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terricrowe26 · 07-29-2016, 01:53 PM

I'm a nubie, I bought a 71 21' globetrotter not knowing a lot about them. I brought it right to my local guy and he went through the whole thing. I had a couple issues with the plumbing, minor really. So he said once he fixed the leak he found out the hard way that my shower and grey water run right into my black water tank and if it is full, it backs up into the shower! Is this right? There isn't a grey water tank? If so what is the solution?

nickclifford · 07-29-2016, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terricrowe26

I'm a nubie, I bought a 71 21' globetrotter not knowing a lot about them. I brought it right to my local guy and he went through the whole thing. I had a couple issues with the plumbing, minor really. So he said once he fixed the leak he found out the hard way that my shower and grey water run right into my black water tank and if it is full, it backs up into the shower! Is this right? There isn't a grey water tank? If so what is the solution?

had no clue that a trailer of my size could not have had a grey tank also. It was considered ok to run shower and sink water onto the ground in the 1970's I guess. Campsites would be a real mess if everyone did that. Anyway..you can run grey into the black but not advisable if using the black for #2 ... I'm going to install a composting toilet anyway, so hoping to convert black to accept grey water ...

billymyers56 · 07-29-2016, 02:31 PM

I have a 72 and it has no grey water tank.

Protagonist · 07-29-2016, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terricrowe26

So he said once he fixed the leak he found out the hard way that my shower and grey water run right into my black water tank and if it is full, it backs up into the shower! Is this right? There isn't a grey water tank? If so what is the solution?

One solution— install a Hepvo valve in your shower drain line. This will prevent an over-full waste tank from backing up into the shower. A Hepvo valve is a type of check valve that is installed in place of a P-trap, that blocks odors and back-flow of water. However, it's not infallible. If the shower runoff is what makes the tank overflow, then the weight of the water trying to drain out of the shower will hold the valve open. But black water would not flow from the tank to the shower pan, just the shower would not drain until the tank was emptied.

My Airstream Interstate has Hepvo valves on all sink drains and the shower drain, and they work well.

overlander63 · 07-29-2016, 04:46 PM

We get this same question on the forum several times a week. No Airstream built before 1973 has a tank for sink or shower water. It drains through a pipe and out onto the ground, unless you cap the pipe. Then it backs up in the shower.

terricrowe26 · 07-30-2016, 04:57 AM

Do you have any idea of the cost of switching to a compositing toilet and gray water tank? I would consider doing the same if possible. I mainly want to be able to take a shower after hiking.

TG Twinkie · 07-30-2016, 07:20 AM

I would bet the termination cap was in place on the sewer line and the black water valve either leaks or was open in order for black water to enter the shower pan.
The black water valve should remain closed until you are ready to dump.
You can get what is known as a "blue boy" which is a portable tank that connects to the sewer dump, then use it for the grey water.
I would guess the black water tank has a 12 gallon capacity in your coach. The size of tote you get for grey water is your choice from 10 gallons and up.

Burnside Bob · 07-30-2016, 08:47 AM

We had a '73 Sovereign. No grey water tank. '74 was the first year grey water tanks were standard on the Sovereign.

My daughter and son in law, current owners of the '73, have added a grey water tank and replaced the black water tank, which cracked and was starting to leak.

terricrowe26 · 08-01-2016, 09:12 AM

OK, my guy working on it, which he admittedly doesn't work on them much, looked for a way for the water just to drain out and couldn't find anything. He thinks it has probably been re-plumbed, UGH. What do I do now?

TG Twinkie · 08-01-2016, 12:13 PM

The grey water drains out at the same point as the black water. The difference is: the black water tank and line has a shut off to prevent the tank from emptying unless the valve is open.
On pre '74 coaches the grey water piping is connected to the sewer line downstream from the black water shut off valve.
An easy test short of tracing the lines from the bath and galley sinks is to close the black water valve. Remove the termination cap. Run water into one of the sinks and see if it comes out the sewer connection pipe.
Note : there is not a separate sewer connection for the grey water. Again it uses the same pipe to exit the trailer.

markdenise · 08-01-2016, 02:48 PM

The first two things you need to do when buying an old trailer is a) install a grey tank and b) replace the axle

terricrowe26 · 08-02-2016, 09:48 AM

Thank you! That is exactly what I needed to know! I keep ready over the manual and the pictures and descriptions are not very clear to a novice. I am bring her back home Friday, I will try that this weekend. Thanks again.

terricrowe26 · 08-02-2016, 10:10 AM

My guy that is working on it said someone re-plumbed it and there is no shut off valve anymore, the gray water runs into the black water tank and the toilet is disconnected. So how expensive and hard is it going to be to get this right? What would be the ultimate would be to have a gray water tank too but if I don't need to pull this camper apart I would prefer to just use a portable gray water tank instead. That is going to require re-plumbing so the gray doesn't run into the black. I am trying not to let this get to me to much!

TG Twinkie · 08-02-2016, 12:24 PM

When you say the toilet is disconnected.
What does that mean?
Is the water supply disconnected from the toilet?
Is the toilet no longer sitting on top of the black water tank?
How does the grey water get into the black water tank?
Is the black water tank in this coach below the floor?
Can you post some pics?

terricrowe26 · 08-03-2016, 03:47 AM

The toilet is still sitting on the tank. I believe its the water that is not connected. I will find out more when I pick it up Friday from the RV service place I brought it too. I will take some photos. I cant remember if the tank it above or below. I want to say above but I'm not really sure. My guy said it looks like the whole thing has been re-plumbed, so I don't know what they may have done. He doesn't have a lot of experience with AS so I hope maybe he is just missing something. He also said it looks like a lot of the plumbing has been done with copper instead of pex and a little over done for an RV, not sure what to think about that!

xrvr · 08-03-2016, 05:39 AM

If your rv guy doesn't know old AS then he may not know how the plumbing was originally. AS can be different than sobs.

mccrosti · 08-03-2016, 06:20 AM

I have a 72 Overlander and unless some PO made a terrible mistake and connected the grey to the black tank - it was not that way originally - Overlander 63 was more succinct but exactly correct.

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mccrosti · 08-03-2016, 06:21 AM

Your 71 should have the tank below the floor.

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Aerowood · 08-03-2016, 06:38 AM

I also have a 71 Globetrotter. The black tank sets above the floor with the dump valve attached to the bottom of the tank. The grey water lines were plumbed into the discharge pipe below the black tank valve and then exited the shell. There was no grey water valve. I have removed and discarded all the tanks and plumbing on mine as I am converting it to a side bath. I also am installing 3 11 gal grey water tanks manifolded together. Both grey a black will have their own dump valves plumbed to a common dump line with another dump valve at the discharge port.

TG Twinkie · 08-03-2016, 06:57 AM

I can see how someone could connect the sinks to the black water tank if it is above the floor.
Unless the shower pan has been raised the shower would not drain into the above floor BW tank.
Based on that assumption and the fact that you state the water backs into the shower the BW tank must be below the floor.
Does the waste water even run out of the sewer discharge line from the BW tank?
Or has it been totally modified?
I can see how one could connect the sinks to the BW system by using the tank vent pipe. But the shower is a totally different animal.