Installing 2nd grey water tank

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by pdqparalegal1

Unless there is a local ordinance against letting grey water touch the ground; slowely release grey water to shrubsry.
Read first line again prior to ripping off a scathing reply. No different than washing a behicle on driveway. Soap and water.

Exactly!!! Too many bad recomendations here!

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

Just keep in mind that when you go dump you will have a small amount of grey in the pipe section between valve and cap. Slowly remove cap with hose held under to catch the bulk of that.

I have an end of line valve that saves me the mess behind the cap.

[Evereddie]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

I'm not going to argue with you about this.

Just read the facts about this stuff.

I am NOT for leaving the gray tank open. No argument here. Of course the black tank stays closed too.

[JohnD10]

Out here in the wild wild west...dumping gray water on the ground will get you a fine and kicked out of the campgrounds!

Just because the water is 'gray' doesn't make it sanitary.

Gray water often stinks worse than the black tank!

Remember, you got food and other nastiness rotting in there.

[TsnTexas]

Same here in Texas as well as many other state parks and all National Parks. I agree that everything in the grey water tank is biodegradable but was told by a Park Ranger that it's the continuous application of soap around the campsite that's the issue. I could buy a good tote tank to offload water, but more expensive than adding a tank to the trailer.

[Evereddie]

I always thought adding another tank was a good idea. My initial research into this came back with the answer, "oh no you don't want to do that. It'll upset the design factors". Well from the purest point of view, yes. From the practical point of view its adding 160 to 200 lbs of weight from the campsite to the dump station. Warranty has expired so I'm seriously thinking about it.

[rmac04401]

Originally Posted by Evereddie

I always thought adding another tank was a good idea. My initial research into this came back with the answer, "oh no you don't want to do that. It'll upset the design factors". Well from the purest point of view, yes. From the practical point of view its adding 160 to 200 lbs of weight from the campsite to the dump station. Warranty has expired so I'm seriously thinking about it.

But are you really adding weight besides your tank weight.

You arrive at campsite with empty tanks. If you fill your fresh water with 60 gal of water because you won’t have city water.

On arrival

Black 35 gal tank empty
Grey 35 gal tank empty

Your two fresh tanks empty. (Original one 40 extra 20)

You fill fresh full 60 lbs

You use your fresh tanks.

Fills your grey full. 35 gal
Fills your black ( doubtfull) 25
Your fresh is empty now. Unless you fill your fresh you have not added any additional weight that the trailer was not designed to hold.

You still have 60 gal of fluids and solids that the waste tanks could hold. But you increased your fresh water holding by 58%.

Now if you arrived at campsite and hooked to city water and filled your grey and black it would weigh the same.

Now if you increased your grey or black tank capacity then yes it would be more weight of you were hooked up to city water.

If you were still at your 35 gal original fresh tank you would not be any over. Your grey may get more in it but you would still only have distributed 35 gal of water to tanks.

Now if you refilled your fresh with Jerry cans then yes you would have more weight.

It would all depend on what tank you were expanding.

[ependydad]

I actually really like the idea. Our shower tank is the one that fills the quickest when we boondock. I'd love to add a 2nd tank and be able to utilize it.

[quicky06]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

Never say never!

Black tank...gray tank...they are both dumping into the same sewer, which is where the gases will come from, not your tanks!

From the black tank the gases can only come up through the toilet, but your gray tank the gases can come up through the kitchen and bathroom sinks, and the shower.

If you read up on this subject you'll find that leaving tanks open is not suggested.

You do know that all the grey drains you listed have “P” traps to stop the gasses from reaching inside.

[SlfMdeFam]

I like the idea. If you end up not doing it there’s absolutely no reason not to keep the valve open on the grey tank. Each fixture has a P-Trap on the drain and the sewer gas will not bypass the liquid in the traps. We leave our grey tank open but on the last night I close it allowing it to fill up so in the morning after breakfast dishes it’s darn near full. Then before leaving I dump the Black then the grey cleaning the hose.

Good luck [emoji41][emoji631]

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by quicky06

You do know that all the grey drains you listed have “P” traps to stop the gasses from reaching inside.

Already addressed that above...go back and read!

[quicky06]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

Already addressed that above...go back and read!

It’s amazing you leave your bubble at alll to go camping if your that paranoid.

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by Chris Allen

I like the idea. If you end up not doing it there’s absolutely no reason not to keep the valve open on the grey tank. Each fixture has a P-Trap on the drain and the sewer gas will not bypass the liquid in the traps. We leave our grey tank open but on the last night I close it allowing it to fill up so in the morning after breakfast dishes it’s darn near full. Then before leaving I dump the Black then the grey cleaning the hose.

