Is it normal to fill up the grey water tank this fast?

djgarcia wrote:

Durb wrote:
My wife lets the water run rinsing vegetables, cleaning dishes, brushing teeth and showering. I ask her not to do it, she does it anyhow. She can fill a 62 gallon grey tank in 2 days. Pretty much relegates us to full service sites only. Oh well, we've found plenty we like. By the way, the grey tank never festers because it is being flushed so often.

Every one learns in different styles! From now on your wife is responsible to empty the tanks and/or hook up and drive the RV over to the dump site or call the local "honey wagon" business to come out to empty the tanks that she fills up AND she pays out of her checking account:):)

P.S. Buy a new foam mattress for your couch and it will be well worth the cost:):):)

Durb wrote:
My wife lets the water run rinsing vegetables, cleaning dishes, brushing teeth and showering. I ask her not to do it, she does it anyhow. She can fill a 62 gallon grey tank in 2 days. Pretty much relegates us to full service sites only. Oh well, we've found plenty we like. By the way, the grey tank never festers because it is being flushed so often.

Every one learns in different styles! From now on your wife is responsible to empty the tanks and/or hook up and drive the RV over to the dump site or call the local "honey wagon" business to come out to empty the tanks that she fills up AND she pays out of her checking account:):)

Durb wrote:
My wife lets the water run rinsing vegetables, cleaning dishes, brushing teeth and showering. I ask her not to do it, she does it anyhow.

You need to get her to put on the gloves and do dump duty a few times. That will fix that.

My wife lets the water run rinsing vegetables, cleaning dishes, brushing teeth and showering. I ask her not to do it, she does it anyhow. She can fill a 62 gallon grey tank in 2 days. Pretty much relegates us to full service sites only. Oh well, we've found plenty we like. By the way, the grey tank never festers because it is being flushed so often.

BizmarksMom wrote:
It's easy to use a lot of water when washing dishes.
Personally, I use a dishpan. The wash water gets dumped outside if I'm boondocking. If I have hookups I put it down the drain, but I still visually know how much water I've used.

x2 and we also dump the dish pan down the toilet. Turn the pump off, push the pedal and dump the dishwater in the toilet. We can go 4-5 nights taking showers, washing dishes and using the toilet with 40 gal grey and black.

Ron Schulz wrote:
Sure you are. The only other explanation is you didn't completely empty it the last time you did it. You'd be surprised at how much water is used washing dishes...

Actually....its supposed to be 40 gallons, but when its full it will completely fill up my 27gal tote right to the top..so I'm guessing its a 30gal tank.

I sympathize with you! We had the same experience the first few times we went camping. We learned to economize: the two of us now use 5 gallons a day, total, for showers every night and dishes and bathroom. I wash dishes with a trickle of water, using easily rinsed dilute Castile liquid soap (Dr. Bronners). And the showers are Navy style -- get wet, water off, soap, and rinse carefully.

Alternatives-
1. back flush your gray tank to make sure there isn't a partial blockage.
2. Drain the gray completely. Using 1 or 5 gal. bottles of water and fill the tank to see how many gallons it takes to indicate tank is full.
3. check your mannual or call the mfg. to verify the size of the gray tank.
4. Use paper plates
5. occasionally empty some gray water into the black tank.
6. buy a "blue tank" to empty the gray tank into when it indicates it is full.

Ron Schulz wrote:
Sure you are. The only other explanation is you didn't completely empty it the last time you did it. You'd be surprised at how much water is used washing dishes...

Dump some of water into the black tank occasionally.

Sam Spade wrote:
OR you are believing a status light that is indicating FULL a lot sooner than is true.

Yep. Most monitors are setup with 3 sensors, at 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 levels. When the level reaches them, the monitor shows 1/3, 2/3 and full. So, when they first show full, you're only at 3/4. That's to give some leeway (if the tank isn't level) and warning before it's really full.

And, that's all assuming that they put the sensors in accurately.

But still, over 10 gallons per day into the gray water tank indicates a lack of conservation.

Don't do dishes 3 times a day, save up and do them once a day. A gallon for wash and a gallon for rinse x3 is 6 gallons/day right there. If the sink is being filled even half way, it's likely much more than a gallon for each, and if everything is scraped clean beforehand, 1/2 gallon each for wash/rinse is possible.

Should be able to brush teeth with 1/2 cup (literal "cup") of water vs. a quart or more if using the faucet. Don't wash hands under the faucet - close the drain and fill the sink with a cup or two of water, hands wet then wash with a bit of soap, rinse off with the sink water.

Never let fresh water go down the drain, the drain should be closed anytime the tap is open - fresh down the drain is a total waste.

OH48Lt wrote:
Is the fresh water tank really running dry?

Uh, OP:"grey water tank...we were filling up the tank every two days..."

I'm guessing they may even have had a water (but not sewer) hookup.