Overfilled gray water tank?

[Go Poly]

I have a 2019 GT5 and experienced an interesting set of conditions while leaving camp. A gurgling noise emanating from the kitchen sink was noted by the wife; while briefly stopped I inspected underneath the rig and noted water dripping from two drain locations. (Gray tank lights indicated full). Dumped tanks as usual. At home while unpacking I noted water and some debris in the water heater compartment.

My question is, did I overfill the gray tank? If so, why would it drain into that compartment? I would think that there is an overflow drain that is routed underneath chassis, like fresh water overflow drain.

What am I missing here?

Thx
Scott

[dalford]

Did your basement smell? Gray water stinks. If no, the probably not gray water.

If yes then if you overfilled the gray water it will back up into the sink or shower so if you have issues with good plumbing seals it could leak into your basement area.

[RobbieH]

Yep, when gray tank is full, your shower will fill. It's pretty obvious when the gray tank needs to be dumped.

[Go Poly]

Originally Posted by dalford

Did your basement smell? Gray water stinks. If no, the probably not gray water.

If yes then if you overfilled the gray water it will back up into the sink or shower so if you have issues with good plumbing seals it could leak into your basement area.

Yes it smelled and some debris like dirt was present. There was no indication of backup in shower. There was gurgling noise from kitchen sink.

So, are you suggesting that sealing around connections of shower drain, for example, may be less than perfect and gray water penetrated these seals? I guess that makes sense, but this suggests there is no specific overboard drain. Which, now that I think more may make sense as well because it is likely illegal in most states to dump gray water, other than proper dump stations.

Thank you dalford.

[Scrapper]

If your RV has a HepoV Waterless waste trap the grey water will not normally back up into your shower/tub. But then again if the grey tank is full the shower/tub will not drain. The HrpoV does have a reputation of not sealing backflow or odors if long hair or a small object gets stuck in it. Also, they can be damaged if someone uses a drain snake to clear it.

[Go Poly]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

If your RV has a HepoV Waterless waste trap the grey water will not normally back up into your shower/tub. But then again if the grey tank is full the shower/tub will not drain. The HrpoV does have a reputation of not sealing backflow or odors if long hair or a small object gets stuck in it. Also, they can be damaged if someone uses a drain snake to clear it.

Thanks Scrapper. I will look to see if I have one.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by Go Poly

Thanks Scrapper. I will look to see if I have one.

Remove the access panel on the front bottom of the shower pan and look inside. While your in there check the fittings for tightness.

[dalford]

Originally Posted by Go Poly

Yes it smelled and some debris like dirt was present. There was no indication of backup in shower. There was gurgling noise from kitchen sink.

So, are you suggesting that sealing around connections of shower drain, for example, may be less than perfect and gray water penetrated these seals? I guess that makes sense, but this suggests there is no specific overboard drain. Which, now that I think more may make sense as well because it is likely illegal in most states to dump gray water, other than proper dump stations.

Thank you dalford.

First , the grey tank should be a sealed system with nowhere for water to leak. There is the main drain and the vent pipe thru the roof. Then there is plumbing from the shower and sinks. Seems if it leaked when overfilled it should leak when you are filling it?

I don’t know your RV layout but what is above the water heater? Did this gurgling happen after you had dumped?

It just seems to me the only way you could have grey water, if that is what it was, in your basement is to have a faulty pvc connection or a loose screw on connection..

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by dalford

Did your basement smell? Gray water stinks. If no, the probably not gray water.

If yes then if you overfilled the gray water it will back up into the sink or shower so if you have issues with good plumbing seals it could leak into your basement area.

The shower drain is the lowest point in above the gray water tank. It's the first place to fill. You would have to have another 30 inches of water in the trailer before it shows up at the sink.

[jimmoore13]

1) The hot water heater and its "cabinet" should be isolated drain plumbing. By coincidence, grey water might seep into the hot water heater cabinet, but generally that does not make sense. If this is a persistent problem, look for leaks in your freshwater supply.

