Older Model 17B Holding Tank Capacities

77FJ40 · 05-03-2021, 10:57 PM

I've done some searching and can't seem to find this info. Can someone help me out?
Looking for what all three tank capacities are for a 17B from before the change over to the body style.

Thanks

Dave & Penny Smith · 05-03-2021, 11:48 PM

Our 2015 17B has the following tank sizes:

Fresh 20 gal.
Gray 26 gal.
Black 19 gal.

Hope this helps.

Dave Smith

Centex · 05-04-2021, 08:12 AM

FWIW looking at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine I find 17B specs in a 2010 listing:
20 Gal. Fresh Water Tank
26 Gal Grey Tank (Plan B)
14 Gal Black Tank (Plan B)

See the 09/23/2010 17A/B specifications webpage capture here: https://web.archive.org/web/20100923...ootEscape.aspx

Then randomly jumping to 07/29/2013 we see the 17B black tank is up to 19 gallons: https://web.archive.org/web/20130629...ootEscape.aspx

You can 'surf' the Wayback Machine for different dates and linked pages within the ETI website, it captured a good bit of data from ETI over the years.

rubicon327 · 05-04-2021, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave & Penny Smith

Our 2015 17B has the following tank sizes:

Fresh 20 gal.
Gray 26 gal.
Black 19 gal.

Hope this helps.

Dave Smith

As Alan points out below the black tank was 14 gal. until 2012-2013 timeframe. All tank capacities have stayed the same on the 17' through the mold changeover in late 2016.

FWIW the 19' also had the same increase in black to 19 gals around the same timeframe. The 19' also has seen an increase of fresh from 20 gals to 28 and gray from 26 gals to 28 but I'm not sure when this was done....maybe at the mold changeover in late 2016.

Allan Bornestig · 05-04-2021, 09:35 AM

OK.Here it goes.Our 2005 had a black tank capacity of seven and a half gallon (7.5).
That is one and a half Jerry can.!!!!
We decided to keep the 17B and had an extra tank installed.The extra tank would hold another 16 or 17 gallons, can not remember exactly.The installer also added a Tornado flusher on the extra tank.Total capacity around 26 gallons.They got both hooked up together.The gray tank ended up with it's own drain, rapid flush this way.
Of course when the 21 footer came on stream we could not resist and sold the 17B, which had served us well for eleven years.
Allan.

77FJ40 · 05-04-2021, 10:42 AM

Thanks for the help everyone. I think the change from 14 to 19 on the black must have happened for the 2011 model year. I was able to find 2 different 2011s that listed the black tank as being 19 gallons.

riverplace · 05-05-2021, 08:32 AM

I have a 2006 escape 17B and would love to add a black tank, also I don’t think the grey tank is emptying very well. Where did you have the work done? I haven’t found any independent RV repair in northern MN. Should I ask a plumber? Where did you buy the extra tank from? Thanks for the suggestion and any info/advice!

Allan Bornestig · 05-05-2021, 09:34 AM

Black tank on 17 B early model.
ETI which means Reace was not willing to do that experiment.Managed to find a couple of guys that restored RVs and sold them.So it was more likely pure luck on my part.It was a place outside Vancouver BC.The grey tank emptied very fast.You had to move the slinky over to each different drain of course.I did not find that cumbersome.
Found those guys on Craigslist, drove by the place not long ago and it was shut down.Those guys were of retirement age.
Allan.

riverplace · 05-05-2021, 11:48 AM

So, the black tank they added was mounted on the underside of the trailer? To the right of the valve pipe?
Thanks.

Brian B-P · 05-05-2021, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riverplace

I have a 2006 escape 17B and would love to add a black tank...

A 17B has a black tank - or at least had one originally - because it is the bathroom model. Do you mean a 17A, which is built without a bathroom?

riverplace · 05-05-2021, 01:20 PM

The black tanks on the older 17B are only 7.5 gallons. Allan had another black tank added and I am wondering where they placed it on his 17B.

gbaglo · 05-05-2021, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riverplace

The black tanks on the older 17B are only 7.5 gallons. Allan had another black tank added and I am wondering where they placed it on his 17B.

Kind of need somebody with a 2006 17B to fill you in, and even that is no guarantee that ETI didn't make changes just before or after your build.

harvest · 05-05-2021, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riverplace

The black tanks on the older 17B are only 7.5 gallons. Allan had another black tank added and I am wondering where they placed it on his 17B.

How do you know when it is full or close to full? About how long does that last? We just bought a 2004 (I think that is the year!)

gbaglo · 05-05-2021, 05:31 PM

With the water pump off ( or not ), open the trap and shine a flashlight down the hole.

Mike G · 05-06-2021, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbaglo

With the water pump off ( or not ), open the trap and shine a flashlight down the hole.

Which proves that the view at the campsite can vary considerably....

Brian B-P · 05-06-2021, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riverplace

The black tanks on the older 17B are only 7.5 gallons. Allan had another black tank added and I am wondering where they placed it on his 17B.

Ah, that makes sense! Thanks.

I don't think you want it under the floor unless you also add a macerator pump to empty it, since gravity-driven flow from a tank that low will not likely be enough for black waste.

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