Gray Water, Black Water, Waste/Sewer. Which is?
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4372
Printed Date: 06 May 2024 at 12:18am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Gray Water, Black Water, Waste/Sewer. Which is?
Posted By: Thinkcooper
Subject: Gray Water, Black Water, Waste/Sewer. Which is?
Date Posted: 29 Jan 2014 at 12:40pm
|
I'm confused. Goes with being a newbie podder I guess. Our used 2012 177 HRE just arrived last night and I'm trying to figure out which of the two drain pipes is Black Water and which is Gray Water. The manual doesn't help, and the factory labels on the outside of the Pod don't add much clarity either. The labels say "Waste Water" and "Sewer Outlet" Maybe these photos will help one of you more experienced podders edjamacate me of which is which. Is the Gray Water tank the Sewer Outlet connection or the Waste Water connection? Thanks in advance! This is the front tank's drain and label:  This is the rear tank/drain label:  |
Replies:
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 29 Jan 2014 at 3:08pm
|
I answerd over where you asked the question in the manuals thread.. but here you go.. On a 177, grey (waste water) is in the back, black (sewer water) is in the front. On most campers they are actually together, but when they aren't, or even when they are so you know which to pull first, the fittings are the same for the dump hose, but if you look behind the valve on the camper, one drain line is 2" one is 4".. the bigger one.. moves solids..  I buy a 100 pack of disposable gloves at home depot etc. Small bottle of hand sanitizer in bag with them in rear cargo hold, along with paper towels. Dump black first, then grey to rinse the tube. Should be a non potable hose there, rinse the dump hose with that, drain, store. Throw away gloves, wipe down with some sanitizer, towel off.. roll on. If you have never dumped before, don't panic, like many things EVERYBODY had to do it for the first time. Every now and then you might get jerk in line who doesn't remember this, but don't sweat it. Watch a few people, see what they did/do wrong, try not to do the same.  I have full hookups at home.. maybe kymooses and I should do a video.. come spring thaw.. on that thought.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHDqpQxfxII - video ------------- |
Posted By: Thinkcooper
Date Posted: 29 Jan 2014 at 3:22pm
Perfect advice and input - thank you! |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 29 Jan 2014 at 7:06pm
|
we have a lot of videos to shoot!! ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 29 Jan 2014 at 7:57pm
|
I'd add one more step to furpod's list - keep a can of Lysol in the pod and thoroughly spray the bottom of your shoes before you get in your TV!
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
|
Posted By: Thinkcooper
Date Posted: 30 Jan 2014 at 12:04am
| 2" = Gray water. 4" = Black water. furpod = 100% correct. |
Posted By: Thinkcooper
Date Posted: 30 Jan 2014 at 12:06am
Brilliant.
 |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 30 Jan 2014 at 10:18am
That is rather brilliant, I always feel like I'm contaminating the Jeep. I like this. ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: DavidW
Date Posted: 30 Jan 2014 at 11:45am
|
I got a tip from a mailto:T@B - T@B owner who keeps a pair of old sneakers in a small rubbermaid box (with lid) for that purpose. I discovered that our major hardware store sells "duck shoes", which are ankle length rubber boots with laces.
