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Old 07-09-2019, 06:33 PM   #1
eddiefenton76
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Dumping Grey Water into Black Water Tank

Typically grey water and black water tanks have the same capacity.
My grey water tank always fills long before the black water.

Has anyone ever drained grey water into the black water tank successfully?

Pros/Cons?
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Old 07-09-2019, 06:37 PM   #2
Logan X
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I have heard of someone using a five gallon bucket to catch gray water as it drains at the sewer outlet and then pouring the bucket with the gray water into the toilet. It seems reasonable to me if your gray tank is full and you have room in your black tank.
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Old 07-09-2019, 06:42 PM   #3
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Here is a good video that discusses boondocking tips. He talks about managing the gray water at 13:25.

https://youtu.be/VPH79iAIkIQ
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Old 07-09-2019, 06:43 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eddiefenton76 View Post
Typically grey water and black water tanks have the same capacity.
My grey water tank always fills long before the black water.

Has anyone ever drained grey water into the black water tank successfully?

Pros/Cons?
Technically if you plumb the grey & black together you'll then have only black tanks, Not sure of the rules in that.
If you add the twist on valve on the drain outlet you can combine/equalize 2 grey tanks if equipped, but I wouldn't recommend doing so with a grey & black.
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Old 07-09-2019, 06:46 PM   #5
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I agree with Danny, equalizing two gray tanks is ok but I would not recommend equalizing the gray tank and the black tank. If you did that you would essentially be making two black tanks.
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Old 07-09-2019, 07:15 PM   #6
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I agree with the above. Trying to "mix" the gray and black tank wouldn't be advised and is probably dangerous. If you're gray tanks fill too quickly, although obvious, I would suggest using less water. For us, a couple, our gray and black tanks fill almost equally - but we have worked to determine that formula.
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Old 07-09-2019, 07:34 PM   #7
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If I had no sewage outlet, I would often scoop the dishwater into the toilet when we had our Jayco 197. It helped a bit. Quick showers were in order.
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Old 07-09-2019, 08:49 PM   #8
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just dump the gray water tank,or is there sewer in it?
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Old 07-10-2019, 03:09 AM   #9
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[QUOTE=Logan X;349113]Here is a good video that discusses boondocking tips. He talks about managing the gray water at 13:25.

[url]https://youtu.be/VPH79iAI

He also has another video about 20 more upgrades, in the video he gives a fairly in depth explanation of what he has done for boondocking battery management.
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Old 07-10-2019, 05:47 AM   #10
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There is another issue with equalizing the gray and black tanks that's not yet been brought up. Most Keystone RV's are built with 3" black tank valves and 1.5" gray tank valves. Attempting to equalize would be "large solid chunks" in the 3" line and "migrating them to the 1.5" gray tank line with little or no water pressure. Chances are very good that the solids would get stuck in the smaller line and/or valve. That might be "OK" for a lucky one time event, but doing it on a regular basis, I'm guessing someone is going to be "digging poop out of the gray tank" before the end of summer.

I wouldn't recommend equalizing gray and black tanks for many obvious reasons such as smell through the vent stacks, possible leaking HEPVO valves (smell in the shower) and the inability to rinse the gray tanks (no flush valves) but also, maybe even more important, the much smaller size of the discharge plumbing. It's hard to push something designed to flow in a 3" valve through a 1.5" one.....

IMHO, that's just asking for trouble and expensive repairs.
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Old 07-10-2019, 06:54 AM   #11
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Another twist to the black and grey tanks. I frequently use grey water to flush the black tank.

Drain the black tank, close the add on safety valve, open the grey tank valve for 15 sec or so allowing grey water to enter the black tank. close the gray tank valve and open the black and safety valve. No grey water ever sees the grey tank and the black tank is cleaner.
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Old 07-11-2019, 04:55 PM   #12
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I've installed a setup that will safely move grey water into the black tank in order to extend boondocking days.

Photo 1 shows a "clean out" fitting I installed into the grey tank roof vent pipe.

Photo 2 shows an inexpensive 12 volt pump installed. The clear pipe is the intake with a filter screen and old fishing line weight attached. The orange pipe is the discharge.

Photo 3 shows the intake inserted into the cleanout, pushed down until the weight hits bottom (fishing weight sharp point has been filed down)

Photo 4 shows the pump discharge attached to the black tank rinse connection.

