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  1. #1
    Rolling Along JColeman's Avatar
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    Potable vs Black Tank Flush Connections

    Quote Originally Posted by Barney065 View Post
    JColeman,

    I was going to do that yesterday on the way home after the May long weekend but drove right past the last CAT scale on the way . All of the tanks were almost empty and from what I found on the GD forum this Onan gen weighs approx. 220Lbs

    I will mention that last line to my wife LOL
    Buy one of these little water meters for $10: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Then put 20 gallons of fresh water in your tanks and look at the level again. Then another 10 gals to see if that also makes a difference. We always travel with 20 gals fresh and 10 gals in the black tank. It may make a difference to you.

    If you are going to use a meter on your black tank to prefill (I do) then buy two from Amazon and keep them separate and marked fresh and black and you will never have to tell your DW that you are sorry for giving her dysentery
    Last edited by JColeman; 05-21-2019 at 04:36 PM.
    Jeff and Jen
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    2017 Solitude 310GK, a little solar, a little lithium, disc brakes and a few suspension mods

    Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JColeman View Post
    If you are going to use a meter on your black tank to prefill (I do) then buy two from Amazon and keep them separate and marked fresh and black and you will never have to tell your DW that you are sorry for giving her dysentery
    Hi Jeff,

    There is no problem with using the same pressurized water line and flow meter to connect to either the RV water system or the black tank flush . . . as long as both are not connected at the same time. When the black tank flush is disconnected, the fresh water drops from the vacuum break to the tank and to the connection point, leaving the line dry.

    Your anology would be like saying you don’t brush your teeth at the bathroom sink because the same water line is used to flush the toilet.

    Rob
    Last edited by Cate&Rob; 05-21-2019 at 05:11 PM.
    Cate & Rob
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  3. #3
    Rolling Along JColeman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cate&Rob View Post
    Hi Jeff,

    There is no problem with using the same pressurized water line and flow meter to connect to either the RV water system or the black tank flush . . . as long as both are not connected at the same time. When the black tank flush is disconnected, the fresh water drops from the vacuum break to the tank and to the connection point, leaving the line dry.

    Your anology would be like saying you don’t brush your teeth at the bathroom sink because the same water line is used to flush the toilet.

    Rob
    Always interested in learning, thanks. My reasoning was that all the water that is in the hose has had contact with the black water tank bib and therefore the meter and hose bib. I always disinfect the hose bib before using it as I don't know how the guy before me used it. $10 once and a disinfectant wipe is all it takes. Paranoid on my part? Why do we use different hoses for fresh and black water fill?

    ETA: Not trying to be confrontational, just trying to understand better.
    Last edited by JColeman; 05-21-2019 at 06:17 PM.
    Jeff and Jen
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    2017 Solitude 310GK, a little solar, a little lithium, disc brakes and a few suspension mods

    Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin

  4. #4
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JColeman View Post
    Why do we use different hoses for fresh and black water fill?
    This is one of the most common misunderstandings in any campground. I can’t count the number of campers I have seen with two hoses. One going to the potable water connection and the other going to the black flush. T’d together at the campground spigot as if distance from the camper were some sort of protection.

    Not disconnecting the black tank flush prevents the vacuum break from doing its job since this holds a column of water from the hose to the black tank. Then, these folks turn off the campground spigot. Now, their black tank is connected to their potable water intake.

    There should only be one hose from the spigot to the camper. Connect it to either the potable connection or the (drained) black tank flush, but it can never be connected to both. The important part of this is that the black tank vacuum break must be allowed to drain (by removing the hose connection) for it to do its job and completely disconnect the black tank from anything else.

    Rob
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  5. #5
    Rolling Along JColeman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cate&Rob View Post
    This is one of the most common misunderstandings in any campground. I can’t count the number of campers I have seen with two hoses. One going to the potable water connection and the other going to the black flush. T’d together at the campground spigot as if distance from the camper were some sort of protection.

    Not disconnecting the black tank flush prevents the vacuum break from doing its job since this holds a column of water from the hose to the black tank. Then, these folks turn off the campground spigot. Now, their black tank is connected to their potable water intake.

    There should only be one hose from the spigot to the camper. Connect it to either the potable connection or the (drained) black tank flush, but it can never be connected to both. The important part of this is that the black tank vacuum break must be allowed to drain (by removing the hose connection) for it to do its job and completely disconnect the black tank from anything else.

    Rob
    Sorry to beat this to death but I just want to understand. Obviously, tying two connected hoses to a T would be a bad idea.

