Waste tanks combine?

Topic: Waste tanks combine? (Read 2483 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #25 – June 19, 2018, 10:56:52 pm

A little off topic, but throw that sponge in the microwave for about 2 mintes and bacteria will be dead and the smell will be gone.

Microwave Kills Germs in Sponges

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #26 – June 19, 2018, 11:07:41 pm

I just use boiling water and some bleach. Let it sit until it is cool. I don't like stinking up the Microwave with nasty sponge fumes and steam. We cook in it.

What we use most are cellulose/cotton dish cloths. They last a long time, are washable and dry quickly.
Amazon.com: Swedish Dishcloth, Set of 2 Different Red & Grey Designs ((TT) 2...

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #27 – June 19, 2018, 11:59:37 pm

I am always on private land or restricted access public land when i dump my gray tank. I camp at powerplants and landfills where I work and i do not stay in campgrounds or parks.

I also don't "dump" the tank. The valve stays open and it just drains off into the dirt.

My beach house on Oak Island, NC has an outdoor shower with open wooden slats, the water just soaks into the sand. How is that different than allowing gray tank to drip onto the ground? I really don't understand the issue.

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #28 – June 20, 2018, 12:23:20 am

Our nimbus has a combined black grey tank with a bypass valve if I want to do laundry. But I have found that by dumping the tank prior to laundry, that At the end of the day, I dump again and it cleans the tank and the hose. This I don't have to hook the hose up to the flush as often

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #29 – June 20, 2018, 08:47:18 am

Quote from: RvTrvlr – June 19, 2018, 11:59:37 pm

My beach house on Oak Island, NC has an outdoor shower with open wooden slats, the water just soaks into the sand. How is that different than allowing gray tank to drip onto the ground? I really don't understand the issue.

I think it's a matter of perception. These days, allowing your RV dump line to drain on the ground is considered bad form most places you might park your coach. If you park in a place where the neighbors don't care...then it's not where I would want to park. But that's just me.

One problem is that somebody observing this action doesn't know what is coming out your drain line. Not realizing you have two tanks, they might assume it is toilet waste. Of course, following your logic one could argue that allowing toilet waste to drain on the ground is no worse than all the wild animals and pets pooping and peeing on the ground. It's all the same stuff, right?

We have lived in a house for 35 years where all our toilet waste drains into a hole in the ground in our front yard (septic tank). We never think a thing about it, but that's cuz it is hidden from view, and doesn't smell (unless there is a system malfunction). Out of sight - out of mind.

Like I said, it's all about perception. See my signature (below)

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #30 – June 20, 2018, 09:05:21 am

WE have been duning for about 13yrs and this is common.. Seen it many times.. right or wrong? Not me to judge as I see it as soapy water also... Let the tank sit for long periods of time and not dump I can see the problem with smell... your Fresh tank will smell also if you leave it long enough... do you drain it into the sewer also?

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #31 – June 20, 2018, 11:29:23 am

Combined tanks eliminate the ability to dump only gray water as an option.

More chemicals needed to offset the combined volume.

I have had gray water turn sour many times. Dump it versus additional chemicals.

We are normally dry campers.

I do have a garden hose fitting on the main drain cap to allow a long slow drain if necessary and a long main drain hose to disperse things att a greater distance if necessary.

Used to use copper sulphate type tank odor controls. (Aqua Chem)

Some dumps do not allow that as it kills their "healthy" tanks.

At that point a gray tank dump was problematic

We used to ride dirt bikes in the open desert and have dumped gray water many times in remote areas.

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #32 – June 20, 2018, 06:43:18 pm

Hummm I'm not going to get into the discussion about the gray water issue. Butttt I wonder what those pop up campers and tents do with their waste when they are not in a camp ground.

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #33 – June 20, 2018, 08:25:46 pm

Quote from: bbeane – June 20, 2018, 06:43:18 pm

Hummm I'm not going to get into the discussion about the gray water issue. Butttt I wonder what those pop up campers and tents do with their waste when they are not in a camp ground.

They do the same thing the Animals do..

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #34 – June 21, 2018, 12:16:34 am

Combining Black and Grey tanks - no problem.
Proper waste disposal - The ability is nicely designed into our Foretravels, old and new.

But this has turned into a debate and expression of personal core values and behavior. It is far more than just perceptions.

Personally, I don't think a measure of our worth to ourselves, or the Foreforum microcosm of RV'ing behavior, is in how we can disrespect our environment. Rather, it is in how well we have learned to relate to our environment and fellow man.

Neal

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #35 – June 21, 2018, 09:44:45 am

Passenger train toilet - Wikipedia
Used to walk down a about a mile of train track on the way to school every day when I was a kid.

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #36 – June 21, 2018, 10:08:09 am

To further digress...I flew the C7A Caribou in 'Nam (1970). The "urinal" on that aircraft was a plastic funnel stuck into a rubber hose, connected to a metal tube sticking out the bottom of the plane. The metal tube had a 90 degree bend in it, and the open end was supposed to be pointed at the aft end of the plane. Just for fun, when we got a newbie crew member, the crew chief would rotate the metal tube 180 degrees.

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #37 – July 19, 2018, 03:51:46 pm

If I combine the tanks, what keeps the swamp gas from stinking up the shower drain? I doubt that it has a trap as it is too low . But I really havent looked .