PHOTO: Duck Shoes (from their website)
 ------------- David & Liz 2014 R-Pod 178 2019 Chevy Traverse And Lily (our 8 yr old Golden) 
|
Posted By: wingnut2312
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2014 at 8:11am
|
If you get really confused, turn the water on in the sink and open both drains. The one that drains is your grey water. ------------- 2014 rpod 182G Ford Expedition |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2014 at 11:02am
|
We always carry a box of disposable latex gloves and a canister of handwipes for the clean-up. there is also an old towel always available. remember to dump the black tank first so the gray water will begin the hose rinsing cycle. I think it's a good idea to rinse your hose and fittings with clean water after you finish dumping both tanks. Vann Evans |
Posted By: Thinkcooper
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2014 at 12:23pm
| Great advice - thanks all! |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2014 at 6:35pm
|
While the sink is classified as gray water, I believe some pod models have it piped to the black tank. Possibly some of the models that have the gray and black tanks split up. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2014 at 8:31pm
|
so tech, your saying my sink may be going into my black tank...............wow, interesting. I thought sink water was always considered gray water. hogone ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2014 at 8:47pm
|
Yes, it is gray water, but it may be impossible to pipe it to the gray tank with some of the slide-out models.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2014 at 10:33pm
|
On a 177, the sink does drain to the grey water tank. As does the shower. But Doug is very correct that there are some "plumbing issues" with some floor plans. Many a "G" model owner has been surprised to discover the garage sink is plumbed to the black tank, but not the kitchen sink... ------------- |
Posted By: Ruby
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2014 at 10:12am
|
I'm anew by with only a few trips in and my pod is in storage. Isn't the gray water drain gray and the black water drain black? My memory is sketchy. ------------- Ruby |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2014 at 5:17pm
|
furpod - ah, maybe that is what I was thinking of. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2014 at 9:00pm
|
It is only the 181g but our garage sink goes to our black tank while the 182g goes to the grey as normal. Something I'm still to this day not amused by. ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2014 at 10:43pm
|
Obviously grey water can go to the black tank, but black can't go to the grey -- in terms of what is hygienetically (if that's a word) acceptable, but I'd not be amused either if my sink, or one of them, was going to the black tank. It's usually a lot easier to ration grey water waste than black water. And if you're going to drain a sink into the black water tank, I would hope there is a check valve involved -- not just a trap. Especially in a camper trailer. Houses don't go up and down hills or stop and start, possibly sloshing waste water in directions not dictated by gravity. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2014 at 1:31pm
Just a thought, but is the black tank in the rear on the 181G vs in he front on the 182G ? If so, maybe it's just easier to get from the rear to the black tank on the 181. From an interesting thread on the iRV2 forum: the question of dumping gray water in the desert was asked of and answered by the BLM. Their regs defined gray water as including sinks, showers and tubs, but specifically excluded kitchen sinks and dishwashers. Kitchen sinks and dishwashers were considered sewage or black. I don't know how the garage sinks on Pods would be classified. The BLM response indicated dumping gray water was OK UNLESS overridden by local rules, regs, or law enforcement personnel. In my personal experience I sometimes capture dish washing water and dump down the toilet to preserve gray water capacity. Gray is easier to deal with than black if you use a "blue' tank. Charlie ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2014 at 1:45pm
|
I was kind of thinking on similar (I think!) lines. Is it cool/environmentally OK to dump grey water at your campsite, in your yard, down the road, wherever you please? If not, why have two separate tanks? I'm probably not thinking this through clearly, but am kind of curious. If both are required to be disposed of at dump stations (which I do), again why have two tanks? Hope this isn't a stupid question here? hogone ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2014 at 2:13pm
|
I wouldn't say it was "cool/environmentally OK" to dump gray anywhere, but it may be "acceptable" in some cases. However, for the majority of cases both should go to the dump and your question of having two tanks is well taken. The two tank config probably evolved in past times when thinking was more lenient. Maybe, in the future, single tanks may return, if only from pure cost considerations. In the meantime, it's still preferable to have two tanks if you periodically empty the gray tank into a waste hauler. I guess in the best of worlds I would have the gray water sources selectable to either gray or black tanks, but that adds complexity and cost. Charlie ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2014 at 2:47pm
It is that exact reason according to the engineers who designed it, black tank is closer so that's how it was piped. ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2014 at 10:34pm
|
