Added a 2nd water tank

[ScottK]

After installing a new axle I gained 2" more inches of space above the axle. Perfect spot for a 2nd fresh water tank. There are hundreds of tank available, but most are weeks out. I lucked out and found a perfect fit with this in stock 39 gallon tank.

The main location where the extra tank will benefit us, is at our hunting property in upper Michigan. I don't mind running a little excess grey water into the woods, or a shallow hole in the ground.

Since the new axle increased my weight capacity by 900lbs, I've easily got enough to carry the extra weight and it will be carried directly by the frame reinforcement I built for the new axle. The camper frame or body won't see the extra weight at all.

It was actually a tighter fit than I thought, but I got it to go. It would have been easier if I had planned a tank with the axle upgrade, but I got lucky and didn't have to drop the axle to get the tank in.

I welded up some angle iron brackets to support the tank and installed blocking (to the floor) on the sides to keep it from moving around.

It's hard to tell but there is about 1" of clearance between the axle tube and the tank.

[ScottK]

The fill hose comes up the through the floor and I'll box it out to hide it. A small aesthetic price to pay to more than double the fresh water capacity.

I added a tank heater (not shown) since all my other tanks have them, and the camper has an enclosed underbelly. I swapped out the 3 gang switch plate for 2, 2 gang plates and made labels for them.

I also ran the wires for the fill sensor, up into the bathroom wall, and will finish the connections with a new 2nd monitor when it arrives.

I tied the new water line into the existing water line from the first tank, using a bypass valve. It acts basically like a selector valve, so I can easily switch from one tank to the other.

[JohnB]

Hi Scott,

Nice looking add on. I like the sump pocket in the bottom of the tank. The one Sunline used on the 2004/2005 models have that same sump and it allows you to draw out the last quart of water before the pump sucks dry.

The tanks with the fitting on the side of the tank can suck air bubbles over the top of the water line as the level gets lower. Then the pump loses prime and you have about 3 to 5 gallons of water left in the tank you cannot pump out. This is a big bummer when boondocking.

I will add one comment. Not sure if you plan towing on the highway with the fresh tank full. I have seen many brand have the tank slip out due to not being supported well.

Sunline was good to use and created a cradle under the tank. Your last Sunline should of had one of these. See here on one of my campers

I reworked the pump suction and drain line. The pump suction used to be in the side of the tank. This was on our prior T2499. I did the same upgrade on our 2004 T310SR


I wonder if the tank manufacture give any guides to the mount and towing.
Recpro is just the seller but may have a lead on it.

Oh, the infamous green stripped hose. In the past I have had a bugger of a time getting the hose to clamp and not leak on the polyethene plastic tank fitting that was a smooth male stub. The hose was not smooth, it had bumps in it. Sunline would use food grade silicone on the hose and slip it on trying to get it to seal and used a stainless worm drive hose clamp. Is yours a smooth bore hose or does it have ripples in it too?

Thanks for sharing

John

[JohnB]

Also, as FYI I was able find and buy potable water white flex hose that Sunline used on the pump suction hoses. I see you have the harder clear harder to flex one that I saw in the lumber yards.

If interested, I will look up the spec on the hose I bought and post. I have bought it now from 2 places once I knew what to look for.

[ScottK]

I had an issue I wondering about before I started. The 3 way valve (pic with the single valve) I used to switch between tanks caused too much restriction and the pump just cavitated and sputtered water out. So pulled the valve out and swithed to PEX in that area and used less restrictive valves and fittings. I even switched out the winterization valve. Bottom valve is the 30 gallon tank, middle valve is the 40 gallon tank and the top valve is for winterization. Works great now and the pressure might be better that it was originally.

[ScottK]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Hi Scott,

Nice looking add on. I like the sump pocket in the bottom of the tank. The one Sunline used on the 2004/2005 models have that same sump and it allows you to draw out the last quart of water before the pump sucks dry.

The tanks with the fitting on the side of the tank can suck air bubbles over the top of the water line as the level gets lower. Then the pump loses prime and you have about 3 to 5 gallons of water left in the tank you cannot pump out. This is a big bummer when boondocking.

I will add one comment. Not sure if you plan towing on the highway with the fresh tank full. I have seen many brand have the tank slip out due to not being supported well.

Sunline was good to use and created a cradle under the tank. Your last Sunline should of had one of these. See here on one of my campers

I reworked the pump suction and drain line. The pump suction used to be in the side of the tank. This was on our prior T2499. I did the same upgrade on our 2004 T310SR


I wonder if the tank manufacture give any guides to the mount and towing.
Recpro is just the seller but may have a lead on it.

Oh, the infamous green stripped hose. In the past I have had a bugger of a time getting the hose to clamp and not leak on the polyethene plastic tank fitting that was a smooth male stub. The hose was not smooth, it had bumps in it. Sunline would use food grade silicone on the hose and slip it on trying to get it to seal and used a stainless worm drive hose clamp. Is yours a smooth bore hose or does it have ripples in it too?

Thanks for sharing

John

I bought the ripple and smooth combo. I agree, I've resorted to silicone in the past with the ripple only. Even still, I use double pipe clamps. I also noticed today, that I poked a little hope in the fill tube when I was installing it. ACK! Should have given the holes more clearance, instead of trying to make it all fit just perfect. Need to replace it.

I checked on the tank support and they had no guidance. The 30 gallon tank in front has no middle support (not that I trust the manufacturer ) but I'm confident it will stay put. There's so much other stuff in that area, it would be tricky to do much more.

[ScottK]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Also, as FYI I was able find and buy potable water white flex hose that Sunline used on the pump suction hoses. I see you have the harder clear harder to flex one that I saw in the lumber yards.

