Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 04-26-2014, 02:31 PM   #1
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 11,917
Default Class B water tank ratings

I noticed on an e-bay ad for a 4x4 Roadtrek, that they listed a bigger water tank than they have had in the past. It was a 170 which has only the underbody tank, and they listed 20 gallons. The underbody tanks on all the Chevies has always been 14 gallons. I looked at the Roadtrek site and it was listed at 20 there also, with the 190 going up to 31 gallons from 25. Cool, I thought, I wonder if the new tank would fit the older vans, especially since we removed the inside tank, and a little extra water wouldn't hurt if it wouldn't use up any space. I couldn't find anything, anywhere, about a new tank or increased fresh water capacity. I finally was looking at the new and improved 2014 Roadtrek manual on their site, and they still have a specifications area in the manual. In the manual, the 31 gallons is listed for the 190, but has an asterisk on it. Check out the asterisk, and it says the the 31 gallons includes the 6 gallon water heater. So, nothing has changed except to say they have 6 more gallons of "capacity". Of course it is capacity you can't use, because it is in the water heater and has to be replaced to get it out. You still can only use 25 gallons in a 190.

I mentioned it on the Yahoo board, as there had just been a lengthily discussion about if the water heater water was usable for capacity, or not. A comment from a Roadtrek knowledgeable source said that the change was an advertising thing because the competition changed to including the water heater capacity to their rating. I looked around and found that Pleasure-way has done the same change. I haven't had a chance to check the other B manufacturers at this point. It appears that in the current B world, misleading customers is OK as long as everybody does it.

Neither Roadtrek or Pleasure-way let you know that they are rating unusable capacity in their sales, or specs publications, which I think is not a good thing. I would bet nearly 100% of customers are going to think they have the full listed "capacity" available for use, and only find out after they buy that they don't.

On the boards and forums, we often see the folks who are researching mentioning water capacity, so I hope the word gets out in the general B community, so folks don't get deceived.
booster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2014, 03:36 PM   #2
Platinum Member
 
Davydd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 5,964
Default Re: Class B water tank ratings

It is not only Roadtrek. I think many are adding the 6 gallon hot water tank now. The hot water is usable. We only heat it for 20 minutes when we need it for dishes or showers. The rest of the time it is the same as the cold water tank and usable from the taps. I guess it does clarify how much water you are putting into your B in order to calculate loads, etc.
__________________
Davydd
2021 Advanced RV 144 custom Sprinter
2015 Advanced RV Extended body Sprinter
2011 Great West Van Legend Sprinter
2005 Pleasure-way Plateau TS Sprinter
Davydd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2014, 03:44 PM   #3
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 11,917
Default Re: Class B water tank ratings

Quote:
Originally Posted by Davydd
It is not only Roadtrek. I think many are adding the 6 gallon hot water tank now. The hot water is usable. We only heat it for 20 minutes when we need it for dishes or showers. The rest of the time it is the same as the cold water tank and usable from the taps. I guess it does clarify how much water you are putting into your B in order to calculate loads, etc.
Yep, from a load standpoint it does, but it does not add to you usable water per fill up, as it has to be replaced with the same amount you use, from the main tank.
booster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2014, 03:48 PM   #4
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 11,917
Default Re: Class B water tank ratings

I looked at few others:

Airstream lists the black and grey as "tank" size, and fresh as "capacity", no asterisk. Most likely they are including the water heater without telling anyone.

Leisure lists the fresh water as capacity, and has the asterisk to explain that it includes the water heater.

Winnebago and Great West both list the fresh water as "tank" size, so they are listing usable capacity like all of them used to do-Kudos to them.
booster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2014, 02:48 PM   #5
Platinum Member
 
Davydd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 5,964
Default Re: Class B water tank ratings

I've been doing a little research on Advanced RV and noticed they have upped their tank capacities for 2014 and on. They are as follows:

Fresh water: 40 gallons
Grey water: 26 gallons
Black water: 18 gallons

Those numbers surprised me. The 40 gallons I have to assume is a true tank size because they use an electric and diesel powered Espar on demand heating system glycol heat exchanger instead of a Suburban 6 gallon tank. We could easily exceed a week boondocking with our water habits on those capacities.
__________________
Davydd
2021 Advanced RV 144 custom Sprinter
2015 Advanced RV Extended body Sprinter
2011 Great West Van Legend Sprinter
2005 Pleasure-way Plateau TS Sprinter
Davydd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-2014, 04:02 AM   #6
Rok
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 367
Default Re: Class B water tank ratings

I wonder if the new 2014 Chassis allows for those new tank sizes. Looking under our Great West Legend, everything looks pretty tight.

.........Rocky
Rok is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-2014, 01:26 PM   #7
Platinum Member
 
Davydd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 5,964
Default Re: Class B water tank ratings

I hope to find out more this weekend. I can't imagine how M-B would make such undercarriage changes for that significant increase. The new model year hasn't changed that much. We might find out if other B converters do likewise. I suspect it comes more from engineering and maybe because they are promoting an EcOasis concept of an off-grid B without a generator and propane tank underneath.

http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2 ... GPu4jT&s=1
__________________
Davydd
2021 Advanced RV 144 custom Sprinter
2015 Advanced RV Extended body Sprinter
2011 Great West Van Legend Sprinter
2005 Pleasure-way Plateau TS Sprinter
Davydd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-2014, 08:34 PM   #8
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 150
Default Re: Class B water tank ratings

Davydd,

This weekend while you are looking at how Advanced-RV does the 40 gallon fresh water tank, see if they are really adding on a second alternator/generator.

I know you will be taking pictures. Your excellent pictures of the Great West Van Legend got me hooked on a class b.
pattonsr is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT. The time now is 10:43 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.