Contaminated fresh water from grey tank overfill

[The Colonel]

While I was out, DW had over filled the grey tank to a point that water was coming from the fresh water fill panel, I assume the vent port in there. Do I need to completely drain, fill and sanitize the fresh water system now?

[CBWELL]

Are you connected to city water? If so, your check valve in the potable water supply pump is probably not closed. If you are not connected to city water there is no way that grey water can enter the potable water tank! Drain the grey tank, and run the pump with the city water shot off. Run for several minutes to lower tank level, shut off and turn on city water and see if your potable water tank refills. You MAY have cleaned out the check valve by pumping, but, you might have to dissassemble and clean manually. Good luck, Chris

[TG Twinkie]

And it did not run out of the shower basin? Something doesn't sound right here.
There is no connection between the grey water tank and the fresh water tank.
Grey water would back into the shower pan/tub not into the fresh water tank.

[wulfraat]

Weird - I thought the vent port for the black and grey was on the roof, and the vent for your fresh water tank was at the fill port.

Anyhoo is definitely sanitize the fresh water tank with bleach. Good idea to do that once or twice a year anyways.

[The Colonel]

Ok, I came back from a meeting and started tearing down to leave. When I went to hook up the sewer hose is when I fount the water running out of the fw service panel. I had dw check grey tank and it was 100. Didn’t check shower floor, should have I guess, but I hurriedly opened grey tank drain to lower tank volume. After a while water stopped coming from panel. Somewhere in the process I shut off city water and disconnected hoses so it may have been coincidental but not same issue. I’m at another site tonight and then home tomorrow. I’ll try cbwell’s comment and see what happens

[pcskier]

It was not grey water coming from your vent at the fresh water tank fill port. Assuming you were attached to city water, the check valve in your water pump was stuck, and allowing your fresh water tank to fill via the city water pressure coming through the pump. Then when it filled, it came out of the vent hole next to the fill port.

It is a coincidence that it stopped when you drained off some grey water. Or it stopped because at some point in the process your disconnected city water, as you mentioned. There is absolutely no connection between your fresh water thank and your grey tank, so there is no need to disinfect.

[The Colonel]

Good to know, makes perfect sense

[The Colonel]

However, FYI, I’m having a beer and checking this now. Drained down fw with city off. Have turned city back on and will check fw level in a few (after this beer).

[sheriff1]

It might take a while or it might be intermittent as most are that do that. Enjoy the brew and don’t worry!

[The Colonel]

Seems to be holding for now. Somewhat puzzling since I filter city water in. Hopefully just a fluke. Thanks for all the input.

[Mollysdad]

I think you hit on a coincidence.
1. Your fresh water tank was overflowing.
2. Your grey water level said 100.
Then you assumed that the grey read 100 and CAUSED the fresh to overflow.

[The Colonel]

Yep, tough thing is telling the dw she didn’t cause it, lol

[CBWELL]

Time to be humble!!!! Give the DW a hug!! Glad things worked out. Even with the filter on city water, there could be some crud in the tank that got into the check valve in the pump. Usually running and shutting off a couple of times clears things out of the check valve. Chris

[GMFL]

I think every one is on to the fact it’s prob going to be the check valve in the pump.
The FRESHWATER system and the GRAYWATER system are not connected. To each other. They are in fact to completely different systems.

[tjdonahoe]

No way

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

I think you hit on a coincidence.
1. Your fresh water tank was overflowing.
2. Your grey water level said 100.
Then you assumed that the grey read 100 and CAUSED the fresh to overflow.

Exactly!

False causation perceived, along the lines of . . .

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc!



PS -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_hoc_ergo_propter_hoc

PS2 -- Mistaking a stick for a snake is another trick our minds can play on us:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b...tick-not-snake
https://bulletin.hds.harvard.edu/art...tick-for-snake

[Bbelk]

In my experience, if you had gray water backed up into your shower stall
you would know it, even if you had drained the system before you looked. The shower will stink and there will be grit all over the floor. I get in a lot of trouble with the chief cook and bottle washer when I let that happen.

[Overstreet]

A. No, its not grey water in the potable tank.

B. But IF it was grey water the water coming out of the vent it would stink. The water now coming out of the tap when pumping from the tank would stink. The tap water would also taste terrible...….no it would taste TERRIBLE. Next time a little water sniff test is in order.

C. I treat my aeration system at the house and the trailer on the first of every month with a mild bleach solution. I let the trailer sit a day, then flush it out. It keeps the choloriforms (sp) in check.

[mademoiselle]

At the International Rally in Salem this year there was an issue with the city water (algae contamination). I chose not to hook up to city water as I could make it on my home filled fresh water tank. As I walked the grounds, I saw many rigs hooked up to the city water. My question is did they contaminate their lines, and to what extent? When hooked up to city water, no city water enters the fresh water tank right? But the line from the entry point is shared at some point? So would they have to decontaminate when they went home?

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by mademoiselle

. . .
So would they have to decontaminate when they went home?

Yes they should IMO, and the sooner they can get a bleach solution in the lines, the better off they will be. This may require putting bleach in the water tank, then pumping it through all the lines.

ASAP IMO.

Peter

PS -- "water tank bleach sanitize" search results: https://www.google.com/search?q=wate...com&gws_rd=ssl