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Old 10-19-2017, 02:31 PM   #1
marcarolle
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Default Bathroom lavatory sink: is it going to grey or dark tank?

The owner manual I have (not sure I have the appropriate one) says that the bathroom sink MAY drain in the black water tank.

Other than starting with empty GREY and BLACK tanks, and letting the faucet run for a while to find out which tank if filling up, is there another way to find where that sink drains?
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Old 10-22-2017, 07:46 PM   #2
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unless there is some sort of overflow bypass.. all the trailers I've ever owned or seen it will go to the grey tank but not familliar with your model specifically. I would think this would be a standard practice.
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Old 11-12-2017, 02:38 AM   #3
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The bathroom sink on my 5211 drains to the black tank. Try this... With the water pump OFF, hold the flush valve of the toilet open and pour a pitcher of water down the sink. If it drains into the black tank, you should/may be able to hear it, especially if your toilet is directly over your black tank like mine is. Good luck.
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Old 11-12-2017, 08:06 AM   #4
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Yes, try Larry's idea.
But don't be surprised if the bath sink and toilet share the black tank. These manufacturers study costs down to the dime per unit manufactured and if it saved a buck in the process, you can be sure they cut the corner to do that, especially in long rigs like fifth wheelers with the bath at one end and the kitchen at the other.
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Old 11-19-2017, 11:20 PM   #5
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I do (still) need to test mine also, but strongly suspect bath sink goes to the BLACK tank, as Black filled much too fast w/ a few preschool grand kids; contemplation says not necessarily bad, as books say you want the extra water to keep all liquid/ loose for easy draining. I also noted that (my) bath faucet has a hose connection threads. OTOH, the being FULL (as seen through toilet) really caught us by surprise, with (unnecessary fear of) overflow/ flood on the trip to the dump. NEVER Good to be surprised by a full waste tank
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Old 01-08-2018, 07:19 AM   #6
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In our house also the water drains into black tank. A few days ago, we saw a leakage in the pipe. On someones suggestion we decided to call up a sewer repair service NJ professional to help us out! Hope the mess created is solved!
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Old 01-08-2018, 12:00 PM   #7
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IF YOUR LEAK WAS UNDER THE SINK ON THE DRAIN, this is something that ANYONE can do, with the PVC plumbing, no tools required. Either 1) nut was loose (ONLY hand-tighten, never tools on PVC to tighten) or 2) plastic donut gasket snapped/ cracked and needs replaced. RARELY HAPPENS, BUT DOES AND WILL CAUSE THE LEAK. The reason I say everyone needs to know/ be able to is because this is where the diamond ring goes when you drop it in the open sink ** The donut slip-joint gaskets have a taper on one face that must match/ meet the taper in the pipe or if installed backwards, will leak.
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Old 12-06-2018, 09:43 AM   #8
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On our 1990 Sun Clipper 8275 27', all water on the back end (sink, shower, toilet) empties into the black water tank. The only problem we have is in knowing how small the tank is. Regardless of what booklets or forums say, that tank is only about 10-12 gallons, and the grey tank only about 15 gallons, and they need to be emptied far too often, almost daily.
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Old 12-06-2018, 10:33 AM   #9
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Default Mine Drains in the Black Tank

On my 05 Sun Voyager the bathroom sink drains into the black tank. I did realize it at first but remembered to do a test while dumping. It is fine as long as you know it. Even I used to let the water run in the bathroom like I was home when brushing teeth or scrubbing up after using the toilet. Now we brush our teeth in the kitchen sink and use the bathroom sink sparingly as we now know.It is no big deal if your on a full hookup but can be a problem if dry camping.



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Old 12-06-2018, 11:09 AM   #10
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Sudsy,


Even at a full hookup it is good practice to keep the black tank valve closed and dump it periodically when you reach half full or more.


I lived aboard my TourMaster for 5+ years and followed a routine like this:
-- keep the grey tank valve open during the week (my shower drained to the grey tank...)
-- on weekends, I closed the grey valve and did my 4 to 5 loads of laundry. This established a 3/4 full or more grey tank to 'wash out' the sewer hose after draining the black tank.
-- Drain the black tank, followed by draining the grey tank. The TourMaster also had build in tank spray wash which I used when both valves were open.
-- Leave the gray valve open and close the black valve...ready for the next week cycle.


By not leaving the black tank valve open all the time you do not risk the build up of solids in that tank when the liquids all drain out. More liquid in the black tank is a good thing by and large...hence the trend to have the bath lav drain into the black tank.


In deep winter, I kept both valves on the tank closed and watched closely when the grey needed an extra drain cycle, as a trickle or occasional flow of water in the outside sewer hose due to gray usage will freeze solid and eventually block everything. You definitely do not want that!


