holding tank for washer/dryer?? - Montana Owners Club

BillyRay · 10-18-2004, 01:11 PM

I also posted this in problems, but for those who didn't see it...does the washer/dryer drain to a holding tank...or straight to the city sewer connection?..mine seems to go straight to the city connection.if the city connection isn't hooked up it will overflow into the closet via the drain connection.

I was always led to believe that it went to a holding tank, but everytime I've used it , it's been hooked up to a city connection.

OntMont · 10-18-2004, 02:02 PM

I would also like to know the answer to this, but I expect it goes to the grey tank. If it overfills the tank the bath tub will start to fill up. Will need to be careful using it when without sewer. (Maybe not a good idea anyway).

ken · 10-18-2004, 02:33 PM

Your washer water drains into the grey water tank. Our instructions said to open that valve so it can go directly into the sewer when using the washer. If you don't, it will fill up your gray water tank.
Ken and Velda
Dahlgren Va
2003 3655FL Montana/Ford 350 diesel

BillyRay · 10-18-2004, 03:30 PM

ken, I know what your saying, and I agree with you, but what is happening to me is my grey water holding tank is empty! and when using the spin cycle in washer, water would dump out on floor inside the camper! if you went outside and took the cap off the city sewer connection,all the water would come out (with grey water valve closed! and grey water tank empty!

I do understand that if it went to the grey water holding tank, it would overflow into the tub. that isn't happening.

looking from the outside, it appears the pvc black sewer pipe comes down from the washer and directly hooks to the outside city connection.of course you can't tell what is going on above the artic insulation with out taking it apart...and didn't want to if I didn't need to.

hope this clarifys.

thank you.

stiles watson · 10-19-2004, 02:39 PM

I have a diffent floor plan, but I do have recent experience. I forgot to open the grey water discharge valve before running the washer (have a stacked Kenmore unit). We got a geyser out of the lavatory during the rinse cycle. What a surprise!!

sreigle · 10-19-2004, 04:50 PM

Billy Ray, I think I like yours better. Ours goes to our bath grey tank. We know from experience we can get through almost two loads with tank valves closed before it overflows the shower onto the floor, under the vanity into the basement, then onto the ground where all the nice neighbors see it, turn the water off, and knock on your door.

BillyRay · 10-19-2004, 05:04 PM

i'm not saying it's bad, but want to know what I have. it will make a huge diffenance when dry camping!

BillyRay · 10-20-2004, 04:24 AM

quick update, just spoke to craig at keystone and he said the drain from washer/dryer should be hooked up to the grey water holding tank and it sounds like the factory screwed up building my unit.he said to have the dealer take it apart to check it.

Bob & Lee · 10-20-2004, 04:41 AM

I havent got a washer yet but That sure is strange my washer is hooked straight into the line just prior to the cap and I was told that to run the washer I need to be hooked to city drain OR cap the end and OPEN the gray and galley and it will back up into them. So I put another shut off at the end of the drain just prior to the cap. it works good to balance the tanks and get more starage in the gray and galley.

Montana_1235 · 10-20-2004, 04:44 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by BillyRay

quick update, just spoke to craig at keystone and he said the drain from washer/dryer should be hooked up to the grey water holding tank and it sounds like the factory screwed up building my unit.he said to have the dealer take it apart to check it.

BillyRay,
We have the same model. Mine is hooked up like yours it goes straight to the sewer connection without going into the gray tank. I was told that different models have different plumbing configurations. Now Keystone is saying it’s connected wrong? When I take mine in after the season I’m going to have the dealer correct the problem.

Thanks for the info.

Bill

BillyRay · 10-20-2004, 09:19 AM

well now you've got me wondering... this sounds conflicting. I did speak to someone at keystone.his name was craig crouch. he did not know the answer to my question at first. he asked for my vin # and looked up some info. after being on hold twice he told me that he confirmed that I had ordered it with the washer and dryer prep package and that it SHOULD be connected to the grey water tank. he had also said that I would have to be careful it would overflow into the bath tub (as many people here had told me)he felt it was hooked up wrong at the factory and told me to have the dealer pull off the artic package and look at it I know I wasn't about to do it.

