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Old 02-11-2016, 04:23 PM   #1
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Extra water tank

Has anyone installed an extra water tank in their trailer? We have a 19, and frequently camp in areas with no water or power. I have considered installing a supplemental 10 to 20 gallon water tank. At the least, would help with my wifes showers and trying to wash her hair. Thanks
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Old 02-11-2016, 04:31 PM   #2
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If you add a 20 gal. tank ( at 8.34 lbs. per gallon ), you would be adding 166.8 lbs. I'm not sure where you could add that weight without affecting handling.
I would just get a couple 5 gal containers and use those out at the picnic table, reserving the existing on board tank for showers.
And, I'd take fewer showers.
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Old 02-11-2016, 04:32 PM   #3
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and bring along more perfume and after shave......
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Old 02-11-2016, 04:54 PM   #4
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I have a 50 gal. potable water tank mounted directly behind the cab of the truck. I use it mainly to haul water without the trailer being hooked up but the one time I had both, I really didn't notice that much difference. But with that combo, I'll stick to the flat lands. To transfer water, I use a small battery powered pump. It doesn't take but a few minutes to fill the trailer tank. Loren
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Old 02-11-2016, 06:13 PM   #5
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Ditto the comments about just carrying extra water in your TV or trailer. I think I'd rather fill the standard tank from a portable source than attempt to plumb in another tank into the existing system. With portable containers you can also balance you load more easily.
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Old 02-11-2016, 09:19 PM   #6
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To add substantial mass to the trailer without adversely affecting handling, put it under the floor near the axles. The fresh and grey tanks are already down there, but I suspect there's enough room for quite a bit more capacity, although that may involve shifting what is already under the floor. A freshwater tank is a lot less complicated to move than a waste tank, due to plumbing connections.

An alternative to adding a tank is replacing the existing tank with a larger one, presumably located further forward. Details vary, but the stock freshwater tank in any Escape is further rearward than ideal, and any capacity added ahead of that but not significantly ahead of the axles will actually improve stability.

If I were going to do this, I would start by mapping out exactly what is where under the floor.

Portable tanks are great if you are willing to carry them and to secure them, and if you have the load capacity to spare. Some people haven't weighed their rigs when fully loaded for travel so they don't realize they may not have much spare capacity in their tow vehicle.
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Old 02-11-2016, 09:27 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Portable tanks are great if you are willing to carry them and to secure them
True. Easier to toss in the back seat so you can pick up water while you are in town buying steaks and picking up some more beer ( another way to save water ).
Don't forget to return the empties.
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Old 02-11-2016, 09:33 PM   #8
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... you can pick up water while you are in town ...
Good point - that's an advantage of portables. Since it is a pain to pour from a substantial container into the fill port, a transfer pump (manual or electric - presumably 12 volt for boondockers) is a good addition to the system.
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Old 02-11-2016, 09:57 PM   #9
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Good point - that's an advantage of portables. Since it is a pain to pour from a substantial container into the fill port, a transfer pump (manual or electric - presumably 12 volt for boondockers) is a good addition to the system.

We carry two, three of those collapsible 5 gallon containers with one of those shaker suction tubes. Oh, and a water thief to help fill the containers. Scott

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Old 02-12-2016, 12:03 PM   #10
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If I were going to do this, I would start by mapping out exactly what is where under the floor.
I've sort of done that already. If you go to my post under mods. "Adding underfloor insulation" you can see there's an area just ahead of the grey water tank where there's lot's of room for an additional tank. There's also a similar area behind it. However both are either ahead or behind the axles so balance would be affected.

Personally I like portable containers for extra water. Easier to take and fill at a water source if the trailer is set up for a few days.

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Old 02-12-2016, 12:30 PM   #11
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...
Personally I like portable containers for extra water. Easier to take and fill at a water source if the trailer is set up for a few days.

Ron
That's exactly what we do too.
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Old 02-12-2016, 12:37 PM   #12
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That's exactly what we do too.
Same here . 2 -6 gal. , 1 -3 gal. , 1 -5 gal total extra 20 gal if needed . Only take what is needed or all 20 gal . Pat
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Old 02-12-2016, 01:37 PM   #13
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I've sort of done that already. If you go to my post under mods. "Adding underfloor insulation" you can see there's an area just ahead of the grey water tank where there's lot's of room for an additional tank. There's also a similar area behind it. However both are either ahead or behind the axles so balance would be affected.
Great stuff, Ron! I guess missed your topic when it first appeared, although the subject of insulation and underfloor layout has come up before in less detail.
Direct link to Ron's thread: Adding underfloor insulation

One factor which didn't matter to the insulation board but would matter to a tank is vertical clearance: the top four inches is between the frame rails is available, but additional depth can depend on parts such as suspension. The rearward available location (between stock fresh and grey tank locations) runs over the square tubes of the Torflex suspension. A four-inch (10 cm) tank isn't very deep, but could still have about as much volume as the stock freshwater tank, given an area about four feet (1.2 m) square - less space for brackets and plumbing - to occupy.

Anything not exactly at the axle position (in the case of a tandem like this, the position midway between the axle lines) will affect balance, but not by much when it is this close. The area behind the grey tank and ahead of the stock freshwater tank is right over the axles, right?
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Old 02-14-2016, 11:42 AM   #14
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I installed an auxiliary 13 gallon waste tank 9 years ago and it still works fine. The plumbing for a fresh water tank would be much simpler and could allow for fairly easy removal when not needed.

I installed it under the trailer but a fresh water tank could be installed in any cabinet. This link provides details. Escape Trailer Auxiliary Tank - Fiberglass RV

13 gallons isn't much more fresh water but the waste storage sure comes in handy for the four of us.
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Old 02-14-2016, 01:11 PM   #15
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I installed an auxiliary 13 gallon waste tank 9 years ago and it still works fine. The plumbing for a fresh water tank would be much simpler and could allow for fairly easy removal when not needed.

I installed it under the trailer but a fresh water tank could be installed in any cabinet. This link provides details. Escape Trailer Auxiliary Tank - Fiberglass RV

13 gallons isn't much more fresh water but the waste storage sure comes in handy for the four of us.
Great work . Very neat and well thought out . If you don't mind me asking what trailer do you have ? Pat
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Old 02-14-2016, 02:27 PM   #16
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Thane - I had forgotten about the details of your waste tank installation. Thanks for the excellent description and the link to it. An additional freshwater tank certainly would be easy to plumb in comparison.

Pat, I assume that this is Thane's early (sometime pre-2007) 17B.

Thane's additional waste tank appears to be placed ahead of the axle and rearward of the stock grey tank.
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Old 02-14-2016, 02:33 PM   #17
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Thane - I had forgotten about the details of your waste tank installation. Thanks for the excellent description and the link to it. An additional freshwater tank certainly would be easy to plumb in comparison.

Pat, I assume that this is Thane's early (sometime pre-2007) 17B.

Thane's additional waste tank appears to be placed ahead of the axle and rearward of the stock grey tank.
Thanks Brian . Pat
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Old 02-14-2016, 07:30 PM   #18
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Yep, 2006 trailer, mounted as noted.
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