Can Grey tank be used as a Black tank?

Just got 2720 SL this week. Noticed no black tank..

Question. If the grey tank valve is left open, would the toilet's waste overflow into the grey tank? Can grey tank be used as a black water holding tank? Obviously using it only for #1.... Has anyone ever done this??? How much does the Thetford toilet hold before you need to empty. Summer campground does not have sewer! Please advise...

Originally Posted by BabyTM

Just got 2720 SL this week. Noticed no black tank..

Question. If the grey tank valve is left open, would the toilet's waste overflow into the grey tank? Can grey tank be used as a black water holding tank? Obviously using it only for #1.... Has anyone ever done this??? How much does the Thetford toilet hold before you need to empty. Summer campground does not have sewer! Please advise...

If I understand your question correctly, you are wanting to leave the grey water tank valve open, which is located near the outside dump valve for both the toilet and the grey water tank. You are going to leave the dump valve cover closed during this. You then want to dump the toilet (which has it's own holding tank) into the line and let it gravity backflow into the grey water tank. IN order for it to gravity flow, then the grey water tank has to be below the level of the toilet, which I believe it is. Hmmm, maybe some others can give insight on this. I would think you would have to keep filling the grey water tank up many times to clean it after you used it as described above.

The easiest way is to just take a portable sewer tote with you, and use as necessary without contaminating your grey water tank at all.

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/p...ks/prodID=6073

If you are only using your toilet for #1, then I suppose the campground must have facilities for # 2. Can't you use these same facilities for #1 a majority of the time?

[Bill]

To rephrase - you are going to leave the dump valve for the black water (below the trailer) open, and the dump valve for the gray water (also below the trailer) open, so they can cross-communicate, as it were. Even if you close those two dump valves before dumping, it's going to be messy when you take the end cap off the dump line. There will be a gallon or so of mixed "stuff" down in the end of the dump line, constrained only by that cap, and it will spill on the ground when you pull off the cap.

There is a fair amount of toilet info in the TM Reference Library, aka TM Info You Won't Find Anywhere Else.

Bill

I am wondering if BabyTM doesn't understand how the Thetford toilet works.....that there isn't a black water tank like other RVs, just the recirculating tank directly under the toilet.

BabyTM, give us a reply back with more details of your concerns, or check out the link that Bill posted.

Chap

Thanks all for your great replies/ideas. My mom (75 y/o) camps with us on the weekends and is disabled. Long walk to restrooms. No sewer at campground. Will use a tote instead, it seems to be the better option.

Don't like the Thetford toilet...the idea creeps me out... Has anyone installed a regular rv toilet that uses little water to flush?

For the campgrounds with sewer, connecting directly to sewer? With campgrounds without sewer, connecting directly to tote??

P.S. Anything to make mom life easier...

[Bill]

I'm in full accord with T_C. Your Mom should not ever have to walk to the rest room (we don't), and the toilet should not in any way "creep you out". Do you have any specific questions? (We accept delicate phrasing here.) Have you reviewed the posts in the Plumbing forum? It's a big forum, but scrolling down through might help. Have you looked at the toilet tutorial in the TM Reference Library (aka TM Info You Won't Find Anywhere Else)?

There was, in fact, someone who talked about replacing his toilet - but I don't recall if he ever actually did it. And there was another thread, complete with photos, from a member who increased the size of the black water holding tank by adding a long length of 4" PVC pipe under the TM. But as I recall, he was quite satisfied with the toilet itself.

Two things are important. First, as T_C mentioned, DO NOT leave the toilet drain valve open all the time. Search for "black cone".

T_C usually mentions the second thing, too, but he may be sleepy today so I'll do it for him. You probably should NOT buy a tote with more than 10 gallons of capacity. Ten gallons of water is really heavy, and 20 or 30 gallons is impossibly heavy. Since the toilet holds 6 gallons, a 10-gallon tote will empty it at any time.

I'm serious about questions - it's what we do here. Is there anything we can help with? Ask by PM if you are uncomfortable asking in a public forum.

Bill

Here are a couple threads that might (or might not) be helpful.
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=5034
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=5059

Originally Posted by BabyTM

Thanks all for your great replies/ideas. My mom (75 y/o) camps with us on the weekends and is disabled. Long walk to restrooms. No sewer at campground. Will use a tote instead, it seems to be the better option.

Don't like the Thetford toilet...the idea creeps me out... Has anyone installed a regular rv toilet that uses little water to flush?

For the campgrounds with sewer, connecting directly to sewer? With campgrounds without sewer, connecting directly to tote??

P.S. Anything to make mom life easier...

Baby TM, check out the thread: http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=6551 ......yendor did an excellent job of installing a regular rv toilet. As you will see, I am 1 that questioned why you would need to do that, but now understand that the Thetford is not for everyone. But that said, in reading your posts, I am not sure that you are still exactly sure how the Thetford functions. Check out threads on the Thetford, and ask plenty of questions on this forum, as I know that there are members that will be anxious to help you.

If you think about how the Thetford works everytime you use it, I guess it could "creep" some people out. But those of us that use them, find it very functional in its design......it doesn't use valuble water while boondocking, and with the right chemicals, it doesn't smell.

Chap

Oops, I think Bill and I were posting about the same time about asking plenty of questions.

Baby TM,
We are new to our 2720 SL and had concerns since we never routinely used a recirculating toilet. Our "shakedown" campout in the barnyard using it as if we were camping did the trick. The toilet works fine, although I would recommend a liquid chemical (Thetford makes both) treatment instead of a powder due to the later's irritating aerosole. Be sure you charge the Thetford prior to use..

[yendor]

What Ever You Do Don't Let Your Toilet Drain Into The Gray Tank... All
Your Sink And Tub Drains Will Act As Vents And If By Chance You Over Fill
That Tank While, Say Washing Dishes Your Tub Will Fill Up With #2 . As When
That Tank Is Full The Water Will Rise In The Tub. I Hope I Caught You In Time .
Yendor

[grill-n-go]

The large 30+ gallon tanks have a set-up that allows towing with theTV. For extended outings I've dumped our Thetford and part of our grey water into a our 35 gallon tote and subsequently towed it to the dump station. By combining it with the gray water it's not took icky. Works great for me (I won't say "us" because DW doesnt want to know).