2) Hard-glued drain plumbing generally won't leak, but it can...see below. But much of an RV's drain plumbing is put together with the kinds of joints depicted on this J-Trap. https://www.amazon.com/LASCO-03-4227...7821547&sr=8-3 These nuts are notorious for loosening and leaking. Getting them to not vibrate loose takes a determined twist...sometimes (GENTLY) with some water pump pliers. https://www.amazon.com/Channellock-4...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== EMPHASIS ON GENTLE. Check every joint. Anecdote: Vibration from my home "InSinkErAtor" caused one of these nuts to loosen and start dumping water into my kitchen sink cabinet. Tightening it solved the problem.

Also, on my previous rig, I had a glued Tee fitting crack from vibration and frame twisting on some of the brutal roads I traveled when boondocking. I had to perform a plumbing repair and replace the hard plastic Tee with a rubber Fernco Tee to absorb the flexing. https://www.ferguson.com/product/fer...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

3) If the drains are not leaking, then there is only one place that grey water should back up into the rig...at the shower/tub drain. It's the lowest, so water won't come out of the kitchen or bathroom sinks. If you notice water in the camper, it should have "sloshed" out the shower pan...a tub should contain it.

4) If there are no leaks in your drain plumbing, and if water's not sloshing out of your shower pan/tub, then your leak is most likely from a fresh water leak. The most likely culprit is a cracked PEX fitting. PEX hoses are very durable and unlikely to leak, but the fittings at the joints are hard plastic. Freezing or vibration might cause one to crack.

You have some sleuthing to do, but fortunately it's not electrical. Also note that if you discover a wet area, leave the space open to the air to thoroughly dry after you perform the repair and before you close things up. Use a fan to circulate air. If things dry quickly, you won't have mold issues.

[dalford]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

The shower drain is the lowest point in above the gray water tank. It's the first place to fill. You would have to have another 30 inches of water in the trailer before it shows up at the sink.

Good point on shower... I forgot op was in a motor home. My shower is higher than my sink in my 5th wheel but also on a separate gray tank. I have backed up both at separate times.

OP, how many gray tanks do you have?

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

Remove the access panel on the front bottom of the shower pan and look inside. While your in there check the fittings for tightness.

^^^^ x2.
After a good bit of investigation, we found that the plumbing under the shower had worked it's way loose and was leaking. Not only had the gray water drain become undone, the black water connection was also loose.

If your gray water tank was full and the connection under the shower drain come loose, the water would have backed up under the shower and the water would go to the lowest point near there... probably the storage compartment.

Your wife must be pretty observant to hear the gurgling noise from the kitchen sink.

[happychappie]

Just as a process of elimination, given that you have spotted water in your hot water heater compartment, ensure that your hot water heater case is in sound condition if it has an anode rod which may have not been changed. This can be the case for Suburban heaters which is one brand that does have sacrificial anode rods which are designed to be slowly eaten away by corrosive waters instead of your heater casing, which can otherwise leak from corrosion if rods are not replaced regularly. That is after the rod is about 75% eaten away. Just some food for thought.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by happychappie

Just as a process of elimination, given that you have spotted water in your hot water heater compartment, ensure that your hot water heater case is in sound condition if it has an anode rod which may have not been changed. This can be the case for Suburban heaters which is one brand that does have sacrificial anode rods which are designed to be slowly eaten away by corrosive waters instead of your heater casing, which can otherwise leak from corrosion if rods are not replaced regularly. That is after the rod is about 75% eaten away. Just some food for thought.

Umm, Happy, two things:

1. Just before your post, the Original Poster reported that he had found the leak.
2. It's a 2019 motorhome, as reported in the first post. You can't really believe that the tank went bad in two years, can you?

[Kcoulter]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Umm, Happy, two things:

1. Just before your post, the Original Poster reported that he had found the leak.

No, the O.P. ("Go Poly") has not responded..."Reverse_snowbird" has found a leak om their rig.