Black & Grey tanks full?

[FFred]

We have an MBS Isata FWS 24 and will be camping on our own property for 2 months as our 1930's seasonal cottage is demolished and a new modular home is swung in.

We have a dump station about 10 miles away so no problems there.

I am a boater and the Grey and Black tank gauges are never accurate , if they even work after a year or so.

I am guessing, but would a full grey tank show by water in the bathtub?

Of not, what is the clue the Grey tank is full?

TIA,

[SeaDog]

The gray may backup into the shower first as that is the lowest I think I would use the gages/lights on the tank indicators until they proved to be wrong avoiding any nasty situations.

[njfishing]

Yep tank sensors can be inaccurate.... Black tanks can be especially worse since there's all sorts of stuff in them that can foul the tank sensors. Gray tanks are not as bad and have been very reliable on my Roo...

And yes, since your bath tub is the lowest point in your drain system, excess drain water should show up there first..

[Kaadk]

Technically, if the water backs up in the shower, the grey's not just full, it's overflowed.

Since you're going to be camping on your own property, is there a way you can tie into your existing sewer/septic? Maybe through a cleanout? It'll save you having to drive 10 miles away every time you're full. Also, if you have a tie in, you can possibly just leave the grey open, (Not the black, never the black). That way you only have to worry about dumping the black when it's full, and it should be fairly obvious when flushing if the black's full.

[Nancyc7]

We have a Sunseeker 2400 for the 2 of us and the gray tank fills up pretty fast. I find washing dishes creates lots of gray water, compared to Navy showers. You could use paper plates and if your property is large enough, dump some gray around the place. It’s always shocking when the shower won’t drain.
I would try for a clean out, you could use it in the future for yourself and any RVing company. You might be driving that 10 miles more often than you like.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by FFred

I am guessing, but would a full grey tank show by water in the bathtub?

Of not, what is the clue the Grey tank is full?

TIA,

You may hear a slight 'gurgling' or slowing down of the water flow when the grey tank is filling.

If you are hooking up to a water source on the property, you might try a hose end water flow meter to estimate your usage. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not an exact science, but if you know approximately what you're putting in the black water tank each day, the rest will be grey water.

[Dbrote]

Originally Posted by Nancyc7

We have a Sunseeker 2400 for the 2 of us and the gray tank fills up pretty fast. I find washing dishes creates lots of gray water, compared to Navy showers. You could use paper plates and if your property is large enough, dump some gray around the place. It’s always shocking when the shower won’t drain.
I would try for a clean out, you could use it in the future for yourself and any RVing company. You might be driving that 10 miles more often than you like.

Nancy, we use a tub in the sink when camping that collects the dish water. Then we just dump the dishwater just like any tent camper would. Saves the grey water tank for showers.

[Wolverine 1945]

Ok let me have it !!! LOL !!!

Is there a problem dumping Gray water on the ground ???

[WildAggie]

Previously, most detergents contained phosphorous. Addition of phosphates to surface water can cause an algal bloom. This can reduce sunlight, which water plants need to survive. Those plants die, and the decomposers that break down those plants use a lot of oxygen. Without dissolved oxygen in the water, fish die off.
However, phosphates have been outlawed in detergents, except in special cases. Just make sure you aren’t using dishwashing liquid or soaps with phosphates. If not, it’s safe to dump that water on the ground. I would pipe it away from the trailer, as your sink water will still have food particles that can begin stinking and attract critters.

[KEN9XL]

Wolverine 1945 ... I agree with you on dumping grey water but once WildAggie spoke and put a crimp in that idea by adding food may be in that grey water and attract critters, well, now I am rethinking. Is it a good idea? Soap is usually in that mix, would that not deter critters?

FFred --- my gauges or lights haven't worked properly since end of my first season and yes the shower does fill up first or should I say, the water just does not empty out anymore once your grey tank is full. I have experienced it.

Now I empty grey tank on average every 3 - 4 days (2 people showering daily, washing various articles in sink daily, etc). It may vary by size of grey tank on RV verses individual usage.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Kaadk

Also, if you have a tie in, you can possibly just leave the grey open, (Not the black, never the black).

Wouldn't you want to have a little water in the gray tank to flush the hose after draining the black tank?

Maybe close the gray valve a day or two before dumping the black?

Larry

[Kimber45]

Make an off the grid "septic tank" or French drain to get rid of your grey water while you are parked there. Get it under ground instead of just dumping it above ground.

