Hi Lads and Ladies. I have a 14.44-5 OB Expanda with twin water tanks. I am toying with the idea of fitting a sullage water tank to allow us to freecamp and would like some advice. I have been told that tank size should match my clean water storage.
14' Series Sullage Water Tank
- Thread starter TheEddies
- Start date
I made one up for my old 14.44.3 you can find info somewhere in my old thread http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/drovers-14-44-3.4502/ ..
The one for the 14 would hold about 40lts I think which was enough for 2 days of careful water use, depended if you used the shower really, while the one I fitted to Big Mal holds 90 lts, with both systems all drains ran into the tank, to drain normally just hook up drain hose and turn on tap, for tank holding leave tap closed, no back up into shower problem if full, as it will flow out of the air breather under van.................you can decant into a bucket easily to dump and extend the tank life......................The big plus is by removing the end cap you can flush out all the goobers that accumulate , an added bonus is the complicated plumbing Jayco set up to stop back up is disposed of and your plumbing becomes simple.
The theory of matching your storage is great on paper but finding the room may be a problem, I would suggest go to a van park and use your water sparingly from the tank and actually see what and how you use your water, if you like to have 10 min showers then you won't be happy free camping, it all depends on how much you really need to use which in time the lesson on water use relates to how much you can carry and how much time you want to spend resupplying your tanks............
Store bought tanks can have drain water inlet and outlet problems, the one's I have seen are mostly just water tanks......buying a canister type is a lot of money for little capacity.
The one for the 14 would hold about 40lts I think which was enough for 2 days of careful water use, depended if you used the shower really, while the one I fitted to Big Mal holds 90 lts, with both systems all drains ran into the tank, to drain normally just hook up drain hose and turn on tap, for tank holding leave tap closed, no back up into shower problem if full, as it will flow out of the air breather under van.................you can decant into a bucket easily to dump and extend the tank life......................The big plus is by removing the end cap you can flush out all the goobers that accumulate , an added bonus is the complicated plumbing Jayco set up to stop back up is disposed of and your plumbing becomes simple.
The theory of matching your storage is great on paper but finding the room may be a problem, I would suggest go to a van park and use your water sparingly from the tank and actually see what and how you use your water, if you like to have 10 min showers then you won't be happy free camping, it all depends on how much you really need to use which in time the lesson on water use relates to how much you can carry and how much time you want to spend resupplying your tanks............
Store bought tanks can have drain water inlet and outlet problems, the one's I have seen are mostly just water tanks......buying a canister type is a lot of money for little capacity.
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I just purchased one of the portable ones off eBay.
It's 40 litres and we only take it with us if we are going to free camp, otherwise it stays at home.
Because it has wheels it's easy to empty at a dump point.
It's 40 litres and we only take it with us if we are going to free camp, otherwise it stays at home.
Because it has wheels it's easy to empty at a dump point.
I have enough trouble lifting a 20lt Jerry can let alone 40lt, how do you go if the dump point is 5 kms away......
Thanks Guys. B&B Caravans do an aluminium tank designed to fit one,s van but is expensive. Is it worth the cost. The other benefit is that they will tidy up the mess of wires and pipes under the van.
Outboard motor?
or find a dump "point" closer?
After all, it's only grey water at worse so I'm sure I can find some needy vegetation close by...probably right next to the sign warning about being self sufficient.....not really, as I do believe in disposing of it properly...but I might contribute to the puddle around some thoughtless idiot who just runs a sullage hose anywhere....food for thought.
But I agree with the potential weight issue....our plan is to put it on the draw bar if we need to but that'll possibly cause other problems.
Ah well, it's abiding by the principal that matters, not the practicality.
or find a dump "point" closer?
After all, it's only grey water at worse so I'm sure I can find some needy vegetation close by...probably right next to the sign warning about being self sufficient.....not really, as I do believe in disposing of it properly...but I might contribute to the puddle around some thoughtless idiot who just runs a sullage hose anywhere....food for thought.
But I agree with the potential weight issue....our plan is to put it on the draw bar if we need to but that'll possibly cause other problems.
Ah well, it's abiding by the principal that matters, not the practicality.
My style has the beauty of having the possibility, if you were that way inclined, at the appropriate time, (about 0200) of someone with a big long hose hooking up knocking the tap ON and watering some tree's.............................the water isn't toxic, have watered the lawn and tree's at the old place for decades, it's just that unthinking moron's drop onto the ground making a swamp for the next people........same one's leave dog mines and butts around usually and do the most whinging.
This is what you will need @Dobbie....
This is what you will need @Dobbie....
I want one! Could you please develop a lightweight hovercraft motor to be attached?
Then I wouldn't need to lift it or pull it.
The whingers are also the vocal so called environmentalists with the Greenpeace badges and multiple wildlife stickers on the car. (We've got one of those in our street....can't see his car for stickers, complains to us if we have anyone using machinery here, hugs trees when they fall, puts up signs if he sees a koala but burns off when he feels like it. He's also the one who always has fireworks regularly...even when there's a total fire ban)
Sorry off topic, again. I must mend my ways.
I will report back, however, on my 40 litre grey water tank......once I've used it.
:focus:
Then I wouldn't need to lift it or pull it.
The whingers are also the vocal so called environmentalists with the Greenpeace badges and multiple wildlife stickers on the car. (We've got one of those in our street....can't see his car for stickers, complains to us if we have anyone using machinery here, hugs trees when they fall, puts up signs if he sees a koala but burns off when he feels like it. He's also the one who always has fireworks regularly...even when there's a total fire ban)
Sorry off topic, again. I must mend my ways.
I will report back, however, on my 40 litre grey water tank......once I've used it.
:focus:
Don't think its worth it, imho. A 14 ft van will increase in weight significantly with an extra tank and you will very rarely need to use it.
We've travelled over 30,000 kms mainly free camping and never needed it to comply with regs. We do carry something that should comply if required but its very basic.
Have to agree with @Dobbie, spending over $250 would be a waste................the wise way would be to just do a couple of trial runs, a 20lt bucket with a hose in the top or a jerry can to catch the drains, just check out camping to see what you really want not what you think you need...........I haven't had to use mine very much and if I had to buy all the bits to build them they would have been a couple of hundred $$ each...most of the MUST BE self contained are overnight type stops in town which always seem to be chockers like a Xmas Eve carpark at Woollies but then you have the one's like Julia Creek which is a sensible rule otherwise the place would be a swamp.................
In a 14 it can't be tucked right up under the floor and needs to be lower than the cross members or you won't get much capacity better still a 2mt length of 250mm pipe screw cap on one end with a handle and a 90deg on the other with a cap which has a hose fitting mounted to connect to drain and a set of wheels fitted under the bend, carry it in back of ute or across back bumper, throw under van for use when needed................way to go.....may have to shorten to 1800mm.......
In a 14 it can't be tucked right up under the floor and needs to be lower than the cross members or you won't get much capacity better still a 2mt length of 250mm pipe screw cap on one end with a handle and a 90deg on the other with a cap which has a hose fitting mounted to connect to drain and a set of wheels fitted under the bend, carry it in back of ute or across back bumper, throw under van for use when needed................way to go.....may have to shorten to 1800mm.......
