Shower drain to wrong tank?

keithkillinger · 06-26-2008, 03:10 PM

After spending a few days at Hershey Park, I have come to the conclusion that my shower is draining into my black tank. I will do some trouble shooting tomorrow to see if it is. My question is, "is this normal"? I looked at the plumbing diagram on Winne's site but cannot make heads or tails out of it. If I find out it is draining in the black tank, how hard is it to replumb? How do I get to the tanks?

This is on a 2002 Brave 30W

skigramp · 06-26-2008, 03:31 PM

keith ...

I could not find the shower drain in the drawing ...

A really easy test is:

a) go to Walmart and buy a gallon of colored (blue or purple) windshield washer fluid

b)drain both of your holding tanks ... and close both valves ...

c) dump half of the windshield washer fluid down the drain of the shower ...

d) open the holding tank valves one at a time to see which one has something in it ... then close the valves again

e) pour the other half down the bathroom lavoratory

f) open the holding tank valves one at a time to see which one has something in it ...

On some models of Winnebagos the bathroom lavoratory drains into the black tank ...

(You could do this test with some water colored with food coloring ... or box red wine ... but that would be a waste of wine

)

keithkillinger · 06-26-2008, 03:38 PM

After I get a chance to rinse both tanks out good, I will try the dyed water trick. My shower is not located in the bathroom. it is a stand alone unit.

PORCHDOG · 06-26-2008, 03:45 PM

Would'nt it make more sense to empty both tanks; close one of them; run water in the shower; if it comes out of the dewer hose, BINGO, you have the correct tank. If it does not, close that one and open the other, you should see the water draing now. Saves windshield washer fluid!

DonavonP · 06-26-2008, 04:08 PM

http://www.winnebagoind.com/diagram/...f30w_plumb.pdf

It looked to me like only your toilet and the sink next to the toilet go into the black tank. Everything else goes into the gray tank.

keithkillinger · 06-26-2008, 04:14 PM

This is what happened. We spent 3 days at Hershey Park. The wife and I both used the shower. When I emptied the tanks, very little water came out from grey tank. Not enough for us both to have showered(seperately may I add). I always add a lot of water to the black tank before I empty so it is hard to tell. In the morning I am going to make sure all is drained, and turn on shower for a while and see what tank has water in it. Can I change the plumbing if it is wrong or is it too big a job for a DIY.

porscheracer · 06-26-2008, 07:23 PM

Unless you're an RV expert mechanic - it's no DIY. I seriously doubt if the shower goes to the black tank. That would take more than a "mistake" at the factory.

amanda_h · 06-27-2008, 10:05 AM

We'd actually prefer if our shower drained into the black tank. When we are out on the road, the gray tank will always fill faster than the black. We usually end up trying to equalize the tanks until we can find a place to dump.

So we are figuring that doing dishes in the kitchen sink and brushing our teeth, etc. in the bathroom sink will be equal to the shower use and toilet use. So to us, it would make sense to have the shower drain into the black tank. Are we missing something?

John_Canfield · 06-27-2008, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by amanda_h:
We'd actually prefer if our shower drained into the black tank. When we are out on the road, the gray tank will always fill faster than the black. We usually end up trying to equalize the tanks until we can find a place to dump.

So we are figuring that doing dishes in the kitchen sink and brushing our teeth, etc. in the bathroom sink will be equal to the shower use and toilet use. So to us, it would make sense to have the shower drain into the black tank. Are we missing something?

You got that right Amanda

When we're boondocking or electric-only I'll use my custom gray-to-black transfer pump to move some gray water to black.

Greybeard · 06-27-2008, 02:37 PM

Yah I wish mine drained into the black tank too!!! Does't sound like a problem to me.

