Sanicon Tips

[Neemer]

@Joe Hogan posted a pic of his a little while ago. It caused me to look at mine and find that I don’t have one. It appears to prevent effluent from entering the sanicon discharge hose.

I attempted @ARD ’s method a while ago and failed since I had the sanicon hose connected to the sewer. However, I think I can achieve positive results if I disconnect from the sewer and cap the end of the sanicon hose. That should prevent anything from going into the sanicon hose, but that’s complicating things.

 

[redbaron]

Yes, I have a gate valve for discharge with the 3” hose. My setup is just like on @ARD 2022 just no isolation valve. I am thinking (maybe not correctly) that without isolation valve I have fluid sitting in the Sanicon in between dump events and the installation of the isolation valve was to prevent this

When I referred to isolation valve, I meant the gate valve for the smaller hose. The idea is that contents will mix within the sanicon box but not exit the system. With that valve closed it will allow the flow into black.

On units with the turbo 4/5/6xx they attach directly to the 3” outlet and will allow grey to flow out the hose before going into black. That is a problem that requires a gate valve between the sanicon and the dump outlet.

 

[ARD]

@ARD you have an isolation valve too. It’s buried at the back. Follow the sanicon hose and you will see the valve.

Thanks @redbaron! I know exactly where it is. I thought my sanicon was broken once as the valve was closed. Will give it a try.

 

[ARD]

As was described earlier in this thread by using this feature and isolating the dump hose, you can move fluids between waste tanks using gravity for various purposes.

I did not have to close any valves when I used the gray tank to rinse the black tank. I merely emptied my black tank, then opened the gray tank and watched the fluid move into the black tank. It happened gradually. I will try both methods using the gate valve @redbaron reminded me of and see what happens when the tanks fill up a bit.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

This technique of using gray to help wash out black tank has worked well for us, with or without having the sanicon hooked up.

Normally we do no have the sanicon hooked up, but just use the standard 3" hose.
In our coach, there is one sewer line existing the coach. The gray tank valve is furthest from the exit point and is slightly elevated from the black tank valve, which is very close to the exit.
We always dump black first, then with the hose still open and the black tank still open, we open the gray tank valve for about 3 seconds and the gray tank starts emptying quickly, so much so that a couple inches of gray water flow into the black tank (which is downhill from the gray). After that 3 seconds, we close the gray valve and since the black valve is still open, the black drains out that couple inches. Usually we can repeat this gray tank valve open/close sequence 4 or 5 times before we just keep it open to fully drain it.

Doing this results in the black tank being cleared of most of its contents - as verified by then using the traditional black tank flush and seeing almost nothing come out.

Great process to use gray water to keep black tank cleaner.

 

[JRS]

During factory pickup, we were taught to start the pump first (different than the post above), then open the blk tank. Afterwards/when empty shut pump off. Open the grey tank (you'll hear lots of fluid draining into the blk tank). After it stops flushing into the blk, shut the grey valve and turn on the pump and continue emptying the tanks as you normally do.

When the grey tank is 95-100% full you do get lots of flushing type sound when it enters the blk tank. Personally I very very rarely flush the blk tank during my full time use w/o any issues. Been fulltiming for over 5 yrs now.

 

[ARD]

Finally reporting back...and I have to say this could be pretty handy when boondocking. As I mentioned before, I already tested using the gray tank to rinse the black tank and that works.

This time for dry camping, I had a full gray tank and maybe 12% in black tank (was doing laundry). I closed the valve that many of you mentioned that is in the back and then opened the GRAY tank, then black and whoosh the gray went into the black until the tanks were equalized. Sometimes just losing even 5-10% of gray can help til I have access to sewer, so I'm pleased to know this little trick.

Happy Camping!

 

[Neal]

The sequence is open gray first, then open black and the pressure of the gray pushes into black

Then close black to stop the flow of gray, and then close gray.

Open Gray
Open Black
Close Black
Close Gray

 

[ARD]

The sequence is open gray first, then open black and the pressure of the gray pushes into black

Then close black to stop the flow of gray, and then close gray.

Oops, yes that is correct. Thanks Neal. Wrote it wrong, but that is indeed what I did. Trying to do too many things at one time. I will correct.

 

[redbaron]

Just be sure you don’t open that back valve until you are ready, as the collection will be enough in the holding area between the outlets that it will make a mess.

 

[Neal]

You had to say that! There goes a story we could have enjoyed.

 

[redbaron]

You had to say that! There goes a story we could have enjoyed.

I’m a bit slow…maybe Ard hasn’t read it yet and we can delete it

 

[Neal]

I seem to recall she's already had a joyous sanicon experience, let's just wait and see