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Old 04-19-2020, 05:41 PM   #1
adrosenberg
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How to use Gray and Black tanks!?

hey all, I'm new to trailer living and have a few questions about using my gray and black tanks appropriately. so to begin im hooked up to plumbing in to the ground. does that mean I can leave my grey tank valve open always? also, should I leave black tank open always or try and let it fill with water so everything exits easier when I do finally open the valve?
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Old 04-19-2020, 05:49 PM   #2
chuckster57
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Welcome to the forum!!
All waste tanks should stay closed until they need to be dumped. There will be some that say the tank sensors are useless, but with proper care they can work as designed for the life of the trailer.

Black tank: lots of water will keep things moving, and a TP that dissolves is mandatory. Odor control comes in many forms so find the one best for you including the “geo method”.

Gray tanks. If you rinse a lot of greasy stuff and food, the sensors can start indicating wrong. HOT water and Dawn a Ultra Blue have been my fix for years.
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Old 04-19-2020, 05:57 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adrosenberg View Post
hey all, I'm new to trailer living and have a few questions about using my gray and black tanks appropriately. so to begin im hooked up to plumbing in to the ground. does that mean I can leave my grey tank valve open always? also, should I leave black tank open always or try and let it fill with water so everything exits easier when I do finally open the valve?
Great questions: thanks for asking.

Black Tank: this will be for waste from the toilet(s). Do NOT leave your black tank valve open all of the time. Solid waste will build up (into what is referred to as "the poop pile" or mountain and will be extremely hard to get out of the tank. Close your black tank drain valve; use adequate water with each flush to insure that their is a mix of solid and liquid waste; use an additive (such as the deodorant baggies or other additives - you will get lots of feedback on this); let the tank go for some period of time (a week?) depending on use. I don't like dumping the black tank unless it is at least 1/2 full.

Grey Tank(s): this is for sink and shower drains. While you can leave your drain valve(s) open without damaging the system, I prefer to have plenty of grey water available to flush after I drain the black tanks. So I typically close my grey valves.

In fact, I keep everything closed and use the grey tanks as my gauge as to when to dump. It might take a week or even two for just the two of us to fill the grey tanks. Then I dump the black tanks, use the tank flushing system, then dump the grey tanks. This helps keep the hoses and pipes from holding solid waste.

I'm sure you will get plenty of advice on this subject. Enjoy your RV experience!
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Old 04-19-2020, 06:42 PM   #4
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I agree with above, I always leave the tanks closed and dump them every few days. Lots of liquids give you lots of turbulence to clean everything out.
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Old 04-20-2020, 06:32 AM   #5
adrosenberg
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thanks everyone, these are exactly the answers I needed. my travel trailer is on a slant, which I think contributes to the grey tank leaking when it gets full. so ive seen heavy dripping coming from it a coupe of times, which is why im scared to keep valve closed. so if I empty tanks weekly then , should I open black tank valve first, then grey tank?
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Old 04-20-2020, 06:49 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adrosenberg View Post
thanks everyone, these are exactly the answers I needed. my travel trailer is on a slant, which I think contributes to the grey tank leaking when it gets full. so ive seen heavy dripping coming from it a coupe of times, which is why im scared to keep valve closed. so if I empty tanks weekly then , should I open black tank valve first, then grey tank?
Yes. Dump black tank first, then grey to flush out the lines.

Regarding your "leaking" valves, that is not at all unusual. Any small amount of solid matter can keep these valves from completely sealing. Many of us also install what I call a "last chance" valve at the very end of the 3" dump line. This added protection allows you to remove the dump cap and set up your dump hose and fittings before opening the system up. If you have a "leaking" tank valve and no last chance valve, when you remove the cap on your dump line you stand a chance of getting a shower! I chose to cut my 3" line close to the cap and glue in a permanent "last chance" valve; you can also get a twist-in type with bayonet fitting like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T58-...s%2C258&sr=8-4 Shop around; this link is just to show you the style. Also recommend a clear plastic 45 or 90 degree twist-on fitting so you can monitor what is coming out of the tanks - helps in ensuring they are clean during dumping.

Hope that helps.
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Old 04-20-2020, 07:21 AM   #7
KSH
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
Welcome to the forum!!
All waste tanks should stay closed until they need to be dumped. There will be some that say the tank sensors are useless, but with proper care they can work as designed for the life of the trailer.

Black tank: lots of water will keep things moving, and a TP that dissolves is mandatory. Odor control comes in many forms so find the one best for you including the “geo method”.

