Why 2 gray tanks ?

[pawags45]

I Have a Pinnicle 36SSWS. It has 2 gray tanks. Is one for Bath Room and one for Kitchen ? If one is full Can you switch to the other tank ? If so how do you do this ? I am new to this site and to Jayco.

[GHen]

You can’t switch between one and the other. When I have got one full, I drain some out of the full tank into a bucket and properly dispose of it....

Depending on how the plumbing is set up, you might be able to try this. Make sure the cap for the tank dumps is on and tight. Then you might be able to open both Gray tank valves, they will both try to dump and when they can’t they should equalize. So if one is full and one is empty (unlikely), then they will equalize and both will be 1/2 full. Then close both valves. Be careful, when you go to dump, any gray water between the valves and the dump cap will spill out and make a mess. I’ve just heard this works when desperate, never tried it myself.

[GHen]

And yes, one is for kitchen other is for bath sink and shower. The kitchen one is general smaller than the bath tank.

[DonaandDon]

What you normally see is a smaller dishwater tank and a larger shower/bath sink tank. My sink is 35gal and the shower is 50gal. When dry camping (elect/wtr only) we turn the fresh water pump off and plug sinks until using. One cannot understand how much water one uses unless he can measure. I have never found a RV that can pass water between tanks. However, run the search because I have heard someone that install a bypass (after market) for this purpose.

https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=015066...95:_douuy_o5dq

[oldmanAZ]

I've never owned a 5th wheel so I may be totally off base here but I have to ask...

The bathroom & shower are up a few steps. Are the kitchen and bathroom gray tanks on the same level?

[pawags45]

Thanks everyone. I thought that was how it was.

[GHen]

Oldmanaz, I was thinking the same thing after my post. If they are not level they will not equalize. Not sure where my show tank is. The black water tank is definitely below the toilet, higher than the kitchen tank.

[Joan617]

We have your rig. We are rare brethren.


We have the washer and dryer across the hallway from the bathroom. Our washer and bathroom/sink/shower drain to tank two, best as we can tell.


Our kitchen sink drains to tank one. it seems..



On your outside panel with dump valves, the order is: Black tank, Gray One, and Gray Two, left to right.


Like many others here, we like to bank up the grey tanks so that as we have to dump the black, we have much to clean out the hose with. However as we do a small load of laundry every day, if we are not careful, we can back up and overfill the grey tank #2. So We keep that open now when we do laundry. Then when we flush the Black tank, we can have remaining soapy fluid from showers (tank 2) and kitchen sink (tank 1 ) to flush the stinky slinky.


We find that we dump and flush the black on something like Sunday and Thursday. We never trust the fluid level sensors on the panel. We go by the hollow (or not) sound from the pipes and our own habits. We do trust the the grey tanks sensors a bit more because there is less crud there but still dump if we are unsure.



Hope that makes sense and is of help. we are 3 months in to full time and still settling down on our rhythm and routine.



All the best and keep in touch.


Angus and Joan

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

I've never owned a 5th wheel so I may be totally off base here but I have to ask...

The bathroom & shower are up a few steps. Are the kitchen and bathroom gray tanks on the same level?

Yes. All tanks are all under the floor in the frame of the trailer. They are all at the same level

[AKRUEBBE]

Originally Posted by GHen

And yes, one is for kitchen other is for bath sink and shower. The kitchen one is general smaller than the bath tank.

Our kitchen tank always fills very quickly. A lot faster than the bathroom tank. We don't have a cloths washer but have a small built in dish washer which we run usually every night. It only uses about 2.5 gallons on a normal wash but we find we run a lot of water just using the kitchen sink. So far my sensors are pretty much on spot, but then again we have only used our new 5er for a week! I fully expect them to eventually deteriorate.

[pawags45]

Our Bathroom tank filled after 5 showers. But lasted until we left and stopped by the Dump Station. I could tell it was getting full because the bathroom sink would not empty right.

[norty1]

If you are going to be equalizing the grey tanks, get a Valterra twist on valve. It will prevent the mess at the grey water outlet when dumping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9yJkIFh99Q

[kl8ton]

Originally Posted by norty1

If you are going to be equalizing the grey tanks, get a Valterra twist on valve. It will prevent the mess at the grey water outlet when dumping.

Agree with this 100% if not for the equalizing tanks, but just the liquid that usually spills out when you remove the cap. Usually a pint or more would always spill on the ground when removing the cap. My valves don't leak but the pipes are so long and if you don't get every last drop, or you aren't 'leaning' towards the dump station, liquid always gets left in the lines AFTER the valve.

[putz]

No matter how you dump your tanks first change the cap to the type which also has a small hose outlet. You can then test to see if your line is full because of a valve leak.
If you have liquid just put a bucket under and drain it. Taking the large cap off can be a mess. If you have small children around they might just open and close the black water tank. Putting the large outlet cover back on with the tank line full can be fun.

[pawags45]

Originally Posted by Joan617

We have your rig. We are rare brethren.


We have the washer and dryer across the hallway from the bathroom. Our washer and bathroom/sink/shower drain to tank two, best as we can tell.


Our kitchen sink drains to tank one. it seems..



