$1400 Custom water tank. Insane prices!?

I've been working on getting quotes for a custom water tank made. First quote came back at $1380 for a 1/4" poly tank.

It's an "L" shaped 30 gallon tank made to fit behind and over the passenger side wheel well.

3 PDF views are attached.

$1380? Is this normal for a custom RV poly tank? This quote is from All-Rite in Hollister, CA. Picked them since I could make a road trip down to pick it up. The price does not include packing, shipping, tax, so likely it's well over $1500 shipped.

I was thinking about going Stainless for the tank but figured the cost would be too much. May reconsider that after this quote.

Any other sources for custom tanks?

Thanks!
 

Attachments

bstory

New member
Polyethylene is so much better than stainless. We just took a stainless tank out of a wooden boat we are fixing that had leaks at the welds and you will get harder bumps and jolts to a tank in a van than in a big sailboat. Stainless tanks also take on a taste and are heavier than polyethylene.

Go through the hundreds of tanks that suppliers have already made molds for and find one that is close, maybe even exactly what you want. A lot of suppliers actually provide drawings of each tank and you can go through all of them and check the dimensions. We did this for the replacement tanks for this same boat and also for our Sprinter.

The $1400 is because they need to make a mold. If you can find one that already has a mold it will be much, much cheaper.

Try:http://www.plastic-mart.com/category/30/marine-water-tanks
or: http://www.ronco-plastics.net/newRonco/categories.php?catID=5 A lot of the tanks plastic mart sells are Ronco tanks and they sell them more cheaply than Ronco. HOwever, you can get detailed dimensions and drawings on the Ronco site.
 
Last edited:

GeorgeRa

2013 Sprinter DIY 144WB, Portland OR
I have stainless tanks but smaller volumes with welded attachment points. The quote for custom polyethylene tanks with housings was almost the same. For the 12gal fresh water tank and the 14gal grey water tank I paid about $700-800. For the 30-gal tank you could add some braces and definitely inner baffles to keep water from hammering. These guys did it for me. http://www.jdcross.com/

Pending on your skills you could consider using ¼” to 3/8” sheet of polypropylene or polyethylene, CNC cut and weld. http://www.kingplastic.com/tips-for-welding-thermoplastics/ or find some welding shop. Look around for companies making tanks for chemical processes, they could be less expensive. https://www.rhfs.com/custom-systems-fabrication.html

For ¼” x 54” x 96’ Seaboard HDPE I paid less than $200. http://www.vycomplastics.com/product-families/seaboard/
 
Last edited:

bstory

New member
I just looked up what we paid in 2015 for 2 Ronco polyethylene tanks - $422, including shipping.

One was 30 gal and one was 12 gal.
 
Last edited:

Graphite Dave

Dave Orton
I had 14 ga. SS tanks in the sold Sprinter. No problems.

Go to your local welding shop for a quote.

Have a 24 gallon fresh water tank, a 12 gallon grey tank and a 6 gallon shower water tank, shower pan and a couple other smaller SS parts that have just been lasered and formed. The cost for all not welded was $1300. Waiting for my welder to put them together.

The advantage of SS tanks is you can maximize the capacity since they can be made to fit the available space.
 

GeorgeRa

2013 Sprinter DIY 144WB, Portland OR
........................

The advantage of SS tanks is you can maximize the capacity since they can be made to fit the available space.
I actually followed Dave's tanks, an additional benefit for the SS fresh water tank is no light passing through so no algae growth.

George.
 
Thank you everyone! I've spent a couple hours looking again through stock poly tanks. Found a 25 gallon poly tank that is actually close to my measurements for $307. I've searched through Plastic Mart, tanks.com, etc. Found one through National tank outlet. Will keep looking and still get a bid

Guess my sticker shock was justified. The price doesn't include making a mold, just plastic welding the sheets of poly. Will update



$299 for a blank tank and $50 for a fitting kit so that I can put the fittings where I need.
 

rocktor

New member
Thank you everyone! I've spent a couple hours looking again through stock poly tanks. Found a 25 gallon poly tank that is actually close to my measurements for $307. I've searched through Plastic Mart, tanks.com, etc. Found one through National tank outlet. Will keep looking and still get a bid

Guess my sticker shock was justified. The price doesn't include making a mold, just plastic welding the sheets of poly. Will update



$299 for a blank tank and $50 for a fitting kit so that I can put the fittings where I need.
I'm on a similar boat. Do you mind posting the link to the tank you found? Thanks.
 

Seber

Member
I made my own with 1/4" poly. The welding gun and plenty of rod was less than $100. Total cost of the project was under $200 and then I sold the gun. The welding was super easy. Just pull the trigger and roll it in like caulk.
 

camillo

New member
I made my own with 1/4" poly. The welding gun and plenty of rod was less than $100. Total cost of the project was under $200 and then I sold the gun. The welding was super easy. Just pull the trigger and roll it in like caulk.
Awesome! Where do you get the 1/4 poly and what's the welder called?
 

Seber

Member
I got it at Plastics Inc. in Denver but any industrial plastics supplier can help you. As I recall it was just called a plastic welder. It was some years ago and my memory is fading. I just amounts to an electrically heated tube that the plastic rod is pulled through. Push to start and it feeds by tension as you pull.
 
I'm on a similar boat. Do you mind posting the link to the tank you found? Thanks.
Hey Roktor-

I got it from - 12 Volt DC Dimmer for LED, Halogen, Incandescent - RV, Auto, Truck, Marine, and Strip Lighting - STANDARD SHAFT - BLACK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C4UBMW8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_EDrizb09Y42PE

It's a Trionic Tank, so available through lots of sources. Go with whoever is on sale or has cheaper shipping. Not quite the shape I wanted, but it'll work for a 170. Will go above the passenger side wheel well and to the back. Near the rear toors. I will mount the pump underneath it. Working on a drawing. Will post it here today or tomorrow.
 

owner

Oz '03 316CDI LWB ex-Ambo Patient Transport
Atlas tanks here in Australia do a full custom poly tank set for $1000. That gives you 200l fresh spread across 3 tanks behind the rear axle, and 80l grey in the space where the driver side step/slider would be.

I also recommend DIY plastic welding. I used a hot air soldering station to do mine. I cut the 80l Grey tank in half because I have dual sliders, and welded a new end plate on it. Has lasted a few years already and pretty easy to do.
 
Last edited:

Top Bottom