Black and gray water valves

[breezyhillfarm]

So true. In my wasted youth I was a mechanic. There was a year of Corvette that you had to unbolt the motor mounts to change the back two spark plugs. This is when you did tune ups every 12K miles. I asked my boss about this stupid design and he said engineers can afford for someone else to work on their cars.

[Taranwanderer]

Originally Posted by David 01

Issues like these just prove my point... The engineers are not end users of the product! You can walk around at an RV show and find stuff that doesn't make sense in every trailer. DW says I drive her nuts with my comments! Some folks go to Disney world and look for hidden Mickeys. I go to RV shows and look for stupid engineering! It's my therapy! The best part is pointing out the obvious to the factory rep! Priceless!

I don't often hate, but when I do hate, I prefer to hate the Pittsburgh Steelers!

signed, a humbled Browns fan......(sigh)......

I hear you, bro. Loved pointing out to the XLR rep in Hershey that I was told by my dealer that they discontinued the gray exterior for 2015 (because either my dealer didn't write it up correctly or the factory messed it up) as I stood in front of 2 2015 XLRs with gray exteriors...

And substitute "Dallas Cowboys!" and "humbled Eagles fan" here.

[Kaboom]

Originally Posted by ZNR XLR

Just bought a 2015 XLR 27HFS (Christmas present) and this is my first post. I stumbled upon this thread because I found I have 2 gray water tanks, but I can't find in the literature anywhere how large each tank is or which tank is Gray 1 and which is Gray 2. Literature does say 57 gals total gray water. Anybody know the capacity of each tank and which is which?

And though it didn't occur to me at the time of pick up, I believe my second gray water valve is also configured incorrectly upstream of the black water valve. You would think FR would have learned. I'm going to drive to the storage lot and confirm it...it'll drive me crazy until I know the truth. Thank you.

Unless the Factory made some changes, Your 2015 27 HFS should have 1 black tank and 2 grey tanks. On our 2013 that is how it is set up. The indicator panel on ours reads the kitchen sink as grey 1 and the bathroom sink and shower as grey 2. I have not measured the gallons each tank holds, but can tell you the bathroom tank is much smaller maybe 20 gallons or less. One quick shower and it shows 2/3 full.

The valve loactions on ours is very poorly designed. To reach the black tank valve I have to get on my hands and knees and can barely push the valve open with my finger tips. That means I'm kneeling on ground that contains lord knows what. It also means that my chest is now right at the discharge opening.

I purchased one of those clear plastic elbows with the fitting/valve for supposedly flushing the tank. The next time I went camping and used the dump station I installed the clear elbow and sewer hose pointing to the side because the angle to the dump station hole looked better. I made sure it was all tight. I got on my hands and knees and leaned under to open the black tank valve not realizing either my chest or the weight of the fluid had turned the elbow slightly.
The results were as follows. Me , , , . Wife , , .

So until I can reconfigure the valves I use a rubber backed carpet square to kneel on. I have a stick to reach the valve and I make sure the clear elbow is installed with the elbow pointing down.

[Taranwanderer]

You just described perfectly why I decided to install electric dump valve actuators. The handle for the gray tank necessitated me getting into an undesirable position under the camper to open and close it...poor design!

[Tx_Rider]

I am thinking about an electronic valve actuator for my most inward black tank valve, it is in the middle of the trailer.

I asked earlier but didnt get an answer if there was a need to close it all the time. I have two inline valves on the black tank discharge. One just as the pipe comes through the underbelly and then just prior to the hose connector.

I'm sure it's redundancy but why all the way under the trailer.

[Taranwanderer]

If you're sure its a second valve just for the black, I don't see why both would need to be closed. I'd close the proximal one (sorry, my medical terminology is coming out today-inner) if I was doing any work to the outer one just so I didn't get an accidental poop shower. But other than that, I don't know why you'd ever need both of them closed?..

[Kaboom]

I agree with Taranwanderer, if you have two black tank valves and seperate grey valves I would leave the first hard to reach valve open.

