Equalize Grey Water Tank Levels

[Duramax1]

If I attach a shutoff valve on the main waste water outlet and then open both grey water tank valves, will the water levels in both grey water tanks become equal?

I am interested in doing this when dry camping to create more waste water storage capacity for taking showers. Washing dishes in a plastic wash basin and then emptying this water outside would create more water storage capacity for taking showers if the two grey water tanks equalize.

Will this idea work?

 

[cookie]

In order for the tanks to equalize they would have to be on the same level as each other.
I think.
Water seeks it's own level.

Peace
Dave

 

[danemayer]

Hi Duramax1,

I asked the same question in 2011 and the prevailing opinion was that the levels would equalize. But as it turned out I didn't need to try it.

But it depends on the vertical position of the 2 tanks. In my case, the gray #1 tank is in the drop frame section, sitting low, and the gray #2 is further back and sits higher. So I think the transfer would be minimal.

If your Sundance doesn't have a drop-frame in front, you might do better.

 

[Garypowell]

I used the tank height difference to my advantage and you could too....depending on the circumstance.

I had had an outlet valve on the final discharge and noticed my #2 grey tank was not draining even though I knew there was water in it.

I closed the end shut off and opened both grey valves. The #1 tank being higher back flushed into the #2 tank. I think the plastic cut out was plugging the hole. This procedure blew it out of the way and the #2 tank then drained like normal.

You could use this same procedure to dump water from your #1 tank into the #2 tank to free up room in your #1 tank.

Not sure about your rig but my #1 tank always fills up as it has only bath, washing machine and dishwasher going Into it. I don't think I have ever seen the #2 tank fill up....all we have on it is the kitchen sink.

 

[Lynn1130]

I think I have the same issue as Dan. With the crossover on and both tanks open the rear tank does not seem to equalize.

 

[caissiel]

I will dump the bath tank in the kitchen one before it fills and then close both valves. That way the kitchen tank will still accept the kitchen sink water. My bath tank is higher and they are same size.

 

[MurrayN.]

I have done this on my Sundance for years. Works like a charm. Gives me enough grey water storage for three nights, and we don't miss our nightly showers.

 

[JohnD]

Our Trail Runner has two gray tanks . . . but the black tank is between them, so no way to connect them to each other.

We have the rear kitchen, so the rear gray tank is at the very back of the trailer while the front gray tank and the black tank are in front of the axles.

And the back gray tank has it's own drain while the front gray and black tank share another separate drain.

 

[mlburst1]

Hi Duramax1,

We have the shutoff on the main dump outlet and have used it to try and
equalize the gray tanks with some success.

On our Alaska trip, we boondocked two and three days at a time. Even
though the bathroom gray tank is lower, some water was pushed into the
kitchen tank as the bedroom tank filled.

We easily made three days with our daily showers - the problem was
runnning out of fresh water!

 

[whp4262]

I've used an external gate valve and opened the gray tank gate valves on my Cyclone and it works. I have 3 gray tanks and one black tank that share a single outlet.


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