If interested, I will look up the spec on the hose I bought and post. I have bought it now from 2 places once I knew what to look for.

I will keep that in mind if I do another project. The stuff I used is way stiff, but it's in and working now.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by ScottK

I bought the ripple and smooth combo. I agree, I've resorted to silicone in the past with the ripple only. Even still, I use double pipe clamps. I also noticed today, that I poked a little hope in the fill tube when I was installing it. ACK! Should have given the holes more clearance, instead of trying to make it all fit just perfect. Need to replace it.

I checked on the tank support and they had no guidance. The 30 gallon tank in front has no middle support (not that I trust the manufacturer ) but I'm confident it will stay put. There's so much other stuff in that area, it would be tricky to do much more.

I used 2 hose clamps too. The male neck on the tank was not a true round cylinder. More of an oval and tapered in length. The silicone made it even slip off faster it was so slippery.

Another club member found a smooth bore potable water hose, it was flexible but was not ribbed heavy like the green hose. I found that brand but it was discontinued. Bummer.... I am still on the search for a better tank fill hose.

The fresh tank support, I may have not been specific enough. There are 2 issues.

Bounce out of the frame/bend the frame. I saw this on my friends Jayco Jayflight. All they used was thin angle on the sides and 2 thin left to right flats under the tank. Me being me and Mr. Inquisitive, I was checking out his camper and looked under it.

Hey Joe, I think you have a problem here!!! See pics





The other issue is, belly blow/bow out. The bottom of the tank bellies out when you fill it. This as on a buddies Skyline. They mounted his 40 gallon tank across the back of the frame header. Talk about adding tongue weight... All they used was pipe strap to hold the tank the header area. The bottom of the tank was bellowing out between the straps. I have a pic maybe somewhere. Will see if I can find it.

On yours, the bellow/blow/bow is the concern when the tank is filled. If it bellows out, then the tank gets a little narrower on width making it easier to bounce out of the frame. Sunline's cradle under the tank stopped the bow out. Your new tank is stated to be the strongest RecPro has seen. Well, I hope so, as some are really flimsy. Fill yours full and see how the bow is. I'm sure a flat tank like that will bow some. Try and measure it from empty to full in the center. That is my concern. Bouncing down the road with a bowed out tank will sooner or later be an issue at highway speeds when any little bump comes along.

[ScottK]

Originally Posted by JohnB

I used 2 hose clamps too. The male neck on the tank was not a true round cylinder. More of an oval and tapered in length. The silicone made it even slip off faster it was so slippery.

Another club member found a smooth bore potable water hose, it was flexible but was not ribbed heavy like the green hose. I found that brand but it was discontinued. Bummer.... I am still on the search for a better tank fill hose.

The fresh tank support, I may have not been specific enough. There are 2 issues.

Bounce out of the frame/bend the frame. I saw this on my friends Jayco Jayflight. All they used was thin angle on the sides and 2 thin left to right flats under the tank. Me being me and Mr. Inquisitive, I was checking out his camper and looked under it.

Hey Joe, I think you have a problem here!!! See pics





The other issue is, belly blow/bow out. The bottom of the tank bellies out when you fill it. This as on a buddies Skyline. They mounted his 40 gallon tank across the back of the frame header. Talk about adding tongue weight... All they used was pipe strap to hold the tank the header area. The bottom of the tank was bellowing out between the straps. I have a pic maybe somewhere. Will see if I can find it.

On yours, the bellow/blow/bow is the concern when the tank is filled. If it bellows out, then the tank gets a little narrower on width making it easier to bounce out of the frame. Sunline's cradle under the tank stopped the bow out. Your new tank is stated to be the strongest RecPro has seen. Well, I hope so, as some are really flimsy. Fill yours full and see how the bow is. I'm sure a flat tank like that will bow some. Try and measure it from empty to full in the center. That is my concern. Bouncing down the road with a bowed out tank will sooner or later be an issue at highway speeds when any little bump comes along.

Holy cowl! That angle iron must be more like angle sheet metal lol. Well my 1/8"x2x2 angle on one side and 1/8x2x3 on the other won't buckle, but the belly out will definitely won't happen. To what extent I'm not sure. I'll definitely take a look today.

[ScottK]

After filling the tank fully and leaving it overnight, the tank sagged enough to actually rest on the axle. Now it did cross my mind, that the axle tube might be just fine to support a bit of weight from the tank, but it's probably not a good long term solution. So I went ahead and added a strap across the center of the tank. I wanted to leave enough room for a tank heating pad so I didn't add 2 straps. After filling, the tank doesn't sag down to the axle anymore, have 3/4" gap or so. I think I may need to add one or two more straps though. I'm going to go camping this weekend, drive with it full and give it a good test before I do.

First pic empty. Second pic full.

[JohnB]

Yup, fresh tank sag history repeats itself... Just think if RecPro did not say this was the strongest they have ever seen!

Looking forward to your next report.

[Viking]

John,
The water fill hose on the T2499 just "disintegrated". I chickened out and let Northern Michigan RV in Gaylord replace it.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Viking

John,
The water fill hose on the T2499 just "disintegrated". I chickened out and let Northern Michigan RV in Gaylord replace it.

Hi Roar,

Yes, I also had a green and white stripped hose disintegrate on one of the project campers I bought. And it was a 2007. The hose just cracked into pieces. I hope this is not a trend.

Wise choice about hiring out the hose change out. Unless you really wanted to crawl under the camper and deal with trying to get that hose to seal up to the tank, next best thing is hire them to do it....

We need to find a better potable water fill hose.

John