Installing larger tanks?

[mcj7247]

I'm currently searching for a TT that I can use for fulltiming in the future. I'd like to try and start off with a smaller footprint (it's just me and my dog) and love the bones of Sunline 1950 and 2053 (20-22'). I love to boondock and would add solar and dual batteries and hope to squeeze into some of the smaller sites. One aspect that I find a bit challenging is the size of the water tanks. The older units have roughly 25 gallon tanks and the newer ones have a bit larger fresh (40gal) but the same size (25gal) waste tanks. These tanks seem extermely small and limiting for extended boondocking stays. I plan to setup a water bag in the bed of my TV so I'll have access to an ample supply of fresh water.

1) Can anyone comment on full timing with these small tanks? Does it limit your boondocking capabilities drastically?

2) Has anyone considered installing larger tanks?

I've searched and can't find any details on tank upgrade modifications. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by mcj7247

The older units have roughly 25 gallon tanks and the newer ones have a bit larger fresh (40gal) but the same size (25gal) waste tanks. These tanks seem extermely small and limiting for extended boondocking stays. I plan to setup a water bag in the bed of my TV so I'll have access to an ample supply of fresh water.

1) Can anyone comment on full timing with these small tanks? Does it limit your boondocking capabilities drastically?

2) Has anyone considered installing larger tanks?

Hi,

I cannot comment on full timing just yet but I can on boondocking and tank sizes and how to manage this. And we have never been restricted to where we would boondock with the Sunline in our case. We do not go as remote with the camper as I use too with my back pack or canoe.

We boondock often. We have the larger of the Sunline TT tanks, 40 gallon fresh "system" (31 gallon of usable water) 35 gal grey and 40 gal black. There are 2 of is who use this supply so if you are only 1 camper person, then we are close to the smaller tank sizes based on 2 people.

When considering boondocking you need to change your ways and become a water mizer and power mizer too. At home we waste a lot of water and not really realize it as it is so easy to get.

We can go 4 full days on our fresh and grey tanks with the 2 of us. I take a quick shower every day and DW does often too. We had to change the shower head to an oxygenics head. This one https://www.amazon.com/ETL-26781-Whi...cs+shower+head

It uses less water and we added a shut off on it. Take navy showers, wet, shut off, lather up, rinse wet and shut off and done.

We do wash some dishes in side, but do them once a day. We wet wipe clean them to wait across the day and keep the smells down.

I use the camp potty house most times during the day. Saves on water and black tank.

If you are washing dishes, doing it on the picnic table with tubs and jugs of water saves all on board tanks.

I installed a valve in the bath sink line to greatly restrict the faucet usage. This allows only the water needed to come out and not waste hardly any. Amazing how much water wastes out of the bath sink. Wife washes her hair every day and uses less then a 16 oz bottle worth as she shakes the bottle over her head.

Cooking water comes from camp water in 3 gallon jugs I carry.

At the 4 days mark, I do the blue tote runs on the gray tank. We can go 8 days on the black and have blue toted that too.

We refill the fresh from a hose from the CG or jugs of water. Yes they are camp chores, but it is not an issue for us. It takes getting use to and becomes a way of camping. While we may only be in one place for 10 days before we move camp, the process just keeps on going for as long as you need.

The length of time of on boards tanks all depends on how tight you trim down your water usage. When I use to back pack, we only used 2 quarts of water to do laundry. One qt wash, 1 rinse and zip lock bags. We would be out for 14 days and only needed food drops. We filtered or iodine treated water from springs or lakes and carried Nalgen bottles for drinking and back packing, you have to drink all the time so water use and conservation became the way of camping.

It is amazing at how little we need if you think through this. We use to back pack with only 50# on my back and could do 14 days with no issue. I now haul close to 10,000# behind the truck and still can get by...

Changing tank sizes. While we have had folks repair broken tanks, I do not recall any posts on upgrading the size. Part of the issue on the smaller camper is weight. Water weighs a lot. If you are towing the fresh water from home, that eats up a lot of your cargo capacity. Granted larger fresh tanks at the CG towed a hundred feet are doable but how much is enough?

