Grey tank Maintenance

[mr300ce]

So...I live in the Bounder, at my job. I need to drain the black tank about every 3-4 wks. No problem.

The grey tank, I have one of those 'garden hose' fittings on the end of the drain valve, and I leave the valve always open and let the grey water run out into the buildings sewer drain.

I have done so for over a year. I go dry-camping about every 3 months. The grey tank gets a pretty good splash cleaning while I drive with it partially full.

Question is....is that enough to keep it clean??? I don't want soap scum to build up in it and cause troubles.

The electronic level sensors all work, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, full...so no problems there.

[danes-on-tour]

If you can get to the outside of your grey tank somewhere along the top part, you could fit a tank rinser. This way you could give the tank a good spraying.

Is it enough what you are doing now? Well, I suppose there is no way of knowing for sure but the fact that your tank sensors are working properly is a good sign I would have thought.

[Dr4Film]

I never recommend leaving any tank valve open. The one and only time the gray tank valve should be left open temporarily is when using the Spendide clothes washer and that is to prevent a gray tank overflow. When done I always keep my valves closed. When the tanks are full or almost full, I empty the black first followed by the gray. They both get a good cleaning using the "Whoosh" factor.

Some locations, like when I am located at my brothers barn where there isn't any hookups except for electric. I will use a small hose to drain the gray water into a dry well but the bottom of the tank will never get really clean when doing that. So once I leave, I always have the gray tank full then stop at the nearest dump station to dump the black and the gray tanks allowing them to "Whoosh" themselves clean.

Only my opinion.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[Luckiest Dreamer]

I had to deal with his problem several times when I was a boater. The gray water was pumped overboard after first settling in a sump. The sump had a cover that could be removed for cleaning and was not sealed as well as a tank would be. You could not imagine the crud that accumulated, and the smell after not cleaning after awhile. I believe skin cells will decompose and offer an odor as bad as most can imagine. Since you cannot get inside a tank to clean it will probably require a chemical. Household bleach is what we use to disinfect our fresh water tank, so I suggest it will also help with the gray water tank, and a good flushing with a hose. Someones idea to add ice cubes to the tank and take it for a ride makes some sense as well. I have never tried it.

[mr300ce]

Ok...so it is making since to leave valve closed for a few days, and showers, then open it and let it drain. Probably leaving it open will allow the bottom to dry out alot, and leave residue to build up, like shower and sink soap scum.

I use 'dial' bar soap once a day. To help keep the tank clean, and the garden hose from clogging, I have a strainer in the shower drain, and clean it out after each shower.

I never knew I 'shed' so much hair.

Can't get ICE down into the grey tank. There is a built-in spray cleaner on the black tank, that I use every time I drain it.

I am liking the bleach idea. I can ad some in all the drains before I drive away after sitting here for a few months. That way it will clean/sanitize the drains, traps, and pipes on its way to the grey tank. It will then 'slosh; around in the tank until I dump at the campground/rv park.

But will bleach (clorine) actually clean/disolve scum ????

[DrScott]

Can you get a batch of soap like dawn or something that dissolves grease in there with 1/3 a tank of water ( to allow for suds) or use an automatic dishwasher soap that does not generate as many suds. Put that in before you drive around to slosh it good and drain it out. that should get it cleaner than bleach would. after the soap bleach might help more than it would before the soap.

I have never done this. I'm just extrapolating from cleaning other stuff. It seems to me that the same principles apply.