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Old 12-24-2016, 03:01 PM   #1
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Combining holding tanks

An odd question here but we camp a lot at the state parks and they usually don't have sewer hookups. They do however have real nice bathhouses. The problem we encounter is that we normally use the bathhouses for black water needs but the trailer for most everything else. The result is that the grey water tank fills pretty fast while the black water tank barely gets anything in it. So I was wondering if anyone out there has found a way to basically combine the holding tanks or a way to dump your grey water into your black water tank. This would basically give us enough capacity to make it thru our normal stay without having to go thru the hassle of portable holding tanks or making trips to the dump station. Thanks.
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Old 12-24-2016, 04:58 PM   #2
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Just get one of these bayonet connection valves and twist it on then you can have both of the tank valves open and equilize the tanks
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Old 12-24-2016, 05:22 PM   #3
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Just get one of these bayonet connection valves and twist it on then you can have both of the tank valves open and equilize the tanks
And contaminate the gray water tank while you're at it...
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Old 12-24-2016, 05:38 PM   #4
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And contaminate the gray water tank while you're at it...
Agree !! I'm not sure that I would want black water in my gray tank. Now if you have 2 gray tanks, I would give that a try.
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Old 12-24-2016, 05:47 PM   #5
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And contaminate the gray water tank while you're at it...
I read that the Op stated that he uses bathhouse for his black tank needs.

Honestly all the waste goes out the same pipe. Highly doubt that anyone is using either tank for "potable" uses.

We have always had at least 2 grey tanks, so we used this so we could use both combined.
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Old 12-24-2016, 05:48 PM   #6
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Thanks for that info. I wasn't sure if that would work and the tanks would equalize feeding backwards like that. Just ordered that valve and I'll soon test it out. Thanks.
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Old 12-24-2016, 05:49 PM   #7
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Agree !! I'm not sure that I would want black water in my gray tank. Now if you have 2 gray tanks, I would give that a try.
Really???
Op was talking about using the black tank to hold grey water.

I guess there is no one that pees while in their rv shower ?
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Old 12-24-2016, 05:52 PM   #8
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Thanks for that info. I wasn't sure if that would work and the tanks would equalize feeding backwards like that. Just ordered that valve and I'll soon test it out. Thanks.
Works just fine!
We did it alot before we got a permanent site. The valve we have also has a back-flush fitting that is handy if you dont have a tank flush system.
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Old 12-24-2016, 05:53 PM   #9
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And yes I am not concerned about the grey water cause like it was stated, we use the bathhouses for the black water needs. So much so that I have yet to put any chemicals in the black water tank cause it just doesn't get used. Plus I also don't use the tanks for potable water so it would not matter if they mixed getting dumped or mixed holding, its all going the same place.
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Old 12-24-2016, 05:57 PM   #10
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Really???
Op was talking about using the black tank to hold grey water.

I guess there is no one that pees in their rv shower ?
Pee in the shower..
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Old 12-25-2016, 07:34 AM   #11
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Combining holding tanks

I would think that if your Gray tank Is say 90% full & your black tank is say 10% --if you have the shut off valve--then open both gray & black tank valves for a short bit the pressure will be going from the gray tank to the black tank.

Thus no cross contamination??

On a regular basis when my tanks are full I will dump the black --leave the black tank open when I open the gray tank. Let it flush back into the black tank -close gray-let black flush back out then close it. Then finish gray. Never been an issue for me.

And if it were to cross contaminate I guess I don't see a problem there anyway.

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Old 12-25-2016, 07:51 AM   #12
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The only way that I would see having a problem with having black water go into the grey water tank would be if the kitchen sink and shower did not have water traps in their drains. Then it would be possible to have fumes come up thru the drains. But otherwise they are just two big plastic boxes hung under the trailer rhat really don't care what's in them. Whatever goes in them is just on a layover on its one way trip to the sewer system. Since all my drains have water traps, I am not worried about fumes. But mainly I'm not worried because like I said we really don't use the black water tank for its intended purpose. It seems from the responses here that they folks who use this method have done so with no issues. I really appreciate the idea for such a simple way to gain more holding tank space. And the last one is unique in controlling where the waste water goes. A method that should work really good. I'll be trying it to see what happens.
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Old 12-25-2016, 08:15 AM   #13
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Well, if you're going to attempt it and do not use the facility facilities exclusively as the OP does, I think you might have to have a little concern that a huge log (Not of the Yule variety) could possibly backtrack itself into the gray tank. Then you might have a remote chance of it somehow clogging up the 1-1/2 plumbing should it get lodged in there somehow.
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Old 12-25-2016, 08:28 AM   #14
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1.5 inch diameter log??? Yes that might "hurt" ---your tank !!

Russell
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Old 12-25-2016, 08:34 AM   #15
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I have been chuckling since post #13. Now after #14, I am laughing for real. I just have this image of the "Yule" log gliding effortlessly between tanks.

As for a 1.5 log, I think I would need stitches...
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Old 12-25-2016, 08:36 AM   #16
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1.5 inch diameter log??? Yes that might "hurt" ---your tank !!

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Old 12-25-2016, 09:16 AM   #17
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When I was traveling my gray tanks with a garden hose attachment to discharge pipe would spring a leak after dark
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Old 12-25-2016, 09:23 AM   #18
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I have been chuckling since post #13. Now after #14, I am laughing for real. I just have this image of the "Yule" log gliding effortlessly between tanks.

As for a 1.5 log, I think I would need stitches...
I guess I should add;

Unlike some other plumbing if you get my drift, 1-1/2" ABS will not stretch a mile before it tears an inch.
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Old 12-25-2016, 09:56 AM   #19
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When I was traveling my gray tanks with a garden hose attachment to discharge pipe would spring a leak after dark
X2. All the surrounding foliage gets watered well. But I always get a kick out of these threads. They are like fart jokes, always funny, no matter how old you are!
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