Gray tanks fill too fast...

azloafer · 03-02-2010, 08:45 PM

At this time we are weekenders, until DW retires. When we are on an extended 3-4 day weekend the gray tanks get full with hardly anything in the black tank. We have been in State Parks and this is what happens: Most all the State Parks in Arizona have electric and water, but the lone sewer dump is on the way out of the park. In three days we filled the gray tanks (I have two) with next to nothing in the black tank. I had to break camp and drive to the dump site and then back to our camp site. We don't have a toad so we have no way to use one of those blue tanks. We see cars dragging the blue tanks all the time so this problem may not be just ours.

On our coach the galley sink and the bathroom sink drain into one gray tank. The shower drains into the other. We have started to use a dish pan in the galley and then dump it into the toilet so that we do not fill both gray too fast, but this is a pain. We quit taking china and went to paper plates to avoid having china to wash.

There is a product called the MAXIMIZER which attaches to the 3 inch tube where gray and black water comes out. I looked at it and made one out of a twist on gate valve. With the gate valve closed, you open the gray valve and then the black...the water seeks its own level so that the gray goes into the black because the gray is full. Well, this worked once! The second try, a day later, ended up with the tanks mixing so there was gray and black in the see through pipe end. So much for the maximizer. It would only work well if the gray tanks were positioned much higher than the black. They are not.

I am wondering if it would be possible to have someone (I am handicapped) plumb the two gray tanks so that when they reach two-thirds full they dump into the black. Then there would be no problem at all. Could this be done and what kind of company would do this? I don't know where to look. I need help and advice...Joe

doublej1808 · 03-02-2010, 09:14 PM

It seems to me that you haven't learned to conserve water like some of us have. When washing hands, turn on water (trickle) don't even wait for warm, turn off, finish scrubbing hands then rince off (again a trickle) may not even be warm yet, but you only used less than 1 gallon of water. When taking a shower, turn on water, get wet, turn off shower head, wash hair, turn on shower head, rinse hair, turn off shower head, soap down, turn head on and rinse off, turn off water. you will use 5 gallons or less. We take 2-3 showers a week each, and still have room in our grey tank after a week.

Beabop · 03-02-2010, 09:32 PM

It's a learning experience, we dump the dishwater in the black, rinse dishes in a pan, dump in black. We can last 4 days.

azloafer · 03-02-2010, 09:37 PM

Welcome...
You may be right. Our tanks are Black/Gray 62/72. We wish they were more like 35/99. Of course, if we were in a park other than State Parks we would have a full hookup at our site and there would be no problem. It can't just be us though, because all day we see people with toads dragging those blue tanks around to the single dump site. Sometimes in the AM we notice that it is real wet around some coaches. Could their gray tanks have sprung a leak during the night? Hmmmm?

Anyway, I guess you are right. We have to adjust to using a whole lot less water!

Joe

azloafer · 03-02-2010, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beabop

It's a learning experience, we dump the dishwater in the black, rinse dishes in a pan, dump in black. We can last 4 days.

That's just what we have started doing on our last outing and DW thought I was nuts. I feel better now. I'm going to show this to her. Joe

azloafer · 03-02-2010, 09:44 PM

Why the heck do they make the black tank so big when everyone needs more gray tank storage? I think my two gray tanks together are only equal to other people's single tank. Joe

kjburns · 03-02-2010, 10:09 PM

Not really an answer to your question, but some AZ state parks do have sewer. We go to Fool Hollow in Show Low several times a year. In the winter they alternate the loop that's open. This year the Red Head loop is open with 30A connections. The Mallard loop has 50A connections and will be open next winter. They're both open in the April through November. I'm pretty sure that other AZ state parks do have sewer on at least some of the sites.

You might want to verify that the levels shown are accurate. We have a total of 117 gallons of gray capacity and routinely go more than a week without dumping, even if we run the washer/dryer a couple of times. I know our fresh water tank shows empty where there is a lot of water in it. When I'm filling the tank it takes quite a while to get the 1/3 light on, then the tank fills quickly. I'm guessing that 1/3 is really more than 50%.

azloafer · 03-02-2010, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjburns

Not really an answer to your question, but some AZ state parks do have sewer. We go to Fool Hollow in Show Low several times a year. In the winter they alternate the loop that's open. This year the Red Head loop is open with 30A connections. The Mallard loop has 50A connections and will be open next winter. They're both open in the April through November. I'm pretty sure that other AZ state parks do have sewer on at least some of the sites.

You might want to verify that the levels shown are accurate. We have a total of 117 gallons of gray capacity and routinely go more than a week without dumping, even if we run the washer/dryer a couple of times. I know our fresh water tank shows empty where there is a lot of water in it. When I'm filling the tank it takes quite a while to get the 1/3 light on, then the tank fills quickly. I'm guessing that 1/3 is really more than 50%.

Show Low is a little too far for us on a weekend, but I did read an article somewhere entitled "Fool Hollow in Show Low" It said that it was an exceptional park and a lot of people did not know about it. When my DW can get more time off work we will try it out. Is it normally crowded or is there no problem getting in? Thanks, Joe

Norm4015 · 03-02-2010, 10:42 PM

Our motorhome has 105 gals fresh, 65 gals gray, and 45 gals black. Several times we have boondocked 12-14 days without dumping or taking on fresh water. It just takes a lot of thinking and learning to get by that long.

