Black Holding Tank

[db77]

Anyone ever heard of your sink drain draining into your black water tank? I went to Alaska this year and boondocked quite a bit. On one stretch we actually filled up the black tank and the kitchen sink would not drain. Next day pulled into a camp and dumped the tanks. Filled up a bucket of water and poured it down the kitchen sink and went out and dumped the grey water. Nothing came out so opened the black valve and water came out. Contacted Gulfstream and the answer I got was they always route a bathroom sink into the black tank because RVIA Codes direct it so the black tank contents won't solidify. But in my case due to the floor plan the kitchen sink drains into it. Limits the number of days I can boondock. This is my 3rd motorhome and I never heard of this before but I have never boondocked for that long at a time before. Is this a norm or am I being brushed off by Gulfstream? Thanks for any input.

[Craig1959]

A similar thing happened to us this year before I figured out that the bathroom sink drains into the black water tank.

I would actually like to have your situation. We always fill our gray water tank well before the black water tank. The kitchen sink would actually help us balance usage better.

Moreover, I would rather have just have one big tank. The combined capacity would be impossible fill when boondocking since the FW tank is smaller than our combined BW and GW tanks. Besides, the days have past where it is ethical to dump any waste water on the ground. One big tank would just be better.

[RickO]

Yep I've heard of it being done for the purposes of balancing the holding tank capacities but I've never heard RVIA rules cited as the cause. Maybe it's just me but I don't think I'd like my kitchen sink tied into my black tank in any way.

[RoyM]

No kidding. If the rig is plumbed this way, there had better be water in the p-trap at all times.

[RV Wizard]

Many lavatory drains go to the black tank. Never heard of a kitchen sink drain going to the black tank. Have you investigated to see if the kitchen sink can be drained into the grey tank without too much trouble? Could there be a grey tank vent available? What year, model and floor plan do you have?

[mikron]

So what is going into the gray tank and why do you have one. It sounds like all drains go into the black tank. We always put 3 or 4 inches of water into the black tank to stop solids and flush very well.

[billyb]

yea recently i found out that my bathroom sink drined into the black tank. i had a slight leak at my tank rinsing valve, and i didn't know it, and it filled the black tank and it actually backed up into the bathroom sink. when i opened the toilet bowl, it blew out evry where, because of the pressure from being too full, messy. it happened to my grandson and he didn't know what was happening.

[db77]

Thanks for all your replies. My coach is a 2006 Sun Voyager 8388. It has 2 bathroom sinks so one drains into the grey tank along with the shower. The problem with trying to reroute th kitchen drain is the shower and other sink are located on the driver's side of the coach while the others are on the pass side. I guess it means while boondocking more paper plastic and paper untencils. I guess I never realized that some grey water drains into the black tank. Thanks for all your help.

[Doug13589]

I haven't found any information on the bathroom sink draining into the black water tank in the info found in the RV ,I found out in Texas one night when it was going to freeze .I was told run a little water and it will not freeze upworks at home.
Well I let the hot water drip in the bath room nd went to bed,,2 o'clock while making a run I stepped in water. The barth sink was overflowing,my first thought was the sour pipe frooze shut the water off and ran outside to the drain it was wmpty.Ipulled the gray water valve it was open,I pulled the black water and it flushed about the same time my wife flushed inside and screemed as the toliet was flushing backward .The resy of the night and next day were spent cleanning and drying.
There were many bad words said about Gulf Stream that night.

[puttin]

db 77,

You'll run across this sooner or later, but you can buy an external tank flush with a knife valve- just like the valves you have now. I use a flush king. Then you attach it to your outlet pipe and close the valve. Now you open both your gray and black valves on the rig and both tanks will have the same waste levels as you dispose of water...then- you just hook up you sewer hose to the flush king and you're done!
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[Jolly Roger]

We own a Tour Master that the kitchen sink also drains into the black water tank. We like this for two reasons. one the washer/dryer, shower, and bathroom sink drain into the gray and it will fill up fast. two, the dish water draining into the black water adds more water that helps break up the waste.

[RV Wizard]

Hello Jolly Roger and and to the Gulf Stream Owners Forum. We are glad to have you join us here and we look forward to reading of your adventures and experiences. I am sure you will enjoy the website and forums. Good luck, stay safe and keep us posted.