Grey overflow into Black tank mod possible?
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6526
Printed Date: 18 Jun 2025 at 4:36pm
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Topic: Grey overflow into Black tank mod possible?
Posted By: sdc143
Subject: Grey overflow into Black tank mod possible?
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2015 at 2:05pm
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Good day. Wondering if anyone has done the mod to overflow the grey tank (when almost full) into the black - seems we always have room in the black to spare. Worried about the "smell" releasing from the black tank (not the liquid in there - never more than 1/3 full with 4 people), so wondered if there is some kind of negative pressure (probably not the right term) for one way flow from grey to black when the grey hits a certain "almost full" mark. Tried searching, but no luck. Thanks for any suggestions! ------------- R-Podimus Adventures Abound! '14 182G HRE '14 Toyota Sequoia 2 little boys and 2 yr old mutt |
Replies:
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2015 at 9:22pm
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The easy solution is to keep the cap on and open both ports until they even out. Not perfect since it will probably drip and a lot of water will be left behind the cap when you take it off. Probably the cheapest of the better solutions is to drain gray water into a bucket and ferry it into the toilet. Repeat a few times. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: CFWARREN
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2015 at 11:26pm
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Oh I can't believe it, I just did that this last week, I thought I was the only one....! The grey tank fills up much faster than the black, wish there was a better way to even them out. ------------- 2016 179 - Hood River Edition 2008 Nissan Xterra |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2015 at 8:56am
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Nope you aren't the only one! I investigated various methods last year because I was going to be on the road 3 nights in a row, and normally would fill up the gray tank after 2 nights with showers. Since I could take more fresh water with me I wanted to use some of that black tank space. Ended up using a campground on the 3rd night so I didn't need to do it but the bucket-to-toilet method probably would have been my choice. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Markie
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2015 at 2:35pm
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It sounds like it's time for one of the R-pod enthusiasts on this forum to incorporate a 12v marine transfer pump between the gray and black tanks to do the dirty work. ------------- Mark & Vicki R-POD 178 & 2015 Silverado 5.3L Weimeraner "Zeke" |
Posted By: CFWARREN
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2015 at 10:43pm
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This topic has made a question pop into my mind. My Rpod is the first RV I've owned that had grey and black water tanks, my prior RV experience was a Coleman Tent-trailer, which only had a fresh water tank. So my question is, why do RV's have separate grey and black water tanks? When I go to dump them, they drain into the same disposal outlet, there aren't separate outlets for grey and black water, in fact it's a bit of a hassle to switch the hose form black to grey, I get that it's nice to use the grey water to "clean out" your hose after flushing the the black tank, but what would be the harm in them running together into one tank....? ------------- 2016 179 - Hood River Edition 2008 Nissan Xterra |
Posted By: JohnBG
Date Posted: 01 Jul 2015 at 11:27am
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why not just use a bucket to drain a few gallons out of the gray tank and dump it down the toilet into the black tank? ------------- 2010 R-Pod RP-171 2010 Honda Ridgeline TV |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 01 Jul 2015 at 4:37pm
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I've used my http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/flojet-rv-waste-pump-kit/26125 - FlowJet Mascerator Pump (aka "the poop cannon") to transfer grey water to the black tank via a hose into the toilet. But, as the need to do this only arises 1-2 times per year, I haven't rigged up anything more sophisticated. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Jul 2015 at 10:41pm
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I suppose you could connect the two tanks, but there are advantages to keeping them separate. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: CFWARREN
Date Posted: 01 Jul 2015 at 10:50pm
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Ok, so elaborate, what are the advantages to having separate tanks?
------------- 2016 179 - Hood River Edition 2008 Nissan Xterra |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2015 at 2:22pm
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For starters, you fill up the gray tank much faster due to showers, than the black tank. You can go a week with 2 people before the black tank needs to be emptied. 2 showers a day and the gray tank is full in 2 days. If you are at a site with no sewer hookup it is a lot less messy to use a portable tank to empty the gray tank a few times, than if you had to dump the combined tanks - which makes it all black - even just one time that week. If you combined them they would be full in 4 days and you would have to deal with twice as much black water. Odor is a bigger issue with black tanks, you need to keep the bacteria at bay which is why you need to use a black tank chemical of some kind. 2 black tanks means twice as much chemical, odor, etc. Odor is rarely a problem for gray tanks. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: johnmaci
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2015 at 7:36pm
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Gone with the Wynns has some good information: http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/combine-rv-black-grey-tank |