Airstream 390 - Manual (Page 69)

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PLUMBING
DRAIN AND WASTE SYSTEM
The drain and waste system of your motorhome includes waste holding tanks made
from molded plastic. The BLACK WATER HOLDING TANK enables you to use the
toilet for several days away from disposal facilities. The wastewater from the sink,
shower, and bath and lavatory drains into the GRAY WATER HOLDING TANK. Each
tank has its own dump valve; however, both tanks drain through a common outlet.
Therefore, you need to make only one connection when hooking up in an RV park
with sewer facilities.
To empty both tanks, attach the sewer hose by pressing the bayonet fitting onto the
outlet adapter and rotate clockwise until it feels solid and secure. Attach the outlet
end of the hose to the sewage outlet; making sure that the hose is placed so that it
will drain completely. The dump valves are located in the utility compartment on the
roadside. Pull the dump valve handle out as far as it will go and wait until the tank is
drained. If the gray water tank is drained after the waste tank, the soapy water will help
keep the sewer hose and outlet clean.
Monitor Panel
Check your monitor panel frequently. When the BLACK WATER HOLDING TANK is
completely full, sewage cannot be emptied from the toilet bowl. If the GRAY WATER
HOLDING TANK is overfilled, drain water will “backup” into the tub and cause an
unpleasant cleaning job. Never drain the tanks at any place other than an approved
dumping station.
When Parked and Connected to Sewer Outlet
When you are in a park and connected to a sewer outlet, keep the black water holding
tank dump valve closed and empty the tank every few days or whenever it becomes al-
most full. ONLY BY SENDING A LARGE VOLUME OF LIQUID THROUGH THE BLACK
WATER HOLDING TANK AT A TIME WILL TOILET PAPER AND OTHER SOLIDS COM-
PLETELY WASH AWAY.
This practice will avoid the accumulation of solids in the black water holding tank,
which could lead to an unpleasant cleaning job. Should solids accumulate, close the
dump valve, fill the tank about half full with water, then drive the motorhome for a
few miles. The turbulence and surging of the water will usually dissolve the solids
into suspension so the tank can be drained. Keep the auxiliary tank valve open when
connected to a sewer outlet.
Draining the tanks as described will protect them from freezing during storage. When
traveling in sub-freezing temperatures, use a winterizing solution designed for RV use.
Follow the directions on the container. As this is being written, heated tanks are being
considered and may be on your motorhome.
CAUTION : Never put wet strength paper towels or tissues in your holding tank,
since they won’t dissolve and can “catch” in the mechanism of the dump valve.
Colored toilet tissue is slower to dissolve than white. Most RV accessory stores
offer tissue, designed for RVs that will completely dissolve.