Author Topic: Grey / Black Bladder Tank  (Read 11572 times)

Offline Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM

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Grey / Black Bladder Tank
« on: June 21, 2024, 03:36:53 PM »
Use of space has always been a challenge in a Bus Conversion.  Has anyone invented a large single tank yet that has a bladder inside like the one in the image below that has two separate useable volumetric compartments?

Imagine a bladder within a large tank, where the bladder holds freshwater and the grey/black water fills the volume around it. So you start with your bladder and tank full of freshwater, then as you consume your freshwater, the volume in the tank, outside the bladder used for your wastewater increases.  Eventually you end up with the single tank full of grey/black water which you can drain as usual.

Consider the potential of this ingenious design to transform the bus conversion space, offering significant space-saving and efficient water management. The question is, should I reach out to Shark Tank now or wait for further community feedback?

Does anyone want to be a Silent Partner?   ;D
1967 Eagle with Series 60 Power Plant
Gary@BusConversionMagazine.com

Offline Iceni John

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Re: Grey / Black Bladder Tank
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2024, 08:46:11 AM »
Nice idea, but (and there's always a butt) what happens when, not if, the bladder bursts or leaks?   I prefer my bus not to have an over-active or dribbling bladder...

As a group of otherwise normal people, us busnuts seem to be obsessed with matters excremental.     

John
1990 Crown 2R-40N-552 (the Super II):  6V92TAC / DDEC II / Jake,  HT740.     Hecho en Chino.
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Offline freds

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Re: Grey / Black Bladder Tank
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2024, 09:38:13 AM »
Nice idea, but (and there's always a butt) what happens when, not if, the bladder bursts or leaks?   I prefer my bus not to have an over-active or dribbling bladder...

As a group of otherwise normal people, us busnuts seem to be obsessed with matters excremental.     

John
LOL!!!

Offline Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM

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Re: Grey / Black Bladder Tank
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2024, 09:41:23 AM »
Nice idea, but (and there's always a butt) what happens when, not if, the bladder bursts or leaks?   I prefer my bus not to have an over-active or dribbling bladder...

As a group of otherwise normal people, us busnuts seem to be obsessed with matters excremental.     

John

Well then, what if we use a double-lined bladder such that if a leak is detected between the two bladders, it sets off an alarm so you can get out your tire-patch kit and fix the leak?  Then will you be a Silent Partner, John?  I can take USD or English Pounds.   :D
1967 Eagle with Series 60 Power Plant
Gary@BusConversionMagazine.com

Offline Iceni John

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Re: Grey / Black Bladder Tank
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2024, 10:31:57 AM »
Gary, your over-active imagination knows no bounds, with a constant dribble of ideas leaking from it.

To change the subject slightly, wasn't there a setup in the 1970s that injected pee (or was it poo?) into the exhaust while driving to reduce the need for large waste tanks?   Think of it as the granddaddy of modern DEF systems.   I do however like the idea of firing superheated turds at tailgaters behind me.

John
1990 Crown 2R-40N-552 (the Super II):  6V92TAC / DDEC II / Jake,  HT740.     Hecho en Chino.
2kW of tiltable solar.
Behind the Orange Curtain, SoCal.

Offline Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM

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Re: Grey / Black Bladder Tank
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2024, 12:06:04 PM »
Yes, John, I do have an active imagination.  ;D And yes, the GMC motorhomes in the early years had a waste destruction system, which was a macerator pump in their black/grey water systems that ground up the "organic waste" and pumped it into the exhaust manifold to vaporize it as they were merrily traveling down the road. 

However, they had so many problems with blockage that they stopped doing this in later models.  At least, that is what I understand after talking to previous and current GMC owners.  It seemed like a good idea at the time unless, of course, you were following one of them on the road.   ;D

However, laugh if you will, we had an incinerator toilet in our cabin on the lake growing up because we did not have sufficient land to put in a septic system.  Today, it is not uncommon to have these toilets in cabins; however, if you go with an electric incinerator toilet, it would take a lot of electricity to operate, so it is not really feasible for a bus conversion. Still, it would be a great way to have all of the campsites around stay vacant so you would not feel crowded. Just sayin'.

No matter how much you may dislike incinerator toilets, they are much better than the methods passenger trains used just a few years ago, with a hole straight through the floor onto the tracks. Hence, the signs, Do  Not Use Bathroom while in the Station

However, some truck drivers—I won't mention which ones—still use this method. How would you like to be the mechanic greasing their under carriage? 

Here is an article I just found on the subject that may interest some of you.

https://www.theautopian.com/back-in-the-1970s-an-rv-supplier-wanted-you-to-burn-your-poop-in-your-campers-exhaust-as-you-went-down-the-highway/comment-page-1/
1967 Eagle with Series 60 Power Plant
Gary@BusConversionMagazine.com

Offline epretot

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Re: Grey / Black Bladder Tank
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2024, 04:37:08 PM »
This thread stinks.
2000 MCI 102 DL3
Loveland, OH

Offline Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM

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Re: Grey / Black Bladder Tank
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2024, 05:49:26 PM »
1967 Eagle with Series 60 Power Plant
Gary@BusConversionMagazine.com

Offline epretot

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Re: Grey / Black Bladder Tank
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2024, 07:19:07 PM »
I thought hard about an incinerator toilet. After understanding how they work, I decided against it.

The size of my family would have resulted in too many burns/flushes. Would have been tough on the electrical side.

I wouldn't hesitate if it were just a couple living in the bus.
2000 MCI 102 DL3
Loveland, OH

Offline windtrader

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Re: Grey / Black Bladder Tank
« Reply #9 on: June 23, 2024, 09:56:48 AM »
Well then, what if we use a double-lined bladder such that if a leak is detected between the two bladders, it sets off an alarm so you can get out your tire-patch kit and fix the leak?  Then will you be a Silent Partner, John?  I can take USD or English Pounds.   :D
I love the concept and on first take, a two bladder system with a moisture sensor in the area between the bladders seems effective in ensuring there is no waste getting into the fresh. The doubling of capacity is highly motivating to explore this novel idea.


It would be fairly easy to add a small test unit and trail it. There is likely info on this, just need to research it more.


great idea, keep the ideas flowing
Don F
1976 MCI/TMC MC-8 #1286
Fully converted
Bought 2017

 

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