Shower backed up

fcooper wrote:
I have no idea about the shower backuup, but when my tank is full the first indication is the shower. Obviously, you have proven that you still have 1/2 tank of capacity left. Could the shower have it's own connection into the tank and that connection extends downward to the 1/2 tank level?

Regarding

The other thing I've noticed is that when I dump the grey tank the first 1/2 to 3/4 drains quickly and then seems to slow to nothing, then, suddenly the remaining 1/4 tank will let go and drain. Any ideas?

Mine does this, and always has. There was another thread about this recently, and many responses said their tanks drained the same way, so this is not uncommon.

Let us know what the final solution is determined to be.

Fred

I'm going to assume that it has its own connection. The Coach is a bath and 1/2 model with the shower at the rear of the Coach. The Washer/Dryer is next to the shower but shows no sign of backing up into the shower. I'm guessing the shower, washer, and sink are on the same inlet pipe to the grey tank.

2chiefsRus wrote:
Is this a new problem - i.e. did it work correctly before and just started this recently. Is this a new rig that you recently acquired?

New to me 2008 so not sure.

Is this a new problem - i.e. did it work correctly before and just started this recently. Is this a new rig that you recently acquired?

I have no idea about the shower backuup, but when my tank is full the first indication is the shower. Obviously, you have proven that you still have 1/2 tank of capacity left. Could the shower have it's own connection into the tank and that connection extends downward to the 1/2 tank level?

Regarding

The other thing I've noticed is that when I dump the grey tank the first 1/2 to 3/4 drains quickly and then seems to slow to nothing, then, suddenly the remaining 1/4 tank will let go and drain. Any ideas?

Mine does this, and always has. There was another thread about this recently, and many responses said their tanks drained the same way, so this is not uncommon.

Let us know what the final solution is determined to be.

Fred

naturist wrote:
How are you determining the tank level? via the official gauges? Those are notoriously inaccurate. More so with the black than the gray, but neither are, um, really remarkably accurate/useful. And for what it is worth, the entire gray water system is designed so that when the tank gets full, it ALL backs up into the shower.

I agree with @HappyKayakers that the dump problem sounds like a cutout. When the rig makers buy the holding tanks, they have no holes in the top for input, so that they can put 'em wherever they want 'em. They drill their own with a hole saw, and often just let the cutout fall into the tank, rather than go to the trouble of fishing it out. My black tank had the cutout for the toilet in there without issue for 5-1/2 years, before it finally flushed down the drain and got stuck in the drain valve. It wasn't hard to pull on out, however.

The tanks have external gauges on the tanks so no crud on the sensors.

Once the shower backs up, the gauge reads 1/2 full, but I can take a garden hose and let it run in the kitchen sink, all the way to the point of the gauge reading full. This has no impact on the shower until the tank is truly full and then the shower will fill as it should when full.

sometimes soap will gather at the discharge hole and create a problem with draining.

From what you have described with the shower back up along with the way the grey tank drains would definitely point to a "venting" problem somewhere in my humble opinion and experience.

How are you determining the tank level? via the official gauges? Those are notoriously inaccurate. More so with the black than the gray, but neither are, um, really remarkably accurate/useful. And for what it is worth, the entire gray water system is designed so that when the tank gets full, it ALL backs up into the shower.

I agree with @HappyKayakers that the dump problem sounds like a cutout. When the rig makers buy the holding tanks, they have no holes in the top for input, so that they can put 'em wherever they want 'em. They drill their own with a hole saw, and often just let the cutout fall into the tank, rather than go to the trouble of fishing it out. My black tank had the cutout for the toilet in there without issue for 5-1/2 years, before it finally flushed down the drain and got stuck in the drain valve. It wasn't hard to pull on out, however.

Not sure about why your shower is backing up but the dumping problem sounds like a cutout floating around in the tank. You'll need to remove your dump valve to get that out.