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This may have been covered along time ago, but a search reveled nothing.
I am considering a '97 Liberty XL40 with one waste tank.
What is the groups opinion of one waste tank vs separate gray/black tanks?
My only experience is having two tanks with rinse capability in both.
Thanks for the help, LarryB
I wouldn't let a bus that has only one waste tank bother me. If I really like most everything about the bus I would buy it. Keep in mind that most things you could change if it really bothers you.
Having a single waste tank is a mental thing, once it's down the drain it's waste.
Some states allow dumping the gray water on the ground, so if you planning on dry camping a lot, you might want two tanks.
Some coaches with single waste tank have the option of bypassing grey water to the ground for dry camping, if it is permitted (or not prohibited) locally. We have this feature (a Liberty as well). The advantage of a single tank is the likely reduced solid matter build-up in the tank versus the usual black water tank. We had two tanks for 22 years before the single tank and don't find the single tank to be a burden. We have used the bypass twice.
Larry,
Our 92XL had a single tank. The new bus has a separate black and gray tank. I prefer the single tank for a couple of reasons. 1) we tend to fill up the black water tank more quickly than the gray water (the boys like to flush the toilet) - with the single tank we didn't have to dump as often; and 2) as Ken mentioned, all of the water going into one tank dillutes down the solids. Our 92 had the bypass to permit gray water dumping by bypassing the tank. I wouldn't view either set up as a deal killer provided that the tanks are large enough to handle several days between dumps. Our current tanks are 90 gallons each.
Loc
I like the ability to have a larger black tank and bypass the gray water,my tank is 135 gallons and I have dry camped for 5 days and it is not near full.I was not sure that I would like it this way but I think one large tank is superior to two smaller tanks.
Once you own a coach with a single tank and a greywater bypass, you will wonder why anyone still makes a two tank coach.
I wasn't sure about the single tank set-up either.... until I tried it.
We've been using the single tank in our Liberty for both RV Resort and dry camping and it has been absolutely without a problem. I have grown to like the the single tank set-up better than the black and grey dual tank set-up.
We have also used the grey water by-pass with excellent results. Even without using it, 4 or 5 days without a sewer connection has not been a problem at all.
And ya don't even have to get out of the comfort of the bus to dump it :D
I liked the single tank on Liberty. I do believe the reason most campers are equipped with two tanks is an RVIA regulation or code. In order to comply with the membership requirements of the RVIA association you must comply with their systems code requirements. Liberty, I believe decided along time ago that the single waste tank with gray water bypass is superior to the two tank plan.
I agree with them.
Now that is my 2 cents.
Other side of the coin, sincr the Liberty owners are ganging up on this thread.
With 2 tanks you can easily pump the gray contents out into a grassy area or field. We always fill the gray first, our tanks are 100 gallons each. We have pumped it away a few times when dry camping to save having to drive to a dump station.
When dumping, we dump the black first, then the grey rinses out the dump hose. It is clean for stowage. We rarely remain hooked up for a long time, and always store the hose right after dumping.
I prefer two tanks, but probably would not avoid buying a bus with one tank as long as it had the gray divert option.
And, with the grey water by-pass, ya don't need to pump anything to spare the waste tank from excess water....:)
One thing in the dumping department that I found really handy which unfortunately is not on my new coach is a macerator pump. When camping out at Chula Vista last March I didn't have enough sewer hose to reach the dump drain, as it was placed way in the back of the pad.
I did have a macerator and an extra garden type hose I didn't need. Hooked that puppy up, and was dumped in minutes! It even had an outlet on both sides of the bus, very cool. I wish my new bus had that. It was slick.
Ray