That is what I'm leaning toward doing, adding a valve on the main discharge just behind the cap and leaving the hard to reach valve open. Black water will fill the pipes up to the closed grey valves, but if I flush the black first as recommended and then open the greys the pipes will be flushed out.

Although cable or electric sounds like a good idea. Do the electric valves have a way be manually opened?

[taken]

Another good question is why the redundant valve in the first place?

[Kaboom]

Maybe someone on the line had to get on their hands and knees to reach the handle and thought this is stupid design I'm going to stick a valve out here. Just to bad he was not the one working on mine.

[caper]

Another good question is why the redundant valve in the first place?

Worker at plan" I put the shut off at the wrong end, I'll just add the second on the right end." Second worker "that will make the end used confused, but who cares. There is no one who will inspect our work till it get to the dealer then its the dealers problem."

[taken]

Originally Posted by caper

Worker at plan" I put the shut off at the wrong end, I'll just add the second on the right end." Second worker "that will make the end used confused, but who cares. There is no one who will inspect our work till it get to the dealer then its the dealers problem."

LOL. Will have to verify with Bob if that's the case...

[Taranwanderer]

Originally Posted by Kaboom

Although cable or electric sounds like a good idea. Do the electric valves have a way be manually opened?

Not really, at least not easily. I kept the "T" handles in the tool kit in case I ever have a problem, but it would require tool usage to remove the valve shaft from the actuator. It's not impossible to do in the field, but I'm hoping I don't ever have to. At least that's the way it is with mine--I have the Barker actuators. Threre are other brands out there.

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Tx_Rider

I am thinking about an electronic valve actuator for my most inward black tank valve, it is in the middle of the trailer.

I asked earlier but didnt get an answer if there was a need to close it all the time. I have two inline valves on the black tank discharge. One just as the pipe comes through the underbelly and then just prior to the hose connector.

I'm sure it's redundancy but why all the way under the trailer.

The code requires me to have a valve with in 3' of the black tank do to the small amount of water used in the RV style toilet. You can leave it open if you want. Just keep in mind that waste products can and probably will build up in there.

[Tx_Rider]

Thanks Bulletbob for the answer

Here is a better pic of what I was explaining earlier.

In the background is the first valve and in the fore ground on the left is the 2nd valve. (the other valve is for the grey water)

I will just leave the first one open.

[Thekipkers]

Bob,

Thank you again for the assistance, Diane made fast reply to my email and immediately notified funtown.

This type of customer service makes me happy to own a Forest River product.


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[Kaboom]

Tx Rider, in the photos it looks like the gray line crosses over the black line. Do you have a separate main dump for just the gray water?

If so that does not seem right. I would think the gray should tie into the main discharge before the second valve. Maybe its just the photo.

[Tx_Rider]

Kaboom.

I have a separate line for the grey discharge. The two grey tanks and the washer line tie into it.

[Thekipkers]

Well I just wanted to update, my parents took their unit to funtown this last week and now have the plumbing issue corrected thanks to Bob and Diane. I will have to say this kind of customer service has assured I will be looking into an XLR when the time comes to upgrade from the Wildwood.

Thank you again Bob.


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[taken]

Originally Posted by Thekipkers

Well I just wanted to update, my parents took their unit to funtown this last week and now have the plumbing issue corrected thanks to Bob and Diane. I will have to say this kind of customer service has assured I will be looking into an XLR when the time comes to upgrade from the Wildwood.

Thank you again Bob.


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

Bob's personal interest here with your issue and others makes me so glad I chose XLR for my new rig. Glad to hear your parents trailer is as it should be!

[2kcj]

I'm having a problem with the black handled valve between the axles on my XLR Thunderbolt. It won't budge. So I started searching here for some help. After reading this, I sure would love to see some sort of diagram that shows all my tanks and lines plus where the valves are. With the under belly completely closed up, I have no idea what's connected together or even where the tanks are. I'll admit I'm new to RVing, but it seems like this shouldn't be that hard to find. Does this sort of thing exist?

John

2015 XLR Thunderbolt 375