to dump your grey tank. So, I am thinking the smaller grey tank, just for the convenience of on the road travel will be worthwhile, then just carry that blue boy along in the back of the truck. I have gone back an forth on this, but these are my latest thoughts.

65CV, I remember reading about the problems with your original fresh water tank. I have that in the back of my mind and will address when the time comes. My tank doesn't seem too brittle. Replacements are cheap, so I may end up going that way. It all adds up though, and was hoping to reuse. We'll see. Thanks for the heads up.

vanster · 10-23-2013, 08:45 AM

Interesting idea about using one tank for a combo grey water and black water
I had not considered this. This would solve a lot of design issues which means we can put a 32 gal 7in deep fresh water tank in front the axle and one in back of the axle.
Our frame is now finished less the tanks. Spare tire rack has been mounted under the frame just under where the old water tank would sit. We made
new fender wells out of stainless steel.
The tank design has held us up.
Our old 30 gallon tank looked Ok at first till under close exam I found some hair line cracks and then "black mold" !!! To the recycle bin she went

Jewel65 · 10-23-2013, 01:02 PM

It might solve some design issues, but I don't think I would want that black tank mess mixing in my shower drain. I have read some back and forth about this idea too. Someone mentioned new bambis are designed this way. I find that hard to believe, but maybe it is true. I think I would prefer to keep those separate.

vanster · 10-24-2013, 10:41 AM

It's hard to imagine that the mighty Airstream factory would let the black water back up into the inside of the trailer. They must have come up with a valve system to prevent this one would imagine. For some reason I see that the people that buy new Airstreams are not about venture into the world of reinventing and re engineering like what we are doing.

kevinkatz · 12-11-2016, 07:41 PM

i am interested to know how this worked out or if anyone else has put a freshwater tank under the floor in a caravel. the frame is 3" deep so anything will hang below. i am considering it in my 1965 and would appreciate others experience. i would also like to see pictures of a 65 or other caravel frame for planning purposes.

vanster · 12-12-2016, 11:27 AM

We put a 30 gal tank on either side of the axle. Had to build a frame and make them easy to remove. It was a bit a challenge to build a belly pan around them but we did it and it came out much better than we thought it would.
I will take a pic of with the completed belly pan and post it. I also mounted the spare tire on the bottom side as well up forward.

kevinkatz · 12-13-2016, 09:01 AM

Thank you very much. Am I looking at a standard chassis or has that been modified? Does anyone know if the 1965 frame would look like that.

kevinkatz · 12-13-2016, 09:03 AM

Just to add. I think you did an excellent job.

vanster · 12-14-2016, 10:35 AM

Thank you
Everything you see is galvanized. This is a standard frame and the tanks are off the shelf.(Ronco) in Anaheim
We are not putting a back tank in but using a compostable toilet. One thing we forgot to do is to put sensors in the tanks.