Gray & black water overflow

[Ranflee]

I have a 03 Aerolite cub . The last two times I used it the shower and toilet over flowed. At first I thought it was just because there just too much water use but the facilities where hardly used . Can anyone help. I am not that familiar with RV plumbing.

[wa8yxm]

"There was not that much water use" except you do not know how much there was unless you measure, now there is an easy way to do that.

Step 1: Fill fresh tank, then DISCONNECT from city water

When a tank shows full (Shower drain stops or you see indications of full on the black tank) re-fill the fresh tank using the gravity fill and a bucket of known size, So you know how much you used. I'll bet you used more than you think you used.

Dump more often is my advice.

[Eddie Foy]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

When a tank shows full (Shower drain stops or you see indications of full on the black tank) re-fill the fresh tank using the gravity fill and a bucket of known size, So you know how much you used. .

You are kidding, right?

[Tony Lee]

First step is to check the specs to see what size grey and black tank you have. Might be fairly small on some rigs.

Then you probably need to consider how you use those facilities. Big flushes and prefills of the toilet bowl are going to churn through the capacity pretty quickly.
(is your system piped so one basin runs into the black tank or are grey and black completely separate)

Then grey water? - showers with the flow on full use a LOT of water. Same with rinsing washed dishes by holding them under a running faucet. Bathroom vanity basin with water flowing while cleaning teeth. etc etc.

BTW if we knew whether you were completely new to RVing or new to this rig or ifr this was a new problem on a rig you have used before, that would help us help you.

[Superslif]

HUM? toilet (black water tank) and shower (gray water tank) are two different tanks. I'm thinking you have a clog somewhere near the waste valve or your not realizing how much water you are using.

We had a 05' Cub that had a 46 gallon fresh tank and 22 gallon black and a 39 gallon gray tank. Even on a week long stay and some showers I cant remember being completely full.

Your best bet would be your next trip out, go to the dump station first, run the water hose to the inside of the Cub and run plenty of water down the toilet and shower. On the out side valve. let it fill up and then open it. Maybe the "P" trap is clogged in the shower pan floor.

You can also get a "Back-flush" valve and give a the holding tanks a good cleaning.

Also, as you are about to leave on your next trip, dump a bag of ice cubes down the toilet. As your drive and before they melt they will move about the inside of the tank and hopefully get the "crap" (no pund attended) off the tank walls. Maybe there is a large pile of TP paper blocking the tank exit.

What is having me thinking, is why both your tanks are over-flowing?

With the toilet flush lever opened up, shine a light down to see if there is a pile of TP paper. Had a friend who had a whole mess of paper. Ended up with one person holding open the toilet lever and another person dumping a 5 gallon pail of water down the toilet with a direct hit on the pile of old TP paper to loosen it up. Had to do this a number of times to get the pile loosened.

[Ranflee]

Thanks for all the advice . It is greatly appreciated . As far a using the water more than realized , that was my first thought when the problem acured the first time . I had a 5 grand kids with me . I dumped and didn't think about it any more on that trip . The second time I set up for a house guest and they only used shower and toilet once . And it happened over night. This is my third year with this rig and had same 5kids on four day trip several times. I will check for tp clogs and do the fresh tank fill as suggested , but was also wondering , could something be leaking onto tanks slowly and filling them? Thanks again , looking forward to you're answers.

P.s forgot to mention my full indicators do not work. Never did.

[Superslif]

Cub Expandable Travel Trailer Weight Chart
C160 C190 C195 C210 C210B C210D C210S C214 C215 C230F C230R C236
Traveling Length 16'4” 19' 19'8” 21'9” 21'9” 21'9” 21'9” 22’ 22’ 23’8” 23’8” 23’9”
Expanded Length
20'6" 23'6" 23'6" 25'6" 25'6" 25'6" 25'6" 25’6” 25’6” 27’6” 27’6” 27’6”

