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Old 02-20-2017, 12:08 PM   #1
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Combining black/grey tanks

I'm posting this under boondocking because I assume mostly boondockers will care about the subject.

I saw a video where, after installing a composting toilet, someone (Gone with the Wynn's) combined their black & grey tanks by simple adding a gate valve where the black & grey pipes meet up.

I have a 2014 Bounder 33C and I'd like to try this out, but it's winter and I've already drained everything.

I've contacted Fleetwood and (probbaly because of liability issues) don't want to comment on this practice.

Has anyone out there done this with an success?

Thanks!
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Old 02-20-2017, 12:21 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by descour View Post
I'm posting this under boondocking because I assume mostly boondockers will care about the subject.

I saw a video where, after installing a composting toilet, someone (Gone with the Wynn's) combined their black & grey tanks by simple adding a gate valve where the black & grey pipes meet up.

I have a 2014 Bounder 33C and I'd like to try this out, but it's winter and I've already drained everything.

I've contacted Fleetwood and (probbaly because of liability issues) don't want to comment on this practice.

Has anyone out there done this with an success?

Thanks!
My husband did this on our American Coach. I'll see if I can get him to post the details.


.
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Old 02-22-2017, 09:47 AM   #3
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You can easily purchase a gate valve that attaches at the sewer hose hookup, and combine the two tanks by closing that new valve and opening your other two valves. Personally, I've never had the need, but to each his own. The only downside that I can see is that you are introducing black waste into your grey tank, so odors through the sink if the water in the trap is lost (while driving) will more easily make it's way into the coach, although whether grey or black actually smells worse is debatable. Of course, if you're replacing the toilet with a composting unit, then you really have no issues with black waste anyway, so it would indeed be a simple way to increase your grey capacity.
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Old 02-22-2017, 11:02 AM   #4
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Keep in mind you'd still have to be diligent in when to empty the tanks. Have you ever had grey water back up into the shower because you were late emptying it? Think of sewage water backing up in your shower.
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Old 02-22-2017, 11:21 AM   #5
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If you don't have a composting toilet, I would not do this. If you have replaced all your toilets with composting type, then it makes sense.
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Old 02-22-2017, 11:24 AM   #6
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You can easily purchase a gate valve that attaches at the sewer hose hookup, and combine the two tanks by closing that new valve and opening your other two valves. Personally, I've never had the need, but to each his own. The only downside that I can see is that you are introducing black waste into your grey tank, so odors through the sink if the water in the trap is lost (while driving) will more easily make it's way into the coach, although whether grey or black actually smells worse is debatable. Of course, if you're replacing the toilet with a composting unit, then you really have no issues with black waste anyway, so it would indeed be a simple way to increase your grey capacity.
It's not been an issue the VERY FEW times we've done it. We also use happy camper in both the grey and black tanks and are diligent about dumping. My father in law's Newell only has 1 tank period, so both black and grey water go in it.
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Old 02-22-2017, 11:30 AM   #7
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It's not been an issue the VERY FEW times we've done it. We also use happy camper in both the grey and black tanks and are diligent about dumping. My father in law's Newell only has 1 tank period, so both black and grey water go in it.
Plus, both of our toilets are Tecma macerating toilets so we don't have large chunks (lol) trying to get through the narrower grey water drains.
We also have grey and black tank flush with our San-T-Flush system. I flush both tanks after a weekend on merged tanks.
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Old 02-22-2017, 12:48 PM   #8
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Keep in mind you'd still have to be diligent in when to empty the tanks. Have you ever had grey water back up into the shower because you were late emptying it? Think of sewage water backing up in your shower.
Exactly!
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Old 02-23-2017, 04:50 AM   #9
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Thanks for all the replies. If it's not clear, I'll be doing this to extend our time at state parks or BLM lands. The grey tank was always our limiting factor.
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Old 02-23-2017, 05:34 AM   #10
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As was mentioned above, there are after-market gate valves like https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T58-...rds=gate+valve

What I do is, when my grey gets full and I want to transfer some to the black, I attach it to the outflow of the whole system and close it. Then I open the grey valve and let the cavity fill (I have a see-through elbow, too) then open the black valve. I watch the grey flow to to the black and when the flow slows down, I close the black valve first and then the grey.

This approach has now done everything your original question poses but I have not incurred any of the downside mentioned in other posts above... like grey backing up into the shower.

Another reason to use this method rather than just having them combined openly is that, when you do dump, you still have grey water (without the black mixed in) so that you can dump it last and clean out your hose.
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Old 02-23-2017, 06:06 AM   #11
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As was mentioned above, there are after-market gate valves like https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T58-...rds=gate+valve

What I do is, when my grey gets full and I want to transfer some to the black, I attach it to the outflow of the whole system and close it. Then I open the grey valve and let the cavity fill (I have a see-through elbow, too) then open the black valve. I watch the grey flow to to the black and when the flow slows down, I close the black valve first and then the grey.

This approach has now done everything your original question poses but I have not incurred any of the downside mentioned in other posts above... like grey backing up into the shower.

Another reason to use this method rather than just having them combined openly is that, when you do dump, you still have grey water (without the black mixed in) so that you can dump it last and clean out your hose.
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Old 02-23-2017, 06:17 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blang View Post
As was mentioned above, there are after-market gate valves like https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T58-...rds=gate+valve

What I do is, when my grey gets full and I want to transfer some to the black, I attach it to the outflow of the whole system and close it. Then I open the grey valve and let the cavity fill (I have a see-through elbow, too) then open the black valve. I watch the grey flow to to the black and when the flow slows down, I close the black valve first and then the grey.

This approach has now done everything your original question poses but I have not incurred any of the downside mentioned in other posts above... like grey backing up into the shower.

Another reason to use this method rather than just having them combined openly is that, when you do dump, you still have grey water (without the black mixed in) so that you can dump it last and clean out your hose.
This is a great idea. I follow everything except where the clear elbow is located. Mine has all black piping connecting the two to the outlet. There's no place to connect a clear plast elbow between tanks to monitor the flow.
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Old 02-23-2017, 06:26 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blang View Post
As was mentioned above, there are after-market gate valves like https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T58-...rds=gate+valve

What I do is, when my grey gets full and I want to transfer some to the black, I attach it to the outflow of the whole system and close it. Then I open the grey valve and let the cavity fill (I have a see-through elbow, too) then open the black valve. I watch the grey flow to to the black and when the flow slows down, I close the black valve first and then the grey.

This approach has now done everything your original question poses but I have not incurred any of the downside mentioned in other posts above... like grey backing up into the shower.

Another reason to use this method rather than just having them combined openly is that, when you do dump, you still have grey water (without the black mixed in) so that you can dump it last and clean out your hose.


Do this too to extend grey capacity, also use method to rinse black when dumping. Just dump black then use same procedure to run some grey into black and and dump again.
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Old 02-23-2017, 01:16 PM   #14
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This is a great idea. I follow everything except where the clear elbow is located. Mine has all black piping connecting the two to the outlet. There's no place to connect a clear plast elbow between tanks to monitor the flow.
At the end of your outflow pipe, attach the clear elbow (or they make other configurations like straight long or short, too) and then the new gate valve. With the added gate closed and the other two opened, you will see the water moving through the clear. Again, just make sure to open the black last and close it first when the flow begins to slow... to keep the... um... black in the black tank.

Here are some examples of the clear I'm referring to. Basically, just use whatever your configuration and space calls for. And, by the way, there are more of these available. These are just to get you moving in the right direction. Um... no pun intended. Well, ok, maybe a little pun.

https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T102...words=valterra

https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T102...words=valterra

https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T102...words=valterra
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