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LittleRadio · 08-28-2006, 11:55 AM

Anybody know why this BWT is so tiny in this version of the Safari?

It seems crazy in a 30' trailer that's designed to sleep 6. Hmmm??

Boondocker · 08-28-2006, 12:03 PM

I would think 18g would be a whole bunch of........... Do you really want a bigger one? I have never measured mine but I would put it under 10g. Still takes me a while to fill that thing up. Maybe I need more fiber

LittleRadio · 08-28-2006, 12:05 PM

Well... I've been told that I'm full of it...

Minnie's Mate · 08-28-2006, 12:28 PM

A larger grey water would have been nice since my family can fill it up in just two nights and have more than once at state parks. Black water seems ok. We have purchased a Blue Tote for this week end in a state park since it is a three day trip. The one I got has four wheels and can be towed by the TV.

I would suggest that you lay off the Tex-Mex while on road trips if I were you.

LittleRadio · 08-28-2006, 12:39 PM

Tex-Mex... for sure... that, or keep the wife from cooking! (Don't tell her I said that!)

Seriously, something must've been added to the lower structure that precluded the installation of the larger standard tank found on other Safaris... what the heck could it have been?

And yes, when I borrowed my dad's 30' Classic, we, too, filled up the grey water a couple of times. When you travel with young children, this is always a concern, because of all the bottle washing, face and hands washing, potty breaks, etc....

Towing a separate tanker kind of defeats the purpose of having a self-contained travel trailer, don't you think?

Minnie's Mate · 08-28-2006, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleRadio

Towing a separate tanker kind of defeats the purpose of having a self-contained travel trailer, don't you think?

Yes, but we don't like to rough-it and prefer to shower every day and not skimp on the water.

I don't know why Airstream went with this size. I have a 30' also. It seems sufficient for us. There are two boys, my wife and me. We have stayed up to two nights and days without filling the black tank. When staying in full hook-ups we dump the tank every day. Maybe it is because the tank is located so far aft that they were afraid a larger tank might cause rear end sag if transported full for any distance or over rough roads like was experienced with the rear bath units of the late '70's.

Pahaska · 08-28-2006, 01:40 PM

The 18-gallon black tank is common to all of the recent Airstreams with the rear-corner bathroom. The black tank is directly beneath the commode. With the black tank that far back (think of the rear overhang on the 30'), the deleterious effect on tongue weight of a larger tank would be undesirable.

HHP · 08-28-2006, 01:46 PM

Damn, I am just too lazy to look this up..."deleterious" very perplexing....

wheel interested · 08-28-2006, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHP

Damn, I am just too lazy to look this up..."deleterious" very perplexing....

I think that was a song by Prince.

Minnie's Mate · 08-28-2006, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheel interested

I think that was a song by Prince.

Now I'm confused.

I thought he was "The Artist Formerly Know As Prince". Now you call him Prince. And just last night I see a commercial for "Prince's Greatest Hits" or something like that. Of course all those songs were from the period when he was actually known as Prince. But now Michael Jackson has a son named Prince Michael. Wait a minute, Michael Jackson is the "Recording Artist Formerly Known as an African American"?

Just too confusing!

Pahaska · 08-28-2006, 02:15 PM

Harmful, injurious

Gator1 · 05-23-2007, 12:39 PM

I had an old Safari 23C which had a 22 gal Black Tank. My family of could easily "go" five or six days with that.

The 39 gal Gray water tank, on the other hand, was good for a day. I made a promise when we started doing this that I would not limit the water consumption for the family (they don't waste, either). My father in law gave me a modified blue tote where he replaced the plastic wheels and their axle with a longer axle and pneumatic lawnmower wheels. I can use the TV to make quick runs to the dump station any time (usually twice daily).

Jim

Silvertwinkie · 05-23-2007, 12:47 PM

Given the design of the coach, with the bathroom and head and particular in back, it's my understanding that the head must be near or above the tank. Unlike in a house where there can be up to 2 gallons of water in single flush, that luxury isn't always possible. So, putting piping to the tank might prove difficult to get the contents to the tank if they had to pipe around to the axle areas without that water to act as it does in a house, let alone filling the tank with just say 10 or less flushes.

That said, at one time the design that the 19, 25 SS had was an 8 or 9 gallon black tank. This was upgraded to the curent 18 gallon tank in the 2003 model year. When the 30' came around, this also got the same setup. It's my current understanding that more than 18 gallons would not only be difficult (as you notice, the head is actually elevated--also for a few reasons), but also might raise the head even further so that gravity could also still allow the tank to be high enough to empty the tank, let alone what John pointed out about the tank and the rear overhang stresses of a larger tank.