I also used an electrically heated fresh water hose from the RV park hookup during those months.


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Old 12-06-2018, 01:01 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck v View Post
Sudsy,


Even at a full hookup it is good practice to keep the black tank valve closed and dump it periodically when you reach half full or more.


I lived aboard my TourMaster for 5+ years and followed a routine like this:
-- keep the grey tank valve open during the week (my shower drained to the grey tank...)
-- on weekends, I closed the grey valve and did my 4 to 5 loads of laundry. This established a 3/4 full or more grey tank to 'wash out' the sewer hose after draining the black tank.
-- Drain the black tank, followed by draining the grey tank. The TourMaster also had build in tank spray wash which I used when both valves were open.
-- Leave the gray valve open and close the black valve...ready for the next week cycle.


By not leaving the black tank valve open all the time you do not risk the build up of solids in that tank when the liquids all drain out. More liquid in the black tank is a good thing by and large...hence the trend to have the bath lav drain into the black tank.


In deep winter, I kept both valves on the tank closed and watched closely when the grey needed an extra drain cycle, as a trickle or occasional flow of water in the outside sewer hose due to gray usage will freeze solid and eventually block everything. You definitely do not want that!


I also used an electrically heated fresh water hose from the RV park hookup during those months.


Chuck



I didn't say anything about opening the valve!


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Old 12-06-2018, 01:22 PM   #12
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That's true -- you didn't... sorry for the presumption on my part.
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Old 12-06-2018, 02:18 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck v View Post
That's true -- you didn't... sorry for the presumption on my part.



It's just nice when on a full hookup that when I get about half full I run hot water in the sink until it gets about a full tank then let er rip and start over. Or when you just stay a day or two and don't have a lot of black waste but want to dump. It's a lot easier than holding the toilet valve open to run water in the tank. This and my flush system keep my tanks in order. I learned a lot after I bought a TT that had been on a permanent site for two years. The owner left the black tank dump open and used the toilet like a home toilet. It was pyramided almost to the top of the tank.



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Old 12-07-2018, 06:47 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck v View Post
Sudsy,


Even at a full hookup it is good practice to keep the black tank valve closed and dump it periodically when you reach half full or more.


I lived aboard my TourMaster for 5+ years and followed a routine like this:
-- keep the grey tank valve open during the week (my shower drained to the grey tank...)
-- on weekends, I closed the grey valve and did my 4 to 5 loads of laundry. This established a 3/4 full or more grey tank to 'wash out' the sewer hose after draining the black tank.
-- Drain the black tank, followed by draining the grey tank. The TourMaster also had build in tank spray wash which I used when both valves were open.
-- Leave the gray valve open and close the black valve...ready for the next week cycle.


By not leaving the black tank valve open all the time you do not risk the build up of solids in that tank when the liquids all drain out. More liquid in the black tank is a good thing by and large...hence the trend to have the bath lav drain into the black tank.


In deep winter, I kept both valves on the tank closed and watched closely when the grey needed an extra drain cycle, as a trickle or occasional flow of water in the outside sewer hose due to gray usage will freeze solid and eventually block everything. You definitely do not want that!


I also used an electrically heated fresh water hose from the RV park hookup during those months.


Chuck
This is priceless.

You always have to be thinking when you are working with limited sewer capability.


I have seen many owners with obstructions while trying to empty and they are practically up shiet creek without a paddle!


Thanks Chuck.
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Old 11-20-2019, 03:55 AM   #15
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one should check the pipe connections and the joints, that whether they are in a proper condition or not. maybe there is a problem with the pipe systems. If you are not getting it through yourself, then take help from plumber New Jersey who provides services in the New Jersey area.
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Old 11-25-2019, 06:39 AM   #16
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while this discussion comes up on many different RV forums, having a bath sink drain into the 'black' tank is not any issue, and is done this way at most any RV manufacturer and for many different models/floor plans for several reasons.

The most common reason is that the floorplan has the sink and toilet so close to each other, and on the same side of the RV, that it makes little sense to try to plumb drain pipe 'across' the RV just to have it empty into the gray tank. It's not just about 'money', it's about the reality of running plumbing pipe that must drain 'downhill' to it's tank.

Another reason is that while most of us would think that it's only 'proper' that gray water empty into a gray tank, and 'black' water empty into a black tank, there is no 'law' that requires gray water to 'only' empty into a gray tank - after all, they are both simply holding tanks. Manufacturers also realize that while we may think that we should have two holding tanks of the same size, and that's generally how it goes, most folks also generally fill the gray tank way before they fill the black tank. Having a bath sink also drain into the black tank simply gives the owner more 'time' before the gray tank is full.
Most of us empty both tanks at the same time, so it makes sense.

There is no 'right or wrong' to this equation. Both tanks are for holding waste.
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