Black & Grey tanks

[JSpain]

Hi.. We have a 2017 Alpine that has two gray tanks and one black tank. This is our first outing and noticed the black tank filled up fast , well I went to empty and the black tank was the grey water but BOTH grey tanks was the Black water. I think it's more of a problem than switching name plates.
ANY IDEAS..??

[chuckster57]

Mislabeled tanks is a common thing. Best way to identify tanks is to empty all tanks. Then run the toilet until it reads 1/3. Pull handles until you get water draining. Then go to the bathroom sink and repeat. Once again do the kitchen sink.

[K_N_L]

Mislabeled valves are very common issue. Do you have an half bath or just a separate kitchen tank?

[JSpain]

Mislabeled tanks is a common thing. Best way to identify tanks is to empty all tanks. Then run the toilet until it reads 1/3. Pull handles until you get water draining. Then go to the bathroom sink and repeat. Once again do the kitchen sink.

Chuckster I pulled the black tank handle and noticed the water color was almost clear/ cloudy . Closed the valve and opened grey tank 1 and it was black waste water , closed that valve and opened grey tank 2 and same thing. I went ahead and drained all tanks, then I made sure the black tank was closed and I opened grey 1 tank and had wife hold the stool flush down and the water ran out the hose. Did the same with grey 2 tank same results.

[chuckster57]

Something isn’t right. Since it’s a ‘17 model. I assume no warranty and you bought it used?

[JSpain]

No sir it was new, illnesses kept us from taking her out, we do have an extended warranty. We sold our home and are going to live in this in the Dallas area until we find a house. So if this goes into a shop, we're homeless ��.

[JSpain]

No on both. As far as I know on the kitchen tank. Our trailer is the Alpine 3651rl. Not sure how it's laid out , on drains.

[Canonman]

Perhaps a mobile repair service is an option. Most mobile repair services will work with the extended warranty providers. It's a strange problem indeed when you consider the differences in the exit pipe sizes between the black and grey lines.

[JSpain]

Yep Mr Canonman it is however there is only one main drain line that I hook the hose to, which is probably that way on most all trailers, not sure..

[chuckster57]

Yep Mr Canonman it is however there is only one main drain line that I hook the hose to, which is probably that way on most all trailers, not sure..


Depends on the location of the tanks. I’ve seen single and double termination points. The termination point will be 3” but the drain pipe from gray tanks is often 1 1/2”.

[JRTJH]

I wonder if someone along the line somewhere pulled the black tank valve handle and the contents "backflowed into the gray tank" ??? That would account for "black tank contents" flowing out when the gray tank valve is pulled, at least for a couple of times until the tank is flushed well enough that all the "wrong stuff" is flushed out.

Just thinking out loud......

ADDED: I wouldn't be calling a repairman until I knew whether I really had a problem or if I just wasn't understanding what was happening.....

Here's what I'd do:

1. Pull all the handles and empty all the tanks, then close all the handles.
2. Run water in the galley sink for about 10 minutes. Pull the galley handle, you should get clear/soapy water (depending on what residual is in the tank) Once that is empty, close that handle, pull the other handles and you should get nothing out, then close all the handles.
3. Run the shower and bathroom sink for about 10 minutes. Pull the gray tank handle and you should get clear/soapy water, again, depending on the residual that's left in the tank. Once it's empty, pull the other handles again to make sure nothing flows out. Close all the handles.
4. Flush the toilet repeatedly (at least 15 gallons of water) while filling the bowl with the foot pedal, then flushing. That will partially fill the black tank. Go outside, pull the black tank handle and it should flow. Once it's empty, pull the other handles to be sure that nothing comes out.

After doing the above, you should know which handle empties the galley tank, which handle empties the bathroom gray tank and which handle empties the black tank. Mark them for future reference.

If, after the above, you have black contents from more than the black tank, you might consider a warranty issue or calling a mobile repairman. But, you'll feel pretty "embarrassed" (maybe stupid) if you call a repairman, spend $100 and find that nothing's wrong and you just didn't know which handle was which......

YMMV

[travelin texans]

I wonder if someone along the line somewhere pulled the black tank valve handle and the contents "backflowed into the gray tank" ??? That would account for "black tank contents" flowing out when the gray tank valve is pulled, at least for a couple of times until the tank is flushed well enough that all the "wrong stuff" is flushed out.

Just thinking out loud......

That was my 1st thought!
No telling what a previous owner or some knucklehead at the dealer or factory may have done.