How to add water to black water tank?

[Arch Hoagland]

Originally Posted by Garrette

This is what you need to add water to the black water tank. Can not fall into the tank.

I have two toilets and have been using this for years. Works great.

A warning though...while it is filling the toilet don't go outside and talk to the neighbors.

Don't ask how I know that.

[Izzyblueye]

Most RV toilets have a two position foot valve on them. First level just fill the bowl, second level dumps the toilet. Simple solution fill the bowl then dump the water in your black tank. May have to do this a couple of times to get 5 gals in tank.

[rvten]

Just do NOT WALK away from the pot if you have something holding the valve open.
Ask how I know.

[Skino47]

Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland

I have two toilets and have been using this for years. Works great. A warning though...while it is filling the toilet don't go outside and talk to the neighbors. Don't ask how I know that.

OMG!! New floors, eh?

[68westfalia]

How can you tell if your bathroom sink drain into black tank? I have a 2004 Tioga 29v? The black tank gauge does not seam to always be accurate.

[rvten]

Originally Posted by 68westfalia

How can you tell if your bathroom sink drain into black tank? I have a 2004 Tioga 29v? The black tank gauge does not seam to always be accurate.

If you are hooked up to a sewar. After dumping both tanks.
Turn on the bathroom faucet for a little while. Than go open the BLK tank valve. See if you get water coming out. If not try the Grsy water tank.
Check your shower also.

Most RV do not run Gray water into BLK tank.

[rvtime2]

we have WB access,2007 and its bathroom sink goes black tank. We haven't had a problem,it does keep some water in black tank for rinsing / dumping blk tank. I wondered about ours until:
1. I checked out plumbing drains under camper.
2. I looked online at WB website and sewar drain drawing indicated it
3. I called WB and they confirmed it
4. Visual test as mentioned by others, empty black tank completely and pour water in sink and see if exits black drain, look through clear fitting if you have one on drain, or if you trust level sensors ,watch the black tank level increase with sink faucet in bathroom running, make sure grey tank valve shut.

[rondi]

Our rigs have had about the same size black & gray tanks, and we always fill the gray before the black. We now wash dishes in a dish pan and then dump the dish water in the toilet. While a pita, this does 2 things--saves space in the gray tank, and provides more water in the black tank. When we are ready to leave--we dump both tanks and then add the dish water to the empty black tank, along with about a gallon of water.
imho, the black tank should be about 1/3 the size of the gray tank. I have seen spec of rigs with a larger black tank than a gray tank!

hth, ron

[RussOnTheRoad]

Originally Posted by rondi

Our rigs have had about the same size black & gray tanks, and we always fill the gray before the black. We now wash dishes in a dish pan and then dump the dish water in the toilet. While a pita, this does 2 things--saves space in the gray tank, and provides more water in the black tank. When we are ready to leave--we dump both tanks and then add the dish water to the empty black tank, along with about a gallon of water.
imho, the black tank should be about 1/3 the size of the gray tank. I have seen spec of rigs with a larger black tank than a gray tank!

hth, ron

I like the thought of finding ways to add what would normally be gray water waste to the black water tank. For those who find that they are inconvenienced by having gray water tanks that need to be emptied... I mean by being forced to make a trip to the dump station because the gray tank is full when they otherwise would not have had to make that trip suggestions such as yours may be helpful.

[Rmiscoord]

Originally Posted by WenWes

We wash the cooking utensils in a rubber pan and then dump the pan thru the yoilet into the black water.

This works great. I have also run the cold water wasted while waiting for the hot water into a small bucket and then put in the commode. Also always keep the commode 1/3 or so filled and flush with lots of water. But partially filling the black tank before leaving as someone said is also a great idea.

[RussOnTheRoad]

Originally Posted by Rmiscoord

This works great. I have also run the cold water wasted while waiting for the hot water into a small bucket and then put in the commode. Also always keep the commode 1/3 or so filled and flush with lots of water. But partially filling the black tank before leaving as someone said is also a great idea.

My original reason for starting this thread was to find ways to add water to the black holding tank in order to get it full enough to dump--I'd been informed ti should be 3/4 full before dumping. There have been a number of suggestions made in this thread as to how to accomplish this.

I don't understand, however, why it would be a good idea to partially fill the black tank before leaving. I wouldn't want to carry any unnecessary weight, especially if I'm headed off to go boondocking.

Also, if I'm boondocking I think I'd rather find a use for the water expelled from the shower before it heats up before I pour it into either the black or gray. If I can't find a use for it I think I'd just pour it outside since it's perfectly clean water. That way it wouldn't unnecessarily consume any tank space. So, I guess I'm kinda morphing the thread here. At first I wanted to know how to get water into the black tank in order to dump it. That would come at the end of a trip. Not anytime before then. Until then I'd want to keep as much water out of my black and gray tanks as possible.

[1985 Bounder]

I am brand new to the whole RV scene so please excuse my ignorance. I understand you need about 3/4 tank before dumping and that makes sense to help push out the solids. My questions are about the dumping and how to get enough black water. First I would assume, very dangerous, that the grey would fill several times over before the black.

First, are there separate dumps at the campgrounds for the grey and the black water?

Second, could you leave the dump outlet closed and open both the black and grey water valves and let them equalize volume thus reducing wasted water to fill the black tank and extend the time between dumps of the grey tank? You could open the grey valve first and because of the volume the pressure would be greater than the black preventing cross contamination. Just stop it prior to full equalization. After closing the valves drain what little is in the drain pipe and flush down the toilet.

[rlott2k]

If we do short trips we always dump the dish water in the toilet . This helps top up the black tank. We have a plastic tub the same size as our sink. After that we fill and flush the toilet , some times I use the toilet hose, (king of a prayer like in you houses kitchen) if i'm in a hurry but after having the toilet valve open so long it can stink a bit. The shower hose is another option if its close enough. Barring all that you could hook up a garden hose and run it thru the Rv.

[tnrvers]

1985 Bounder

IMHO, never open both gray and black valves together, you could run the risk of solids getting into your gray tank which has a smaller outlet that may cause a future draining problem. The purpose of dumping the black, then the gray is that the gray will somewhat clean the drain hose and reduce the odor you might breath after unhooking.

rondi

We add water to the black tank to help prevent solids from sticking, if you don't and start to have problems with your tank levels due to build up of solids, put a bag of ice down the toilet and drive off. The ice is pretty good at breaking things up.

Happy New Year
Tom and Barb
2000 Bounder 39Z