Oh-one · 06-27-2008, 03:19 PM

Keith, Are you positive the pull handles are on the correct tanks and not switched. The grey and black pull "T" could have been put on wrong. Just an idea to check. If you have a tank flushing inlet ,just fill the black tank and pull the black handle to see. Sam

keithkillinger · 06-27-2008, 05:12 PM

just an update. I ripped into it today. And yes my shower was draining into my black tank. I can see where this might be a good thing but not for us. We show Quarter horses and need the shower. I can sneek and drain my grey tank on the ground(I'm bad). I did replumb everything today. I would not advise anyone to do this. THIS IS A JOB!!!. I need another day to put everything back together, I am glad that I am good at doing things like this. This was hard. Now I have a good reason to remove all carpet and put laminate flooring down. The good thing is that I saw everything and know that all is good. DON'T DO THIS UNLESS YOU ARE GOOD AT CARPENTRY!! This was a good project! Thanks to everyone for their advice

SargeW · 06-27-2008, 08:18 PM

We too fill our grey tank way faster than the Black. And the black is a bigger tank

My dream solution would be if Winnie supplied a diverter in the drain line to select either the grey or black tank for the shower. Yeah, that will happen.........

NeilV · 06-28-2008, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by keithkillinger:
just an update. I ripped into it today. And yes my shower was draining into my black tank. I can see where this might be a good thing but not for us. We show Quarter horses and need the shower. I can sneek and drain my grey tank on the ground(I'm bad). I did replumb everything today. I would not advise anyone to do this. THIS IS A JOB!!!. I need another day to put everything back together, I am glad that I am good at doing things like this. This was hard. Now I have a good reason to remove all carpet and put laminate flooring down. The good thing is that I saw everything and know that all is good. DON'T DO THIS UNLESS YOU ARE GOOD AT CARPENTRY!! This was a good project! Thanks to everyone for their advice

I went with a more water efficient shower head to solve my problem of tanks filling up too fast. It only took a few minutes and I can switch it back to the original in less. Everyone loves the new shower and we can dry camp for several days now before we have to dump the tanks.

SCVJeff · 06-28-2008, 10:43 AM

Those with Macerators and a single dump port already have the problem solved: When the grey fills up (more than the black!), pull the handles and let gravity equalize the tanks: Grey into Black. The grey contains soap, etc. and will aid in draining when you turn on the pump to dump.

Haven't had a chance to try this myself, and admittedly it's a little scary, but there's no reason it shouldn't work. Apparently it's done all the time.

SargeW · 06-28-2008, 12:57 PM

I tried a small liquid pump that you spin with a drill motor to pump from the grey via sewer cap with a hose bib attachment on it. I tried pumping into the black tank via the clean out connection. It failed miserably. Appearently there is a screen or a jet nozzle on the black tank clean out fitting. For whatever reason, it failed.

Sarge

Lindsay Richards · 06-28-2008, 01:29 PM

I am certainly not going to let my wife see this thread. I have told her that all RVers shower together to save water and space in the grey tank. Kind of like an unwritten code. We can usually boondock about 5 o 6 days depending on many factors. Black tank is usully the fist to fill up.

porscheracer · 06-28-2008, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SCVJeff:
Those with Macerators and a single dump port already have the problem solved: When the grey fills up (more than the black!), pull the handles and let gravity equalize the tanks: Grey into Black. The grey contains soap, etc. and will aid in draining when you turn on the pump to dump.

Depending on how your dump hose hooks up, there may be a really simple solution. This works great on the Vectra - but wouldn't at all on the View.

We purchased a knife valve with a male / female bayonet fitting and installed it on the waste outlet. (If you have a long pipe from the knife valves to the outlet, or have very limited space, it may not work for you. It takes about 5" of space.) You close tha added valve, open the gray valve, and then open the black (only if the gray is more full - don't want black water in there) for a few seconds. Then close the black valve and then the gray valve.

I also though about a pump, but John is more industrious than I.

Gary CA · 06-29-2008, 08:13 PM

SCVJeff: Drive your coach out my way and we can install a Sanicon in about 1 hour.

Mine works great and when boondocking I transfer the grey into the black often. Also when you have a tank of grey water you use it to flush the black tank with, don't have to hook-up the dump flush hose. Sometimes a facuet is not available.

http://emptythetanks.com/

bluegrasser · 07-07-2008, 04:21 PM

Actually, I would rather not have black water tank odours seeping up thru my shower drain.