There are some new campers, not Sunlines, with travel trailers with 80 gallon fresh tanks. But they are big campers. At the little camper size, there is not that much space under the camper to add big tanks.

Your idea of a water tank in the truck is a good one. We have some Sunline forum members who do just that. I have even seen they hook up a 12 volt transfer pump. Easy to fill it and transfer it. If he see this post, he might chime in.

The Sunline tanks sizes "I think" where sized for a weekend camping get away. In the later models they did get a little bigger but never much more then 40 gallon fresh unless some of the larger 5th wheels had them.

Hope this helps

John

[mcj7247]

Originally Posted by JohnB

When considering boondocking you need to change your ways and become a water mizer and power mizer too.

I totally agree and would def need to conserve water.

We had to change the shower head to an oxygenics head. This one https://www.amazon.com/ETL-26781-Whi...cs+shower+head

I've herad these are the way to go for shower heads and will make the upgrade.

If you are washing dishes, doing it on the picnic table with tubs and jugs of water saves all on board tanks.

I wondered why you washed dishes in a tub on the picnic table? Don't you still need to dispose of the waste water in a suitable dump station? How would that save tank space, unless you tossed it "in the camp fire" so to speak?

I installed a valve in the bath sink line to greatly restrict the faucet usage. This allows only the water needed to come out and not waste hardly any. Amazing how much water wastes out of the bath sink. Wife washes her hair every day and uses less then a 16 oz bottle worth as she shakes the bottle over her head.

Couldn't you just turn the faucet open less to accomplish the same thing?

At the 4 days mark, I do the blue tote runs on the gray tank. We can go 8 days on the black and have blue toted that too.

I've never used blue totes but I've heard of them. Are they lareg enough to empty your grey tank in 1 trip? How big is the blue tote and how do you transport it?

It is amazing at how little we need if you think through this. We use to back pack with only 50# on my back and could do 14 days with no issue. I now haul close to 10,000# behind the truck and still can get by.

It might sound crazy but I'm actually looking forward to trying to get by with as little as possible. I'm not looking to starve myself or live in a grass hut or anything drastic like that, but i totally agree and I think i could be very comfortable with alot less. We are a nation of EXCESS!

There are some new campers, not Sunlines, with travel trailers with 80 gallon fresh tanks. But they are big campers. At the little camper size, there is not that much space under the camper to add big tanks.

I guess it's a trade off. The Sunlines seem to have lot's a functionality in a small space, with a separate full size bed too! Most smaller TT's have to convert the bed from a dinette or a couch.

Your idea of a water tank in the truck is a good one. We have some Sunline forum members who do just that. I have even seen they hook up a 12 volt transfer pump. Easy to fill it and transfer it. If he see this post, he might chime in.

My idea is to put a 30 gal water bag in the truck tool box with a 12v pump to fill up the trailer. These bags are readily available, very inexpensive and durable. When they're not in use they collapse to a small package for storage. You just need to be aware that 30 gallons of water is HEAVY and will need to be supported.

The Sunline tanks sizes "I think" where sized for a weekend camping get away. In the later models they did get a little bigger but never much more then 40 gallon fresh unless some of the larger 5th wheels had them.

Yes that seems to be the case. Living on the East Coast, I'm not sure I would know what a "full time" TT would look like? I would expect they would much heavier due to the larger tanks sizes, heavier insulation etc? It sounds like enough folks are using there "weekenders" for much more than that and it works just fine. Just need to be willing to make some changes as you stated above.

Hope this helps

I thank you for the time and consideration for writing such a descriptive and detailed response. It was extremely helpful. Mark

John

[JohnB]

Hi Mark,

Sorry, I missed you had some more questions here. See comments below.

Originally Posted by mcj7247

I wondered why you washed dishes in a tub on the picnic table? Don't you still need to dispose of the waste water in a suitable dump station? How would that save tank space, unless you tossed it "in the camp fire" so to speak?

