So, Where's Your Black Water Tank Located?

[Cathy P.]

I just learned that some of the manufacturers locate their black water tanks inside the unit, like in the bench seat storage area. I am familiar enough with black water to just prefer not having it under my sleeping/eating area - just a personal preference. I have seriously considered either the porta-potti or the cassette toilet (loved having it) instead of the freshwater toilet of which I have had a few. So, where's your black water tank located? Like I said, this is my personal preference and whatever suits you is fine. Really, I think I would be happier not having the black water tank at all.

[Carol H]

In the scamp its in the bathroom above floor just under the throne seat. The throne seat and the black water tank are all attached together.

[Cathy P.]

Thanks! You know I noticed in the photos of the Scamps that the toilet looked different than what I had seen before. I guess I never thought about that egg body being, well, not really having a bottom to attach the tanks underneath and run them inside.

[Carol H]

Actually Cathy the larger grey water tank is underneath the trailer at the back on the Scamp. A number of the eggs do have at least some of their tanks on the outside.

[melissab]

So where is the fresh water tank located?

Melissa

[Ed Harris]

Originally Posted by melissab

So where is the fresh water tank located?

Melissa

Under a seat inside.

Ed-Still suffering the Smoke!

[Carol H]

The fresh water tank is at the rear under the seat/bench on the passenger side on mine - it may have moved to the other side on newer ones though as mine has the city water and electrical hook ups on the passenger side as well - those have since been moved to the drivers side.

[melissab]

So if the fresh water tank is inside the Scamps does that mean you can winter camp with water in them and they wont freeze?

Ya Ed, our pillows, sleeping bags, camp chairs etc still smell like campfire. I havent taken those things back to storage yet so my entry way smells like campfire every time we walk by. WE LOVE IT!! Feels like we're still camping!

Melissa

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Cathy P.

I just learned that some of the manufacturers locate their black water tanks inside the unit, like in the bench seat storage area.

The Black tank is always directly beneath the toilet, or at least one part of it is. I have never seen one at any distance away from the toilet, as under a dinette seat at one end of the trailer while the toilet is in the middle or at the other end of the trailer. If it is above the floor, it will be inside the bathroom.

[honda03842]

Most RVs seem to have their fresh water tanks within the RV and not suspended below the trailer. The Escape was the first I ever heard of that put freshwater outside the body of the trailer.

Just my experience....

[BCDave]

The Boler 1700 has the fresh tank outside, the grey outside and the black inside, under the toilet and partially under the street-side hamper.

My new Bigfoot 21 is the first I have ever seen where the fresh tank is inside (I am considering moving that to outside as well as getting rid of the insulation and heating systems for all 3 tanks!)

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by melissab

So if the fresh water tank is inside the Scamps does that mean you can winter camp with water in them and they wont freeze?
Melissa

Yes and no

The area the fresh water tank is enclosed in is not heated but its not likely to freeze up if the temps are at the freezing level or just slightly below and if its not left sitting for more than a day or so....... having said that the water you use ends up in the grey tank which is outside. So you would need to dump the grey tank every day when in freezing weather and I add a little anti freeze into it & the drains at night.

[Terry Lou]

Just an FYI, after camping in Jasper in late September and having my water freeze at night I learned a pretty cool trick!!
Wrapping all those areas you don't want to freeze... Water inlet, outlet pipes with heat tape will accommodate your extended camping season. The heat tape can be purchased in various lengths... Got mine at Bumper to Bumper. Of course you still need electricity but works like a charm. ;o)

[Daniel A.]

My Bigfoot has both the gray& blackwater tanks underneath.
Fresh water tank is passenger side under the rear seat.

[Jeff Richardson]

Over the past several days I've been looking at pictures I took of the grey water tank on Carol's 16-foot Scamp at Demming, WA last year.

I had just purchased a Thetford 12 gallon portable grey water tank at Camping World in Burlington, WA on the way to the vintage trailer gathering so I could use my sink for the first time and the rest of the summer. I've included a picture of it under my 1977 13-foot Scamp at Demming.

It was so fun and convenient to use my own sink! After looking at Carol's grey water tank I decided it would be so much more convenient to have a grey water tank installed under the floor of the Scamp. Out of sight and permanently attached.

I will be ordering one from Scamp in the next few days. I'm getting ready to remove the frame from under my Scamp to install a new axle and it will be the best time to install a grey water tank as well. I'm going to sandblast and paint the frame as well.

