Looking for ideas for fresh water fill/black tank flush mod on new model

[Cruzer]

I plumbed mine so that everything was behind the panel. I removed the black flush hose connection and replaced it with a pressure gauge to eliminate the empty hole and display the incoming water pressure. I then hard plumbed a pair of electric solenoid valves in behind the panel and connected one to the black flush sprayers and added a second sprayer in the gray tank for the second solenoid. I installed a pair of rocker switches that matched the macerator and lighting switches and added a small red pilot light to indicate when they were on. Everything was done with Pex behind the panel so it has a nice clean non-cluttered look and I don't have to connect or reconnect anything. I did add a pair of check valves after the solenoids just in case. The flashing red lights probably aren't necessary though because you can hear the sprayer work.

[czeeb]

I really like all these ideas. I am with Thousand Trails so most of the time, I dump on the way out or at the Flying J. I would prefer to use someone else's non potable water to flush and not use up my fresh water tank for flushing. I believe I will look into the quick connect with the hose sprayer for those times I have sewer at the site.
Great ideas guys.

[Nowabeachbum]

All you have to do is hear the story of the detailer that, as he was finishing up, he noticed the white hose on the ground. Thinking it was the water line, he screwed it back on and turned it on. The owner used a white hose for his black tank sprayer and he had left thinking all was great! Of course when he returned the black tank had overflowed causing massive damage. When I heard that, I decided a single line into the coach was the best way!

[brobox]

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

I'm probably odd man out on this issue, but the one thread that I NEVER opened and looked at after the first two or three days it appeared on the forum was the "Show us your mods page". I avoided it like the plague.

Gary

My retail paying buyer loved the mods and purchased mine over several he had looked at at LD. Might have been the difference between selling retail and trading in wholesale. I knew mine would sell with all the upgrades to the first person that looked at it and it did.
Different strokes, but I like improvements as what is factory for the flush system leaves a lot to be desired. As BeachBum pointed out...one ah ---- can really ruin a trip. I would rather spend a few minutes and a couple of dollars and have an idiot proof flush system.

[LWBAZ]

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

I'm probably odd man out on this issue, but the one thread that I NEVER opened and looked at after the first two or three days it appeared on the forum was the "Show us your mods page". I avoided it like the plague. The reason is that my philosophy is to find a coach that has 98% of what I want already on it, and then leave it the heck alone, if at all possible. My assumption was that I did not want to be tempted by a lot of other mods and to live with the coach that I have. It worked.

When I traded in my Anthem and the dealer was trying to figure out how much of a stock or highly ideosyncratic coach they were ready to take from me and asked me how many modifications it had, I could say "nothing major". I believe that the only mods I made to the coach in 3 years were that I put two additional push bars on the screen door/main door to protect the screen if the door banged me or DW on the feet or rear on the way in the coach, the additional turn signals down the side, added a couple of two-hook clothes hooks in the bedroom, changed exhaust pipes, added a one inch space on the living room thermostat, and set up for a gen-turu, added the Progressive EMS HW-50C, and that is about it. I was tempted by Pat's wine rack under the bed but I resisted. I think the dealer breathed a sigh of relief knowing that they had virtually a stock coach to try to understand and sell.

I have found that my decision on Entegra and the Anthem and now the Cornerstone has meant that I have 98% of what I want already installed and ready to go. Do I have to screw on a hose every once in a while.... yes, and I carry a couple of short sections of hose to accomplish things that occassionally need done like flush or add my water filters, but I hope that I will continue to find that I can easily live on this coach without changing it very much.

If I find that I need to make 50 mods to make it liveable, I will be buying another brand.....

Gary

Gary, I would never have figured you for such a killjoy!

But don't worry, we'll convert you soon enough...

[dennis45]

Originally Posted by brobox

Look for ideas of what other have done plumbing wise for the new models on the fresh water fill and black tank flush without have to disconnect hoses. Thanks.

This is how I reworked my old Dutchstar. Might give you some ideas. I put a check valve in the black tank rinse connection. Not sure it was required but I put in anyway. The hose connection adaptors to 1/2" NPT are available from any hardware store.

[Solask]

Call me crazy but I wouldn’t have any path, check valve or otherwise between my fresh and black flush connections. I don’t know of any coach that puts one out the door like this.. separate hose, separate connection for me.

[Nowabeachbum]

Originally Posted by LucasOil

Call me crazy but I wouldn’t have any path, check valve or otherwise between my fresh and black flush connections. I don’t know of any coach that puts one out the door like this.. separate hose, separate connection for me.

Does that apply to your house also?

[palehorse89]

Spray bar's in a house sewage system.......interesting...........

[brobox]

Originally Posted by Nowabeachbum

Does that apply to your house also?

Now that you mention it, my toilet flush line is plumbed into the same line for the sink that I brush my teeth in.

[Solask]

Originally Posted by Nowabeachbum

Does that apply to your house also?

The tank flush systems on toilets far better isolate the tank refill line from the sewage. Far from a straight line to each other.

[dennis45]

Originally Posted by LucasOil

Call me crazy but I wouldn’t have any path, check valve or otherwise between my fresh and black flush connections. I don’t know of any coach that puts one out the door like this.. separate hose, separate connection for me.

Crazy no, but tell me how can the black tank back up through a check valve and a closed valve with water pressure on the valve? Not to mention the vaccum breaker on the black tank flush line.

[Solask]

I’ve replaced a failed vacuum breaker, so yeah, multiple failures, inadvertently leave the valve open. I just wouldn’t do it.

[Gary.Jones]

There is a reason that designers of these systems and S&B house systems for that matter in the way they design them.

Can some moron screw it up by trying to be helpful and connecting the fresh water hose to the gray and filling up the tank, yes (it helps to put the extra hose away in the basement to help prevent this well intentioned person from flooding our tank), but....

J have to agree with LucasOil..... leave well enough alone. There is a reason it is engineered the way it is. Can it avoid all problems? No.... Can a back flow preventer fail, yes. Can an owner forget to turn a valve and simultaneously a back flow preventer fail? Of course. And what is the big deal about screwing in a garden hose? Of course, you can do whatever you want to do, but I'll pass.

Gary