we have a 2024 Avenue 32rls with two gray water tanks that hold 53 gallons each for a total of 106 gallons of gray water. we are dry camping and was wondering and I have heard that if you leave both gray water valves open you can fill both with gray waste water from the shower and the sink in the bathroom. can anyone confirm this ? I know the shower and the sink fill up one of my gray water tanks really fast and the sink in the kitchen is rarely full when we use it. like I said I've just heard that once the gray water is full it'll push into the second tank. just trying to find out if that's a fact. any help appreciated. thanks!
Gray water tanks
- Thread starter SKYSKIOC
- Start date
In theory its true both tank will fill. But its not that simple. The position of the grey tanks relative to each other and the manner in which the tanks are piped to the discharge will impact how easily the tanks backflow into each other.
For starters if both tanks are not mounted at the same level they will not balance themselves or reach equilibrium between the tanks.
My experience has been that I can easily combine both grey and black tanks to increase my waste storage capacity but combining grey tanks has not worked nearly as well.
For starters if both tanks are not mounted at the same level they will not balance themselves or reach equilibrium between the tanks.
My experience has been that I can easily combine both grey and black tanks to increase my waste storage capacity but combining grey tanks has not worked nearly as well.
Midnight Rider
Prominent Member
Don’t your sink drains start to stink if you fill grey tanks with sewer?
Typically I'm filling my black tank with grey water. The black tank always has additional capacity vs. the grey tank. At times I try to take advantage of that additional capacity and allow the grey tank excess back fill into the black tank.
If bleed implies dumping it on the ground for the most part you should never need To bleed either tank .
On a 3 day weekend I can equalize black into grey and buy myself an extra day.
When its all said and done it ALL gets dumped at the dump station on the way out.
The tanks themselves don't know if the fluid they contain is grey or black in the end it all gets dumped into the same sewer connection
There is no need to combine tanks if you are on full hook ups. Its only when you have no sewer at the site and want to take advantage of the additional capacity available in the black tank.
2 people will never fill the black tank on a long weekend trip. That extra 10-20b gallons of available capacity in the black tank is the difference between using the tote to drain the grey tank or combining gray and black tanks to gain and extra day without dumping.
Typically combing tanks buys me a day and allows me to simply dump at the dump station on the way out.
The tanks really don't know or care what is inside of them! It's all dirty water that gets dumped via the same sewer outlet
Flyer32RLS
Well-known member
And THIS is what makes the world go round and round!!
Socal-Paul
Well-known member
If I might suggest might be possible to add lines a pump and valves to move gray water between either gray tank or to the black?
I wouldn't combine the gray and black either. I bought this cover, should I ever be without a full hook up. Just bleed the gray with a garden hose at night. I also thought about buying a screw on Macerator pump, if I ever need to do a controlled dump via a garden hose. You could dump directly into a septic tank or clean out at the house.
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Socal-Paul
Well-known member
If your dumping into a septic tank or house clean out there is no need to do it at night.
Correct. The thought concerning the macerator just flew through my brain and hit my keyboard..LOL
I have a flow jet pump to dump my tanks either into a sewer connection or into my 42 gallon Barker Tote.
However combining tank its so much simpler .
Generally I'm just trying to buy myself another day before leaving and dumping on my way out.
Think 3 day or holiday weekend. Trust me it works and it beats using tote or macerator.
For the record I'm on the east cost and have yet to camp anywhere that permits dumping grey water on the ground!
Even if it done under the cover of darkness or via a garden hose, still illegal where I camp.
However combining tank its so much simpler .
Generally I'm just trying to buy myself another day before leaving and dumping on my way out.
Think 3 day or holiday weekend. Trust me it works and it beats using tote or macerator.
For the record I'm on the east cost and have yet to camp anywhere that permits dumping grey water on the ground!
Even if it done under the cover of darkness or via a garden hose, still illegal where I camp.
I've taken a collapsible bucket, filled out with gray water, and poured it down the toilet to get an extra day or two while boon docking.
I'm some areas, when I know there are no food scraps, I've put out a fire or two. At home, and on some private properties we camp at, dumping the gray on the ground is much appreciated by plants. But I'd never do that on public property.
I'm some areas, when I know there are no food scraps, I've put out a fire or two. At home, and on some private properties we camp at, dumping the gray on the ground is much appreciated by plants. But I'd never do that on public property.
Yes your collapsible bucket idea is essentially what I'm doing. Only I'm manipulating the dump valves to allow the tanks to equalize and share capacity.
I agree with your grey water technique as well. I'm not totally oppose to dumping grey on the ground but only with the property owners permission.
I would not do it in some secretive let it trickle, no one will know/notice manner.