Community Forums

lhlee14 · 08-10-2018, 09:37 AM

We are having to dump grey tank every 3 days. Just two adults.thinking we may have leak. Suggestion on how to go about finding it or other ideas? Thanks

weredoingit · 08-10-2018, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lhlee14

We are having to dump grey tank every 3 days. Just two adults.thinking we may have leak. Suggestion on how to go about finding it or other ideas? Thanks

How big is your tank? Do you use paper plates? or do you wash a lot of dishes? if your boondocking you can't use water like you do at home. If your not hooked up to city water you would hear your water pump if you had a leak.

lhlee14 · 08-10-2018, 09:54 AM

We use paper plates. Workampers at campground,so hooked up to water

mobilemike · 08-10-2018, 09:58 AM

Long showers?

Lv2Roam2 · 08-10-2018, 10:02 AM

Does your monitor show 'empty' when you dump? Tank sensors frequently misread.

Podivin · 08-10-2018, 10:02 AM

Do you have a low flow shower head?
Run water while brushing your teeth?
Wash your hands a lot?

Turn off the city water and use your water pump for a few days. If you don't hear it pulsing every now and then when you're not using water then there is no leak.
Besides *I* would expect a leak to go to the floor somewhere, not into the gray tank.

LV2 has a good point, is the tank REALLY full, or do you just have a sensor somewhere lying to you? When a gray tank is full the shower will stop draining - that's usually the first symptom of a truly full gray tank.

Due to sensor placement on my gray tank, it shows as full when it really is only about 4/5 full.

ScoobyDoo · 08-10-2018, 10:50 AM

Many decades ago my dad had me install a line and a couple of valves on his grey tank. Both closed, tank worked as normal. Open 1 and would drain the top 1/4 of tank thru stinky slinky. Close that, open the other, would drain thru hose bib, small hose to bucket or bushes. With this system he could leave big hose hooked up, big valves closed and when black got full had 3/4 tank of grey to chase it. Camped without hookups, grey full, room in black, Drain a little grey into bucket, dump in toilet

twogypsies · 08-10-2018, 11:32 AM

We had 65 gal grey and could last 12-14 days boondocking.

How large is your tank? If it's 30 gal then you should last 5-6 days.

Do you turn your water on/off while showering or just leave it on? Also, how often do you wash dishes? We did every other day with minimal water using a dishpan. We wiped thoroughly with a used paper towel and stored them in the dishpan under the sink - out of sight. We did a lot of BBQing outside so the only pot was for vegetables. We wiped it out with a wet paper towel and reused the pot. Same for the frying pan. Wipe it out & reuse it. You don't have to wash every time used. The used dish water was used for flushing the toilet.

Bahamaniac · 08-10-2018, 12:01 PM

If you are hooked up to a water supply do you have a pressure regulator inline? If water pressure is high possibly causing leakage or blowby?

MSHappyCampers · 08-10-2018, 12:37 PM

Hi !

Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

If you're taking showers that's about the most you could hope for!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

biggcrisp · 08-10-2018, 01:59 PM

With 55 gallons of fresh, 35 gray & 35 black, we fill the gray once daily with the black lasting 10 days.

TonyMac · 08-10-2018, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lhlee14

We are having to dump grey tank every 3 days. Just two adults.thinking we may have leak. Suggestion on how to go about finding it or other ideas? Thanks

I assume you have to dump the gray every three days because it's full in three days. You think you have something leaking into and filling the gray? I doubt it. However, all is not lost. Why don't you movew some of that gray water to your emptier black tank? Here's how I'd do it: Get one of these

TonyMac · 08-10-2018, 02:50 PM

Twist it on to the end of the y-pipe where you's twist on your sewer hose. Close the valve to this twist on valve, and open the gray valve, then open the black. Allow them to equalize then close the black and the gray valves. You will have to leave the twist on valve in place and dump with it in place, you can remove it after the dump and flush is complete. Obviously, you may have to determine it you have enough clearance to have both the twist on and the sewer hose connected. And this is very important: The gray and the black tanks must be mounted in the same plane preferable, or with the gray above the black. My Sanicon macerator performs the 'stop the flow' function of the twist on valve.

keymastr · 08-10-2018, 04:12 PM

That could be a really bad idea. The black tank has a vent through the roof for a reason. The gray tank vents are inside the RV, usually under a sink and the only thing preventing sewer gas from entering the coach is a rubber flapper and whatever water is in the P traps. I would not want sewage in my gray tank. The gray tank can smell bad but does not have fecal coliform bacteria in it.