gray water in shower basin

trimtab

Somehow we filled up our graywater tank..in two days...and does it come up through the shower drain if that happens?
Still trying to figure out how we used that much water..in just washing dishes...and no shower taken...plumbing problem?
I must have done something at home before we left home..yeah, first trip on new trailer..oy.

Bayliss

@trimtab, I believe your gray water tank holds about 18 gallons and your fresh water tank holds 19 gallons.  Therefore, assuming that the only water you have used is from your fresh water tank, that would mean your fresh water tank would just about be empty.  Check those two levels on your tank monitor.  I would not think the gray tank would be full based on your described usage, but it depends on how many times you have washed dishes.  It could be that you had some water left in the holding tank before this trip.  IF your fresh water tank still has plenty of water, my guess is that is what occurred.

Next, I would suggest that you dump the gray water holding tank at a dump station and monitor your usage during the rest of your trip to see if the situation reoccurs.  After dumping, be sure to check the tank monitor to confirm it indicates it is "empty," and then monitor the level as you use water/fill the gray tank.

And "YES," the gray water from the holding tank will back up into the shower pan if the tank overfills.

VictoriaP

Yes, if the grey tank is full, it tends to overflow into the shower.

Because the tanks are so small, washing dishes in the normal way can pretty quickly add up to a full tank. Many of us have come up with alternatives to conserve both water and waste. I personally wipe dishes first with paper towels, then use a soapy scrubber with only a small amount of hot water to clean, followed by a rinse from a spray bottle of water rather than the faucet. Others will fill a small basin or two (one wash, one rinse). And some resort to disposables like paper plates so that only pots and pans need cleaning.

ChrisandAlexis

@trimtab. We experienced the same thing on our first trip. Water came up the shower drain on the morning we were to leave. Sea Level gauge for the grey water tank showed 80% full. I thought we still had another 20% to go. It is also possible we were not quite level. After that first experience I start emptying the grey water tank when the Sea Level for the grey water read 50-60%. I bought a 6 gallon portable waste tank for that reason so that we could continue using the water as we would normally do.

AirBoss

Just FYI...be sure both the galley faucet and head faucets are lowered to their lowest position. Its possible (yeah...been there, done that) that when you close lid on the galley sink or fold up the head sink, the faucets can be turned on accidentally. 

trimtab

Dealer has been showing our trailer. I believe there was a lot of water in the gray water tank, and when I saw 2/3 full, I guess I thought the gauge was off because we had only used it for a day and a half. At the 2/3 reading there was about 1 1/2 " of standing water in the shower pan.
I am going to empty everything and keep a very close eye on things. 
First trip and working things out. Thanks ChrisandAlexis, I think we did a ditto.

Sharon_is_SAM

@trimtab, I know the SeeLevel monitor gray tank readings underestimated the volume, hence a full shower pan.  I have a chart in our TaB that indicates SeeLevel readings vs actual measured volume.  You may want to take some notes!

NorthIsUp

We bought a $50 folding table and cheapo dishpan at Walmart and placed it by the outside shower. This is how we wash pots and pans/dishes.  In this manner, the grey water tank isn't affected and we properly dump the gray water that we created. 

AirBoss

@NorthIsUp...when you say "...properly dump the gray water that we created", how do you typically dispose if it? 

NorthIsUp

Usually use the public outdoor sink at a bath house/toilet area. Really has saved us from filling the grey tank by doing dishes outside. Learned about this by just watching others camping.

AirBoss

Yep...funny thing. When we tented camped we used all sorts of methods like this...out of necessity.

Now that we "moved on up to the East Side", we've forgotten some of those methods! 

Whats old...is new again! 

Marceline

NorthIsUp said:

We bought a $50 folding table and cheapo dishpan at Walmart and placed it by the outside shower. This is how we wash pots and pans/dishes.  In this manner, the grey water tank isn't affected and we properly dump the gray water that we created. 

I do the same if I’m going to be camped for more than 3 days. I dispose of the wash water as I would if were tent camping (varies by location). I have a plastic washbasin that fits in my t@b sink. 

daisytk

This is my first trip out in a 2015 TAB320 that I acquired just a week ago. I am staying in an RV campground with full hook-up. I read in the manual that the kitchen sink can drain out directly. So, I hooked that outlet into the campground sewer system. I have been using the sink only and not my toilet. This morning (my second day) I found gray water in my shower basin. The sewer hose was full and I raised it to make sure everything drained away. However, the shower basin continues to fill. How can I get it to drain? I did not realize that any water was going into the gray water tank. I thought the water was going straight out. HELP!!!

falcon1970

@daisytk
Did you have the gate valve at the hose hookup open?  That is usually a gray handle, but not always.  If it is closed all the water from the sinks and shower (as one would expect) will stay in the gray tank until it is opened.  However, it is not a good practice to leave your sewer connection open directly to the sewer at a campsite--either the black valve or the gray valve.  Sewer gases (and maybe critters) can easily enter your trailer from the sewer system.

