Incorrect Plumbing By Heartland

We have a 2020 Bighorn Traveler and I believe the drain valves were incorrectly installed. The black tank valve has to remain open to drain gray tank #1. This is our 2nd RV. The black tank valve should be allowed to remain closed when opening either of my two gray tanks. Heartland is refusing to fix this issue even though it is a health and sanitary risk. Can I replumb this my self or take it to RV repair business? See attached photos. Thank you and happy camping.
 

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david-steph2018

Well-known member
So, the way you are showing this, does the grey #2 tank drain all the time?
What is behind the small door there in the 2nd picture?
 
No it does not. It has its own valve which to the left of the black valve. Hence my issue. I have to open black valve, drain black tank, then open gray valve to drain gray tank. I should be able to just open gray valve without having to open black valve.
 

dudkas

Member
I have the same rig as you, same year. Mine is plumbed the same way. I understood this was because they wanted you to flush your plumbing with the grey water tank after the black. I don't see the health issue. Can you explain your concern please?
 
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I am sorry, but I do not agree. I am just looking to replume the valves. If you do not have any suggestions please do not respond. Thank you.
 

david-steph2018

Well-known member
No it does not. It has its own valve which to the left of the black valve. Hence my issue. I have to open black valve, drain black tank, then open gray valve to drain gray tank. I should be able to just open gray valve without having to open black valve.
If there is room between the black tank and the discharge line, you could install a cable pull valve. If you have to move the discharge pipe down, watch your ground clearance, and the angle to assist in draining.
 
We have a 2019 Elkridge 38RSRT purchased new in 2018. Within a month and a half, we replaced 2 Inverters, the fire place, and the television that came with it. A month later the grey/black tank from the 2nd bathroom was leaking and filled the belly with sewage. A mobil repairman sent by the dealer said “that is normal if the tanks get full”, meanwhile the belly plastic has stretched nearly to the ground. Fast forward a year or two. We have had to replace both toilets, the microwave, the rear of the RV has delaminated and looks like a painted balloon, the awning fell off the side, the oven stopped working and the stove only works when it wants to. The dealer Ron Hoover RV in Boerne Tx is the worst place in the world to deal with after the sale. The rv had to go back for repairs and when we picked it back up the side had been damaged from someone hitting it on the lot, there was some service person who was going to reattach some trim and used a nail gin which just split the trim and never fixed it. Now the grey tank for the kitchen has fallen through belly, tearing all the plastic belly skin off. Fireplace has stopped working again and the grey tank for the master bath leak’s filling the belly up with water. When I took the belly plastic off to see where all the water was coming from, it ended up being between the tank and the knife valve. There was a standard hose clamp holding the rigid plastic tank outlet to the drain pipe with some white sticky paste, no glue. Someone knew it was leaking from the factory and Jerry rigged it. The knife valve for the master black tank has never sealed off causing a horrible turd pile stopping up the whole tank. Now both A/C units only operate during the daytime for what ever reason. They will run all day long, but as soon as the sun sets, they cycle off and will not come back on until the next day unless you manually power em off and back on, then they will run 1-2 cycles and stop again. I forgot to mention the heater only blows in the master bedroom and barely in the living room and kitchen, doesn’t even make back to the bunk room and bathroom. Was told the blower doesn’t have enough power to blow it that far. So like I said in a the beginning DO NOT BUY A HEARTLAND RV!! Nothing but trouble and no help from the manufacturer, i have had numerous conversations with them and no remedy except a high dollar payment.

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Jim Posz

Well-known member
I have a 2021 Bighorn Traveler 32RS. Mine is not plumbed exactly that same way; instead, it has the black water valve in the vertical drop below the black tank, with this valve operated by a cable. It has the washer, bath sink and shower on the front grey tank. When camped at the same location (with sewer) for a time we tend to leave this valve open and dump the black and rear grey tank weekly.
 

centerline

Well-known member
I have the same rig as you, same year. Mine is plumbed the same way. I understood this was because they wanted you to flush your plumbing with the grey water tank after the black. I don't see the health issue. Can you explain your concern please?
because some of us who boondock like to leave our gray tanks open.... but not the black tank.
 

centerline

Well-known member
If you do not have any suggestions please do not respond. Thank you.

when you ask a question on a public forum, you have to take the all the comments that come your way in the exact same manner that the rest of us have to accept your questions and posts showing up on our feed.... unless we choose to block the one that we want to ignore.

you may not have meant it in a rude way but it reads as being a rude, biting comment... so rather than trying to run people off, consider that everyone who takes the time to fully read your post, and REPLY are only trying to offer some information that may explain your situation and help...... and not everyone thinks the same as everyone else, nor do we all have the same experience in troubleshooting and making repairs.....

we dont need to believe or follow the suggestions or advice of others, but as long as we keep getting them from any source available, we may eventually gather enough information to solve the problems we are having..

if there are certain people that you cant stand to see replies from, its easy enough to block their content from showing on your posts.... otherwise you will just have to be satisfied that people ARE TRYING to help you with the issue YOU have..... you may not get the answer you are looking for, but you will always get suggestions..... or another option to prevent unwanted suggestions, is to take it to an RV shop and just pay to have it set up exactly like you want it...:unsure:
 

dudkas

Member
Roger...makes sense. It was already mentioned a plumber should be able to fix that. RV shop not required.
 

Jim Posz

Well-known member
Here is a pic of the front part of the sewer setup. Please note the pull handle on the frame rail. I will attempt to add another pic taken from the rear.
Hope this helps.
 

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