I do have a question about the green hose attached to the grey water tank on the left (driver's side) of Carol's Scamp. Is this from the shower that is on the same side?

I think the two white pipes seen coming through the floor on the other side of the tank are drains for the fresh water tank and the hot water heater.

Does the drain for the sink enter the grey water tank through the floor into the top of the tank? I think the sink is on the right (passenger side) of the 16-foot Scamp. I don't see a hose attached on that side like the green one on the left side.

I've also attached a photo of the 10 gallon fresh water tank that was in my 1977 13-foot Scamp before I took it out to clean the interior. I had just removed the right side dinette seat to get to it. I'm pretty sure all Scamps have the fresh water tank in this location.

I haven't put the 10 gallon tank back in. I went out 8 times in my first season of camping last year and found carrying one gallon jugs of fresh water worked fine. I'd rather have the extra space for storage.

I wiped the mildew off the walls with Tilex before I started camping. It came of very easily and it is still very clean. I've wondered how many decades it has been since my Scamp was cleaned so thoroughly.

Jeff

[Hambone]

Yes Jeff in first picture is waste line from floor drain in shower going to tank, no shower no need for this connection. Second picture is one white tube is fresh water tank drain, and other white tube is grey tank vent.
The drain hose for the sink goes from the sink, through the cabinet into the dinette storage compartment where the waste nipple and vent nipple will be sticking up through the floor......probably one from scamp doesnt even have the shower nipple installed just the drain and vent nipple, which come in from passenger side top
Tom

[Carol H]

Jeff, you should warn a girl before you take pictures of her bottom! ;-))))

As Tom has indicated the green one is what runs from my shower pump back to the grey tank - previous owner decided to use a garden hose for this and its been on my list to correct one day ..... but it works so no real pressing reason to change it. He actually used some garden hose on a few spots on the inside as well but I have replaced those.

I can confirm that the smaller of the other two pipes coming out of the floor is indeed the fresh water tank drainage, the other as Tom indicated is the grey tank vent. The hot water tank is drained via the outside hatch on the passenger side of the trailer. Your correct also that the sink is on the passenger side of the trailer and the drain does run through the dinette storage as Tom described. Where your fresh water tank is where mine is located as well.

Look forward to seeing all your mods this summer!!!

[Jeff Richardson]

Ha, Ha!!!
I thought you'd get a kick out of it. I bet it's not every day that you see your holding tank on the internet!

At Lynden I was laying on the grass taking pictures of the underside of Jaimie's 1977 Boler. She told me later that someone thought I was trying to see if it was a boy or girl trailer. Ha, Ha!! I thought that was hilarious.

I told her that I had never seen a Boler with a fiberglass floor and wanted to document how it was done.

Thanks to you and Hambone about the grey water tank vent. I never thought of it needing that. I suspect it also serves as an overflow release. I figured when the sink wouldn't drain anymore it was time to empty the tank. Now I will just have to look at the ground under the trailer.

I know there are sensors that can be installed to show the level of the waste water in the tank. I will have to look into those.

You won't have to wait until summer to see my mods. I'll be in site A12 at the Spring NOG at Nehalum Bay. It is next to you in A14.

Jeff

[Carol H]

As you know some strange and wonderful things have happened at some of those meets....so I am just glad it wasn't really my bottom on the internet, Now that would be scary!

Let me know if you find a reasonably priced tank sensor... been looking around myself for one. It would actually be more useful for the fresh water tank - have learned through normal use that I can usually go at least 3 days or more without dumping the grey water if I don't use the shower. Fresh water on the other hand always seems to vanish faster than expected and always seem to run out at the worst time. Makes me wonder if I actually filled it all the way up in the first place.

Yup you do need to have a vent and it will as you say serve as an over flow as well but on mine the grey tank over flows to the shower pan instead if I don't put the plug in place as its lower than the valve. Fortunately its a lesson I only had to learn once.

See you at Nehalum Bay.

[john warren]

well cathy i agree with you. i don't want it inside with me. in fact i don;t want it at all!
wife and i always camp at state or national camp grounds where we can use the restrooms and showers. so we figured theres no reason to carry that around with us.
in may we will be dry camping for a week. with only portajons. but there is a nice campground a few miles away that we can go to for a shower.
we will be guarding the spawn run of sturgeon up the river. so will be camping right on the river in the forest. since we are volunteering our time they welcome us to use the showers.