On your outside panel with dump valves, the order is: Black tank, Gray One, and Gray Two, left to right.


Like many others here, we like to bank up the grey tanks so that as we have to dump the black, we have much to clean out the hose with. However as we do a small load of laundry every day, if we are not careful, we can back up and overfill the grey tank #2. So We keep that open now when we do laundry. Then when we flush the Black tank, we can have remaining soapy fluid from showers (tank 2) and kitchen sink (tank 1 ) to flush the stinky slinky.


We find that we dump and flush the black on something like Sunday and Thursday. We never trust the fluid level sensors on the panel. We go by the hollow (or not) sound from the pipes and our own habits. We do trust the the grey tanks sensors a bit more because there is less crud there but still dump if we are unsure.



Hope that makes sense and is of help. we are 3 months in to full time and still settling down on our rhythm and routine.



All the best and keep in touch.


Angus and Joan

Have you guys ever had trouble with the Auto Level Lippert 3.0 system. Since we both have the 36SSWS I was hopeing you could give me some advice as to how to get it to level. I posted this the other day and was told to Put 3 2X10 pieces of wood under the Back Jacks 2 under the middle jacks and none under the Front jacks . I bought the wood but Have to wait for my truck to come out of the dealer for work I am having done to try this. Do you guys have any other ideas ?

The middle Jacks do not go down at all. From what I understand reading other post the middle jacks should go down and up with the Back jacks ? Could this be why I cant get level ? Any ideas. Also the auto level system does not level the camper. Gets it close then says out of stroke.

[Duke4857]

3X on the twist on valve.


https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T58-...%2C245&sr=8-12

[Big1]

Originally Posted by Duke4857

3X on the twist on valve.


https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T58-...%2C245&sr=8-12

Yep this work wonder I bought mines from Amazon also.

[Joan617]

Originally Posted by pawags45

Have you guys ever had trouble with the Auto Level Lippert 3.0 system. Since we both have the 36SSWS I was hopeing you could give me some advice as to how to get it to level. I posted this the other day and was told to Put 3 2X10 pieces of wood under the Back Jacks 2 under the middle jacks and none under the Front jacks . I bought the wood but Have to wait for my truck to come out of the dealer for work I am having done to try this. Do you guys have any other ideas ?

The middle Jacks do not go down at all. From what I understand reading other post the middle jacks should go down and up with the Back jacks ? Could this be why I cant get level ? Any ideas. Also the auto level system does not level the camper. Gets it close then says out of stroke.

Hi Larry.
This is probably better on a fresh post on new topic but I'll bite for now.


Yeah we have had trouble too. We have had the system error-out with "out of stroke" errors and never get really level. That's when the middle jacks would not go down.



In our last two moves we have had successful levels. Here's how we learned to do it. And there are previous threads about it...


Throw a couple of leggo blocks - or 2 x 's- under the front jacks. Then pull the pins and adjust the pads so that there is about 4-6" remaining.



For the rear jacks, throw a few pads or blocks under them depending on the terrain. Sometimes i will throw 3 on one side and two or one on the other depending on an eye-ball calculation of an un-even site. Don't make them try to reach too far. That's the key.


Remember that the leveling process takes a long time like 5 min or more. Walk away and doing something else like sewer, water and cable. Just don't jump on the rig and move the slides.


If you have further trouble, Lippert is easy to get ahold of and is responsive. Jayco can take over a half hour on hold to connect with.


All the best
Angus

[AJP207]

I put an extension on my clean out (dump)pipe that has an additional pull valve. The extension is the type that is used for cleaning out your holding tanks with a reverse flow of water and has a hose nipple for that purpose. I keep the pull valve on the extension closed and open the valves from he two gray water tanks. The water from the two fresh water tanks will now equalize. I leave the extension on all the time, sticks out a couple of inches from the side of the fifth wheel with no problem. Side benefit is that it is easy to connect your hose.

[AJP207]

Originally Posted by Joan617

Hi Larry.
This is probably better on a fresh post on new topic but I'll bite for now.


Yeah we have had trouble too. We have had the system error-out with "out of stroke" errors and never get really level. That's when the middle jacks would not go down.



In our last two moves we have had successful levels. Here's how we learned to do it. And there are previous threads about it...


Throw a couple of leggo blocks - or 2 x 's- under the front jacks. Then pull the pins and adjust the pads so that there is about 4-6" remaining.



For the rear jacks, throw a few pads or blocks under them depending on the terrain. Sometimes i will throw 3 on one side and two or one on the other depending on an eye-ball calculation of an un-even site. Don't make them try to reach too far. That's the key.


Remember that the leveling process takes a long time like 5 min or more. Walk away and doing something else like sewer, water and cable. Just don't jump on the rig and move the slides.


If you have further trouble, Lippert is easy to get ahold of and is responsive. Jayco can take over a half hour on hold to connect with.


All the best
Angus

If your parking spot is way out of level I start by getting the camper semi level the old way by using lego blocks under the tires on the low side. Then have to stack blocks under the electronic jacks on the low side of the trailer to ensure I have enough stroke. On a side note, on my front jacks I always drop the electric front jacks 6 to 8 inches and then drop the pin jacks to about 9 holes. This gives me plenty of stroke on the front jacks.