1964 Overlander waste questions

[CarCollector]

According to the owner's manual that came with my 1964 Overlander, we have a waste tank for the toilet. Does the grey water also go in there?

It's been sitting for 5 years, doesn't smell of sewage. Is there anything special I need to do with the tank before using it?

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by CarCollector

According to the owner's manual that came with my 1964 Overlander, we have a waste tank for the toilet. Does the grey water also go in there?

Not unless it has been modified. 1960s era trailers did not have a grey water tank. Standard practice in those days was to let it run out on the ground. Adding a greywater tank of some kind is a common modification although some people use portable tanks instead.

It's been sitting for 5 years, doesn't smell of sewage. Is there anything special I need to do with the tank before using it?

Fill it with clean water and be sure it doesn't leak.

[CarCollector]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Not unless it has been modified. 1960s era trailers did not have a grey water tank. Standard practice in those days was to let it run out on the ground. Adding a greywater tank of some kind is a common modification although some people use portable tanks instead.



Fill it with clean water and be sure it doesn't leak.

That's weird. The owner's manual that came with the trailer when it was new, says that there's a waste tank on the trailer. Guess I'll have to actually go look with my own eyes.

[ALANSD]

there is a black water tank only and the grey water is routed to come out the end of the pipe after the tank. Once the lines fill up which doesn't take much, the water will back up into the lowest point..the shower.

[TG Twinkie]

The black water tank is referred to as the "waste tank" meaning sewage. Unless your trailer was upgraded by a PO, there is no grey water tank.

[CarCollector]

Originally Posted by ALANSD

there is a black water tank only and the grey water is routed to come out the end of the pipe after the tank. Once the lines fill up which doesn't take much, the water will back up into the lowest point..the shower.

EWWW! Guess I need to get one of those back up tanks that have the wheels and goes right under the camper. Maybe 2 would be better. The longest we will be in it this summer is 1 week and we can get trailer side waste removal.

[TG Twinkie]

ALANSD is referring to the grey water backing up if you have the cap on the sewer line. Of course, the black water could back into the shower if you have a BW tank that is above the floor and you open the BW dump valve with the cap on the sewer line.
But WHO WOULD DO THAT!

[ALANSD]

We open the cap and let out the grey by NOT pulling the valve. A blue boy tank will handle it. If the seal is not tight on the valve tho u will get some uninvited black water.

[overlander64]

Greetings CarCollector!

Since your Overlander is a very early 1964, it may not follow the 1964 specifications exactly. The 1964 setup had the blackwater tank mounted below the floor so that the bathroom floor is flat all of the way back to the one-stop-service-compartment door. The tank is approximately 13-gallons. Your Owners' Manual should include instructions for setting up the dump valve such that the gray water will be directed into the blackwater tank . . . just be forewarned that it will make for a much messier procedure when it comes time to dump the tank. If you don't have an owners' manual for your coach, it is possible to order one through the Airstream corporate website's store . . . I believe that they are between $40 and $50. Be prepared as it was Airstream's first attempt at an owners' manual so it is a bit rudimentary.

I carry either a 5-gallon, 10-gallon, or 20-gallon blue-boy tote tank when camping to collect my coach's gray water. These tanks can be purchased from most any RV Dealer or stores like Camping World . . . I believe that they are also carried by some WalMart stores.

Good luck with your Overlander!

Kevin

[jimj]

Thanks for your tip. I'm a proud newbe (2 weeks)owner of a DITR '64 Overlander. She only has one tank. At this point I think your external tank tip might be preferred over retro-fitting an additional grey water tank. I haven't even gotten into testing the plumbing system yet.

You Airforumer's are the Best!
Thanks!
jimj

[awolff]

Hey overlander64, when you say you collect the gray water into the blue boy, where to you place it? We have a 66 Caravelle. The black tank is above the floor and we've experienced that nasty uninvited 'back flow' into the shower pan (newbies such as we are). The shower pan drain trap leaks and the original 'cap' and guillotine off the black tank leaks too.

So far to avoid replacing the guillotine, we purchased one that attaches to the old unit and that is leaking too, don't know why, it's brand new.

So do you unplug the drain cap on the shower trap and put the blue mobile tank under it?

We are surprised there seems to be no way to block the BW from backing up into the shower! Yuch!

[overlander64]

Greetings awolff!

Originally Posted by awolff

Hey overlander64, when you say you collect the gray water into the blue boy, where to you place it? We have a 66 Caravelle. The black tank is above the floor and we've experienced that nasty uninvited 'back flow' into the shower pan (newbies such as we are). The shower pan drain trap leaks and the original 'cap' and guillotine off the black tank leaks too.

So far to avoid replacing the guillotine, we purchased one that attaches to the old unit and that is leaking too, don't know why, it's brand new.

So do you unplug the drain cap on the shower trap and put the blue mobile tank under it?

We are surprised there seems to be no way to block the BW from backing up into the shower! Yuch!

Your 1966 Caravel is a bit different in its plumbing arrangement than my 1964 Overlander, but in theory both operate in a similar manner. The blackwater tank dump valve should be first in line, then there should be a collector into which all of the trailer's gray water flows, and finally there should be a terminal cap where either a cap or dump hose can be attached. If the blackwater tank dump valve is leaking, whatever is leaking past the valve can backup into the shower drain if the terminator cap is in place.

When using the blue mobile tank, the typical arrangement is to select a terminator cap with a hose connector . . . then attach a short length of hose and route it into the blue tank where all gray water will then be collected. It can be a challenge to find a spot low enough for the arrangement to work in some campsites, but I have been able to make adaptations wherever I have camped. The photo below is of the cap to which I am referring:

Good luck with your Caravel!

Kevin