Hitch Dry Weight 216 300 284 348 348 348 348 318 366 448 360 346
Gross Vehicle Weight 3716 4700 4684 4748 4748 4748 4748 4718 4766 4848 4760 4746
Unloaded Vehicle Weight 2674 2928 3126 3338 3338 3338 3338 3606 3344 3656 3368 3720
Net Cargo Capacity 1042 1772 1558 1360 1360 1360 1360 1112 1422 1192 1392 1026
Fresh Water Capacity 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30
Dual Holding Tanks Cap. 62 62 62 72 72 72 72 62 62 62 62 62
Tire Size ST205/75D14C for all
Furnace Size (BTU’s) 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 2

This was off the 2003 Cup PDF. brochure

So 30 gallons fresh and either 62 or 72 gallon "Dual" waste tanks.

Not sure what they mean as "dual" tanks. Usually they list "Gray Tank XXX gallons" and "Black tank XXX gallons. Maybe they just add the capacities of the two tanks together. Maybe there are two tanks that mix both the gray water waste & black water waste together. Could there be another valve that opens up a 2nd tank?.

? Were you hooked up to "city" water. or using just the water out of your 30 gallon fresh water tank?

[Ranflee]

Sorry I still don't know how to use the quote feature. But was hooked to city with a pressure regulator (made that mistake once with my first rig , blow out pipes) and a filter . The tanks are separate with common dump port . Two seperated dump valves. It's 21' so I assume it's approx 31 each on the waste tanks. Never used fresh tank on any rig. Have checked fore tp clogs . Didn't see any thing , but with dump valves open I see standing water in the the shower drain. So maybe there's a clog in the p trap but still doesn't explain toilet over flow. Looking forward to any more advice. Although I am running a test where I have water supply on for 24hours but not using any water to see if any accumulation in waste tanks.

[nothermark]

If you only use "city" water you have little idea how much the kids are running into the unit. If you set up and ran the slinky to the sewer connection with the valve open for a couple of years with that crowd I would assume you are in the pyramid of poo mode.

[Superslif]

I assume it's approx 31 each on the waste tanks.

Usually the gray tank (shower & sink waste water) is larger in size than the black tank (toilet waste) My 2013 Aerolite hybrid is 53 fresh 39 gray and 28 black.

Now that you are saying, you were on a city water connection, you might not be realizing just how much water you are using.

To use the quote....above the section where you are writing there will be a number of symbols. click on the one that is 4th from the right. Looks like a cartoon bubble. So this (QUOTE)(/QUOTE) will show up where you are about to write. Just copy & paste in between the (QUOTE) XXXX (/QUOTE) Quote's. Where I typed the "XXXX". What you put between the (QUOTE)'s will show up as a quote.

[Smithers]

Superslif- Have you ever used the back flush thingy you suggest above? Looks like a "no-cut" alternative to one of those internal spray things like the Tornado.

I gotta put something on my new TT and since it has an underbelly skirt/cover I am concerned about getting at the black tank.

[Ranflee]

Thank you all for you're suggestions. (Especially superslif) I still don't know why both tanks where full and over flowed the second time ,since the guest I had used it one night and only took one shower. And used the toilet twice. I have left the city water hooked up for 24 hours (with no water use) than dumped both tanks . Only got about a coffee cup full of drainage . Maybe there was some left from my last trip , but I know I dumped it. I also disconnected the water supply and filled both tanks via 5 gallon bucket through toilet and shower. 25 gallons to black water with room for at least 5 to spare. Filled shower until backed up . 35 gallon. So right now I'm stumped. Just need to make sure tanks are empty before each trip and check often. Also thinking maybe an external leak from rain but can't imagine how or both tank doing it.

[Loraura]

If you filled them up with buckets and confirmed that capacity was normal, I'm betting your grandkids and guests used way more water than they admitted to or realized.

Not sure how your overnight guest used 25 gallons of black though... unless it wasn't really empty to start with. Do you let grandkids play in the RV?

To monitor use, fill the fresh water tank from the city hookup, then disconnect from any flowing water source. See how fast they run out when all water comes from the fresh tank.

[cb1000rider]

What are the chances of blocked vent? That might trigger this as described - overflows with little water actually in the tanks.

What do the tank level indicators say? Did they say full?