Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > Class A Motorhome Discussions
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 01-19-2014, 07:32 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
GregOk80's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Glenpool, Oklahoma
Posts: 326
Ok dumb question about Black and Gray holding tanks

A question that keeps coming to my mind on black and gray holding tanks. When we winterize how much should be left in tanks or should we leave the tanks open. Should we have lots of anti-freeze in tanks against the knife valves or dry?
GregOk80 is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 01-19-2014, 07:43 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
BFlinn181's Avatar
 
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 19,925
It's best to drain and rinse the tanks for winterization. You can use a little silicone grease on the knife valves. I wouldn't leave them open, varmints and creepy crawlies would find it too accommodating. A cup or less of RV antifreeze in each drain is all you need to keep the traps from freezing. Don't forget to drain and flush the water heater tank, then put the plug loosely back in place.
__________________

Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
BFlinn181 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2014, 07:53 AM   #3
Moderator Emeritus
 
Gary RVRoamer's Avatar


 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,519
x2. Drain the tanks and then add a bit of RV antifreeze via the toilet and sink drains (they sinks and shower need to have antifreeze in their P-traps anyway). A quart or so of water in the tank will keep the valve seals moist and the antifreeze prevents freeze damage. If the coach isn't level, use enough water to make sure some flows into the tank drain line.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
Gary RVRoamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2014, 08:15 AM   #4
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 20
related dumb question mi

Debate with wife needs be settled. Do you leave grey and black water valves open or closed when living in a motor home?by
AquaBlur is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2014, 08:24 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
topdownman's Avatar


 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 1,489
Black water valve should be CLOSED. Otherwise all the heavy "stuff" collects on the bottom. You need liquid to flush that out. If I'm going to be in one spot for a while, I leave the gray open until the day before I leave. That way I have some gray to flush after dumping the black.
__________________
Mark Anderson - FMCA 351514 - NRVIA Certified Level 2 Inspector
Louisville, KY
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 40QTH
2006 Jeep Commander
topdownman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2014, 08:42 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Noblesville, IN
Posts: 331
Since we are talking black and grey, why are they seperate? Seems like if they were together you would aluways have plenty of water for the solids.
__________________
2005 Country Coach 40 foot Inspire 330
HoleInOne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2014, 08:51 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Clayobx's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Willow Lakes RV & Golf Resort, FL
Posts: 3,163
Holeinone, good question. Many coaches have a "Sani con" system. This allows you to equalize the black tank, after draining, using grey soapy water. After rinsing the black tank several times with grey water, the black is equalized leaving approximately a third of a tank of grey water in it. This helps keep valves and gaskets lubed as well as keeping the walls clean. We have used this system for over two years and thus eliminating any odors or chemical use. Check it out Thetford makes the macerator pump system!
__________________
Clay & Pebble
2012 Providence 42 M. Spartan Chassis, 450 ISL
Ford Edge toad, RM All Terrane, TST TPMS, SMI Air Force One, RVM95....
Clayobx is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2014, 11:33 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Stealth01's Avatar
 
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: MidWest
Posts: 1,062
On some motorhomes, one of the bathroom sinks drains into the black tank. That's the way our 2002 Beaver Patriot was designed.
__________________
Ken & Anita[FONT=Lucida Console] 2011 Newmar Essex,4522,Cummins 500 ISM,2013 CRV,RVI2 Brake with TPMS
Stealth01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2014, 11:41 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Melmoses's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Montgomery, AL
Posts: 1,199
My two cents - keep the gray water valve closed until it is almost full, dump and then close it again. A friend of mine had a sever problem with sewer flies, they left the gray valve open. I am not taking any chance on that happening to me.
__________________
Mel (Melanie) and Harry
2009 Tiffin Phaeton 40QTH
2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport
Melmoses is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2014, 12:59 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
djbmsu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Polk City Florida
Posts: 1,930
For my two cents, we always leave the gray water valve open. Showers, dishes, laundry will fill the tank quickly and then fill the shower and then over flow onto the MH Floor.
__________________
Don and Nancy
[2018 Tiffin Bus 40 AP, 2022 Ford Edge ST , 9yr old sisters Sara n Kaycee, Havanese, Electric Catrike
djbmsu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2014, 06:07 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
al2ride's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,278
After tanks are dumped I fill them up with a bit of clean water and dump them again. Close the valves and put the cap on. While winterizing whatever pink stuff ends up in the tanks stays there. I then drop in a deodorizer and I'm done.

When it's time to have fun again, I dump the tanks once again and use some of this stuff: THETFORD DRAIN VALVE LUBRICANT
__________________
USAF Veteran
2014 Forest River Georgetown 351DS
2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Toad
al2ride is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2014, 10:06 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
falconman's Avatar


 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: On the Road
Posts: 1,223
HoleinOne, One reason (and maybe the major reason) they are separate is as djbmsu mentioned, when the gray tank gets full it will overflow into the shower; much better to have shower and dishwater coming up in the shower than urine and poop!
__________________
Dan & Arlene
2005 Monaco Dynasty Diamond IV
Chasing the good weather
falconman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2014, 01:34 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
gemini5362's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,079
another reason for having them separate is the way a lot of people hook to a sewer system. I am in the campground I am in now for 5 months. We keep the grey tank valve open to allow liquids to constantly drain. As the earlier poster said that tank fills up pretty quickly from washing dishes, showers, etc. There are a lot of posts regarding the problems that arise with leaving the black tank valve open. By having two tanks you can leave the grey tank valve open when long term camping and just drain the black tank when you need to. Which for the two of us is once every week or two depending no how cold it is outside.
gemini5362 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2014, 04:16 PM   #14
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 472
Plus with only one tank you couldn't rinse the stinky slinky with grey water after dumping the black stuff.
Fl_Richard is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
tank



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Black and gray water leaks Ikanthearya Class A Motorhome Discussions 1 01-06-2014 07:41 PM
Gray water level stuck '13 Meridian 36M Nxkharra Winnebago Industries Owner's Forum 42 11-26-2013 03:31 PM
Black & Gray Holding Tanks rideandslide Travel Trailer Discussion 7 10-25-2013 05:42 PM
Extended capacity of Gray/Black holding tanks Us3Here Entegra Owner's Forum 2 07-10-2013 06:08 PM
Holding tank replacement/upgrade? mickpick Class A Motorhome Discussions 2 06-13-2013 08:56 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:40 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.