# What Size Surge Tank?



## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

For all of you that has installed a surge / pressure / diaphram tank in order to keep that little pump from running for 5 minutes everytime you even look at the water, can you let me know two things -- well three --

1. What size tank did you use ???
2. My neighbor gave me a brand new two (2) gallon tank he wasn't using - will that be big enough ???...

and finally --

3. I can't find it anywhere and i have searched to my fingers are numb -- but someone had detailed instructions (and pictures) as to how to install one of these tank things, what parts were needed, and pictures to go along with it -- so if anyone knows where that link is that would be great..

thx

Trying to get the trailer all ready for our 300 mile roadtrip to the Texas Rally this next 4th July week... (I'm leaving Wednesday morning just so i can get up there a day early to avoid the "eyes of Texas" watching me trying to back this thing up -- LOL


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## Calvin&Hobbes (May 24, 2006)

Talk about timing... I was going to post the exact same question, as we have a 7 day dry camping trip in August and I want to get a jump on it... 6 Volt trojans are my next "to do"...


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

Calvin&Hobbes said:


> Talk about timing... I was going to post the exact same question, as we have a 7 day dry camping trip in August and I want to get a jump on it... 6 Volt trojans are my next "to do"...


The trojans are great -- mine have lasted forever -- get yourself a 75+ watt solar panel and that will help you immensely ...


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

Yes a 2 gallon will work if the price was right. You will need a tee for 1/2" pex tubing, a fitting from the tank to the tee. Look at the threaded end of the tank is it 1/2" or 3/4" male pipe thread. Now I mounted my tank on end for winterization ( no jokes of winterizing in Texes) My tank has 3/4" threads and it is screwed into a drop ear 90 for 3/4" female to 1/2" pex. I used a piece of red pex tube to go between the tank and the tee that I installed in the line after the pump. http://www.outbackers.com/forums/index.php...si&img=9154 . I used crimp pex fittings as I have those tools at work, you can get compression barbed fitting or barbed brass fittings using stainless hose clamps. James


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Hi Ghosty,

I found a previous thread from Insomniak in the mods section and used the search word Accumulator...

Clicky Here


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

We put in the 2 galon tank, it holds enough water for all the toilet flushes we need to do at night.

If we run low in the tank when traveling we just turn on the pump to fill it, and we are good to go.

The 2 gallon fit real nicely under the seat with the pump. Didn't loose any storage space.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

I bought/installed the 5 gallon tank from Lowes in March. Works GREAT.

Took my 3 trips to Lowes to complete the job...never seem to have the right connectors...but I also bought more stuff for other mods during those 3 trips...so not a total waste of gas.


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## aplvlykat (Jan 25, 2004)

Hi Ghosty, The two gallon tank should work fine. You should be able to get the fittings you need at home depot or Lowes in the plumbing section. As mentioned above you may need a adaptor from 3/4 to 1/2 inch where it goes into the tank. Try to get brass or PVC because over time if you use galvinized or black pipe it will rust. A quick description on how to install the tank. Use some foam board or styrofoam and put them side by side so to form a craddle. Glue or screw them to the floor. Install a nylon strap, screw it to the floor and over the tank to hold it into place. Install the adaptor, if needed in to the tank. Install a 1/2" male pipe to pex compression fitting in to the tank adaptor. Install a pex compression tee somewhere after the discharge side on the pump. I have mine installed between the pump and the city water inlet line. Connect the tee to the tank fitting using a section of pex tubing. You could be done at this piont and it should work. If you don't already have it installed install a section of flexable water line from the pump outlet to the tee. If I remember right it should be 1/2 pipe thread to go on to the pump. This is a standard hose but get it long enough to coil it so it absorbs some of the vibration and it should quiet the pump by dampening the vibrations. Remove the short section of tube from the pump to the tee where the city water comes in and take it with you to the hardware store. Use it as a guide to get your parts. Good luck it's not really that hard of a mod to do but it will be well worth it. Kirk


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

aplvlykat said:


