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joatmon · 08-10-2005, 02:12 PM

I have no problem with the concept, but more engineering will be required for your 18 foot Airstream to physically carry/support the additional mass.

That could be a lot of weight.

fastrob · 08-10-2005, 02:31 PM

Funny, you are thinking about going bigger in an 18' and I am thinking about going smaller in a 25'.

I would like to reduce the weight when I redo our Tradewind.

Less water, less grey and less black equals less mass to move and mass equals gas.

joatmon · 08-10-2005, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast Rob

Turd Patrol

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Funny, you are thinking about going bigger in an 18' and I am thinking about going smaller in a 25'.

I would like to reduce the weight when I redo our Tradewind.

Less water, less grey and less black equals less mass to move and mass equals gas.

No, what is really "funny" is that the cheapest & easiest solution is already available to you - Be your own "Turd Patrol", and don't fill up your tanks if you worry about gas.

A-Merry-Can · 08-10-2005, 02:41 PM

so, what's a reasonable size for tanks, then? mine didn't have anything in it. the previous owner had removed pretty much everything but the wheels. does anyone know what an 18 footer came with?

this is my first camper as well. i want to make sure i have enough water for an occasional shower and a long weekend. 32 is all i could fit in ours, without going above floor, and loosing precious interior space. 15 feet gets eaten up quick!

a 32 gallon tank should weigh in around 225. i think when i mount it, i should run 3 straps up to the floor as well as the snug fitting pan. bad bumps could make that 225 feel more like 400, i bet. that's a thump i wouldn't want to hear. ha!

TomW · 08-10-2005, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

...without going above floor, and loosing precious
interior space. 15 feet gets eaten up quick!...

I'm fairly sure your Airstream originally had an above floor freshwater tank. While I can't comment on the black tank or whether it even had one, I know it did not have a gray water tank.

While my Airstream is newer than yours, check my website if you are interested in how the above floor tank integrates into the gaucho. A link is in my signature.

Tom

driftwood · 08-10-2005, 03:29 PM

A-Merry-Can,

FYI, water weighs 8.345 pounds per U.S. Gallon.

Your 32 gallon tank, full, will weigh in at ~ 267 pounds + the tank. Not that it matters.
Gee, that's a lot of water capacity for such a short unit.

My '65 Safari (22') came with ~ 30 gallons mounted atop the floor/forward.
My '85 Sovereign (25') came with ~ 50 gallons mounted below the floor/tween the axles.

Chuck · 08-10-2005, 03:51 PM

yeah, waste tanks and their contents can weigh alot, but who says you have to drive any great distance with them full? I'd want them just to get me from my camp site to the dumpstation.

I don't think you're over-engineering it. Now's the time, when you have it apart!

check this thread for some fabulous 3-d renderings of a system similar to what you've described (mascerators, transferring grey water to black tank, etc)

http://www.airforums.com/forum...&threadid=8560

Of course, this is a much larger trailer, but I'm sure you could adapt these concepts to work.

eubank · 08-10-2005, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuck

You'll have to excuse my ignorance...never owned any kind of camper before.... So is it ok to just dump grey water onto the ground like that? I suppose it must depend on your location.... (snip)

It's legal in NM and AZ, but local regulations (public or private) can preempt the statewide rules. Furthermore, neither state allows gray water from the kitchen onto the ground, so that part of it has to go into the black water tank.

Lynn

Stormy Weather · 08-10-2005, 10:34 PM

Hey Chuck, good threads never die. This one is haunting you! How's that grey water project coming??? ;-)

Anon · 08-10-2005, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobbyW

Grey water tanks began in 1973.

-BobbyWright

Got a 1973 31 foot Sovereign bought brand new by my father with NO grey water tank.
1973 Argosy 20 has no grey water tank either.
Friend has a 1974 25 footer with a grey water tank.

uwe · 08-10-2005, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

so, what's a reasonable size for tanks, then? mine didn't have anything in it. the previous owner had removed pretty much everything but the wheels. does anyone know what an 18 footer came with?

this is my first camper as well. i want to make sure i have enough water for an occasional shower and a long weekend. 32 is all i could fit in ours, without going above floor, and loosing precious interior space. 15 feet gets eaten up quick!

a 32 gallon tank should weigh in around 225. i think when i mount it, i should run 3 straps up to the floor as well as the snug fitting pan. bad bumps could make that 225 feel more like 400, i bet. that's a thump i wouldn't want to hear. ha!

My 1971 had a 36 gal strapped grey tank, and ot was reasonable for a few quick showers and some kitchen work, about enough for 1.5 days of normal use. Some people get 6 month out of a 36 gal tank, but apparently that's not us. Hence, the Overlander has 55gal fresh, 55 gal grey, and 2o gal black now.
Your short little trailer will not have as much room, but you can surely fit a 20gal grey tank between the frame rails, enough for comfortable use during travel and a night or two of boondocking. I would suggest to mount the tank immediately behind the axle, as close as possible to the "pivot" point of the trailer.

A-Merry-Can · 08-11-2005, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uwe

I would suggest to mount the tank immediately behind the axle, as close as possible to the "pivot" point of the trailer.

hey man,

i was thinking the same thing!

here's a couple of photos of how i have the tanks laid out (these pics are from a while ago, before the frame was even painted). each tank mounts basically at the spring hangers on each side. fresh up front, grey in the rear. i moved the cross-members towards the axle to make room for the tanks. that gave me a total of 4 cross members in less than 4 feet, so i'd say the floor is pretty well supported!

you can also get an idea of how much the tanks are going to hang down. my frame is only 4 inches tall.

jordan

fastrob · 08-11-2005, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joatmon

No, what is really "funny" is that the cheapest & easiest solution is already available to you - Be your own "Turd Patrol", and don't fill up your tanks if you worry about gas.

Good point.

The belly hangs low and the rear looks like, well, un-sleek in the '76. It looks like a production change in response to frame sag.
When this sucker gets pulled apart for a new floor the idea is to get aerodynamic and utilitatian, sort of like how Shaker is to furniture.
I am not into change for changes sake.

There is another current thread that has drawings on designs of septic systems.

My goal is simple, thrifty (Talk is cheap, Airstreams are not) and sleek.