Washer drains into which tank? Gray or Black?

[GWJohnson]

We have a 2020 Riverstone 39RKFB. Curious if anyone knows which tank (black or gray) that the washing machine drains into? Our prior rig (2010 Tiffin Phaeton motorhome) drained into the gray tank. Therefore, we could always open the gray tank drain when we used the washer, without having to dump the black tank. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, our new 2020 Riverstone has only 3 dump valves in the wet bay (2 gray & 1 black), for 4 tanks (2 black & 2 grey). The main dump valve under the rig for the sewer hose connection dumps the 1/2 bath black tank. There's no way to just dump, or leave open, the gray tanks when doing the laundry, since you have to open the main dump valve under the rig connected to the sewer hose, which dumps the 1/2 bath black tank.

I met someone with a 2018 Riverstone RKFB and they said they had 4 dump valves in the wet bay, 2 black & 2 gray, and then the main dump valve under the rig that connected to the sewer hose. So,.... they COULD dump just the gray tanks and leave them open when they did laundry, without opening the black tanks.

We have friends who have a 2017 Forest River Cardinal 5th wheel and their washer drain is plumbed into the BLACK tank (verified by the FR factory), which makes no sense to me or them,... since they have to open the black tank when they do laundry, even if it has only a small amount of 'black water' in it, which is not good for efficient draining. Anyone know (1) which tank the 2020 Riverstone 39RKFB washing machine drains into? (black or gray). Tank level monitors are practically worthless, so please don't tell me to watch the monitors. (2) Any ideas why FR went to 3 dump valves in 2020, which requires opening & draining the 1/2 bath black tank in order to drain ANY tank,... vs 4 dump valves in 2018 for 4 tanks? Thanks for your thoughts.

[SlowrideHD]

Not sure about yours, but my washer drains into the shower grey tank. I found this soon after the washer install and doing about three loads of laundry, it backed up a bit into the shower pan. So now I watch that tank level more closely when laundry is on the schedule.

[Jim1521]

My 2020 39FK has it’s own dedicated 41 gal gray tank for the washing machine. We have 3 gray tanks: one for front kitchen, one for bathroom sink and shower, and one for washer.

[grumpyer]

Black is only for toilet.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by grumpyer

Black is only for toilet.

Not true for many RVs.
Do you own a Riverstone?

[dblr]

We have a 2017 38MB and the factory told us ours was plumbed to the kitchen gray tank, I would call the factory and ask them to be sure.

https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/conta...gionSelected=1

[lcv800]

Has to be easy to figure out. Dump all tanks, close valves. Don't use any water other than a load or two of laundry. Then open valves one at a time. The on with water in it is the winner!
Rusty

[Jim1521]

Originally Posted by lcv800

Has to be easy to figure out. Dump all tanks, close valves. Don't use any water other than a load or two of laundry. Then open valves one at a time. The on with water in it is the winner!
Rusty

I did the same thing to determine each of my tanks.

[ES_FR]

GWJohnson,

We would be happy to assist you with this question about your water tanks. Please contact Jeff Holmes in our Customer service department through the following personalized and direct link: http://www.forestriverinc.com/Direct...20846136058393.

This direct link is provided for your convenience in order that we may resolve your concerns as quickly as possible. We will strive to respond to you within 24 hours of receiving your correspondence.

Respectfully,
Forest River

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by GWJohnson

Anyone know (1) which tank the 2020 Riverstone 39RKFB washing machine drains into? (black or gray). Tank level monitors are practically worthless, so please don't tell me to watch the monitors. (2) Any ideas why FR went to 3 dump valves in 2020, which requires opening & draining the 1/2 bath black tank in order to drain ANY tank,... vs 4 dump valves in 2018 for 4 tanks? Thanks for your thoughts.

I don't have a Riverstone, so I'm just guessing here. Hopefully reaching out to FR will be helpful.

But, are you sure there isn't an extra valve hiding somewhere? Often times, there's a valve hidden between/behind or near the tires? I would imagine that if it exists & you can find it, that it controls the 1/2 bath black tank.