    What I am understanding from you is that it would be ok to take my fresh water hose, disconnect from the fresh water inlet on the Nautilus panel and then use the same hose to flush the black tank. When done flushing, just disconnect this same hose at the panel and reconnect to fresh water inlet? Is that correct? That is certainly simpler if safe.
    Jeff and Jen
    2016 F250 CC Lariat 4x4 6.7L, Firestone Airbags, Pullrite Superglide
    2017 Solitude 310GK, a little solar, a little lithium, disc brakes and a few suspension mods

    Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin

  6. #6
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JColeman View Post
    Sorry to beat this to death but I just want to understand. Obviously, tying two connected hoses to a T would be a bad idea.

    What I am understanding from you is that it would be ok to take my fresh water hose, disconnect from the fresh water inlet on the Nautilus panel and then use the same hose to flush the black tank. When done flushing, just disconnect this same hose at the panel and reconnect to fresh water inlet? Is that correct? That is certainly simpler if safe.
    Hi Jeff,

    This is exactly what I do. Only one hose and I know that the hose end, the potable water connection and the black tank flush connection have all never been contaminated.

    I use quick connects, so the hose from the spigot is always pressurized. The key to this is allowing the black tank flush to drain back after flushing. This is clean water dropping back from the vacuum break valve which is well above the black tank. The other side of the vacuum break valve drops that water into the black tank. Thus, the black tank flush line remains dry and not contaminated.

    I do use a short extension hose on the black tank flush connection so that when I disconnect the feed hose, the back flow from the vacuum break lands on the ground outside my water panel area.

    Rob
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  7. #7
    Rolling Along JColeman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cate&Rob View Post
    Hi Jeff,

    This is exactly what I do. Only one hose and I know that the hose end, the potable water connection and the black tank flush connection have all never been contaminated.

    I use quick connects, so the hose from the spigot is always pressurized. The key to this is allowing the black tank flush to drain back after flushing. This is clean water dropping back from the vacuum break valve which is well above the black tank. The other side of the vacuum break valve drops that water into the black tank. Thus, the black tank flush line remains dry and not contaminated.

    I do use a short extension hose on the black tank flush connection so that when I disconnect the feed hose, the back flow from the vacuum break lands on the ground outside my water panel area.

    Rob
    Thanks Rob. The idea of a short hose with a disconnect is a good one that I am going to implement. Did you find a short hose or cut one for your needs?
    Jeff and Jen
    2016 F250 CC Lariat 4x4 6.7L, Firestone Airbags, Pullrite Superglide
    2017 Solitude 310GK, a little solar, a little lithium, disc brakes and a few suspension mods

    Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JColeman View Post
    Thanks Rob. The idea of a short hose with a disconnect is a good one that I am going to implement. Did you find a short hose or cut one for your needs?
    I used about a 3 ft the end section of an old hose with one existing connection and a "repair" connector for the cut end. I use quick connect fittings everywhere, so that all the water connections just snap together or apart.

    Rob
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    Big Traveler Keebler's Avatar
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    Big Traveler boyscout's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cate&Rob View Post
    This is one of the most common misunderstandings in any campground. I can’t count the number of campers I have seen with two hoses. One going to the potable water connection and the other going to the black flush. T’d together at the campground spigot as if distance from the camper were some sort of protection.

    Not disconnecting the black tank flush prevents the vacuum break from doing its job since this holds a column of water from the hose to the black tank. Then, these folks turn off the campground spigot. Now, their black tank is connected to their potable water intake.

    There should only be one hose from the spigot to the camper. Connect it to either the potable connection or the (drained) black tank flush, but it can never be connected to both. The important part of this is that the black tank vacuum break must be allowed to drain (by removing the hose connection) for it to do its job and completely disconnect the black tank from anything else. Rob
    Uh ohh! I've been bending Rob's Rules for two years.

    In my defense, I do have (had) backflow preventers on each outlet of the splitter I use at the spigot. I have a 100' slinky hose dedicated for the black tank flush (and trailer-washing). It's attached only while I'm dumping and flushing - I turn it on when I start the dump - and it's otherwise stowed.

    I've felt that a separate hose was important because when I forget to disconnect the campground end of the black hose first, and instead pop it off the trailer first, water squirts back out of the black tank flush inlet.

    I guess this is the "vacuum break" you write about above. There are only a few cups of it - not enough to get all the way back through the 100-foot hose to the spigot - but it's not a few drips either. I've thought that a hose which has received that back-spurt should not be connected to my fresh water intake.

    Are you saying that it's perfectly-clean water coming back out of the black flush inlet, and it would be OK to just connect the hose to fresh water intake after using it for black flush?

    (I lost my backflow valves when a bunch of guys came over to "help" during takedown at a campground, and in the distraction I ended up leaving about $100 of water hardware on the pedestal. Despite looking in a dozen or more hardware stores I've only been able to find one backflow preventer since. They're common in Florida - where they are required by law in a few counties - but not common elsewhere. Do you know anyone in the GTA who is likely to have them? Thanks Rob.)
    Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

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