Couldn't you just turn the faucet open less to accomplish the same thing?

Disposing of gray water (dish water) varies by state. Here in Ohio, the campgrounds (state parks) have dish water disposal sites. There is fresh water faucets and near each, is a gray water disposal site. It is a concrete drain that goes into a tank system underground. So, camper dish water goes in these. There are many around the campground.

I came from a Boy Scout leader background with backpacking and canoe camping many miles beyond fresh water faucets. In these back country camps, we dug a hole and disposed of gray water under ground. This varies by camp. In bear country and populated camps, they have underground tanks as the ground hole creates bear issues with a large number of campers using them. While this works in remote back country camps, this practice may not be accepted in public campgrounds. You should ask the campground what is their acceptable method disposing of dish water.

Can you just use less faucet on time? Yes, it is a given you need to be doing this to start with otherwise your fresh supply and the gray tank are over used.

There is one method that can work in most all campgrounds that have a dump station. Now comes the blue tote.

Originally Posted by mcj7247

I've never used blue totes but I've heard of them. Are they lareg enough to empty your grey tank in 1 trip? How big is the blue tote and how do you transport it?

A "blue tote" is a camper slang/nickname for a portable waste water holding tank. Here is the infamous "blue tote" 4-Wheel - Barker Manufacturing

Barker is a big name in these totes and the name sort of stuck. Tot-N-Stor is another brand (they are blue too) Tethford also makes then, they are gray. Each brand is good, each one has different features. Barker is a great tote but has thin plastic wheels that make a distinct sound rolling through the campground. Some campers have upgraded them to have rubber inflatable tires to get ride of the sound. Tot-N-Stor has a different wheel that rolls quite. Look them all over and decide what works best for you.

They come in many sizes, some so big you have to tow them behind the truck as they are so heavy you cannot lift them. I myself have an 11 gallon Tot-N-Stor. I had it when we had our popup and never bought a bigger one. By doing daily or every other day choirs, I take 11 gallons of waste water to the dump station. This works, it is smaller. I can tow it and it is just about as big as I would want to lift to put it in the truck bed. Some camp roads are too rough to tow these one and not damage the tote. These have a large enough opening on them you can pour table dish water into the tank, and then hook a hose up to the camper and drain the camper. They work well.

Originally Posted by mcj7247

I guess it's a trade off. The Sunlines seem to have lot's a functionality in a small space, with a separate full size bed too! Most smaller TT's have to convert the bed from a dinette or a couch.

Yes, Sunline was really good at floor plans and maximizing space.

Originally Posted by mcj7247

My idea is to put a 30 gal water bag in the truck tool box with a 12v pump to fill up the trailer. These bags are readily available, very inexpensive and durable. When they're not in use they collapse to a small package for storage. You just need to be aware that 30 gallons of water is HEAVY and will need to be supported.

Yes, that is a good plan for fresh water. We have some SOC members who do it that way. I our case, I bring extra hoses and select campsite that I can hookup to the faucet and top off the tank. I do have 2, 3 gallon jugs I can hual by hand as well and use them all the time.

Originally Posted by mcj7247

Yes that seems to be the case. Living on the East Coast, I'm not sure I would know what a "full time" TT would look like? I would expect they would much heavier due to the larger tanks sizes, heavier insulation etc? It sounds like enough folks are using there "weekenders" for much more than that and it works just fine. Just need to be willing to make some changes as you stated above.

I thank you for the time and consideration for writing such a descriptive and detailed response. It was extremely helpful. Mark

We have several members who full time in their Sunline. We are all different and where we full time at. Going north in the summer and south or south west in the winter solves the 4 season camper needs. Sunlines as built do 3 seasons well. We have folks full timing in a T-1950 and others in the large 5th wheels. Any of them as good.

Thanks for the good words. Glad it helps. Again, sorry for the late response. I somehow missed this.

John