Was wondering the grey tank could be setup to drain into the black tank thus providing a rinse. I know nothing so set me straight. Procedure would be drain the black tank by opening 3" valve, then open 1.5" valve which drains from grey to black and out the 3" outlet. Here's a rudimentary drawing. I don't have the tools or the know how to do the fancy diagram drawings that I have seen others capable of.
Thats not a bad idea. And I think it could work. You wouldn't even need to slope the pipe from the grey to the black. All you would need to do is lift the front of the trailer up a bit. I would maybe put to valve on the 1 1/2" line. One where is comes out of the tank also. They are cheap and if the pipe got broke it would stop the black and grey tank from dumping on the ground...
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Jason
May you have at least one sunny day, and a soft chair to sit in..
Problem I see is if you are boondocking where washwater can go on the ground, you need it seperated. The washwater tank will fill faster then the black. OK if you are always in a full hookup site but that's not how most people use their Airstream.
Problem I see is if you are boondocking where washwater can go on the ground, you need it seperated. The washwater tank will fill faster then the black. OK if you are always in a full hookup site but that's not how most people use their Airstream.
I didn't mean most people boondock, I meant that they arn't always in a full hookup site. At some rallies we don't have hookups and it possible to let the washwater out. A separate bypass for the washwater would work for that.
Well I could always add a separate dump valve to the grey. I wonder if what you said is really true? MOST people with Airstreams boondock? Another thread is in order here.
well, the problem is that you won't be able to actually "fill" the black tank w/ the grey water, in that config. I guess "some" is better than "none", but you'd need a one-way valve to keep black water, or at least, "backwash" from flowing into the grey tank, too. I could see it better if the grey tank was on the floor, inside the trailer, and hence, higher than the black tank.
another idea along the same lines, only more expensive:
put a 12v pump somewhere in there between the 2 tanks. They make a system with all the appropriate backflow preventers, and so forth. Anyway, the pump could take the grey water from a low point on the grey tank...perhaps a "t" or "Y" on the drain line, and pump it to a high point in the black tank. This could be used to rinse the tank, but also, as an emergency grey water transfer. Say your grey tank is full...but you have extra capacity in the black--pump a few gallons from the grey to the black. You can use that when you need to...or want to...but if you're in a hurry, (like, with a long line of people waiting at the dump station), you can let gravity do the job.
I'm not sure that anyone has ever taken a formal poll as to what "most airstreamers" do...on any topic. Personally, I think its all about "flexibility". Sometimes, I boondock. sometimes, I enjoy the luxury of a full hookup. Actually, in my trailer, (no grey tank), real boondocking is difficult. It wasn't when the old girl was built; nobody cared about grey water, and you could just let it go, anywhere. now, thats hardly ever the case, so you need to use a blue-boy...which is too heavy to lift into a truck when its full...which means you really need to be near a dump station...which are typically only found at campgrounds.
Anyway...just an anecdote, but the people I bought the trailer from always went to full-hookup campgrounds. They never went anywhere else. They couldn't tell me if the water pump worked, or the state of the fresh water tank, because they had never used it...the lock was broken, and they couldn't open the fill door. (one of the first repairs I did when I got it home!). I think I knew more about the trailer than they did, even though I was a total noob. (a "noob" with an internet connection and a search engine. ). They told me all kinds of "wrong" stuff. ("can't get this replacement part...no longer made, etc. ). To them, I think it was just a slightly neater than average camper. But just a camper. They just weren't into all the nerdy details like we are, here.
well, the problem is that you won't be able to actually "fill" the black tank w/ the grey water, in that config. I guess "some" is better than "none", but you'd need a one-way valve to keep black water, or at least, "backwash" from flowing into the grey tank, too. I could see it better if the grey tank was on the floor, inside the trailer, and hence, higher than the black tank.
another idea along the same lines, only more expensive:
put a 12v pump somewhere in there between the 2 tanks. They make a system with all the appropriate backflow preventers, and so forth. Anyway, the pump could take the grey water from a low point on the grey tank...perhaps a "t" or "Y" on the drain line, and pump it to a high point in the black tank. This could be used to rinse the tank, but also, as an emergency grey water transfer. Say your grey tank is full...but you have extra capacity in the black--pump a few gallons from the grey to the black. You can use that when you need to...or want to...but if you're in a hurry, (like, with a long line of people waiting at the dump station), you can let gravity do the job.
I'm not sure that anyone has ever taken a formal poll as to what "most airstreamers" do...on any topic. Personally, I think its all about "flexibility". Sometimes, I boondock. sometimes, I enjoy the luxury of a full hookup. Actually, in my trailer, (no grey tank), real boondocking is difficult. It wasn't when the old girl was built; nobody cared about grey water, and you could just let it go, anywhere. now, thats hardly ever the case, so you need to use a blue-boy...which is too heavy to lift into a truck when its full...which means you really need to be near a dump station...which are typically only found at campgrounds.
Anyway...just an anecdote, but the people I bought the trailer from always went to full-hookup campgrounds. They never went anywhere else. They couldn't tell me if the water pump worked, or the state of the fresh water tank, because they had never used it...the lock was broken, and they couldn't open the fill door. (one of the first repairs I did when I got it home!). I think I knew more about the trailer than they did, even though I was a total noob. (a "noob" with an internet connection and a search engine. ). They told me all kinds of "wrong" stuff. ("can't get this replacement part...no longer made, etc. ). To them, I think it was just a slightly neater than average camper. But just a camper. They just weren't into all the nerdy details like we are, here.
Chuck,
Yes, I figured that it would not fill the black tank. I was just hoping for an alternative to having two separate dump valves and having to connect the slinky twice. If the idea would work then it would at least flush out the slinky somewhat. I haven't even ordered the tanks yet so am still open to anything. Thanks for the reply.
Yes, I figured that it would not fill the black tank. I was just hoping for an alternative to having two separate dump valves and having to connect the slinky twice. If the idea would work then it would at least flush out the slinky somewhat. I haven't even ordered the tanks yet so am still open to anything. Thanks for the reply.
Michael
I just did tanks on the 60 Ambassador and ran the lines to a "Y" fitting then to 1 dump valve. Works OK if you have the room.
... I was just hoping for an alternative to having two separate dump valves and having to connect the slinky twice.
Oh, well that should be easy enough, by simply tying the drain pipes together with a "Y" arrangement, like shacksman said. But I still think you want 2 valves; just a single slinky connection.
When I get home from a long trip or short. I hook my black tank up to the septic and dump two 5 gallon buckets of water down the toilet to flush the baby out. It comes out so clean you could eat out of it..... IF you where a dog...
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Jason
May you have at least one sunny day, and a soft chair to sit in..
Emptying grey to black is an interesting idea and would save some flush water, but backflow preventers do fail and you could end up with black in grey and that's not a good idea.
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). They told me all kinds of "wrong" stuff. ("can't get this replacement part...no longer made, etc. ). To them, I think it was just a slightly neater than average camper. But just a camper. They just weren't into all the nerdy details like we are, here.
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