black tank overflowed, figure out how

First, you're going to love this post because you get to tell me how stupid I was to rent out our beloved 27' Gulfstream Conquest class C, 2004.

There's also a mystery and whoever can solve it before the insurance adjuster gets to it wins a valuable prize*!

Here are the facts: I emptied both waste tanks, had my repair guy install a new valve on the black tank (old was was hard to move), filled fresh tank & sent off my renters to...a cold place.

RV came from Alaskan dealer via CO, we've never had anything on it freeze.

They're doing a 4 day trip in a rural mountainous location, visiting family & parking in the yard (their trip plan).

I showed them where the waste tank drains were, assured them that the gauges aren't trustworthy, and let them know that a gray tank overflow comes out in the shower but I don't expect them to experience that condition. If they do, they should let water out until it doesn't slosh over the edge then dump at first opportunity.

When I got the camper back, they told me that the black tank valve had frozen shut and they had overfilled it. As in, I opened the potty & there was sewage to the edge of the bowl.

The overflow had clearly ended up on the bathroom floor, based on odor (distinctive blend of sewage & tank deodorizer, like an un-serviced port-a-potty, you just wrinkled your nose because you know that smell).

Now the floor in the bathroom plus the 2 panels in front of the bathroom door are garbage--if you stand on that area, your feet sink 1cm into the substance that was formerly subfloor. Like, I left prints in the linoleum just now.

I've already called the insurance company, and my repair guy says it's totalled.

What possible explanation is there for HOW 2 people could, in 4 days, overflow a black tank? I'm reeling from the prospect that our camper is trash & would be less concerned about meeting w/adjuster if I had some type of credible story about how such an outcome could occur.

*The prize is, you get a free night in the next RV we rent out!

Class C

lane_hog
Explorer II
Dec 27, 2018
Interesting story... I've contemplated renting our unit out, and cold weather is my biggest fear.

You got lucky that they covered this -- if the subfloor was trashed to the degree you described, you might have been a slow leak elsewhere. When we ripped out the linoleum in our Minnie last summer, we found leak evidence in places I wouldn't have expected to see it. Nothing permanent aside from the stains.

And yes, we always knew our bathroom sink drained into the black tank. Whenever the trap would dry out in the sink and the sink plug was out of place, we'd get a good 'ol whiff of nastiness...
ronfisherman
Moderator
Dec 20, 2018
Thanks for the follow up report. :C
PonyGrrl
Explorer
Dec 20, 2018
We have a winner! Actually several of them:

1) The black tank was overfilled via the sink drain ("vanity" per Conquest's build sheet). Renters are just devastated that their intent--to prevent the valves from freezing--has destroyed my property. For future searches: black tank fills from toilet and bathroom sink drain.

2) Happily, the RV sharing platform did as they said they would. So the deductible on the insurance claim comes out of their deposit.

3) So far the insurance firm has done as agreed: they inspected, got 2 estimates on the damage and have estimated the cash value of my RV at a fair % of what we paid for it 5 years ago. Now, we got a good deal on exactly what we needed at the time, and I shopped it hard, and we had to spend 10% of the purchase price that week on tires & suspension work to make it safe to travel...but we got 5 years from that set of costs.

4) The guy upthread who went on the attack was a stand-up person of character who looked at it again & said, whoops, my bad. That's another winner in our increasingly harsh culture of negativity.

When we complete this process I'll post a thread for future owners considering a sharing platform, and include all the numbers from this 6 month adventure.

This board has helped me many times over the years & I want to give back by offering a transparent, ask-me-anything 'review' of the sharing platform rental experience from the owner side, so others can evaluate for themselves.

A lot of people say 'I'd never rent out my RV' based on something they saw someone do to a Cruiseamerica rental at a rally one time, their cousin who breaks things he borrows, or feeling that their RV is family/personal space. I'm not hoping to persuade anyone of anything, just want to offer the facts for your review.
DRTDEVL
Explorer
Dec 15, 2018
mgirardo wrote:
No RV we have ever owned had the bathroom sink drain into the black tank. However, they are out there. My wife's sister owns a 2005 Chateau Sport that does that. The dealer told them it was part of the "winter package". Very annoying for a family of 6.

Good luck!

-Michael

On the opposite end of the spectrum, *every* RV I have owned had the bathroom sink drain into the black tank.
4x4van
Explorer III
Dec 13, 2018
My class A has the bathroom sink plumbed into the black tank as well. Kitchen & shower go to the grey.

Keep in mind, someone relatively unfamiliar with RVs may have simply tried to get the toilet to "flush" like a home toilet; ie LOTS of water used to rinse skid marks, etc. Yes, lots of water is desirable for trouble free dumping, but there is also such a thing as too much, especially with relatively small tanks found on most class Cs. Couple that with a bathroom sink plumbed into the black, letting the water run in the sink while washing hands and/or brushing their teeth...

However, I also agree that the floor has had to be wet for a significant amount of time for it to be as soft as the OP describes.
Robocop
Explorer
Dec 11, 2018
While pondering going full-time one of these days I debate about selling my home or renting. Check that. I would never rent my home or my RV regardless of deposit or insurance. I have never allowed my trailers or motorhome on the road without me as well. Enough can go wrong with me in it!
klutchdust
Explorer II
Dec 10, 2018
ron.dittmer wrote:
Harvard wrote:
The bathroom vanity in some RVs empty into the black tank.
I like this answer best.

But the other answer is entertaining.

I would never rent our motor home. I won't even loan it to close family. Adding freezing temperatures is 10x trouble.

Me either. My power tools fall in there also.
ron_dittmer
Explorer II
Dec 10, 2018
Nutinelse2do wrote:
PonyGrrl wrote:
Nutinelse2do wrote:
If you have to do that to make money from a 15 year old rig, you shouldn’t own one.
(There is no reason to be obnoxious & rude to strangers. Ever. Except if they ask for it.)
I apologize. That was rude of me. Hope your insurance pays for the headache involved
Recognizing a wrong done and "Making It Right" says a lot about a person. I commend you.

We could all learn something from Nutinelse2do.

Forums can sometimes be difficult to speak in the kindest of ways. I've had my share of writing apologies.
Nutinelse2do
Explorer
Dec 10, 2018
PonyGrrl wrote:
Nutinelse2do wrote:
If you have to do that to make money from a 15 year old rig, you shouldn’t own one.

(There is no reason to be obnoxious & rude to strangers. Ever. Except if they ask for it.)

I apologize. That was rude of me. Hope your insurance pays for the headache involved
Charlie_D_
Explorer
Dec 10, 2018
mgirardo wrote:
How long was the floor left wet? One overflowing toilet, one time doesn't cause the floor to be rotted enough to allow you to leave foot prints. It takes a good amount of time with continually wet wood to do that kind of damage.

^^^^^^^I agree