[safrog]

My 2016 Cardinal drains in the grey water tank with the shower water. However, I have seen that some newer model Cardinals drain in the black water tank, which is absurd. May be something to consider to have FR change it at the next rally.

[GWJohnson]

Just FYI. Forest River "Service Department" did get back to me. They verified (1) washer does drain in to one of the gray tanks (they didn't know which one), that they said they verified with their "Production Department". (2) They verified, that yes, it is impossible to drain JUST the gray tanks without also opening the 1/2 bath black tank which is connected to the sewer hose, as I detailed in my initial inquiry. (3) They did not know why it was designed this way for 2020, when the 2017-2019 Riverstone had 4 dump valves in the wet bay before the sewer pipe dump valve and the 2020 has 3 dump valves in the wet bay, but has 4 tanks and the 1/2 bath black tank dump valve is the same as the dump into the sewer pipe connection.
Curious that their answer was we forwarded your email to the Production Department, but,.... "we don't know why the design change". ?????? Of, course this was the Service Department & Production Department, not the engineering department.

[Cummins0867]

Originally Posted by GWJohnson

...... it is impossible to drain JUST the gray tanks without also opening the 1/2 bath black tank which is connected to the sewer hose, as I detailed in my initial inquiry. (3) They did not know why it was designed this way for 2020, when the 2017-2019 Riverstone had 4 dump valves in the wet bay before the sewer pipe dump valve and the 2020 has 3 dump valves in the wet bay, but has 4 tanks and the 1/2 bath black tank dump valve is the same as the dump into the sewer pipe connection.
.

In my 2020 38FB2 built in June 2019. It has two grey tanks (both releases in the wet bay marked bath and galley) and two black tanks (one release in the wet bay and the other release out close to the sewer connection. We full time RV year around since this last July and we're in it right now. I leave both grey tanks open ALL the time. When my black tanks are nearing full (7-10 days, I'm pretty sure this is toilet water only)....I close the grey for the "Flush of the sewer line after dumping the black tanks". When I close them...it takes about 3-4 washer loads for the grey to fill up and back up in the kitchen sink. I think its made that way to avoid it coming out of the toilet and really making a mess. For the washer/dish washer/kitchen sink or anything else other than the toilets to drain into the black tank doesn't make any sense at all....at least in my case it doesn't.

[GWJohnson]

Originally Posted by Cummins0867

In my 2020 38FB2 built in June 2019. It has two grey tanks (both releases in the wet bay marked bath and galley) and two black tanks (one release in the wet bay and the other release out close to the sewer connection. We full time RV year around since this last July and we're in it right now. I leave both grey tanks open ALL the time. When my black tanks are nearing full (7-10 days, I'm pretty sure this is toilet water only)....I close the grey for the "Flush of the sewer line after dumping the black tanks". When I close them...it takes about 3-4 washer loads for the grey to fill up and back up in the kitchen sink. I think its made that way to avoid it coming out of the toilet and really making a mess. For the washer/dish washer/kitchen sink or anything else other than the toilets to drain into the black tank doesn't make any sense at all....at least in my case it doesn't.

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If you read my entire, original comments, your description of your tank & drain configuration appears to be just like mine in my 2020 Riverstone 39RKFB: i.e.; 2 gray tank dump valves & 1 black tank dump valve in the wet bay, and 1 black tank dump valve underneath which serves 2 functions: When you pull the underneath valve connected to the sewer hose it also drains the 1/2 bath black tank. I'm glad that what ever you described you do with your tank valves works for you.
But, there isn't any advantage to leaving your 2 grey tank valves 'open', if your sewer connection dump valve is closed. It just fills up the drain pipes (and eventually the gray tanks) from the gray tanks to the stop point of the valve connected to the sewer pipe (which is also the dump valve for the 1/2 bath black tank). If you're leaving the sewer connection dump valve 'open' under the rig, as well as the 2 gray tank valves open, you'd be running the risk of building up a pyramid in the 1/2 bath black tank, because that black tank liquid from the 1/2 bath would be constantly draining through the open 1/2 bath / sewer connection dump valve. It would be much better if their were dump valves for each of the 4 tanks,.... and a SEPARATE dump valve for connection to the sewer pipe. In that way, one could dump any or all of the tanks selectively, depending on the situation required (i.e.; doing laundry WITHOUT having to have the 1/2 bath black tank dump valve open).
I agree with you that plumbing the washer to drain into the black tank makes no sense at all. I'm glad that your's & mine are plumbed into the gray tanks, as most rigs are. But, as I stated in my original post, my friends with a 2016 FR Cardinal verified through Forest River that THEIR washer was plumbed into their black tank, which makes no sense for the reasons both you and I stated.