Good luck [emoji41][emoji631]

Another person who knows what to do!!! Using common sense!!! Unlike the turkey below who doesn't gave a clue!!!

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by quicky06

It’s amazing you leave your bubble at alll to go camping if your that paranoid.

It really isn't that hard to do it the right way.

Those in the bubble are the ones that do what they want to do, regardless of what is right or wrong.

Think about it...

[Evereddie]

Originally Posted by rmac04401

But are you really adding weight besides your tank weight.

You arrive at campsite with empty tanks. If you fill your fresh water with 60 gal of water because you won’t have city water.

On arrival

Black 35 gal tank empty
Grey 35 gal tank empty

Your two fresh tanks empty. (Original one 40 extra 20)

You fill fresh full 60 lbs

You use your fresh tanks.

Fills your grey full. 35 gal
Fills your black ( doubtfull) 25
Your fresh is empty now. Unless you fill your fresh you have not added any additional weight that the trailer was not designed to hold.

You still have 60 gal of fluids and solids that the waste tanks could hold. But you increased your fresh water holding by 58%.

Now if you arrived at campsite and hooked to city water and filled your grey and black it would weigh the same.

Now if you increased your grey or black tank capacity then yes it would be more weight of you were hooked up to city water.

If you were still at your 35 gal original fresh tank you would not be any over. Your grey may get more in it but you would still only have distributed 35 gal of water to tanks.

Now if you refilled your fresh with Jerry cans then yes you would have more weight.

It would all depend on what tank you were expanding.

Good and valid points. Since we camp 99% of the time in State, National, and COE parks we don't need to bring in water. Just use city water, fill up tanks, and dump on way out. We would basically need to add a gray tank to the mix.
I was thinking that a 6 inch PVC pipe 7 feet long would hold approx 10 gallons. I could hang 3 of them and get an additional 30 gallons. (Weight would be 83 pounds per) That is double the 30 gallons I presently have in my Rockwood 2306. I'll have to go out and measure tomorrow.I may only be able to fit 6 feet but if that is the case then I could use 6 feet PVC and maybe go up to 7 or 8 inches. My camper has an open under-belly so this wouldn't be a hard project.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by Evereddie

I was thinking that a 6 inch PVC pipe 7 feet long would hold approx 10 gallons. I could hang 3 of them and get an additional 30 gallons. (Weight would be 83 pounds per) That is double the 30 gallons I presently have in my Rockwood 2306. I'll have to go out and measure tomorrow.I may only be able to fit 6 feet but if that is the case then I could use 6 feet PVC and maybe go up to 7 or 8 inches. My camper has an open under-belly so this wouldn't be a hard project.

I love the “outside the box” thinking. How would they fill and empty?

[spock123]

I asked a technician one time about adding a extra grey water tank as my camper under belly was open, he told me the best way to add a extra grey water tank was buy another camper that had two grey water tanks

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by spock123

I asked a technician one time about adding a extra grey water tank as my camper under belly was open, he told me the best way to add a extra grey water tank was buy another camper that had two grey water tanks

[tkarper14]

Ok, I'll bite....As suggested, I went back and reread the entire thread (twice). Then I thought about it and something is not adding up in my feeble mind.

Just like my stick house, my RV has p-traps on all showers and sinks. As a matter of fact, since my house was built in the 1930's, it still has some s-traps. Yet, I have no shut off valves available in my stick house to prevent sewer gas from the city sewer system backing up into the house. Gas is prevented from backing up by the use of these traps. How can a p-trap in an RV be less efficient than a p-trap in a stick house. If you have some "facts" that proves traps allow gases to back up, perhaps I should be installing some shut off valves in my stick house.

I have heard arguements that the traps evaporate over time, but since my Georgetown has two sinks in the rear bathroom, we have one sink that is NEVER used. (Yes I can say never because that is where we store toilet paper.) At the end of the season that trap still has water in it. Therefore that argument will not stand in my eyes.

After saying all that, I do not leave my gray tank open, but that is my personal preference and for my own seperate reasons. I am just curious as what these facts are and where i should be reading that states it is so dangerous to leave the gray tank open.

[Houston Remodeler]

We have a source here in Houston for custom made and stock RV holding tanks.

They run an ad on CL regularly

https://houston.craigslist.org/rvs/d...549935371.html