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #38 – July 19, 2018, 04:35:40 pm

It will have a trap for sure as that is a standard item.
JohnH

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #39 – July 19, 2018, 04:52:33 pm

Like John said they all have a trap and you are correct that there isn't much room. Here's a photo of the trap on a 95. On this one the shower and trap were located directly above the passenger side rear wheel well. It's not a great photo but you can see that in order to fit the trap into that narrow space Foretravel had to hole the 3/4" plywood deck. The trap itself is very near the wheel well surface.
jor

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #40 – July 19, 2018, 07:44:57 pm

Our 295 2000 has same setup and actually can now be accessed from under wheel well as it is now covered by an aluminum sheet and insulation above. I had to cut it out as it was leaking to replace.
JohnH

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #41 – July 19, 2018, 09:45:16 pm

Gray water is a gray matter. The EPA mantra is "the solution to pollution is dilution". I still enjoy swimming in diluted fecal water. Perception doesn't work for the OMG people. And if your getting stink from dry plumbing traps a tablespoon or two of baby oil floats nicely on the top of the trap water, while letting polluted water flow nicely through, and then floats back level to help prevent evaporation. I don't make a dime off of this stuff. And OMG face the facts that our pristine holding tanks, contain all manner of oils, be it from cooking, avocado prep, dishwashing, or simply oils from our bodies. Many buildings recycle gray water part of which becomes an aerosal when "sprayed during the flushing process" OMG! The 3 valve method gives you extra options. Phosphate soaps used to be an issue.

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #42 – August 01, 2018, 02:42:05 pm

So as not to start another thread . I have a couple of questions. First. I have not seen the tank vents inside the closet on my 88 GV. Do they maybe go to the roof?
Next . My dump hose bayonet pipe looks to be an original situation and measures 3, 3/4 in OD. I dont see any available fittings for that size. All of the modern ones are 3in as are the third valves. My Slide valves look to be about 4in retainer bolts centers. Maybe I can simply change all of the plumbing down stream of the valve bolt faces.

AT this most recent race we filled the Gray tank by about sat afternoon and had used most of the 65 ish gal. water tank .
I have a 90 sec timer on the bathroom motion light and I can take a shower in that time, but the girls, not so much.
My driver needed a shower and missed out. Not good.
Thanks for any tips as always.

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #43 – August 01, 2018, 05:45:48 pm

We don't dump on the ground. We were at the navy base, which does not have sewer hook-ups, a few years ago and a young sailor and his wife were full timing there next to us. They had a leak(?) in the black tank valve of their Airsteam and it pooled on the concrete which had turned into a green algae covered puddle. Stank as well. I mentioned the leak but he did not seem to care. The campground manager also did nothing until I threatened to call the Environmental Dept. They moved him to another site. With his hygiene habits he would be a joy to have as a shipmate.

Another peeve of mine is the truckers that have a toilet in the sleeper and dump it on the ground at rest stops.

Keith

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #44 – August 03, 2018, 10:34:01 pm

Mike my 89 has 3" nominal pipe size waste, some of the hub fittings are 3 3/4" od but still 3" id. A plumbing supply house should have a good selection of both hub and street fittings. Local RV hardware parts store that's on the way home. They have been in business for 50 years. They have the bayonet mounted valterra third valves. I could stop by and get a model number and length. Hub fittings are all female and that's what the big box stores sell. Street fittings are male on one end, and female on the other end.

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #45 – August 04, 2018, 07:17:20 am

Quote from: Protech Racing – August 01, 2018, 02:42:05 pm

I have not seen the tank vents inside the closet on my 88 GV. Do they maybe go to the roof?
My dump hose bayonet pipe looks to be an original situation and measures 3, 3/4 in OD. I dont see any available fittings for t

Mike,
1. yes
2. Those OEM should have been the Thetford fittings. The 45 part number should be 01665 and the cap is 01664. Several have changed out to the standard size that is more common in the RV parts section most stores that have sewer parts.

Mike

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #46 – August 04, 2018, 10:02:06 am

I manage camping at music festivals. The density is absurd, but the health department allows NO gray water uncollected and removed at all. Every thing is collected and removed and disposed of like black water. Showers, dish washing water, etc. Don't let an inspector see you brush your teeth and spit. But, with wall to wall tents and Rv's it's necessary. There is no GRAY area in the rules or gray water dumped, ever.

Wantabe

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #47 – August 04, 2018, 12:01:02 pm

Close to 30 years ago we added a pool when we moved into town. They made me plumb the sewer to the backwash because the water we swam in wasn't fit to go out on the lawn or run down the street. I can't imagine it's gotten any less strict over the last 30 years anywhere.

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #48 – August 04, 2018, 01:05:08 pm

Thanks. I am hoping to change the plumbing downstream of the blade valves to modern 3in.
At that point I can use the available twist on blade valve to combine the tanks. I just ordered a 3 in expanding plug to cap the system until I get the bus back to my FL shop .

Re: Waste tanks combine?

Reply #49 – August 04, 2018, 02:36:46 pm

Quote from: Johnstons – August 04, 2018, 12:01:02 pm

Close to 30 years ago we added a pool when we moved into town. They made me plumb the sewer to the backwash because the water we swam in wasn't fit to go out on the lawn or run down the street. I can't imagine it's gotten any less strict over the last 30 years anywhere.

I don't know about the backwash, but in Los Angeles when you drain the pool you pump it into the street and it goes down to the storm drains.

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