Water and Holding Tanks

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Here in Chicago we lovingly refer to the dump switch as

"The Dave Mathews Switch"

[merle&louise]

Dear Ann & Abbey:

Thanks for the reply; but I would still like to know if the fresh water tank and the waste water tank are different sizes? It seems to me that the waste water tank should be about 5 gallons larger. That way it would be impossible to overflow the waste tank when dry camping; assuming that the owner used only the full fresh water tank capacity to start out with.

Liberty has answered regarding the single tank(thanks Abbey), but how about the other converters? Does Marathon, Country Coach, Millenium, Thompson, Royale, etc. have 2 separate tanks for gray and black? Please indicate the year of the coach as well as the converter.

Water & waste capacity is important to me because we tailgate a lot(similar to dry camping, but a lot more drinking!). My daughter and son-in-law share in the tailgating duties and they never check anything as insignificant as waste water levels. They just party on! THAT IS WHY I AM CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING MORE WASTE TANKAGE THAN FRESH WATER TANKAGE.


Thanks in advance for the information.

[lewpopp]

Jon

What on earth is a grey water bypass used for if you have only one waste water tank. I'm trying to picture this.

As you know, I have 2 tanks and don't need to reconnect the hose for grey. Please explain the bypass bit.

[truk4u]

Tuga & Karen,
It's hard to get a straight answer from this bunch, I'm not even sure I can do it, but here goes...

My Marathon has 2 tanks, the grey is 88, the black is 61 and the fresh water around 120 if I remember. Mine are plain manual dump valves, just the way I like it, no motors or electric valves to go bad. The sewer hose hook up is also up in the plumbing bay with a removable panel below to hook up your hose, unlike the Liberty's that hang down and get knocked off.

When things get bad with your party animals, turn off the pump, tell them the tank is full and head for the fresh smelling porta poties. Then when your inside all alone, hit the pump laugh. Hey, your the Captain, remember....

[merle&louise]

Tom:

Thanks for the explanation. That's the answer that I was looking for; with 88gals of grey water and 61 gallons of black water - there is no way to overflow starting out with 120 gallons of fresh water.

I may be the captain, but I am an absentee captain! My kids use the coach with their buddies, and Karen & I stay home and let them tailgate.

Lew:

The grey water by-pass valve is used on a coach with one waste tank when you are dry camping out in an open grassland (Auburn University RV parking lot). There is a manifold that allows you to let the gray water drain on the ground as it is being used. The manifold re-routes the grey water away from the tank and thru the sewer hose hook-up connection.

If you attend POG III, I show you on my coach. It's easier to show you than it is to explain it. Maybe Jon or someone else can explain it better than I have.

Thanks for the response.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Dear Newell Owner,

As Tom's answer illustrates there is no standard. His coach has two tanks and a total waste volume greater than the fresh water volume.

But, he actually may only represent a small percentage of conversions. Or his may be typical. You need to hear from all other owners, and you also need to hear from converters. Since we had two different tanks on coach #1 and a single tank on #2 there does not appear to even be a standard with a converter.

As far as capacity, I would have to say that you can control the potential for having a Kevin episode by monitoring your tank status. We have display panels in two places and audible alarms. We can also limit stored fresh water to never exceed the holding tank capacity. On our coach the auto fill limits capacity of fresh water to 80%, but we also can manually fill it until it overflows.

All of my comments are related to my Liberty, and may have no relevence to any other Liberty or converter.

Signed,

Ann Landers and Dear Abby.

[Coloradobus]

Mr. Newell Owner,

We have a 2000 Marathon "H"3-45. Our tank capacities are as follows.
Fresh tank=186 gallons plus 21 in the hot water heaters
Grey tank=86 gallons
Black tank=68 gallons
We have 2 separate dump vavles, one for grey and one for black. These valves join a central exit where the sewer hose attaches.

Another coach we know, a 2002 Marathon "H"3-45 has the same system as ours, but also has a macerator that diverts grey/black water thru a chopper/blender and sends the fluid out a separate port where a garden hose may attach. This macerator pumps the mess thru the hose and into where ever you put the hose.

[Kevin Erion]

I found that the Black tank is unlimited, just let it go and go and go and......

[Coloradobus]

So, Kevin,

Did you get the coach mess cleaned up? You left so quickly, we didn't know you were gone until someone mentioned it at dinner.
See you at Barrett/Jackson???

[Kevin Erion]

Sorry I took off so quick, kinda had a few things I wanted to get home and take care of. My friend called for an RV spot and we are number 200 or something on the waiting list. last year we showed up on Friday of the last weekend and there where a lot of spots empty. I guess some people spent there Lewbucks early and left. If you hear of a spot open up, let me know, we may still try the weekend thing again. I would like to hook up and BS about the Marathons and vintage Airstream stuff.
Kevin
kevin@erionracing.com