I hate it when your not sure. it drives me crazy when you get different reports.

well the dealer did offer me a job today...said I knew alot about these units.after I laughed at him, I said I should after all these problems!

if I hear anything else I'll keep you posted.I don't expect to hear back from the dealer anytime soon.they don't do anything quick.

Broome101 · 10-20-2004, 12:33 PM

Billy Ray we have 2005 3685FL it does appear to go striaght to city drain, but when using ours last weekendours went striaght into gray water. Wife washed 3 loads of kids cloths and had only taken 2 showers that day. oldest took shower that evening and called me into bathroom and gray was slightly coming into garden tub. Opened gray water tanks and she flushed out like old faithful. I had left my hooked up to city drain so not sure if it backed up into lines. Ours defiently dumps into gray tank and could use dry camping like it is suppose to. I think keystone is correct you have a plumbing error.

BillyRay · 10-20-2004, 12:52 PM

I hope so, hate to think otherwise! I could add another valve as stated by someone earlier, but if it's not the way I paid for, I'll let them fix it!

BillyRay · 10-20-2004, 12:53 PM

I did consider adding that valve regaurdless. it could be nice to have the "back up plan" or to move from one tank to the other while dry camping.

Broome101 · 10-20-2004, 12:56 PM

It may not be freeze proof if added aftermarket. I cannot even find the main value control on my unit it's under the polar package. Only thing out it open is drain coming from w/d and the city connection. Hope they can get it fixed for you soon. Love our unit only problem we have is the remote thermastat, not reliable.

BillyRay · 10-20-2004, 01:01 PM

my entire pipe is out in the elements. that's one of the things I never liked.I didn't pay much attention until it overflowed into the closet making a huge mess!

sreigle · 10-20-2004, 07:11 PM

Broome101 has a point. Our added dump valve is not in the belly, it's there by the dump cap. But in the winter we keep that valve open so it's not a problem for us.

Montana_1235 · 10-21-2004, 02:25 AM

My drain pipe for the washer is exposed to the elements like others on here have described. The only section I can’t see is the area where it goes up into the insulation at the rear of the camper. You can see where it comes up into the storage compartment and then it continues up into the wall between the clothes closet and W/D compartment. I highly doubt that it branches off and goes into the gray tank. At least I don’t believe mine does. I have never had the gray tank back up due to running the washer. I have always been hooked up to the sewer anytime we’ve used the washer. I’ve never used it when boondocking.

I asked about draining the washer when we first took delivery and was told if I wasn’t hooked to the sewer I had to open my gray tank or both gray and galley or it would flood from the washer drain in the closet.

I thought about making a removable valve that attaches where your main sewer drains. When boon docking you could attach it in place of the sewer hose, keep the valve closed and open the gray and galley valves. It would increase your gray water capacity, in my case double my capacity. When you’re ready to dump the tanks all you would have to do is attach your sewer hose to the removable valve and open it.

In any case I’m going to have the dealer correct it if it has been assembled wrong. I’ll probably make the removable valve also. Never know when you might want to use it!

Bill

BillyRay · 10-21-2004, 02:41 AM

I agree with you. just can't get a straight answer. depends who you talk to at keystone or at the dealer.now that I know I'm not alone in this I'm convinced it's not a screw up...it must be done that way on purpose...just doesn't make any sence to me why they would do that.if they were trying to save money by doing it, you would think they would at least put another valve by the sewer connection so you don't get a bath when taking the cap off!!!

Bob & Lee · 10-21-2004, 04:49 AM

I have been reading this and I dont have a W/D yet.So I think this week end Iam going to get the hose put water in the drain and figure this out. Ill let you know. I did put a extra shutoff valve on the sewer line just prior to the cap, I cut the line and put it in perment, but this was done because the posts I read about the extra storage of the gray and galley tanks and the elimination of the sepage that comes out onto you when the cap is removed to hook up the sewer line.I have not had any freeze up in the sewer line but this is only our second winter so we will see.

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