> Hi Ghosty, The two gallon tank should work fine. You should be able to get the fittings you need at home depot or Lowes in the plumbing section. As mentioned above you may need a adaptor from 3/4 to 1/2 inch where it goes into the tank. Try to get brass or PVC because over time if you use galvinized or black pipe it will rust. A quick description on how to install the tank. Use some foam board or styrofoam and put them side by side so to form a craddle. Glue or screw them to the floor. Install a nylon strap, screw it to the floor and over the tank to hold it into place. Install the adaptor, if needed in to the tank. Install a 1/2" male pipe to pex compression fitting in to the tank adaptor. Install a pex compression tee somewhere after the discharge side on the pump. I have mine installed between the pump and the city water inlet line. Connect the tee to the tank fitting using a section of pex tubing. You could be done at this piont and it should work. If you don't already have it installed install a section of flexable water line from the pump outlet to the tee. If I remember right it should be 1/2 pipe thread to go on to the pump. This is a standard hose but get it long enough to coil it so it absorbs some of the vibration and it should quiet the pump by dampening the vibrations. Remove the short section of tube from the pump to the tee where the city water comes in and take it with you to the hardware store. Use it as a guide to get your parts. Good luck it's not really that hard of a mod to do but it will be well worth it. Kirk


Great description, Kirk. But I have one question for the experts. Should the accumulator be charged with RV anti-freeze when winterizing, or should it just be emptied and then isolated before introducing pink stuff into the water lines?

If the accumulator should not be charged (partially) with RV anti-freeze, a ball-valve would need to be added to the line going to the accumulator. That way, when the system is drained and the accumulator discharges all of its water, the ball-valve can be closed to isolate the accumulator and prevent it from filling with anti-freeze. Then after the system is full of pink stuff, the ball-valve could be opened again, to prevent any residual water in the accumulator from freezing. Perhaps isolation is not needed, as long as the system is open and the accumulator discharges all the anti-freeze (I leave all faucets open during the winter - even the anti-freeze expands a little in extreme cold).

Not sure whether the rubber bladder in the accumulator should be exposed to the anti-freeze for long periods of time. Does anyone have an answer to this? This is the reason I have yet to do this mod. (I noticed that most all folks who responded and have installed accumulators live in warmer climates - so this is a "non-issue" for them.)

Mike


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Scoutr2 said:


> Great description, Kirk. But I have one question for the experts. Should the accumulator be charged with RV anti-freeze when winterizing, or should it just be emptied and then isolated before introducing pink stuff into the water lines?
> 
> If the accumulator should not be charged (partially) with RV anti-freeze, a ball-valve would need to be added to the line going to the accumulator. That way, when the system is drained and the accumulator discharges all of its water, the ball-valve can be closed to isolate the accumulator and prevent it from filling with anti-freeze. Then after the system is full of pink stuff, the ball-valve could be opened again, to prevent any residual water in the accumulator from freezing. Perhaps isolation is not needed, as long as the system is open and the accumulator discharges all the anti-freeze (I leave all faucets open during the winter - even the anti-freeze expands a little in extreme cold).
> 
> ...


I do not isolate mine when I winterize. The RV anti freeze is very benign and will not hurt the bladder. Plenty cold here in Idaho.


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## 04SUPERDUTY (Jul 3, 2006)

i put in a ball valve to isolate my surge tank so in the winter i would not need an additional 2 gallons of anitfreeze. http://travel.webshots.com/album/559882180injCPG here is a pic, very hard to get in there and take pics i found out.
i forgot that the expansion tank is not shown in that pic. to the right of the picture is the expansion tank, the T with the silver line going to the right goes to the expansion tank.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

2 gallon tank will hold ~1 gallon of water. It works fine for us for night time use. 5 would be nicer, but it's bigger too...


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## Wolfpackers (May 31, 2007)

If a surge tank allows "x" number of flushes before the pump recharges the tank, does that one long recharge drain the battery less than "x" short pump operations ? It would seem like it would, but may be inconsequential in the overall scheme of things.

That is more of a consideration for me than the noise as there's only two of us.

Brent


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Ghosty

This bigger the better but the price is right. I would install - Mine is a 2 gal and I love this mod.

Thor


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