There are many places were grey water can't be disposed of on the ground. At least some National Parks that I know of. I've wondered about the reason for two tanks too. I suspect it may be generally easier to mount two 30 gallon tanks than one 60 for one thing. The sloshing effect of 40 or 50 gallons in one big tank could be a safety factor too when you're going down the road. It seems like it would make sense if you have to dispose of both tanks at one dump station if you could dump the black tank and then dump the grey water through the black tank to help rinse it out. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 04 Feb 2014 at 9:20am
|
The reason some Pods have one valve and some have two separate ones is as simple as the design of the Rpod itself. When and if Forest River is able to put the tanks side by side it's because the floorplan allows them to be together. When they are separate it's just because the design would not allow them to be together. ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: bodie55
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2014 at 12:26am
|
Our 178 makes dumping easy. The pull handles on the lines are black and grey. Brilliant color coding idea on the part of FR' ------------- Bay Area Crew 2013 178 Beach Pod F-150 SuperCrew ...sempre in viaggio sul mare... |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2014 at 11:42am
I like the single dump point on the 178. For me, there is nothing worse than having to switch the sewer hose from the black tank sewer connection to the grey. My old 173 and the new 179 have the separate discharge connections. ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: bodie55
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2014 at 1:36am
|
Yes, DH would like to mod the lines to a single hookup. Moving the hose is yucky. ------------- Bay Area Crew 2013 178 Beach Pod F-150 SuperCrew ...sempre in viaggio sul mare... |
Posted By: Thinkcooper
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2014 at 5:39pm
Same here - I'd love to do this mod. The idea of messing around with detaching the black hose, at its dirtiest sounds nastee. |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2014 at 9:32am
Posted By: JStrube
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2014 at 12:32pm
Since someone else dredged this thread up, I'll jump in on this part... My 181G has 2 valves & 2 outlets. Looking at some with one outlet and probably 2 valves, what the heck? I mean, my tanks are right next to each other, seems like it was be easy & simple to have made one outlet. Has anybody done this mod that you guys know of? Looks like simple black pipe work to me. ------------- 2012 181G |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2014 at 1:08pm
|
Well, I kinda like having them separate. While it may not be considered valid reasoning, my thought is... I rarely camp with full hookup and my black tank requires emptying about a fifth (or less) time than my grey tank. Generally, we may fill 10-15 gallons of grey water per day and maybe a gallon or so of black depending on showers, hair washing, chile dinner, etc. It's a pain to break camp to find a dump station so I use http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/termination-cap-with-hose-connector/6383 - this cap on my grey tank and carry a five gallon bucket with lid. It's very easy for me to empty grey tank into bucket a time or two and empty @ wash station, campsite toilet or elsewhere as needed without breaking camp. I suppose I could do the same with a unified waste port, but then my bucket would be contaminated with blackwater effuse from the common port and I probably couldn't carry the bucket in my TV. That's why I like them separate. fred ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2014 at 3:32pm
|
Fred, although you would have only one discharge point, you would have separate black and grey water valves to control which tank is being emptied. Your cap would still work fine for dumping from the grey tank only. Bob ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: Luv2Q
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2014 at 5:20pm
What it looks like to me (admittedly uninformed Rookie): 1. Black water tank touches common port. 2. Common port is now contaminated. 3. Cap goes on common port. 4. Cap is now contaminated. Is this not right? If you then flush grey water through the cap's hose connection, you might reduce the contamination level, but it's still contaminated. Or so it seems to me. ------------- John & Teri Tundra 5.7L V8 / RP 180 E2 WDH / Integrated controller (POS) replaced by Tekonsha P3 |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2014 at 6:11pm
|
Yeah John (or Teri), that's what I'm thinking. Although you would have separate valves for grey and black, Bob, You still have a common exit point. I'm not a microbiologist (however, I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express) but the common exit port seems to me to be a contamination point with effluent potentially much more obnoxious than the grey water contaminates. fred ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2014 at 8:03pm
|
My thought: Unless there is a long line at the dump station it is not that long or hard a job. Switching the hose is not hard Unless you plan on drinking the grey water who cares if the cap gets contaminated ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: JStrube
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2014 at 8:04pm
|
It is very common with RVs to have one outlet. I thought it was very strange to have 2 on my Pod. You normally dump black, then grey, which cleans the last bit at least some. I still wouldn't drink the stuff... ------------- 2012 181G |