How to Equalize Gray Tanks in 377 RLBH

[NitroStar]

I have tried but can't see why the gray tanks will not equalize when closing the main outlet valve and opening both gray tank valves to create more gray storage for taking showers. What keeps the tanks from equalizing? Is there a reason for them not too??

[Mopar_Earl]

Unless you added it, there is no main outlet valve. You will have three valves. Black, grey and galley. If you add a valve at the outlet or use a twist on valve, you can open both grey and galley tanks and keep black tank closed and the two will equalize.


Earl

[NitroStar]

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

Unless you added it, there is no main outlet valve. You will have three valves. Black, grey and galley. If you add a valve at the outlet or use a twist on valve, you can open both grey and galley tanks and keep black tank closed and the two will equalize.
Earl

The 377 RLBH comes with a black tank valve & grey valve (in the water control panel) and a galley valve (that is located between galley tank and the outlet line (after the bath gray valve). All of these go into one outlet line that has a large gate valve installed on it.
The emacerator pump is installed before the main outlet valve.

This is why I do not understand why both gray tanks will not equalize.

[Mopar_Earl]

Never seen an RV built with 4 valves on a three tank unit.
If it's what you say, it should. Can you see all the piping to verify it is plumbed as you say?

Do both tanks seem to have functioning stack vents?


Earl

[dzwiss]

What is the location of the galley grey tank? On my Eagle it is under the kitchen sink which puts it above the shower grey tank which is below the floor. I can drain the galley tank into the shower tank but not visa versa.

[NitroStar]

Originally Posted by dzwiss

What is the location of the galley grey tank? On my Eagle it is under the kitchen sink which puts it above the shower grey tank which is below the floor. I can drain the galley tank into the shower tank but not visa versa.

This is the test I done: I filled the grey tank up with the Main valve closed until it started coming up into the shower. This it did not go into the galley tank. BUT I did not try filling the galley tank until it filled up and see if it would go into the shower tank. I will do this or just take a panel off and see if I can see if the galley tank is above the gray tank. This will answer my question. Thanks!
If this is true, then bummer on not being able to utilize both gray tanks because shower water is always filling up before our kitchen water!!

[Mopar_Earl]

The tanks should all be in the frame at about equal heights to each other.


Earl

[norty1]

I use a Twist on valve to equalize mine all the time.

[Kahoneys]

We don't have any connecting piping on our 2016. They are separate valves and outlets. One valve is in the control panel and the other is beneath the bunk.

[NitroStar]

Here we go. Pics to explain what I've got. Answered question after hearing dswiss's galley tank is higher than his Shower tank (this is the way mine is).
Of course I have the normal black and bathroom gray valves in the water panel.

[dzwiss]

Originally Posted by NitroStar

This is the test I done: I filled the grey tank up with the Main valve closed until it started coming up into the shower. This it did not go into the galley tank. BUT I did not try filling the galley tank until it filled up and see if it would go into the shower tank. I will do this or just take a panel off and see if I can see if the galley tank is above the gray tank. This will answer my question. Thanks!
If this is true, then bummer on not being able to utilize both gray tanks because shower water is always filling up before our kitchen water!!

Just look in the kitchen sink cabinet an see if you can see the tank. Mine is visible in the back of the cabinet.

[NitroStar]

Originally Posted by dzwiss

Just look in the kitchen sink cabinet an see if you can see the tank. Mine is visible in the back of the cabinet.

Mine is below the floor but on a higher level than the gray shower and black tanks (per previous pictures).

[klassic]

Thanks for the closeup pic of the SaniCon. Curious as to how it gets winterized.
Do you have to take it off? How do you drain the water that will be left in the discharge line that goes upwards?
I don't see any "pleasant" way of getting left over soiled water out.

[Mopar_Earl]

Ok that's why you have that main valve at the hose connection. You have the sani-con option. Looks like the factory installed it the better way, you can completely bypass the sani-con or use only the sani-con.
If your tanks are at slightly different heights it will equalize, but if the one tank is halfway or more above the other tank, than no. Not sure why they wouldn't of had both tanks in the main frame.

How do you like the Sani-con option? I've been pondering adding it to the build sheet on the 293RKDS we are going to order. After seeing you can completely bypass the sani-con, that makes me feel better about it. But I can see waste will be left behind in the Y between main valve and the sani-con. I'm sure it gets plumbed differently depending on the floor plan.

You could add a pump to pump from the most used tank over to the other tank. No where near as cheap and easy as equalizing though.


Earl

[PlayersZ28]

On my trailer the kitchen tank is under the floor and much higher than the shower grey tank. Only way to transfer from the shower tank to the kitchen tank would be with a pump. Personally I'd prefer to have the shower and black tanks tied together to get more black tank space when boondocking.

[lalaposhi]

Originally Posted by PlayersZ28

On my trailer the kitchen tank is under the floor and much higher than the shower grey tank. Only way to transfer from the shower tank to the kitchen tank would be with a pump. Personally I'd prefer to have the shower and black tanks tied together to get more black tank space when boondocking.

How would one do this (tie together shower/black tank) ?

Notes: I intend to put a Compost Toilet in, thus freeing up my black entirely, for purposes of boondocking extensively;

Question: is tieing the shower to the black the best re-purpose of the black tank (for boondocking etc) ?


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[PlayersZ28]

In my fiver the shower gray and blk tanks sit side by side. You would need to put a pipe between them to bridge the two together. I haven't looked at the tanks to see how the fittings are held into the tank, whether glued or not. Connecting my shower gray into the black would be fairly easy as I could put in a diverter to redirect the shower/sink flow after the gray tank was filled. Tieing the black into the gray would be harder.

What composting toilet setup are you looking at and what trailer?

[lalaposhi]

Originally Posted by PlayersZ28

In my fiver the shower gray and blk tanks sit side by side. You would need to put a pipe between them to bridge the two together. I haven't looked at the tanks to see how the fittings are held into the tank, whether glued or not. Connecting my shower gray into the black would be fairly easy as I could put in a diverter to redirect the shower/sink flow after the gray tank was filled. Tieing the black into the gray would be harder.

What composting toilet setup are you looking at and what trailer?

1) NaturesHead or Air Head
2) North Point 377BLBH
-any reason I can't do this (put compost toilet in a NorthPoint 377)?



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[PlayersZ28]

Originally Posted by lalaposhi

1) NaturesHead or Air Head
2) North Point 377BLBH
-any reason I can't do this (put compost toilet in a NorthPoint 377)?



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I know next to nothing about composting toilets so I can't comment on whether you can do it or not. I would guess that doing the install would mean removing or sealing the toilet flange.

In my fiver I could cut the 4" toilet drain and put in a Y to divert the shower drain into the black tank. Not sure on what your drain config is though.

[bankr63]

Check out "Gone with the Wynn's" on Youtube. They have a whole series of videos on their experiences with composting toilets as full-timers in their MH. Note that they became full-time sailors this year as a change, but composting toilet was one of their first installs in their cat. I never woulda until I saw these videos, now seriously considering for the future.