Those with washing machines , do you think this would work?

achjimmy

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Jan 24, 2011
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Taking on board crustys advise on sealing the drain pipe , I was wondering if I plumbed the washing machine into a grey tank . Would it work like a buffering tank so I’ll have just the one standard 25mm sullage hose coming from the tank but the 50litre tank will take the contents from the machine and it drains slowly ?
 

Drover

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My washing machine runs into my grey water tank along with everything else, the tank contains the stuff if the tap is closed or just lets everything flow if left open, the tank regulates the flow and with a breather fitted no problems with backflow into the van if I forget to open the tap as it will run out the breather........machine has 40mm drain and grey tank has a 25mm drain.

My tank holds about 90lt........pics and details here somewhere http://expandasdownunder.com/threads/drovers-new-rig-big-mal.8414/
 
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Crusty181

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Feb 7, 2010
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Should be fine in theory, but with the claimed 50ltrs of water per machine load, I think I prefer to have a bit more room than a 50ltr grey tank .... just in case.

(re the 50ltr usage from the washing machine specs, the Princess used our washing machine free camping once and it emptied a tank which I was sure was not far off full. Its always been on my never ending list of to dos to test the actual water usage of the machine)

UPDATE. RV Parts Express have the water usage as 78ltrs per full cycle .... I knew that bloody tank was full. In that case I definitely wouldnt be pumping the washing machine into a 50ltr grey tank
 
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Drover

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BUT in the real world, if you are at a camp which requires containment, (proper containment not some Greenie Camper proclamation) why would you be washing using your tanks anyway ??? ....... when we are free camping and do the washing the genny is purring away and water comes from the river usually via a bucket, sometimes I have the jerries loaded up to fill the tanks but the water runs free to water a tree in need anyway......we do a lot of free camping and most of the places the Greenie Camper gets into a frenzy about is no drama, CDF is all thats needed...........actually we only free camp, can't afford diesel and camp fee's.
 
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Crusty181

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BUT in the real world, if you are at a camp which requires containment, (proper containment not some Greenie Camper proclamation) why would you be washing using your tanks anyway ??? ....... when we are free camping and do the washing the genny is purring away and water comes from the river usually via a bucket, sometimes I have the jerries loaded up to fill the tanks but the water runs free to water a tree in need anyway......we do a lot of free camping and most of the places the Greenie Camper gets into a frenzy about is no drama, CDF is all thats needed...........actually we only free camp, can't afford diesel and camp fee's.
I think Jimmy's more looking at being able to combine the dreaded Jayco triple crap pipes into one.
 
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achjimmy

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So not being a domestic engineer I had to consul the resident one about operation of this magical box you put dirty cloths in and they come out clean! I am advised that it uses several goes to complete a cycle ? So buffering into a 50l tank should be okay ? Given it won’t be used when free camping which is the only time the valves likely to be closed on the wank waste tank .
 

Drover

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I know I used the best part of 3 jerry cans of water when I did a test use free camping once, if parked near a river we fire up the LRPS and I do a bucket brigade from said water supply and pour it in......have overflowed the GWT at times but think that was someone turned the tap off or maybe forgot to open it....hand wash and use spin cycle when lack of water.
Rarely use grey tank free camping except at some town ones, most like you to water trees.
 
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