[Cummins0867]

Originally Posted by GWJohnson

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But, there isn't any advantage to leaving your 2 grey tank valves 'open', if your sewer connection dump valve is closed. It just fills up the drain pipes (and eventually the gray tanks) from the gray tanks to the stop point of the valve connected to the sewer pipe (which is also the dump valve for the 1/2 bath black tank). If you're leaving the sewer connection dump valve 'open' under the rig, as well as the 2 gray tank valves open, you'd be running the risk of building up a pyramid in the 1/2 bath black tank, because that black tank liquid from the 1/2 bath would be constantly draining through the open 1/2 bath / sewer connection dump valve. It would be much better if their were dump valves for each of the 4 tanks,.... and a SEPARATE dump valve for connection to the sewer pipe. In that way, one could dump any or all of the tanks selectively, depending on the situation required (i.e.; doing laundry WITHOUT having to have the 1/2 bath black tank dump valve open).
I agree with you that plumbing the washer to drain into the black tank makes no sense at all. I'm glad that your's & mine are plumbed into the gray tanks, as most rigs are. But, as I stated in my original post, my friends with a 2016 FR Cardinal verified through Forest River that THEIR washer was plumbed into their black tank, which makes no sense for the reasons both you and I stated.

Mine is nothing like the way you mention. The black tank valve under neath is for my second toilet ONLY it is NOT a sewer connection opening.
The only "sewer dump valve" that I have is the one on the end of the green Waste Master hose. I don't have this hose hooked up currently....as I am hard piped to my site dump site with 3" PVC. I keep my grey tanks open ALL the time and the shower, kitchen sink, dish washer, bath room sinks (I have 3, 2 in the master bath and 1 in the half bath). They do not fill up the way you mention. The two blank tank valves are closed all of the time until I dump them about every 7-10 days. On the wall monitor inside the RV....when my black tanks are FULL my grey tanks show EMPTY until I go out and close them about 1-2 days before I dump my black tanks. I have been doing this since July 27th 2019 as I have lived in the RiverStone since that date at the same location.

The only time our backs up into the sink is when the Grey tanks are closed...and its my #1 grey tank (marked galley in the wet bay) is where the washer drains into.

[GWJohnson]

Thanks for your reply and the picture. Our different FR models must have some different plumbing.
You stated, "The only "sewer dump valve" that I have is the one on the end of the green Waste Master hose. I don't have this hose hooked up currently....as I am hard piped to my site dump site with 3" PVC."
I don't know where your referenced "green Waste Master hose" is supposed to connect to your 5th wheel, as my Riverstone doesn't have that. The only place that you can connect a sewer pipe on my Riverstone is the connection under the rig in front of the front axle, where your 3" white PVC pipe is shown connected to yours in your picture. When you pull the dump handle on that connection on my Riverstone RKFB, that automatically dumps the 1/2 bath black tank. No way on my model to dump just the gray tanks withOUT dumping the 1/2 bath blank tank simultaneously, hence there's no way to leave the gray tanks open all the time, because the gray tanks WILL fill up if the referenced sewer dump valve is closed. A better design would be to have a sewer dump valve separate from the 4 tank dump valves (2 black / 2 gray). Thanks again.

