Big Mistake

[MakinSmoke]

This morning I made a bigtime rookie mistake. I was using the blackwater tank flushing mechanism and walked away, got busy on another project and guess what happened? It helped that I had drained the blackwater twice before this happened and the overflow was clear water but still.....

However through this stupidity, I learned something. I had BOTH black and gray water tanks CLOSED. APPARENTLY, the black water overflows into the gray and the gray came up into the shower and overflowed onto the bedroom floor. It had just started overflowing when I discovered it.

What is the lesson you ask?

DON'T CLOSE THE GRAY WATER WHEN USING THE BACKFLUSHING DEVICE ON THE BLACKWATER AND IT WILL BE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO OVERFLOW.

That note may be in one of those manuals I never read, if so, a couple of you will enjoy that part but if you're like me and never bother to read them, here is a free lesson.

I guess now Miss Jo gets the new carpet she's been wanting.

I am serving several days in the dawg house.

[MakinSmoke]

This morning I made a bigtime rookie mistake. I was using the blackwater tank flushing mechanism and walked away, got busy on another project and guess what happened? It helped that I had drained the blackwater twice before this happened and the overflow was clear water but still.....

However through this stupidity, I learned something. I had BOTH black and gray water tanks CLOSED. APPARENTLY, the black water overflows into the gray and the gray came up into the shower and overflowed onto the bedroom floor. It had just started overflowing when I discovered it.

What is the lesson you ask?

DON'T CLOSE THE GRAY WATER WHEN USING THE BACKFLUSHING DEVICE ON THE BLACKWATER AND IT WILL BE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO OVERFLOW.

That note may be in one of those manuals I never read, if so, a couple of you will enjoy that part but if you're like me and never bother to read them, here is a free lesson.

I guess now Miss Jo gets the new carpet she's been wanting.

I am serving several days in the dawg house.

[ChiefJohn]

Virg,
You're not the first and won't be the last. I've seen two Rv'ers do the same thing, but they didn't recognize their problem until their RVs were flooded.

[Max1]

Does the grey flow into the black if it gets to full? I dont think it does on ours and would like to have a way to divert the grey water into the black tank as gray always fills much faster than black when dry camping. Any thoughts?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MakinSmoke:
What is the lesson you ask?
DON'T CLOSE THE GRAY WATER WHEN USING THE BACKFLUSHING DEVICE ON THE BLACKWATER AND IT WILL BE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO OVERFLOW.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Virgil, I think I read a warning somewhere to be sure the black drain is always open when black tank flushing. Not sure why though I am thinking for one if all is closed it would build a lot of pressure and possibly rupture tank In fact I am pretty sure there is a sticker where I hook on that says "Warning Black Drain Valve Must Be Open When Flushing"

[Workshop]

Virg, Sorry to hear of a hard leason to learn. Depending on how wet, and how much of the carpet got affected, can vacuum up and run a fan in the area to dry out. We do this in drying out carpet/floors in homes when needed. The carpet cleaning units at rental areas and HD can do a great job picking up water.

After going through my unit last week and working on the Waste water drawing, I couldn't find a connection on 'my' unit between the gray and black water tanks other than the common drain connection past the gate valves. With later models it might be different. Seems as if it would have backed up through the toilet?

Sorry for all the questions but see what you started. Did you see the water in the shower and flowing over or only that the floor in that area was wet. Reason for asking all the questions, with the open bath, the back flow device for the tank flush will possibly be under the sink, is it possible that when the tank filled it bleed out through the device under the cabinet?

Good luck drying out.

[MakinSmoke]

Work,
Guarantee it did not back up through the commode. No water in the water closet.

We had water in the kitchen sink and water in the shower, the residue is obviously gray tank residue. I'm pretty sure that the back up was through the gray water tank HOWEVER, remember who your dealing with here!

We "sopped" with towels for an hour or so and then we put on both vent fans, put in a box fan and turned on the BR AC. I'm on my way into town to buy a wetvac to see how much more we can suck out. THANKS for all the suggestions!

Paul,

You know I can't read! However, Miss Jo says there ain't no sticker anywhere that says that the black water tank should be open.

Guys, there is one more possibility, the backflush mechanism COULD possibly have a stream that dumps into the gray tank also??????

[rockintom]

Virg, Sorry to hear about your debacle...no fun. I have to agree with others here. I don't know how the black and grey are tied. Are you sure the grey wasn't full from the start? On a Excel with at rolling ball seal in the toilet (Thetford) I thought if you overfilled the black it would first come out the vent on the roof. So I heard. Did the black water come back up the toilet drain? I know we ALL will do this one time or another. I try to never leave the area or talk with anyone when I'm doing a flush with the black valve closed! I stand there looking at it like a dummy!

[MakinSmoke]

Tom,
I am positive that the gray was not full. We always run with it open and I definitly shut the gray just before I emptied the black for the first time. Besides, even if it was almost full, what diff??? it still overfilled and I had only one hose access at my spigot (no Y) so water was entering the fiver only through the backflush mechanism.

Again, I am positive that no water came out of the commode room. POSITIVE. The water came out of the shower.

Quote from Rockintom...
"I try to never leave the area or talk with anyone when I'm doing a flush with the black valve closed! I stand there looking at it like a dummy!"
Is that real hard to do?

[Workshop]

When I made the comment about the toilet backing up my mind was on the fact that you had an enclosed bath, then I mentioned you having an open bath when mentioning the backflow under the sink. Mind still on vacation I guess. Besides don't think well when my feet are wet.

Know your time is busy now. Still can't understand how they are connected, will have to give it hard thought. Know you have had the unit for awhile and have flushed the tanks many times, but is it possible that the flush is in the gray tank and has never been noticed before...or...the tank valves are mislabled. Could guess your answer, but what the heck...had to ask.

Run your box fan longer than you think, the surface will dry out long before the padding. The longer the better.

I've seen that 'lookin' Tom has, makes you want to turn your head and look away.

[rockintom]

Quote from Rockintom...
"I try to never leave the area or talk with anyone when I'm doing a flush with the black valve closed! I stand there looking at it like a dummy!"
Is that real hard to do?[/QUOTE]

Careful Virg, I was trying hard not to mess with you at this poopy time in your life, but....you're testing me!

[Route 66]

Black tank flushing procedures should include handcuffing oneself to the controls.

[Max1]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MakinSmoke:
I had only one hose access at my spigot (no Y) so water was entering the fiver only through the backflush mechanism.
Again, I am positive that no water came out of the commode room. POSITIVE. The water came out of the shower.
Quote from Rockintom...
"I try to never leave the area or talk with anyone when I'm doing a flush with the black valve closed! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

1.Why would one flush with black valve closed when it warns against it? Please enlighten me.
2.Are you sure your flusher is plummed into the black and not the gray by mistake?

[MakinSmoke]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Careful Virg, I was trying hard not to mess with you at this poopy time in your life, but....you're testing me </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm not afraid of you Droooooooopy.

Dirk,
Son, when Miss Jo finally gets through with me, there will be no need for handcuffs, I will not even move!!!!

[LarryGodby]

Virg will be sleeping in "Overkill" for awhile.