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Wouldn't you want to have a little water in the gray tank to flush the hose after draining the black tank?



Maybe close the gray valve a day or two before dumping the black?



Larry

Me personally, yes, I would. I always leave my grey closed until it’s time to dump. The OP though is in a different situation. They’re not just camping for a weekend or maybe a week. They’re talking about full time living in their rig for a couple of months while their house/cottage is being rebuilt. They won’t be unhooking and putting away their sewer hose. The next shower taken or sink full of dishwater will just as easily rinse that hose.

It’s more of a convenience factor for them. If they had to worry about closing the grey a few days before dumping the black, then they’d have to know a couple of days in advance about when they’re going to end up filling the black, plus will be back to their original concern that any time the grey is closed, they risk filling it to the point it backs up into the shower.

For the standard weekend warrior like us though, I would always recommend to just leave the grey closed. Having a full grey helps flush out the little bits of hair and food particles that gets in there.

[KEN9XL]

Larry-NC --- Yes, I do leave some water in the grey tank, especially if I know I am going to empty the black tank. If I only empty grey, I dump half by guesstimate. I always have enough water in grey by my choosing to flush after emptying black tank.
I have an island kitchen and it is separate from the bathroom, so I have two grey tanks to worry about and empty. I never leave the black or grey tank valve open continuously, nor would I ever, especially the black tank. Then I create internal sludge. No thanks!

[Retired JSO]

I assume your cottage has a septic system. I would find the clean out fitting in the line from the cottage and using a tot a turd, drain into the cottage septic system.

[jtesta1]

Dont you have sewage service with your cottage. Can't you dump there.

[Splitshaft]

I am simply amazed by all the RV owners in these forums who have so much trouble with inoperative/inaccurate, not working after the first use of their holding tanks sensors. I have never experienced any troubles with my holding tanks sensors in the 23 years of having RV’s with holding tanks sensors by using chemicals in both gray and body waste tanks and flushing after each use and storing tanks with enzyme holding tank solutions. We do a lot of dry camping and rely on our holding tank sensors 100-percent to manage our waste water.

[B and B]

Originally Posted by Wolverine 1945

Ok let me have it !!! LOL !!!

Is there a problem dumping Gray water on the ground ???

No! A Real Campground. Not a RV park, where do you think the dishpan goes with the Tenter or Pop Up??? In the forest!!

[FFred]

Thanks for the responses folks.

Monitoring the bathtub will be easiest.

In our situation we are lakefront , and a massive error by city engineers caused them to outlaw std septic systems (their new system failed horribly ) so as a cover up even fine systems that passed tests were outlawed.

We are stuck with a poop pump, a tank stuck in the yard that fills and then automatically pumps into the city installed waste line in under the street.


By failing every cottage the cost of the sewer line to operate a park was covered up.


With the house demolished taping into the waste line and running 240V to the pump is far more work than taking a look at the bathtub , and going for a ride.


Grey water from showers has as many pathogens as black water , it just smells less from the soap .Not nice to be dumped on the ground.


Folks that wish to monitor tanks , fuel water black or grey waste can do this with the tank tender system.

No sensors , no electric.


Tank Tender

www.thetanktender.com/


An introduction and summary of the benefits of a Tank Tender by Hart Systems.

[mwdilday]

Originally Posted by FFred

Thanks for the responses folks.

Monitoring the bathtub will be easiest.

In our situation we are lakefront , and a massive error by city engineers caused them to outlaw std septic systems (their new system failed horribly ) so as a cover up even fine systems that passed tests were outlawed.

We are stuck with a poop pump, a tank stuck in the yard that fills and then automatically pumps into the city installed waste line in under the street.


By failing every cottage the cost of the sewer line to operate a park was covered up.


With the house demolished taping into the waste line and running 240V to the pump is far more work than taking a look at the bathtub , and going for a ride.


Grey water from showers has as many pathogens as black water , it just smells less from the soap .Not nice to be dumped on the ground.


Folks that wish to monitor tanks , fuel water black or grey waste can do this with the tank tender system.

No sensors , no electric.


Tank Tender

tanktender.com - Home


An introduction and summary of the benefits of a Tank Tender by Hart Systems.

Watching for water filling up in the bathtub would not be good if the DW was taking a shower and last night's dishwater started backing up in the tub . I'll stick with the indicators.