[Cummins0867]

Originally Posted by GWJohnson

Thanks for your reply and the picture. Our different FR models must have some different plumbing.
You stated, "The only "sewer dump valve" that I have is the one on the end of the green Waste Master hose. I don't have this hose hooked up currently....as I am hard piped to my site dump site with 3" PVC."
I don't know where your referenced "green Waste Master hose" is supposed to connect to your 5th wheel, as my Riverstone doesn't have that. The only place that you can connect a sewer pipe on my Riverstone is the connection under the rig in front of the front axle, where your 3" white PVC pipe is shown connected to yours in your picture. When you pull the dump handle on that connection on my Riverstone RKFB, that automatically dumps the 1/2 bath black tank. No way on my model to dump just the gray tanks withOUT dumping the 1/2 bath blank tank simultaneously, hence there's no way to leave the gray tanks open all the time, because the gray tanks WILL fill up if the referenced sewer dump valve is closed. A better design would be to have a sewer dump valve separate from the 4 tank dump valves (2 black / 2 gray). Thanks again.

Yours doesn't make any sense to me. I can't understand why they would plum it that way.

My wastemaster hose is the main sewer line from the RV that connects to the dump site. This hose came from the factory and where the main comes from the RV there is no other valve to open...only this one on the very end of the hose (which is now replaced with the PVC pipe which is open all the time). I leave this valve open all the time along with my two gray tanks. There are 4 valves one for each tank two gray and two black. I can open/close each one individually. Mine is exactly as you mention in your last sentence.

[Homebrew]

My XLR washer drain does not go into a tank , it’s piped directly to the gray water valve.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by GWJohnson

Thanks for your reply and the picture. Our different FR models must have some different plumbing.
You stated, "The only "sewer dump valve" that I have is the one on the end of the green Waste Master hose. I don't have this hose hooked up currently....as I am hard piped to my site dump site with 3" PVC."
I don't know where your referenced "green Waste Master hose" is supposed to connect to your 5th wheel, as my Riverstone doesn't have that. The only place that you can connect a sewer pipe on my Riverstone is the connection under the rig in front of the front axle, where your 3" white PVC pipe is shown connected to yours in your picture. When you pull the dump handle on that connection on my Riverstone RKFB, that automatically dumps the 1/2 bath black tank. No way on my model to dump just the gray tanks withOUT dumping the 1/2 bath blank tank simultaneously, hence there's no way to leave the gray tanks open all the time, because the gray tanks WILL fill up if the referenced sewer dump valve is closed. A better design would be to have a sewer dump valve separate from the 4 tank dump valves (2 black / 2 gray). Thanks again.

All RV's can dump the grays without dumping the Blacks. Do some more checking. In the park I stay at I am allowed to dump BOTH of my grays on the ground all the time. All the sites do. They stay open and I have only one 3" dump pipe which the grays run thru..

[GWJohnson]

You are wrong, or misinformed, when you state, "All RV's can dump the grays without dumping the Blacks.". I've been RVing for 20 years with diesel pushers motorhomes and now a 5th wheel.

If you read the complete posts, my 2020 Riverstone 39RKFB has only ONE (1) sewer hose connection, which when that gate valve is opened at that connection it automatically dumps the 1/2 bath black tank, which is located almost directly above it. There are 2 gray tank valves (main bath & galley) and 1 black tank valve for the main bath up front in the wet bay. As stated, a better design would have been 2 gray tank valves and 2 black tank valves, which I stated to the Forest River manufacturing plant. They said, "well that's the way we used to plumb with 4 tanks, but we changed it on the 2020 Riverstone" He verified that pulling the main dump valve at the sewer hose connection automatically dumps the 1/2 bath black tank,.... so, indeed,.... on the 2020 Riverstone 39RKFB, it is impossible to drain just the gray tanks without also simultaneously dumping the 1/2 bath black tank. There is another Riverstone 39FKRB in our park,... a 2019,... and they DO have 4 dump valves plus a main sewer hose connection dump valve. He was surprised to see the change in design on my 2020. When I asked the factory rep "why" they change from 4 dump valves for 4 tanks and 1 main sewer hose connection dump valve, to 3 dump valves for 4 tanks, he replied, "I don't know". My suspicion is a cost factor?????