It is my intention later this summer to install two tanks under the bed of the trailer. One tank will be about ten gallons, for fresh water. The other tank is about 13 gallons, and will be for grey water. My meaning of grey water is the water used for dish washing, rinsing food, and washing hands or brushing teeth.

There is considerable space under the trailer bed, between floor and axle. If the road conditions are such that I do not strike the axle, I will not hit the tanks, either. Theoretically. In searching the internet I found a supplier of ready made black plastic tanks for grey water. The tank I chose has a stepped bottom, so part of it will fit very nicely between axle and floor. The tank also has a flange on it for mounting it. I will use carriage bolts long enough to reach all the way through the floor insulation and the floor material. The linoleum will then be defaced with a group of rounded carriage bolt heads, but they will be hidden most of the time by the bedding.

I should have ordered a mounting flange or socket attached to the greywater tank when I ordered it, or at least ordered the darn flange when I ordered the tank. It only cost a dollar more. I didn't. uffda! Shipping for this little item by itself was six dollars if I ordered it after the fact. Darn! I was not gonna do it! I happened to have some black plastic pipe of the right size in my basement collection of odd bits and pieces, so I decided to make my own flange. This is a thermoplastic. That means if you heat it up, you can shape it to your desires. I made a wooden form for the flange. I put a short piece of the pipe in the mold and then heated the pipe up with a heating element that is otherwise used for softening old paint for scraping. As I heated the plastic, I tested its plasticity with a bit of wood, to see how easily it would deform. When I was satisfied with the heat, I flattened out a flange on the exposed end of the pipe, and weighted down a board to hold the flange shape until the plastic cooled. I cut a hole in the tank where I wanted the outlet to be, and used the appropriate pipe cement to fasten the pipe flange over the hole. It looks just like it was done the regular way.

The fresh water tank was ordered from another company. It is of white poly and has two threaded connections on it, per my specifications. One connection is at the top of the tank, and the other connection is at the bottom, on opposite ends. It is standard pipe thread, and there is a whole host of fittings available locally for my choosing.

More details and pictures will be forthcoming when I get the tanks installed.

the home made pipe flange and the wooden form for making it

Other material will be forthcoming when it is ready.

first page the frame the floor the sides the roof the flooring the shell wiring and insulation sheet metal molding the hatch lid doors fenders light fixtures cabin cabinets solar panel tanks other stuff