To determine how many gallons you use taking a shower do this. Empty the gray tank and leave the dump valve open. Set a bucket under the dump outlet and go inside and take a shower. Go out and see how many gallons are in the bucket. (Hopefully it didn't overflow.) Using the GI method I use a little under 2 gallons and my wife uses a little more and up to 3 gallons when she washes and conditions her hair.

NLOVNIT · 03-02-2010, 10:47 PM

You're on the right track conserving water with dishpan washing, eliminating dishes/cups/silverware you have to wash & taking "Navy showers".

Here's a some more: Line crock pot & pans with those cooking bags. Again, no pots/pans to wash. We have hand sanitizer dispensers in kitchen, bath & connection bay. Lots of times your hands aren't really grimy dirty, just not necessarily eating-with-your-hands clean. A quick squirt with the Purell & there's no water usage at all. Also, waiting for the shower water to get hot wastes water & fills up your grey tank. Keep a bucket in the bath & when you turn on the shower, capture all that cold water coming out to use for flushing the toilet. For women, shaving your legs in the shower uses a lot of water, even if you're trying to do the "Navy shower" thing - ya just can't do both legs without rinsing the razor every so often! So, forget shaving in the shower, bring an electric razor. Install a low flow showerhead, like the Oxygenics one you can get from RVUpgrades (a site sponsor). I've got one (as do a LOT of other members) & luv it.

Every little bit saved extends time between dumpings.

Lori-

kjburns · 03-02-2010, 10:47 PM

This time of year Fool Hollow only has a few people there. I would imagine it gets pretty full in the summer and, of course, they don't take reservations. If you can manage it, try going mid-week, rather than going on the weekend.

azloafer · 03-02-2010, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjburns

This time of year Fool Hollow only has a few people there. I would imagine it gets pretty full in the summer and, of course, they don't take reservations. If you can manage it, try going mid-week, rather than going on the weekend.

Thanks for the tip. We will definitely put that on our wish list.

Joe

steelheadbluesman · 03-02-2010, 11:05 PM

Another little saver is to use your outside shower for some of your clean-up. On warm days, you can hand-wash synthetics, wash your hands and even your hair just fine outside. I keep a jug of "Planet" or "Seventh Generation' soap (very green)in the wet bay, so I don't contaminate the ground water and area. Don't know about the ladies shaving their legs outside, might be kinda interesting

Lorna · 03-02-2010, 11:28 PM

Try adding low flow heads on your shower and sinks. I replaced the hand held shower head with a low flow model and when we replaced the Kitchen faucet it too was a water saving low flow. It made a big difference in how much water we used. Very important since my grey holding tank in a minuscule 18 gallons.

azloafer · 03-02-2010, 11:38 PM

steelheadbluesman, "and even your hair just fine outside" See my photo...no hair. I can save water there! Good info, Thanks Joe

tomsm · 03-03-2010, 05:34 AM

Joe - we camp a lot in Florida state parks and, like AZ, most don't have a sewer hookup. However, all the ones we've visited have very nice restrooms and showers. We don't even consider using our shower. It's a bit less convenient, but the reward is a home-style shower with lots of flow. Even the most frugal Navy shower is going to use more water than anything else in the RV (except, of course, the washer/dryer which we never use w/o a sewer hookup).

We only have a 48gal gray tank, but by using all the water saving tricks mentioned by others and using the park's showers, we can last a week (barely) before we have to dump.

Of course, if the park showers are bad this post won't help.

HD4Mark · 03-03-2010, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azloafer

Welcome...
Sometimes in the AM we notice that it is real wet around some coaches. Could their gray tanks have sprung a leak during the night? Hmmmm?

Never done this myself of course but there is a cap you can buy for the sewer connection that has a threaded connector for a garden hose. People tell me you can then open the gray a tiny bit and trickle it out. It is encouraged some places and absolutely illegal in others. Might want to ask the campers with "puddles" quietly.

azloafer · 03-03-2010, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HD4Mark

Never done this myself of course but there is a cap you can buy for the sewer connection that has a threaded connector for a garden hose. People tell me you can then open the gray a tiny bit and trickle it out. It is encouraged some places and absolutely illegal in others. Might want to ask the campers with "puddles" quietly.

I have one of those, but I just didn't want to start trouble. The pads are asphalt so people would see what is happening. I was also told about this dribble trick on another forum also. I don't think gray water hurts anything, but rules are rules. It would be terrible to be asked to leave. Joe

John Hilley · 03-03-2010, 05:30 PM

We have 70 gallons of fresh water, 40 gallon grey and 40 gallon black. When boondocking we can go 10 to 14 days. We use "No Rinse Shampoo" and body wipes in between showers. "No Rinse Shampoo" can be bought at beauty supply stores. The wipes are the type used for bed ridden patients. We also use the water drawn to get hot water for flushing and dump dish water in toilet. You might also look into a smaller Blue Tote of about 12 gallons that you could walk to the dump. Try staying closer to the dump area.

steelheadbluesman · 03-03-2010, 05:39 PM

Joe, you're so right, to be politically correct,I should have said "and it works for the top of your head, too!"

What was I thinking??