DG's folly that has been handy

[dgerstel]

I am sure that most of us look at some of the "upgrades" that others post and say why in the world would anyone spend the time/money to do that to their coach. I know that I feel that way myself, about some of the things that I do. We next to never use the rear TV, yet I changed to a flat screen and added a DVR, this was to gain the storage behind the new flat screen. Well I had just finished this one and didn't plan on telling anyone about it, I thought, how often will I really use this. I had thought of this before, but it was the last on my last of things to do, then I saw this nifty little pump at Harbor Freight.
When staying in many public parks, the sites have power and water, but no sewer. This requires one to take the coach to the dump site every time you fill one of the tanks. Our Alpines have some of the largest holding tanks of any coach, allowing us to dry camp longer than most. Since our black tank is so large, the gray tank always fills up while the black is still only about half full. My new folly, pumps water out of the gray tank and into the black tank, allowing one to dump less often.





We are staying in Florence, OR, first at a county park with no sewer connections at the sites and have moved to an Elks park that is the same. Before we were ready to change parks, the gray tank was at 90% full and I still wanted to do a load of wash and each of us wanted to take a shower. I pumped a lot of the gray into the black and didn't need to move the coach to dump, I just dumped as we left the park. The same will hold true here, I should not have to break camp and re-set up to dump, I will just dump as we leave.

[Jim Stewart]

Folly, I think, not!

Good idea and saves a real pain for that one extra dump!

[EngineerMike]

Adds new meaning to "anal retentive."

[Jim&MaryJo]

and "bowel movement"...

[dgerstel]

Jim,

Are you trying to tell me I am full of s*** or just this project?

[Jim&MaryJo]

Sorry, but Mikey started it

I got Mary Jo trained for dry camp/short showers, so I'm keeping this one to myself...

[WeBrzn2]

I like the idea and I don't think Dale is full of it, if he was, the black tank would fill faster!

[Voiceman]

Dale, this is a terrific idea! I was thinking about how to use the "flush" of gray water that follows the emptying of the black water tank - first.

Adding the additional gray water to the black water tank should improve the hydraulic head/pressure and flow - I think.

[dgerstel]

After using this system for the second time, I realized that this would be hard to do with the stock tank gauges. Pumping too much water into the black tank in not a good thing. With my Seelevel gauges I can read the tank levels in about 2% increments. Gauges, pump, plumbing and time to install = Lot of work for not having to dump as often!!

[Retiredfields]

On my 34, the grey tank is higher than the black tank. I have it plumbed so that when the grey tank is near full, it gravity drains into the black tank.

I used the existing tank flush connectors to plumb the two together.

[Old Scout]

Wow--I always "assumed" the black tank needed to be on top to accommodate the straight shot connection from the commode to the tank. Guess there are exceptions to everything--the 34ft being one.

[Lindenberg]

On my 36' 2000 the black tank is on the top so I would need a pump to move gray water into the black tank. Here is a picture of the tanks looking from the passenger side access panel.

[Jim A]

On my '04 36MDDS the black tank is also on the top. You can't accomplish it with gravity alone. The pump is necessary. And a good idea, but I don't have enough of a need to do all the work.

And for what it's worth, the commode to the tank connection is not a straight shot either. There are two 45° elbows, to adjust for a few inch offset. (Lindenberg's photo shows the elbows if you look at it.)