TNOutback

I discovered on our last trip that our gray water tank has an overflow.  Wife was showering and I was outside.  I heard water dripping and found water coming out from edge of underbody behind driver’s side wheel.  I suspect then your 2020 model may similarly have a tank overflow on it, so any excess should go out the overflow instead of backing up into the shower drain (unless the inflow overwhelms the overflow).  The sensors have a really broad range of what “full” is.  When ours hits the “full” light, I dump out 6 gallons into our portable gray water tank to give us more space in the gray tank.

ChrisFix

AirBoss said:

Just FYI...be sure both the galley faucet and head faucets are lowered to their lowest position. Its possible (yeah...been there, done that) that when you close lid on the galley sink or fold up the head sink, the faucets can be turned on accidentally. 

That is indeed the case...it took me two outings to get used to putting the kitchen faucet handle into the full down (cold) position before closing the glass top. 
I had inadvertently turned that faucet on several times by shutting the sink top before fully lowering the faucet handle. But I think my wife has got me properly trained now!

Dutch061

AirBoss said:

Just FYI...be sure both the galley faucet and head faucets are lowered to their lowest position. Its possible (yeah...been there, done that) that when you close lid on the galley sink or fold up the head sink, the faucets can be turned on accidentally. 

To prevent any Oops since we mostly dry camp, the water pump is never left on. It is turned on when we need to have water.

1. It prevents accidental, where did my water go

2. It helps keep you consciously aware of your water usage

Brad

daisytk

@falcon1970
Yes, the gate at the valve hookup was open. Water had been flowing into the hose. But, where the hose connects to the park sewer system is an L-shaped connection which is higher. So, the water really has not been going to the sewer system and I think that's why the water was backed up. I raised the hose which was full of water and made sure the water drained into the park sewer system. But, the water in the shower pan is not draining and any water that goes through the kitchen sink adds to that. Since I have emptied the hose, I expect water to be able to flow into it. ???

ScottG

@daisytk, since you have a 2015 I expect you have two dump valves and two separate drains--one for the grey tank and one for the black. Fist thing, are you sure you are connected to the grey tank and not the black?

For the first time in six seasons, I recently experienced grey water backing up into shower. It didn't seem like we had put 19 gallons into the tank, but who knows? Maybe it wasn't completely drained to start with.

Regardless, once I drained off a few gallons into a bucket, the tide receded. If that is not happening for you it suggests either your grey water drain is somehow blocked or the outlet of your hose is just too high (but that still wouldn't explain why the hose itself wouldn't refill).

If it won't drain even at a standard dump station, you might try sending a sewer snake or some other stiff but flexible thing up there to see if you can jostle loose any clogs. It's not a particularly complicated drain system so I'm at a bit of a loss as to why you are experiencing this problem. Please let us know what you find!

daisytk

@falcon1970
I have solved the immediate problem of draining the water from the shower pan. I opened the second gate that is marked Sewer Connection. But, after the water drained, water kept flowing out -- looks like freshwater to me. FYI-- the sewer hose I set up is connected to the other outlet that is not marked "Sewer". I don't understand the relationship between the gray water tank and the black water tank. Is there a diagram available somewhere that shows the tanks, the pipes and the two outlets? 

Dutch061

Black Water is the toilet tank and has a 3" pipe coming into the valve. Grey water is sink - shower water and has a 1 1/2" pipe coming into the valve, earlier campers had a separate connection for each. As a rule, black is emptied first so you can use the grey to flush any residue from "stinky slinky".

Brad

falcon1970

@daisytk
The Gray water tank collects water from the sinks and shower.  There is a separate Black water tank that collects water from the toilet only.  The two tanks are not interconnected--unless someone in the past has done a rather inadvisable modification.  Early model TABs had two separate hose connections--one for each tank--each controlled by a "gate" valve that you pull to open each drain.  Usually the Gray tank drain handle is gray in color and the Black tank drain handle is black in color--but not always!  Later models combined the two drains into one hose connection but each tank drain still has its own, usually color coded, "gate" valve.
The Gray tank is usually located between the frame rails and would be about 12 inches from the ground.  It is a rather shallow tank that extends the width of the trailer.  The Black tank sits higher and is above the floor of the trailer (someone with a 320 correct me if I am in error here).  If the campsite hose dump entrance is at or higher than 12 inches it is possible that water will collect in the hose because there is not enough "water head" to push it up to the hose exit.  "Water head" is simply the weight of the water pushing through the hose to the exit of the hose.
Labelling is not nuCamp's strong suit.  Is it possible you originally had the hose connected to the wrong outlet? You can determine which outlet is for which tank by pouring clean water into the shower pan (a couple of gallons should do it) and the opening the Gray tank gate valve.  Note which hose connection the water comes from.  You can do this at home and since it will be a small amount of clean water you can just let it run onto your driveway.

