Using Sanicon on Entegra

[CarloB]

Hello. I am new to this forum and using the Sanicon Macerator. My question is can I leave the gray tank drain open while I am hooked up? I have always left the gray drain open as my bride uses the washer randomly. Is there a bypass on the system? If so, would it require the entire length of the hose to be extended to function? Thank You.

[brobox]

You don't mention what year coach, there have been a few dirrerent configuration on the macerator pluming. There has been a lot of discussion on the same question, so I had to try on my coach. On my 21, my gray tank did drain leaving the valve open. Some say theirs will not drain, if it does it's very slowly. Mine drained fine, enough to keep up with a washing machine. However that is on a 21, other years might be different.

[RV Wanderers]

My ‘17 Insignia will also drain grey tank thru Macerator.

[777 Driver]

Here's the manual for the Thetford Sanicon Turbo 700 that's installed in my '18 Anthem: 97515F_OM_SaniCon-II-SCT700.pdf

According to text on page 3, "Gray water bypass is possible if the discharge plumbing does not flow upward."

On my installation, the gray water plumbing does flow upward from the macerator discharge to the waste hose connection. However, my experience has been that with sufficient gray water in the tank, a siphon can be established that will drain the gray tank without running the macerator. Sometimes that happens spontenaously, sometimes it doesn't.

Personally, when I'm parked for an extended period of time, I'll usually leave the gray valve open and keep an eye on the gray tank level. If it's not draining spontenaously, I'll just go run the macerator. Sometimes, just runing it for a few seconds is enough to establish the siphon.

Take care,
Stu

[K7JV]

I am assuming you have the built in SaniCon and not the portable version. We had the built-in in our '06 Dynasty which we used for over 15 years, and yes, when we were parked for more than a week or two in one location, we would leave the gray valve open. On it, there was a small, semi-clear tube about 5" long that ran from the inlet to the macerator to the outlet side. It allowed water to drain, slowly, into the discharge tube. It was great! It was very rare that the little line plugged, but running the SaniCon usually cleared the stoppage, as it created a higher pressure in the reverse direction to tend to push the blockage back into the inlet side of the macerator. I do not believe that water would drain thru the impeller system fast enough to be useful, without that bypass tube. It is possible that they re-designed the impeller system to allow it to drain thru the SaniCon, but I do not know that.

We are now using the portable SaniCon in our new '21 Esteem. I say "using". I have it but we haven't yet parked in a park with sewer hook-ups for long enough to need to dump, in the park. I do not believe that it has a bypass tube, but RV's that would want to use the portable SaniCon would be less likely to remain in one spot long enough to benefit from leaving the gray valve open. Time will tell.

We really like the SaniCon system. In over 15 years with our Dynasty, we never once "dirtied" the 3" sewer hose that came with it, and we were in our coach over 40% of the time over those 15 plus years.

[brobox]

Darn fat fingers, "few dirrerent configuration" should have been different. Again, why post year of coach is important.

[garysfb]

I'm in the camp of leaving the hose out, but closed. I've heard of few stories about potential criters making there way up and in. Even with showers, laundry and dishwasher we can go two days before having to pump out the grey tank. Not a big deal.

[buddy110]

Originally Posted by 777 Driver

Here's the manual for the Thetford Sanicon Turbo 700 that's installed in my '18 Anthem: Attachment 353555

According to text on page 3, "Gray water bypass is possible if the discharge plumbing does not flow upward."

On my installation, the gray water plumbing does flow upward from the macerator discharge to the waste hose connection. However, my experience has been that with sufficient gray water in the tank, a siphon can be established that will drain the gray tank without running the macerator. Sometimes that happens spontenaously, sometimes it doesn't.

Personally, when I'm parked for an extended period of time, I'll usually leave the gray valve open and keep an eye on the gray tank level. If it's not draining spontenaously, I'll just go run the macerator. Sometimes, just runing it for a few seconds is enough to establish the siphon.

Take care,
Stu

What ^^^^ Said

Originally Posted by garysfb

I'm in the camp of leaving the hose out, but closed. I've heard of few stories about potential criters making there way up and in. Even with showers, laundry and dishwasher we can go two days before having to pump out the grey tank. Not a big deal.

If you form a p trap with your hose you'll be fine. And actually there is a natural P trap in the for positioning of the macerator. Or at least I thought there was. Either way I form a P trap when I route the hose to the sewer connection

[garysfb]

That's a good point Bruce, but old habits die hard...

[buddy110]

If they die at all