Emptying black and gray tanks
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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=11461
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Topic: Emptying black and gray tanks
Posted By: Mesa Verde
Subject: Emptying black and gray tanks
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2018 at 7:35pm
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Our 179 has a different system for emptying tanks than we've used before. With our former trailer both tanks emptied through the same pipe, just different valves. The 179 has 2 separate pipes, so the drain hose will have to be moved from one to the other. That raises a question: Should we be concerned about transferring the bacteria from the black tank to the gray tank by using the same hose? Or does it seem sufficient to just use a separate connector for each tank but the same hose? |
Replies:
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2018 at 7:38pm
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LOL.. both are "sewer".. Don't worry about it. The important thing is to try to minimize dripping and or splashing (on you) when moving the hose from outlet to outlet. That's it. Not all pods have the separate dump points, it's floor plan dependent. Our Airstream has separate dumps, our Pod did, and the Lance doesn't. ------------- |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2018 at 9:42pm
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always dump the black tank first. then the gray water will wash out the hose and fittings to some extent. We still wash out the hose and fittings with clear water when finished. Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: rawest50
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2018 at 10:16pm
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Same here Pod People. With the black tank ours has a flush strayer. I run it during the flush to clear everything. Once I get clear or close to clear I close the black water valve and run more water in the yak. Then I release. This seems to do a great job. Gray water next with a final flush of the hose with water. Just make sure you have a fresh water hose for the camper drinking, etc and one for flushing the black water and the sewer hose. ------------- 2017.5 RPod 179 2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing. 
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Posted By: Mesa Verde
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2018 at 11:32pm
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Yes, I assumed we would do as always - black first, then gray, even though we must move the sewer hose from one drain to the other. |
Posted By: Grandpa Hiker
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2018 at 3:53pm
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I got this dual valve from Amazon so I have just one drain on my 179. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002N5L9UU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002N5L9UU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ------------- Rob & Becky 2014 Ford Explorer 3.5 SOHC V6 2015 R-179 Pod aka Piddle Pod "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain!!" |
Posted By: Mesa Verde
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2018 at 4:45pm
| Thanks for the link Grandpa Hiker! Hoping the handyman in our house (not me) is willing to set this up and make dumping simple again. |
Posted By: rawest50
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2018 at 5:16pm
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I have a couple of questions.
I have been at dump station that are not level. Can you still empty the connection piping? With the double valve, which I like, how is it installed/connected from one port to the other? Do you remove any of the existing valves? ------------- 2017.5 RPod 179 2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing.
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Posted By: Grandpa Hiker
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2018 at 5:29pm
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The drain pipe from the grey water tank does slope down to the double valve which is installed at the black water tank, however if the area at the dump station slopes down toward the rear of the Pod, the connecting pipe may not fully empty but over the last 2 years (since I installed the double valve) having a little water left in the grey tank has not caused any problems. In order to install the double valve I did have to remove both existing valves. Having only one dump outlet not only speeds things up at the dump station, it is a much cleaner process. ------------- Rob & Becky 2014 Ford Explorer 3.5 SOHC V6 2015 R-179 Pod aka Piddle Pod "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain!!" |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2018 at 5:47pm
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I do not own a 179, and am sure Grandpa Hiker has the right idea. I have a 178 - and the connecting pipe from the gray to the black does NOT clear the axle, which is why FR added two dump drains. The connecting pipe from gray to black can't contact the axle. It can't go below axle. To add a double valve as said, you have to remove present valves and plumb a connection from gray to black. I even considered modifying drain angle to get above axle, but it was not a wise option to me. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: rawest50
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2018 at 6:03pm
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If nothing else I have learn about installing items below the deck. The axle is the absolute lowest you should go. I am going to install an additional tube or tube if I can find a place. ------------- 2017.5 RPod 179 2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing.
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Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2018 at 8:10pm
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It really doesn't seem like a lot of trouble to me to have two separate drain valves. I thought about the thing Grandpa Hiker suggested but the additional plumbing and the logistics of getting it all to work satisfactorily convinced me to continue with two valves. Yeah, it's technically a little more effort, but it's not that big a deal. My opinion anyway. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: PilotPodder
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2018 at 8:48pm
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I tend to agree with Tars. I've been doing the dual tanks on my 179 for over a year and have dumped a bunch of times. Pull your driver side wheel abeam to the dump station drain and hook the black tank first. Dump to as clean as you like, then change the hose to the grey and dump. Rinse the drain hose with the non-potable water hose at the station and you are fine. It really isn't too difficult after a few tries. ------------- Portage, MI — 2017 RPod 179 - sold / 2017 Toyota Tundra — https://johnmarucci.com/r-pod-video-list/ - My RPod YouTube Videos |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2018 at 9:34pm
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I'll second that for Tars. It is what I have been doing since we got ours in December 2015. I've had to get a wrench to try to help get the connections on and off as my hands are getting pretty bad with arthritis and I don't have the grip strength I used to have. Otherwise, it is not a big deal to switch the hose from the black to the gray to drain the tanks. The worst place I ever dumped was in Benson, AZ at a truck stop. I needed to dump the black and gray tanks. Unfortunately, the drain was set up on a curb which meant that it was about the same level as the valves. It was interesting lifting the hose to try to get the last of the liquid inside to drain before disconnecting. That was the only place I have encountered that though. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |