Tank Capacity - Montana Owners Club

indy roadrunner · 06-23-2006, 02:00 PM

On the 3400 does anybody know the gray tank capacities. There are two of them, one for the Kitchen sink and one for the Shower and lavatory.
I think the fresh water is 60 gal and black tank is 38 gal.

HomeOnTheRoad · 06-23-2006, 02:02 PM

The gray tanks are 38 gallons each.

Parrothead · 06-23-2006, 02:46 PM

Phil
Your lavatory may empty into your black tank. Look in your basement and follow it. Ours does.
Happy trails....................

indy roadrunner · 06-23-2006, 02:53 PM

That is interesting. I know I do have two gray tank valves to dump. I between the wheels and another in the storage area.
Guess I am going to have to do some pipe following.

stiles watson · 06-23-2006, 03:43 PM

All the three tanks seem to be the same size which is 38 gallons. The galley tank and gray water tank combine to make the 76 gallon gray water capacity in the specifications. The black water tank is 38 gallons. In my unit, the lavatory drains into the gray water tank.

Only the kitchen sink drains into the galley tank. My washer empties into the gray water tank. When we use it, we must be sure the gray water tank valve is open or we get an unwelcome geyser in the lavatory.

indy roadrunner · 06-24-2006, 01:42 AM

Well, if the gray tanks are the same size, I struggle with the reasoning behind all that. Unless there was a cross-over relief pipe that would allow one of the gray tanks to overflow into the other if it filled to a certain height.
I just don't think we would ever fill the galley tank as fast as the shower/lavatory tank. - To me that should be the bigger tank. I know, when Gladys takes a shower, I will sneak out and turn the hot water off. That should reduce the amount of water to the Gray tank.

Well - I have sit here giving this some thought....me thinks that might be a bad idea. I need to come up with something else. I know - I wlll park next to Rich and at night run my hose under his trailer and let a little gray water out and he would think his is leaking somewhere.

dsprik · 06-24-2006, 02:21 AM

Phill, this was discussed a while back and I am going to try to find a way to equaized these two gray tanks. MAy have to be done by buying an additional gate valve at the main outlet and let them equalize behind that. Not sure if that will work, But I, too, am interested in utilizing the full gray tank capacity of 76 gals.

richfaa · 06-24-2006, 02:37 AM

Yes the extra gate valve works.. Can get get one at C.W or any camper store..Check with Wally mart first. Same with where the black tank drains..Only way to know for sure is to look under the camper and trace the pipe also the TV/Cable/Sat connection...just hook it up and see what works.."Warning" do not attempt to reason out why these things are done as they are..Smoke will start to pour out of your ears and your brain will go into buffer overload..Welcome to the world of RV's.

H. John Kohl · 06-24-2006, 02:40 AM

We find we fill the galley tank on short trips faster than the gray tank. I did put an equalizer or "SAFETY VALVE" just before the 3" discharge location. I think I go the idea from this forum. My black tank and gray tank come from the front and the galley is a smaller pipe from the rear. I put the main shut off in. This protects an ops on leaving the black tank valve open and does allow me to equalize, which I have done once. With the "main" shut I opened both the gray and galley and let them balance. Just remember to hook up to the sewer before you open the Main.
Good luck and safe towing.

dsprik · 06-24-2006, 03:00 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by H. John Kohl

... Just remember to hook up to the sewer before you open the Main.
Good luck and safe towing.

This is a good point. Although, if you ever start to feel a little cramped in a CG, or if you have annoying neighbors (although I hear that never happens...), this "mistake" tends to open some daylight between you and the next camper(s)...

stiles watson · 06-24-2006, 03:31 AM

Even in extended stays we haven't had a problem with capacity in either of the gray water tanks. For us the tank most likely to need to be dumped is the black water tank. When it is dumped, the gray water tanks follow, of course, to flush the line. When the washer is used, we have to open the dump valve on the gray water tank. Equalizing seems unnecessary to me for our style of operation.

dsprik · 06-24-2006, 05:26 AM

It might be for me too, Styles. But I would like an equilizing option. Like you said, it really does depend on an individual's usage habits.

Wrenchtraveller · 06-24-2006, 05:34 AM

I find the grey water tanks are just fine for overnight without hookups and I always get a kick out of tenters who wash their dishes and throw the water into the bush. If we, as RVers were ever seen allowing a little galley water out at a campground we would be classified as environmental criminals. If we wash dishes outside, we are expected to dispose of the water in the proper way.
Why are tenters exempt from this?

Parrothead · 06-24-2006, 06:06 AM

Don
I think it is because the assumption exists that anything that comes out of that "sewer" hose is from the sewer. Water from the washer/dryer and from the shower are not contaminated either but they have to go into the sewer outlet. When we tent camped we did a PTA bath in a small basin and threw that water out on the ground as well as the dishwater. There was no where else to put it. If we are parked for a long period we leave the galley open. We've done this with all 3 of our 5th wheels and have never had a problem. We have yet to boondock so capacity is not something we have thought much about.
Happy trails...........................

Wrenchtraveller · 06-24-2006, 07:04 AM

Sue and Ed, thanks for the post and I think you are right on. The first slide in campers did not have holding tanks and you had to put a container out to collect your grey water. This led to some discrimination of slide in campers and it still exists today.

sreigle · 06-24-2006, 11:16 AM

Dsprik, we also have the extra gate valve right at the dump cap. You can buy one at CW for under $20 and it twists into place, just like your sewer hose connector. You then connect the sewer hose to the new gate valve. Close that valve, open both gray valves, and it will equalize automatically. We have done this numerous times. In summer heat we take more frequent showers, filling the shower tank more quickly than the galley tank. The equalizing approach buys us a couple more days before needing to dump the tanks.

Also, a tip HamRad gave me, you can use that extra gate valve to help quickly flush the black tank. When I dump (all three tank valves have been closed and accumlated water), I first dump the black tank. Then I close the extra valve while leaving the black tank valve open. I open the shower tank valve and let it equalize into the black tank (about 30 seconds). Then I close the shower tank valve (it's now half full) and open the extra valve. The black tank empties again. With a clear connector you can easily see how much black tank contents are flushing out. If i see a lot, I'll repeat the process with more of the shower tank contents and may even do the same from the galley tank contents. Usually I just do it once. When done, open all grays and let them drain. I still use the black tank flush but only maybe once per month or so. There may be other ways to do this but it has worked well for me, thanks to HamRad.

snfexpress · 06-24-2006, 11:27 AM

Nice tip, Steve and HamRad!

CountryGuy · 06-26-2006, 04:01 AM

With attempts to not be too graphic, gray water from the shower can be contaminated, think of what you are washing that discharges into that tank. Could be some ecoli and nasty stuff there. Wild guess, could be in the galley too, depending on if you use it to wash your hands,etc.

Not sure bout the tenters, in Michigan the rules are they are not allowed to dump their dishwater and such on the ground around the trees. HA HA, YEA right! We all know they are doing it. SIGHH

richfaa · 06-26-2006, 04:38 AM

Tenters are not exempt from dumping gray water.The rules are the same for everyone.Most tent areas have those little gray water dump stations and most CG's do not allow tenters in the Rv area.

CountryGuy · 06-26-2006, 04:46 AM

speaking of Michigan state campgrounds Rich, tenters can have any site, when we leave the site the next occupant may very well be a tenter. There are no little gray water dump places in the state parks, that I am aware of. I suppose that technically they are supposed to carry the water to the bath room shower houses?? I know that there are water spickets spaced around the park, and there is a huge drain below, but there is also a sign that dumping of dishwater is not allowed. That of course, does not stop the practice. So long since I have been in a tent I really don't know. But, do see them dumping the water around the trees. There is a lot of really long grass around those trees.

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