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Old 04-13-2011, 11:47 AM   #1
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1972 31' Sovereign
Cadet , Missouri
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Lost on this and need experiance

K, we have had no experience with rv's so don't laugh were just trying to understand. We don't understand if we have or don't a gray tank. If we don't were does the water go? We've asked and looked for the information on this but only get contradicting answers on this. Wether we have one or not. Then we've been told that it drains in the black tank. Is that even legal? So I don't understand, please some one explain. Oh it's a 1972 sovereign. Thank you.
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Old 04-13-2011, 11:54 AM   #2
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K, we have had no experience with rv's so don't laugh were just trying to understand. We don't understand if we have or don't a gray tank. If we don't were does the water go? We've asked and looked for the information on this but only get contradicting answers on this. Wether we have one or not. Then we've been told that it drains in the black tank. Is that even legal? So I don't understand, please some one explain. Oh it's a 1972 sovereign. Thank you.
If you take the cap off the drain pipe (be careful it may have stuff in the pipe?!) and turn on the bathroom sink and it comes out immediately then you have no grey tank. The black tank is only for the toilet. When we are plugged up to a sewer connection, We keep our grey tank open for kitchen and bathroom draining. When our black tank fills, we usually time draining it just before we take a shower. This way the cleaner shower water assists in the completely draining the sewer hose. Kind of a pain, but we are full-timing and we only have issues when we are boondocking. Let me know if this helps.

Tharon
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Old 04-13-2011, 11:54 AM   #3
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Airstream did not have a grey tank til 1974. Unless the PO put one in. I use a blue boy for the grey water.
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Old 04-13-2011, 12:18 PM   #4
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What is a blue boy?
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Old 04-13-2011, 12:25 PM   #5
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K, we have had no experience with rv's so don't laugh were just trying to understand. We don't understand if we have or don't a gray tank.
As others have noted your trailer did not have a graywater tank when it was manufactured.

If a previous owner added a graywater tank then it will have a separate dump valve..

Quote:
If we don't were does the water go?
It goes straight out the drain pipe unless the cap is in place, in which case it accumulates in the pipe until it fills up, which doesn't take long.

In the 1960s the usual practice was to take the cap off and let it run out on the ground or run a short hose to a drain hole. I believe it was also more common for campgrounds of that era to provide some sort of graywater-only drain hookup at campsites in those days. They would have been simple systems that just drained into the ground.

In most jurisdictions that's no longer allowed (though there are exceptions in the desert southwest where water evaporates quickly).

Quote:
We've asked and looked for the information on this but only get contradicting answers on this. Wether we have one or not. Then we've been told that it drains in the black tank. Is that even legal? So I don't understand, please some one explain. Oh it's a 1972 sovereign. Thank you.
Either gray water tanks or combined black/gray systems were required for trailers manufactured starting in 1973 or so. The old trailers are still legal to use but you have to use a campsite with full hookups (most don't) or use a portable wastewater tank (blue boy).
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Old 04-13-2011, 12:26 PM   #6
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What is a blue boy?
Tweetys.com - RV Parts & Accessories - RV Hitches - Warn Products - Portable Holding Tanks
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Old 04-13-2011, 12:28 PM   #7
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What is a blue boy?

It is a large plastic holding tank, usually with wheels on it. They come in various sizes.

Many years ago, RV just dumped their gray water directly on the ground. When that nwas deemed ecologically inappropriate, gray water holding tanks were incorporated in virtually all RV's.

Assuming that you do not have a gray tank, you can hook up directly to a sewer line or use a blue boy or similar holding tank.

Brian
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Old 04-13-2011, 12:35 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jammer

As others have noted your trailer did not have a graywater tank when it was manufactured.

If a previous owner added a graywater tank then it will have a separate dump valve..

It goes straight out the drain pipe unless the cap is in place, in which case it accumulates in the pipe until it fills up, which doesn't take long.

In the 1960s the usual practice was to take the cap off and let it run out on the ground or run a short hose to a drain hole. I believe it was also more common for campgrounds of that era to provide some sort of graywater-only drain hookup at campsites in those days. They would have been simple systems that just drained into the ground.

In most jurisdictions that's no longer allowed (though there are exceptions in the desert southwest where water evaporates quickly).

Either gray water tanks or combined black/gray systems were required for trailers manufactured starting in 1973 or so. The old trailers are still legal to use but you have to use a campsite with full hookups (most don't) or use a portable wastewater tank (blue boy).
Thank you guys for answering. We can't put water through because of broken pipes. We are trying to make a list of repairs and gain some knowledge on this trailer. So we can decide what are the must be dones and what can just come as we go. We want to attend the Disney rally next year. And have alot to accomplish before it's ready for a trip. Sorry to ask questions that seem so dumb but when we have no idea what we are doing, we just want to do it right. Thank you again for your help!
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Old 04-13-2011, 12:40 PM   #9
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Thank you for the link.
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Old 04-13-2011, 03:33 PM   #10
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I'm thinking you probably don't have the Service Manual for your Airstream... you can order one here: https://store.airstream.com/product_...products_id=96

Very useful! I have both the Service Manual and the Owners Manual. IMO, the Owners Manual is almost useless and not worth the $$.

Course, your trailer may have come with unique options and/or the previous owners may have made modifications (like adding a grey water tank or adding something to drain the grey water into the black holding tank = both which are found on airstreams newer than yours).

Laura
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Old 04-14-2011, 07:43 AM   #11
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1972 31' Sovereign
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Quote:
Originally Posted by funkill
I'm thinking you probably don't have the Service Manual for your Airstream... you can order one here: https://store.airstream.com/product_...products_id=96

Very useful! I have both the Service Manual and the Owners Manual. IMO, the Owners Manual is almost useless and not worth the $$.

Course, your trailer may have come with unique options and/or the previous owners may have made modifications (like adding a grey water tank or adding something to drain the grey water into the black holding tank = both which are found on airstreams newer than yours).

Laura
Thank you
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Old 09-17-2011, 02:56 PM   #12
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Loveshack,
thank you for all those not-so-dumb questions that I have wrestled with all day. Everyone's answers were so helpful!
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