Gray Water Use Idea

[OTapia295]

So I've got this grand idea for boondocking water conservation and would like input. So, as I understand the 295RL has two gray water tanks and one black tank. My idea is to install a pump and line from the shower gray water tank and plumb it the toilet supply line to use as flush water supply. Thus, conserving fresh water by using the gray water instead of fresh water for flushing.. Thoughts? Has anyone already done this? Anyone have diagrams for the fresh water supply lines as well as tank/waste pluming diagram? Or is just a dump idea? Thanks in advance.

[TucsonJim]

I've used our dish water for years to flush the toilet. But that is really thinking out of the box with your idea.

Jim

[Country Campers]

OTapia295

This is a great idea. The layout of the 295RL is similar to our 29RS. What I know is the toilet water line is connected to the line that also feeds the bath sink. This would be easy to get around. Remove the standard toilet flush line and install a valve at the end and turn off the regular water supply to the toilet. Next, getting grey water out of the shower grey or kitchen grey , shower grey might be easier. I am not sure how to do this the best and easiest way. The easiest way would be to install a cap on the tank outlet where the sewer hose connects that would have a hose fitting on it, these are available for back flushing the tanks, from this you could attach a garden hose that would connect to the new pump connect the output of the pump to the toilet , where the old flush line attached , open both grey tank valves and leave the black tank valve closed, and shazam you are flushing with the grey water. Use a standard water pump the same as you have in the unit now and it will pump to pressure and shut off. The only downside is you will have a hose from the outside coming to the inside. Definitely do able but will take a little figuring.

Brian

[flyfshrockies]

OTapia295 As a thought you might be able to drill hole in the bathroom sink drain, insert a feed line until it hits the bottom of the shower grey tank and seal it up. From there you could run a line from the new water pump to the toilet and have toilet flush water. The shower grey tank fills fast and would supply plenty of water I would think. Good luck and let us all know if you work something out.

Dave

[Cate&Rob]

One way to effectively use the black tank is to pre-fill it with 10 gallons or more of water. Then each flush needs only a minimal amount of water to carry the toilet contents down to dissolve into the the waiting tank of water. This is much easier than trying to get enough water into the black tank to dissolve things, with extended flush time after each use.

To follow-up on your idea . . . assuming that you would not need (or want) to use grey water to flush the toilet all the time . . . you could put that 10 gallons of grey water into the black tank using a transfer pump attached to the drain connection and connected to the black tank flush. (We use this same transfer pump to pump grey water into a transfer tote that stays in the back of the truck.)

Rob

[Paul & Deb]

One way to effectively use the black tank is to pre-fill it with 10 gallons or more of water. Then each flush needs only a minimal amount of water to carry the toilet contents down to dissolve into the the waiting tank of water. This is much easier than trying to get enough water into the black tank to dissolve things, with extended flush time after each use.

To follow-up on your idea . . . assuming that you would not need (or want) to use grey water to flush the toilet all the time . . . you could put that 10 gallons of grey water into the black tank using a transfer pump attached to the drain connection and connected to the black tank flush. (We use this same transfer pump to pump grey water into a transfer tote that stays in the back of the truck.)

Rob

Hey Rob, was it you guys who used to use a disposable diaper disposal system to dispose of toilet paper rather than flushing it into the tank? If so, do you still use it? Our new trailer has the smallest holding tanks on the planet and I have to figure out how we can stretch things or we are really going to be limited on our boondocking.

[OTapia295]

Hey Rob, was it you guys who used to use a disposable diaper disposal system? If so, do you still use it? Our new trailer has the smallest holding tanks on the planet and I have to figure out how we can stretch things or we are really going to be limited on our boondocking.

What? They wear diapers?

[JBill9694]

OTapia295 , the grey water from the shower is not free of solids. Hair, pieces of soap, even soap scum and other things that we won't go into are in the that water and can quickly plug up the screen on the pump or the small outlets for the flush water in the toilet. Add to this the potential of a gummed up flush valve and IMHO the risk out ways any potential benefit.

[Cate&Rob]

Paul & Deb
Hi Paul,

A "carry-over" from our years of boating is that we do not put paper products into the toilet. They go into a sealed pail beside the toilet. This will likely seem "gross" to those who have only experienced North American residential plumbing, but will be understood by boaters and is also a relatively common practice in many European countries. The reason being that (on a boat) the holding tank is somewhere distant from and not likely below the head (toilet on a boat) so flushing the toilet means pumping the contents through relative small diameter hoses and pipes. Undissolved paper products can really plug things up.

This practice combined with keeping a sizeable quantity of water already in the black tank means that we never have black tank problems and never have to use any additive concoctions.

I didn't come up with this on my own . . . I started boating with my parents and my Dad had a sign similar to the attached, posted at "child eye height" next to the head.

Rob

[Paul & Deb]

Paul & Deb
Hi Paul,

A "carry-over" from our years of boating is that we do not put paper products into the toilet. They go into a sealed pail beside the toilet.
Rob

Haha, love the sign. Reminds me of the ever popular poolside sign .. "we don't swim in your toilet so please don't pee in our pool"!

I wish I could get Deb to embrace the "sealed pail next to the toilet" idea but she just can't go there. I remember when my son was a baby, 48 years ago, we had this small device that you dropped the disposable diaper in it and stepped on a pedal and it spun the bag kind of sealing that section. I've done some searches but the only ones I could find are bigger than our little bathroom