I’m looking at a converted van to purchase that has the black and grey tank combined. Then, the tank if flushed about by routing a long hose from the drivers window around to the toilet. Has anyone heard of this and can you think of any issues? I a newbie and haven’t seen any information about flushing the tank without the connector on the outside. Seems complicated. Is there anything I should check into before diving into this purchase?
So it has one huge black tank that you can only suck dry using a hose… inside the van.
I hope it has a large ceiling fan, because if the hose gets loose indoors it is litrally going to hit the fan… 
That sounds like something that will be joked about for years to come.
Personally I would not touch it, but my stomach could not handle even changing my kids diaper too well. Neither could my brother, nor my dad so it runs in the family.
(warning, graphic content altough the thumbnail gives it away)
Greetings & Welcome!
Run away from that van, fast & far.
Non factory, or owner modified rigs are usually nothing but trouble, and their quality & value is highly questionable.
Factory camper vans & RV’s can be found cheap, and in great shape. They’ll save you money starting right away, even they if they do need repairs. At least they were built to adhere to quality & safety standards.
I have bought many factory rigs in excellent shape for under $2500, you just need to be patient and perhaps expand your search area. My current rig was 600 miles away, but the price made it worth the drive. ($700) It was originally a factory camper van, but it had been gutted by a fool, who had been convinced they could improve upon it. With my years of experience, I knew I could rebuild the interior for several hundred dollars, and did just that.
Normally I’m against DIY projects, either to buy them or to build them. If you follow the advice online, a DIY project will end up costing you more than buying an intact factory rig, and the result will be far inferior. I have built, helped build, and restored many rigs over the years, and practically none of the online advice is actually good advice. Advice from a promoter or influencer is usually worse than no advice at all. All their advice is designed to make them money, not make you a better camper. There is nothing hard or expensive to have an extreme weather camper van, that is full featured, fully self contained, comfortable, and convenient. Nobody NEEDS solar, 12v compressor fridges, expensive batteries, or expensive roof vents. There are much better and cheaper choices for all of those things, but they’re not recommended because they won’t make the promoter any money. Nobody needs a money pit, and that’s exactly what the promoters want for you.
The time & place to save money in this lifestyle starts at the very beginning and stretches out over your entire journey. The money spent on your rig is gone, and you’ll be lucky to recover a tiny fraction of it later. The time spent working on a rig is non-recoverable, and is better spent making money or enjoying life. Leave the repairs to the professionals, and get it done right. The last thing any of us need is to break down in the middle of nowhere because we screwed up. I get my rig checked out regularly, and keep up on everything pro-actively. My interior systems are cheap, simple, and reliable, and can replaced easily almost anywhere with no waiting on mail order stuff.
Cheers!
"Swamp coolers for the win to beat the heat." ~Road Warrior