Grey/Black Water Tanks - Advice for newbie :)

[eredinger]

This has been great information. We will be heading out for our first trip this weekend.

Thanks to all for the advice!

[villain2000]

Havent tried this, but the best tip I heard to really scrub your tank is to fill it with about 5 to 8 gallons of water, dump a couple of 5 pound bags of ice down the toilet along with a few squrts of dishsoap, then take the tt out for a little pull, hopefully on some curvy roads. The ice, being hard at first, will slosh around and break down any solids that may have formed on the sides. After the ice is completey melted, flush the tank like you normally would. Heard this works great for stained coffee pots, too. ;=)

[kjohn73]

I took my 197 for a test run last week. Left the manual at home (good, safe place for it!!), so had to go by feel getting the water heater going, etc. Reading all these posts about the grey/black tanks has me wondering - how do you get the black tank 3/4 full or full just before you empty it? By running the poor little pump? or.....? If you are hooked up to "city water", I see how you could just hold the pedal down on the terlet (remember how Archie Bunker used to say toilet?).

I still haven't found my manual in the house either. I am thinking it probably got put in a "safe place" in the trailer... Jeez.

Some really good pointers here. Thanks for sharing.

I have a box of disposable gloves and use them even if walk past the outlet.

Big time edit!!: I phoned my wife (she works 1000 kms away) to see if she "hid" the manual. Just as I was telling her I couldn't find the manual, I spotted it behind the microwave in our house! Everything is under control now.

[etothepii]

Memorial weekend was my first trip with my 154bh, and my first experience with holding tanks. We were at a full hook up site, and I'm glad as it was a learning experience.

On the 154bh, the tanks are very small, and you cannot drain the grey tank without first draining the black tank.

So what happens is, frequent draining. We found that for showering, we really need the grey tank open. So we drain both tanks, have the shower(s), then close the tanks and prep the black tank for more use.

At sites with water/electric only hookups, we will have to use a blue tote and limit water use more, especially showers.

At electric only or dry camping, we will probably have to use camp facilities mostly. Limit water use to ocassional flushes (night time toilet use) and hand washing only.

That's the best way I can think to use the Rv to its potential.

Also, a bit off topic ... we are using an organic enzyme product for the black tank. No smell issues at all. just a little bit does the job.

[Terry]

Originally Posted by kjohn73

I took my 197 for a test run last week. Left the manual at home (good, safe place for it!!), so had to go by feel getting the water heater going, etc. Reading all these posts about the grey/black tanks has me wondering - how do you get the black tank 3/4 full or full just before you empty it? By running the poor little pump? or.....? If you are hooked up to "city water", I see how you could just hold the pedal down on the terlet (remember how Archie Bunker used to say toilet?).

I still haven't found my manual in the house either. I am thinking it probably got put in a "safe place" in the trailer... Jeez.

Some really good pointers here. Thanks for sharing.

I have a box of disposable gloves and use them even if walk past the outlet.

Big time edit!!: I phoned my wife (she works 1000 kms away) to see if she "hid" the manual. Just as I was telling her I couldn't find the manual, I spotted it behind the microwave in our house! Everything is under control now.

I am generally at city water hookup locations. I just hold the pedal down until it fills up. Sometimes takes a while, but not too bad. They make something called a Johnny Chock that will hold it hope, but it makes me nervous that I will not be paying attention and it will overflow. If you had tank water and were leaving, I would have no issues just letting the pump run either - it is made for that kind of duty cycle.

As far as gloves -- dont be scared -- lol.....I guess I am lucky or stupid, but I dont wear gloves and have never gotten anything objectionable on me...I just wash up afterwards with some soap and water.

[mrnoyb]

Originally Posted by etothepii

Memorial weekend was my first trip with my 154bh, and my first experience with holding tanks. We were at a full hook up site, and I'm glad as it was a learning experience.

On the 154bh, the tanks are very small, and you cannot drain the grey tank without first draining the black tank.

So what happens is, frequent draining. We found that for showering, we really need the grey tank open. So we drain both tanks, have the shower(s), then close the tanks and prep the black tank for more use.

At sites with water/electric only hookups, we will have to use a blue tote and limit water use more, especially showers.

At electric only or dry camping, we will probably have to use camp facilities mostly. Limit water use to ocassional flushes (night time toilet use) and hand washing only.

That's the best way I can think to use the Rv to its potential.

