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Old 08-12-2014, 07:59 AM   #1
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Perplexing gray tank issue

Around the first of the year I was holding gray water to flush the hose after dumping. I forgot about the valve being closed until I noticed water pouring out of the underbelly while my wife was showering. The water was coming out of the drain holes in the fabric about 4' forward of the access panel. I immediately opened the gray valve and the water stopped leaking. I checked the vent stack and outlet connections for both tanks and they were dry. I then put it on my list of stuff for my Oct. trip to SC.
A few days ago I again closed the gray valve in prep for dumping and when water started coming up in the shower drain I went out to release some gray water and guess what. No water coming out of the underbelly. Any thoughts?
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Old 08-12-2014, 08:19 AM   #2
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My guess is that your gray tank drain is plugged. When I first started snow birding and leaving the gray tank drain open, as many say you can, I noticed it getting really slow to drain due to accumulated grease and stuff that goes down the kitchen sink. There are products that help dissolve that stuff, and you may need to carefully reverse flush with the valve open. The good news is that it is not the black tank . Now I am really careful about what goes down the kitchen sink, and I let the gray tank fill for several days before the black tank drain/flush.
Then I drain/flush the gray tank after the black tank once a week.
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Old 08-12-2014, 08:57 AM   #3
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You may already know this trick but others may not

We use Dawn dish soap with lots of hot water on a flush rinse down to help with grease build up and then treat once a month with water softener miked in a one gallon jug of hot water. The tank stays spotless.
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Old 08-12-2014, 02:35 PM   #4
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Gary, it doesn't make sense to me either. Based on what you say in the first part of your post, it is a good ol' split seam which is near the top of the tank. Liked we talked about forever. I know you have the extra straps.....but why in the hell do you continue to overfill your grey tank? Like Oprah says.....when you know better...you do better. Why it's not leaking when near full now is what puzzles me. Sorry to no be not much help. rockin' I do wonder what you find out. rockin'
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Old 08-17-2014, 10:54 AM   #5
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Guess no one has any better suggestions and/or solution to your very weird situation. I can deal with everything except it ain't leakin' now! The tanks doesn't seal up by it's self. rockin'
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Old 08-18-2014, 07:23 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by rockintom View Post
Guess no one has any better suggestions and/or solution to your very weird situation. I can deal with everything except it ain't leakin' now! The tanks doesn't seal up by it's self. rockin'
Yeah, and I've got to try to explain what's going on to Ralph in a few weeks.
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Old 08-18-2014, 08:08 AM   #7
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I would agree, it doesn't make much sense. Without signs of moisture at the vent stack or outlet...would have to agree with Rockin' about a possible crack at the top of the tank at or near the seam. Other possible cause other than the vent stack is other inlets to the tank or an AAV stack.



The photo is of the gray tank on my 2001 Excel. It had a vent stack as well, but the way the plumbing was laid out, with the kitchen sink, shower and washer all coming together an AAV valve was added to the mix.

If you have something similar, is it possible for the water to backup into the shower pan and also backflow out the AAV valve, if you have one, one time and not the other. But one would think you would see water on the top of the tank or in the area if that happen. With a tank slit or crack...that wouldn't be seen as easily. But why would it happen once but not the second time?

Can't answer the question, guess one would have to be there when it happens.

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Old 08-18-2014, 08:15 AM   #8
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Thanks work, the "more modern units" don't have a AVV in the utility area like yours. They are all separate under the sinks for kitchen sink and bathroom. Where yours has the setup at the grey tank ours actually have a vent pipe going to the roof. rockin'
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Old 08-18-2014, 08:32 AM   #9
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Rockin' I know what you mean....I wasn't that old. LOL I has an AAV under each sink as well as the one in the basement. My vent stack went through the roof in the washer/dryer chase but the washer drain was closer to the tank. Thus I believe that is why it was there. Al lot of pipe and was to get air into the system. The Alpenlite has one under each sink as well, but not one at the tank as the Excel.

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Old 10-14-2014, 08:19 AM   #10
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Here's the issue with the gray tank. This is a view from the top looking at the flange which was cut lengthwise to get the tank out. We are currently at Smith Center.
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Old 10-14-2014, 08:44 AM   #11
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Thanks Gary. But this still doesn't explain why the grey didn't leak at times when full......help me understand that. Glad your are getting the silly thing fixed. rockin'
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Old 10-14-2014, 08:59 AM   #12
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Thanks work, the "more modern units" don't have a AVV in the utility area like yours.
While I was in the utility area, working on the black water flush piping, I'm sure a saw an AAV down there. I'll take a picture when the weather gets nicer.
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Old 10-14-2014, 09:04 AM   #13
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Thanks Gary. But this still doesn't explain why the grey didn't leak at times when full......help me understand that. Glad your are getting the silly thing fixed. rockin'
Still a mytery to me as to why it didn't leak all the time. I also have several other issues for my last visit while still in warranty including the problem I posted here: http://www.irv2.com/forums/showthread.php?t=191993
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Old 10-20-2014, 06:24 PM   #14
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Still a mytery to me as to why it didn't leak all the time. I also have several other issues for my last visit while still in warranty including the problem I posted here: Frame flex - iRV2 Forums
Gary,

Sounds like your drugs may have been shifting gears....again!!!! Glad you got it fixed! rockin'
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