I have installed SeeLevel gauge indicators to ensure that I have the correct tank levels before pumping from grey to black tank.
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Old 07-12-2019, 09:10 AM   #13
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Call me naughty but all I ever do is Boondock camping and if my trip is long enough to cause capacity issues with my grey tanks...... I release them into the forest floor.

For clarification.... I don't camp in campgrounds... I boondock at single site spots in the woods.

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Old 07-12-2019, 09:19 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee View Post
Call me naughty but all I ever do is Boondock camping and if my trip is long enough to cause capacity issues with my grey tanks...... I release them into the forest floor.

For clarification.... I don't camp in campgrounds... I boondock at single site spots in the woods.

Lee
Many states have laws against dumping gray water on the ground, many don't. Years ago, when laundry detergents used phosphates in their products, the phosphates were polluting the watershed. Most states enacted laws to prevent dumping "gray water" on the ground to prevent phosphate pollution. Move ahead 20 years, we no longer use phosphates in detergent, so that pollution is no longer a concern. But the many states have not removed the laws prohibiting phosphate pollution.

So, what you're doing probably isn't being a "naughty" and may even be "good for the environment" ??? but depending on where you do it, you may be "breaking the law" even if you're "helping mother nature".....
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Old 07-15-2019, 07:04 PM   #15
eddiefenton76
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Follow up Q

Thanks for so many replies and ideas/thoughts. I love this Forum.

Just to clarify my original question, I was thinking of emptying my grey water into a bucket and then dumping that shower dish water into the Toilet.

Then I wondered if a hose from the grey water valve to the black water sewer tank inlet flusher would work???

Bad Idea?

Quote:
Originally Posted by eddiefenton76 View Post
Typically grey water and black water tanks have the same capacity.
My grey water tank always fills long before the black water.

Has anyone ever drained grey water into the black water tank successfully?

Pros/Cons?
QUOTE=eddiefenton76;349111]Typically grey water and black water tanks have the same capacity.
My grey water tank always fills long before the black water.

Has anyone ever drained grey water into the black water tank successfully?

Pros/Cons?[/QUOTE]
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Old 07-15-2019, 07:12 PM   #16
Hblick48
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Per my post above, I've successfully pumped grey water into the black tank.

Your idea of emptying the grey into a bucket and then dumping it into the toilet would work.

I don't think there would be enough pressure to connect the grey tank directly to the black flush inlet.
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Old 07-15-2019, 07:26 PM   #17
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When you do the "critical analysis" of pumping shower gray water into the black tank via the black tank flush system, you will find that there is a lot of damage you can do, not only to the pump you use, but also to the black tank flush system.

First, soap scum, human hair and even the dirt/sand that is in shower water will foul the pump diaphragm and any valves that might be in the pump, depending on the style pump you use.

Second, on some black tank flush systems there is a rotating spray head inside the tank. It may foul with human hair and soap scum. Then there's the anti-siphon valve through which you'll be pumping that "scummy water". As the weakest link in the system, no telling what damage you might do. Finally, there's a backflow valve in the water inlet connection. It's a plastic, spring loaded "plug" that opens to allow water into the black tank flush system and "springs closed" to prevent contamination (back pressure leaking) from any dribbles, should the system "burp" or "build pressure". Imagine what human hair balls, soap scum and the grit from the gray tank would (could) do to that valve. Once it's leaking, black tank contents that might get past the contaminated or damaged anti-siphon valve would (could) contaminate the side of your trailer and/or the fresh water hose, once you decide to use the system "for what it was designed".....

I'd think using the black tank flush system to pump dirty water into the trailer black tank is probably not a good idea for system reliability and/or longevity
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Old 07-18-2019, 09:20 AM   #18
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I would recommend taking a look at this youtube video to gain some extra gray water capacity. I thought it was a clever idea ==>

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Old 07-18-2019, 02:08 PM   #19
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Get yourself at least a 30 gal tote tank. Connect to your gray tank. You will have a larger capacity tanks.
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Old 07-18-2019, 07:42 PM   #20
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Just put a macerator pump on your 3in dump exit and you can put your grey water anywhere you want. Into the toilet, on your trees, or in the sewer dump.

Here is the one I use.

Flojet Portable Macerator
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