Lazy Daze Owners' Group

23.5' tank capacities

December 26, 2013, 09:41:39 am

Yahoo Message Number: 144312

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I've been trying to clean up the data in the "Changes" section of the Lazy Daze Pocket Guide, and could use some help on one issue. I know that at some point in the 2000s, the holding tank capacities of the 23.5' Twin/King (and perhaps other models) were increased. But it's unclear when that happened.

In particular, various posts here suggest that the T/K's black tank capacity was 18 gallons in 2003, but it was called out on that year's spec sheet as 24 gallons; that it may in fact have been 24 gallons earlier but was then changed to 18; and that it was changed to 28 gallons (the current spec) sometime later. But specifics are hard to come by, and if we can't trust the spec sheets...

Can anybody help clear this up? One of the most important uses of the "Changes" section is by folks who are shopping for a used Lazy Daze, and if I were looking for a used T/K, it would be very important to me to know whether a given model year had an 18, 24 or 28 gallon black tank.

Andy Baird
http://www.andybaird.com/travels

Re: 23.5' tank capacities

Reply #2 – December 26, 2013, 10:31:05 am

Yahoo Message Number: 144315

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"Do you have any specs on the 1986 22 foot lazy daze?"

I don't have a spec sheet for 1986. The LD Pocket Guide's "Changes" page lists basic specs for that year, and there don't appear to have been any major changes since 1985. You can find specs for the 1985 Twin/King model on my Gertie Page... but bear in mind that tank capacities varied from one floorplan to another.

Andy Baird
http://www.andybaird.com/travels

Re: 23.5' tank capacities

Reply #4 – December 26, 2013, 11:02:50 am

Yahoo Message Number: 144317

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Andy, I checked all the spec sheets that Terry has listed on his Techsnoz site, and as far as I know, the actual capacity of the black tank was *18* gallons on the *TK* until the *2010* model, despite the spec sheet listing other figures. I really doubt that earlier-than-2003 models (the TK year that I have) would have had a black tank large than 18 gallons, but owners of pre-2003 TKs who have *actually verified* the black tank capacity will probably let you know!

As far as I know, LD was aware that the TK's black tank numbers were misstated on the spec sheet; they weren't corrected (to 18 gallons) until the *2005* model year.  I and others who are primarily dry campers/boondockers and who were also under the impression that the capacities of the black tank were as advertised were very unhappy to discover that the actual capacity of the black tank (of pre-2005 TK models) was 6 gallons less than stated on the spec sheet!

As far as I know, the black tank capacities of the 23.5'/24' FD and FL were accurately stated on the spec sheets through the model years; the TK appears to be the only model whose black tank numbers were incorrectly listed. (Again, until the 2005 TK, which for that year and for 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, shows the capacity of 18 gallons.)

I haven't a clue as to how LD managed to build in a black tank into the TK with *10 gallons* more capacity from 2010 on; as far as I know, nothing has changed with the E450 chassis or LD's layout/tank placements. (?) But, when I asked the factory about a retrofit, I was told that it "couldn't be done".  I suspect that they just didn't *want* to do this; if the word got out, a lot of pre-2010 TK owners would be lined up at the gates clamoring for 'tiny tank' retrofits! ;-)

Joan

Re: 23.5' tank capacities

Reply #6 – December 26, 2013, 07:26:00 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 144323

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"when you're home and have the time..."

Assuming you're not a  fulltimer. :-)

"why can't you flush out your tanks and then add one gallon at a time until you see exactly how many gallons your personal Lazy Daze will hold in each tank?"

If it came to that, I'd probably crawl under and measure the tanks' dimensions. It'd be a lot quicker then pouring water into them a gallon at a time. One gallon equals 231 cubic inches, for anybody who wants to do this.

Andy Baird
http://www.andybaird.com/travels

Re: 23.5' tank capacities

Reply #8 – December 26, 2013, 07:44:07 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 144325

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Well, I was wondering why I filled up that black water tank so fast on my 2005 23.5TK. I thought there was something wrong with me..., now it turns out that the tank is only 18 gal. My dog pees outside, maybe I will start doing the same. I appreciate Joan's link to the technical group, I have long wanted the spec sheet for my LD.
Ilse

Re: 23.5' tank capacities

Reply #10 – December 27, 2013, 08:48:34 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 144333

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"The tanks on our '04FL are highly convoluted in shape..."

Good point, Steve. I was thinking less in terms of precision, and more in terms of a twin/king owner asking "Is my black tank 18, 24, or 28 gallons?"

Andy Baird
http://www.andybaird.com/travels

Re: 23.5

Reply #12 – December 26, 2013, 12:30:16 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 144319

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Terry Tanner's 'Techsnoz' message board contains PDFs of Lazy Daze spec sheets through the years"

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Techsnoz/conversations/messages

If you don't subscribe already, join the group, then go to the 'Files' section and look up the capacities of the model(s) and year(s) in question.  As stated in my previous post, it appears that the black tank capacities of models OTHER than the TKs for the years in question are listed accurately on the LD spec sheets.

Joan

Re: 23.5

Reply #14 – December 26, 2013, 04:05:04 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 144321

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The 'see the PDFs for model year specs under 'Files' at the Techsnoz site' link in message #144319 might be helpful?

Joan

Re: 23.5

Reply #16 – December 28, 2013, 11:28:44 am

Yahoo Message Number: 144335

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"It's a dirty job but I would rather drain the black tank when its's about 3/4 full. That way I won't have to deal with the other messy alternative."

I have to disagree with the idea that dumping when the tank is 3/4 full is the only way to avoid a disaster. To begin with, I don't see how the "stinky mess on your floor" that you describe could occur in normal use.

Now, I have heard stories of people filling the tank with fresh water using a hose through the window, and forgetting to keep an eye on it... but to me, that's just one more reason why the hose-through-the-window procedure isn't a great idea.

But I've never seen a Lazy Daze toilet overflow from normal use, and it's hard to imagine how it could happen. When the tank is full, waste starts to back up into the pipe from the toilet. If you have a rig where the toilet dumps straight down into the tank (e.g., twin/king), you'll see the level rising in the sewer pipe. If you have one where the sewer pipe takes a bend or two on its way to the tank (e.g., midbath), you'll notice the toilet "burps"--a bubble forms at the flush valve--and then you'll see the waste in the pipe just below the toilet.

In either case, it's easy to tell when the tank is approaching full, long before there's any risk of waste backing up into the bowl. At that point, it's time to dump. (For me, that's after 20 to 21 days of use.)

And since an RV toilet, unlike a residential toilet, stops adding water as soon as you release the flush lever, I don't see how the toilet could ever overflow onto the floor in normal use. Perhaps you can enlighten us...?

Andy Baird
http://www.andybaird.com/travels