If you notice, most, if not all the current Airstreams with side baths that just happen to be over the axles already have significantly larger black tanks.

I've been able to last a bit over a week with my 18 gallon tank, with 3 adults.

Minnie's Mate · 05-23-2007, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

It's my current understanding that more than 18 gallons would not only be difficult (as you notice, the head is actually elevated--also for a few reasons), but also might raise the head even further so that gravity could also still allow the tank to be high enough to empty the tank, let alone what John pointed out about the tank and the rear overhang stresses of a larger tank.

I'm short for a guy (5'-6") and my wife is the same hight. I don't need it any higher off the floor. Without a little foot stool to rest my feet on they would dangle above the floor!

My six year old son...well lets just say there would be a lot of puddles on the platform to clean up if it were any higher.

Silvertwinkie · 05-23-2007, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minnie's Mate

I'm short for a guy (5'-6") and my wife is the same hight. I don't need it any higher off the floor. Without a little foot stool to rest my feet on they would dangle above the floor!

My six year old son...well lets just say there would be a lot of puddles on the platform to clean up if it were any higher.

I hear ya...not the most comfy, even in it's current config. One of the reasons that 9 and 18 are most likely as big as they may get without severe structure upgrades to the frame and outriggers.

On my 25', even if say they did manage to pipe it to a larger tank over the axles, outside of the amount of water needed to move the contents, on my 25', that could be nearly a 6-7 foot trip....on a 30', even longer.

Bad day in my 25' SS bathroom, beats a great day on a porta potty or outhouse.

Minnie's Mate · 05-23-2007, 01:24 PM

The fresh water tank is located transverse between the axles on the 30' and the gray water tank is located transverse behind the rear Axel. Both span the width of the trailer so really, the black tank can't be over/between or behind the axles. I guess Airstream could have extended the black tank under the vanity cabinet, but I don't think there is room for the tank and to also have the ductwork for the furnace to be run to the bunk area. My guess is that was the largest that could be installed without a separate frame design or other out of the ordinary configuration that might not have been desirable.

BillTex · 05-23-2007, 01:40 PM

The size of the tanks alone is justification enough to go with the Classic (Excella) lines...I hate small tanks, a real PIA!

Dureedesign · 05-23-2007, 01:57 PM

Hi folks...along the same line....please enlighten me....I have a '66 Overlander and it's total holding capacity is 13 Gal. (I think) for everthing!...I'm new at this and was orginally told that the cap over the dump valve or hole, has a little hose attachement to it and that I could just add a hose to that and dig a gopher hole and put the other end of the hose there...and that would in essence keep the black water in and let the grey water out....what is your all's take on it....seems like at that point it is mixing grey and black and just keeping the solids sunk down at the bottom? Please advise.

Andra

fastrob · 05-23-2007, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dureedesign

Hi folks...along the same line....please enlighten me....I have a '66 Overlander and it's total holding capacity is 13 Gal. (I think) for everthing!...I'm new at this and was orginally told that the cap over the dump valve or hole, has a little hose attachement to it and that I could just add a hose to that and dig a gopher hole and put the other end of the hose there...and that would in essence keep the black water in and let the grey water out....what is your all's take on it....seems like at that point it is mixing grey and black and just keeping the solids sunk down at the bottom? Please advise.

Andra

E. Coli can kill. All of the contents of your 1 tank are considered black.

As with newer things capacity, complexity and weight increase. How lucky you are to have a light trailer.

R

Minnie's Mate · 05-23-2007, 02:12 PM

Prior to the early '70's, Airstreams didn't have gray tanks as standard. There was a black tank(toilet only), but you typically dug the gofer hole and let the gray water (sinks and shower, but not the toilet) run into it as you described and covered it when you left the camp site. Most states will not allow this practice anymore in or out of a camp ground. Some states will, but virtually all camp grounds have banned the practice. Unless you pull the valve release lever, the black tank remains sealed and only the gray water comes out.

When you leave the camp site you go to the dump station and dump the black tank in the older vintage units. With those units that don't have gray tanks, you will need an external tank often called a blue tote or blue boy or honey wagon, etc. You let your gray water go directly into it and transport it to the gray water dump station and empty it into it or into the sewer dump station when it is full. If you have a sewer hook up, you connect the hose to the sewer outlet and keep the black tank valve closed until the black tank is half full or more and dump it at that time. This allows for enough affluent/black water to flush the hose and get any solids and paper to go through the hose. You can then add clean water to the black water tank through the toilet to rinse any remaining items from the black tank into the sewer. This last step should be performed at the dump station if you don't have sewer connections to help keep odors down.