Gray tanks. If you rinse a lot of greasy stuff and food, the sensors can start indicating wrong. HOT water and Dawn a Ultra Blue have been my fix for years.
Chuck, my kitchen grey says 2/3 all the time now. What's the remedy, Dawn and keep running hot water? I don't think my water heater will produce enough how water to fill the tank.
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Old 04-20-2020, 07:25 AM   #8
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Old 04-20-2020, 09:10 AM   #9
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Chuck, my kitchen grey says 2/3 all the time now. What's the remedy, Dawn and keep running hot water? I don't think my water heater will produce enough how water to fill the tank.
Run the water heater on both LP and electric. Make sure its cycled so you have a full water heater of HOT water. Plug a kitchen sink and pour a LOT of dawn ultra blue into the sink, run the hot water and fill the sink about 1/2 way.

now for the NOT SO FUN part, pull the plug and let the water run. It may take a couple of treatments, I'm batting .999 in 9 years.
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Old 04-20-2020, 09:19 AM   #10
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Let it run until full, how long before dumping the tank and going for round 2, any soak time?
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Old 04-20-2020, 12:02 PM   #11
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How to use Gray and Black tanks!?

Quote:
Originally Posted by KSH View Post
Let it run until full, how long before dumping the tank and going for round 2, any soak time?

I like to leave it for at least 2 hours. Been known to leave for a day.
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Old 04-20-2020, 05:56 PM   #12
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put dish soap in tank ,fill tank about 1/2 full of water,before you go camping,then take a trip,when you get to campground,with water and sewer hookups,drain your gray tank,and add more water in it,then drain it again.
tank should be clean!
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Old 04-20-2020, 06:30 PM   #13
mtofell
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I leave grey open all the time when camping for an extended period and black closed. When coming up on dumping a load of black I close the gray to let some "rinse" water build up to clean the hose. Now that I use a macerator the whole cleaning the hose thing is less of an issue but I still generally follow the same program.

A lot also depends on how you use the trailer. We are a family of 5 and a closed gray tank can fill up seemingly in minutes which is one reason I lean towards just leaving it open.
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Old 04-28-2020, 09:38 AM   #14
mikz86ta
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You didn't post the model of your coach or if it's a TT or 5er.
Some rigs have 1 black, 1 gray. Or 1 black, 2 gray. Or even 2 black and 2 gray.
Believe it or not, some people didn't know they had a second gray tank and also a separate flush valve.
Ours has the 2/2 setup and valves on each. 1 BLK and 1 GREY valve is in our wetbox. While the other 2 are frame-mounted 8ft apart under the large slide out..
So familiarize yourself with how many thanks and valves.

There is also a separate fresh water tank valve and shute but that's usually under the rug and downfiring.
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Old 04-28-2020, 10:21 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by mikz86ta View Post

There is also a separate fresh water tank valve and shute but that's usually under the rug and downfiring.
WHAT?????


You should also have a fresh water drain & hot/cold low point drains hanging underneath somewhere.
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Old 04-28-2020, 10:24 AM   #16
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WHAT?????


You should also have a fresh water drain & hot/cold low point drains hanging underneath somewhere.
LOL not rug, but meant rig. Stupid auto correct hehehe 😂
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Old 04-28-2020, 10:28 AM   #17
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I think the autocorrect is starting a new language, or at the least a new dialect.
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Old 05-18-2020, 06:22 PM   #18
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I leave grey open all the time when camping for an extended period and black closed. When coming up on dumping a load of black I close the gray to let some "rinse" water build up to clean the hose. Now that I use a macerator the whole cleaning the hose thing is less of an issue but I still generally follow the same program.

A lot also depends on how you use the trailer. We are a family of 5 and a closed gray tank can fill up seemingly in minutes which is one reason I lean towards just leaving it open.
Yes, this is what we do, we leave the grey open and the dy before we leave, close the grey, then flush the black and then open the grey to flush out the nasty. Hoping that my black valve never get stuck or blocked. That would be a really nasty job to fix or replace. Go cheap somewhere else but not the black tank valve. Kid
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Old 05-19-2020, 02:09 AM   #19
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Misc notes:

1 your gauges never work in an RV...learn when to dump.

2 you can leave your gray water opened but close a day or two before you dump black (take a couple of showers while gray is closed.
3 you don't have to do anything in terms of cleaning the gray tank.
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Old 05-24-2020, 02:07 PM   #20
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I bought a water meter and I put it on the water hose to the camper. I can see how much water we use. When tanks show full, and they should not be. Check netter to see how much water was used. Talk to the wife and see what usage is, and go from there. It is interesting at the end of a trip to see how much water is used.

If you decide to do this. Get a meter that is drinking water rated. All you need is a 1/2 inch meter. I got a 3/4 inch meter which is big and not needed
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