Also, a bit off topic ... we are using an organic enzyme product for the black tank. No smell issues at all. just a little bit does the job.

I'm by no means an expert but I just read the manual again and I don't see why when connected to city water you couldn't drain the grey tank as often as needed. For that matter I can't see why you couldn't leave the grey tank valve open for as long as you want.

The manual advises not to drain the black tank until it's 3/4 full and never to leave the black tank drain continuously open. However I don't see any similar statement concerning the grey tank.

If you do leave the grey tank continuously open, you would need to close it and add water prior to draining the black tank so the grey tank water can rinse the dump outlet and sewer hose.

[Terry]

Originally Posted by mrnoyb

I'm by no means an expert but I just read the manual again and I don't see why when connected to city water you couldn't drain the grey tank as often as needed. For that matter I can't see why you couldn't leave the grey tank valve open for as long as you want.

The manual advises not to drain the black tank until it's 3/4 full and never to leave the black tank drain continuously open. However I don't see any similar statement concerning the grey tank.

If you do leave the grey tank continuously open, you would need to close it and add water prior to draining the black tank so the grey tank water can rinse the dump outlet and sewer hose.

You are very right Mrnoyb....you can just leave the grey tank valve open all you want, which is what I do when I am at full hookups. You just need to have some gray before you dump your black - and the primary reason is to just rinse the hose out.

Even if you went out, emptied the black tank and realized you had no grey - no worries - just go inside, turn on the bath for a few minutes and then open the grey. Only problem can be if you forget to close the grey and you back flush black into the gray tank - not really a huge deal, you just want to flush it with clean water several times afterwards.

I think we tend to overthink the dumping process because we are so scared of what will happen if we screw up. Truth is, even if you screw up - it is not going to really hurt anything.

[etothepii]

Here's a (bad) sketch of what I'm talking about:

[Crabman]

Originally Posted by etothepii

Here's a (bad) sketch of what I'm talking about:

So there is only one valve for both grey and black tanks?

[etothepii]

No, there are two. I realize now I didn't put the labels in the best place on the drawing. The single line drawn across the grey water pipe is a valve. The single line across the other pipe is the black water valve.

[Crabman]

I see it now. It appears the black valve is past the grey valve in your drawing which verifies what you are saying, the black valve/tank must be open to drain the grey. That is a strange and inconvenient setup IMO.

[mrnoyb]

The instructions do say owners should empty the black tank before they empty the grey tank but I don't believe this implies the black tank must be drained or empty before the grey tank dump valve can be opened.

Let's assume the black tank is full, partially full or empty & the black tank valve is closed. Now we open the grey tank dump valve. If the valve remains open, fluid should flow through the grey holding tank and out the sewer hose housing. If your diagram is correct, grey water would not flow freely if the black tank valve is closed. That seems contrary to what actually happens.

[Terry]

I am scratching my head on that one too...I have not seen a setup like that on a new model Jayco.

I am trying to doubt you, but have you actually crawled up there and verified and tested that is the setup?

If it is in fact like that, time for a mod! lol

[Zombied]

Somewhat off the. Current topic, sorry... if you leave the grey water valve open to the sewer, wouldn't fumes travel into the trailer? Water traps aren't 100% fume proof.

[Terry]

Originally Posted by Zombied

Somewhat off the. Current topic, sorry... if you leave the grey water valve open to the sewer, wouldn't fumes travel into the trailer? Water traps aren't 100% fume proof.

They should not since the grey tank is vented. I have never had an issue.

[Zombied]

Oh. I didn't know there was a vent.. should have researched more I guess. Thanks!

[Terry]

No problem....You were doing research

[GKopecky1971]

Okay, seem to be having some kind of trouble now with the black tank. For some reason the odor is coming back into the TT. I use the wand after every dump, never leave the black valve open, and use the deodorant for the black tank, but still getting a nausiating smell in the TT, more in the bunk house area than actually in the toilet. The black tank is installed under the bunk house, is it possible that the smell is leaking up from the tank? I thought they were sealed except for the toilet and the dump valves...am I correct?

[hammerdown]

The tank has a vent going up to the roof if might be clogged. You may be able to unclogged it by removing the cap and fishing a regular toilet snake down.

[Zombied]

In the middle of our first extended stay. Have some slight odor problems too. Tomorrow we are going into denver, so I might look into a flushing system or something. Also we are out of chemicals after the last dump.