daisytk

Looks like I totally misinterpreted the placement of the  "Sewer Outlet Connection" label, right above one of the dump valves. I assumed that was for black water, and I had the hose connected to the other one since I was just using the sink. I checked the pipes going into each valve just now based on what Dutch061 wrote and I realized I had it reversed. ScottG, you were right on.

Remaining question: when setting up the camper two days ago, my friend checked the water coming in and when he opened the valve (which I now know is from the black water tank), water gushed out. So, we both thought it was water that he ran through the sink, and we connected the hose to it. This morning, there was a lot of water in the hose too. I thought it was all the water that I had been using. Where would that have been from? I have not used the toilet at all. 

One more question: With the proper connection, will water I use in the sink or shower go directly through to the hose or will it be going through the grey water tank? Does it collect there or go straight through? 

Thanks to all of you for your help.

Denny16

The water was in the black, toilet holding tank, which you do not leave empty, but always put enough water back in, after dumping and rinsing it, for the toilet chemicals to dissolve and have enough water to treat the waste that comes from the toilet.  If you leave it dry, it will smell, and when you use the toilet for a “poop”, it will just pile up under the toilet, which sits on top the black tank.
cheers

falcon1970

@daisytk
Any water you run into the sinks or shower will go first into the Gray holding tank and then, if you have the gate valve open, into the discharge hose.

MuttonChops

@daisytk ;

Below is a Basic Plumbing Diagram for reference.

Greater detail Plumbing diagrams can be found on the Resources Page of this forum
https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/7856/plumbing-resources#latest

jkjenn

I had the same thing after my first shower. I realized that either the factory or dealer must have run water through the system to make sure it all worked and there were no leaks.

daisytk

@MuttonChops
WOW! Your support is amazing, y'all. 
MuttonChops, thanks for the diagram. It definitely helps. Thanks also for the link.
Based on my earlier actions, I have effectively emptied the black water tank or almost emptied it. Looks like I should flush the toilet a few times to get some water in it so that it does not dry out as Denny16 emphasized. Correct? 
With all your help today, I am hopefully all set to have this part of the camper working correctly for me. Wonder what my next challenge will be?

MuttonChops

daisytk said:

. . . Looks like I should flush the toilet a few times to get some water in it so that it does not dry out as Denny16 emphasized. Correct?

Denny16's suggestion sounds reasonable.  I don't do that . . . maybe I should.

My approach is somewhat different.

First, I don't connect the discharge hose unless am actually going to dump tanks.
Second, dump tanks when black is nearing full or at end of each outings whichever comes first.
   At end of an outing when black tank is not near full then I top-it-off with fresh water so tank is full.
   Now while dumping there is a nice volume & tank water pressure to really flush out the waste.
   Believe it also helps to drive on the highway some before dumping (when possible) to give
   Happy Camper Mix and motion/vibration time to breakdown solids.
Third, always dump grey water after black to flush out discharge hose.** Also add fresh water to
   grey tank to at least 60% full to increase the water volume & pressure while draining.

** My T@B has the combined waste discharge port design so can also back flush black tank drain and lower section of tank.  After draining black, leave black gate open, lift discharge hose above waste port height, open grey gate . . .this back fills the black gate area and lower tank.  Close grey gate, lower discharge hose.  Then close black gate and do normal grey dump.

daisytk

@MuttonChops
Thanks for sharing your method. As a newbie, I have chosen the wimpy approach of just using the sink for now, and not the toilet. This is my first trip and I have only two nights under my belt so far; I have also chosen campgrounds that have full hook-ups, thinking that I would just let it all flow into the sewer. I will definitely keep your tips in mind when I am ready for 'Phase 2'. However, having an older model (2015), I don't know how I would be able to tell how full the grey and black water tanks are. I think the newer models have a gauge. 

ScottG

@daisytk, I think you have already figured out how to tell when the grey water tank on 2015 is full...  ;-)

As for the black tank, your only option is to take a peek down the hole while flushing. If the black water looks like it is lapping at the flush gate, I suggest you drain the black tank ASAP!

Glad you got it figured out and nothing is plugged or broken. Camp on!