Sunset Trail 240 BI

[Ksh3]

Hi Everyone, I found this site while I was researching the TT I bought. I finally picked it up last week and this past weekend was my first camping trip. Other than some minor prep issues and leaving tools behind and some screws being left on top of the slide its been relatively uneventful until I noticed my black water tank was full after 24 hours of use. After some trouble shooting and running a hose into the shower for a significant amount of time I determined that that shower water (and possibly the sink in the bath) was draining into the black tank. I dropped it off at the dealer this morning and the service manager told me that he wasn't sure if maybe Crossroads did it this way on purpose. Does that sound correct or make any sense to anyone. Everything I can find indicates that the showers on RV's should not be hooked into black water for hygiene reasons. Sorry to be long winded and I hope to become a valued member here as time goes on. Thanks for any help


2016 Sunset Trail 240BI
2014 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7

[Lloyd]

All the RV's I have seen over the years have ALL had separate tanks for the grey and the black water.

Ask your dealer if he or she would like to be standing in the shower washing up and have the remnants from that black tank start creeping up around his ankles.

[mark5w]

First, welcome to the forum and best of luck on you TT. I've heard some sinks in the bathroom do go to the black tank, but I'm not sure about the shower.
If you can place your year and model in your signature it will help with the answers to this question and future questions.

[Ksh3]

Originally Posted by Lloyd

All the RV's I have seen over the years have ALL had separate tanks for the grey and the black water.

Ask your dealer if he or she would like to be standing in the shower washing up and have the remnants from that black tank start creeping up around his ankles.

Thank you


Exactly..., this is my second TT and I can't imagine owning an RV that has grey water going into a black tank. I just would not have purchased it. We often dry camp and I use my tote to pull it to the dumping station when we use too much shower water or sink water. I really didn't plan on dumping black water with the tote while camping (even if it is designed for it). We can make it a week (or should) with a standard black tank with only toilet water).

[ChristianM]

Originally Posted by Ksh3

Thank you


Exactly..., this is my second TT and I can't imagine owning an RV that has grey water going into a black tank. I just would not have purchased it. We often dry camp and I use my tote to pull it to the dumping station when we use too much shower water or sink water. I really didn't plan on dumping black water with the tote while camping (even if it is designed for it). We can make it a week (or should) with a standard black tank with only toilet water).

Hi from Crossroads,

Just wanted to let you know that we are aware of this issues, and I am doing some research to see if there is a fix. I will post on this thread as soon as I get an answer of some sort. In the meantime, if you have any other issues pop up, please feel free to contact me via direct message. I'm happy to help in any way I can!

Christian
CrossRoads Public Relations

[Ksh3]

Originally Posted by ChristianM

Hi from Crossroads,

Just wanted to let you know that we are aware of this issues, and I am doing some research to see if there is a fix. I will post on this thread as soon as I get an answer of some sort. In the meantime, if you have any other issues pop up, please feel free to contact me via direct message. I'm happy to help in any way I can!

Christian
CrossRoads Public Relations

Thank you for chiming in! I'm hoping they can fix it soon, because unfortunately campgrounds do not offer refunds

[FKT4387]

That seems very strange. Mine goes to the gray tank like others have posted. But now we have a presence of Crossroads on the board, that is great!

[Ksh3]

Just an update. I received a call from Crossroads and I was told an engineer would be involved and I should have an update Wednesday (tomorrow) at the latest. I know they have also been in contact with my dealer.

[Alchemistic]

Beware local, state & Fed EPA fine for Gray water discharge!!

Have had Gate Guards w/ older RVs that have Washers not plumbed into their Gray tanks & tried "Dry Wells" ticketed & Federal Court Ordered.
Fines are huge & if a newer unit manufacturer is also "Court Ordered."

[Lloyd]

Originally Posted by Alchemistic

Beware local, state & Fed EPA fine for Gray water discharge!!

Have had Gate Guards w/ older RVs that have Washers not plumbed into their Gray tanks & tried "Dry Wells" ticketed & Federal Court Ordered.
Fines are huge & if a newer unit manufacturer is also "Court Ordered."

Not that I'm doubting your word on this, but do you know if this just in your state or if it's nation wide?
I think it would be great if this is the case.
Any idea where we can look it up ourselves and research it more?

[Alchemistic]

True, only know of IN., MI., state properties & Dakotas. In ND the state 'piggie backs' off Feds. Gray Water "spills" is fines only; $5K & up for accidental then 100sK$ for deliberate dumpings. When port-a-pottie is vandalized its fines & digging up all contaminated soil . . . to their opinion. Once had an area the "native peoples" pee-ed on rather then walk an additional 25 yards to port-a-potties
We use the bottom of "'water buffalo'"s to water weeds (legally is to keep Dust controlled) to keep all accidentals undetectable . . .
"'Honey wagon'" is one of the largest expenses w/ Gate Guards. Gate Guards are mandated by both HLS & NSA!

[Ksh3]

Originally Posted by Alchemistic

Beware local, state & Fed EPA fine for Gray water discharge!!

Have had Gate Guards w/ older RVs that have Washers not plumbed into their Gray tanks & tried "Dry Wells" ticketed & Federal Court Ordered.
Fines are huge & if a newer unit manufacturer is also "Court Ordered."

I'm confused how this turned into an illegal dumping thread? I started this thread because from what I can determine it is extremely rare for a modern RV to be plumbed incorrectly by the manufacturer. It is not about illegal dumping or anyone committing any crimes. From what I can determine it is a plumbing error that we caught before a major disaster occurred.

[Ksh3]

I finally got around reading my manual it specifically states "....and the shower drains and is stored within one (or more) gray tank(s)." I received a call from my dealer and from their initial inspection they believe all my bathroom connections drain into the black tank. He believed it could be seen as "legal" to do. He agreed it is not normal, but if Crossroads wanted to do it they could and its not a violation of any rule or law. When I told him about the manual he told me it was just guidance and not hard and fast rules.

I will let you know today if I hear from Crossroads or if they abandoned me

[Ksh3]

I received a call from the dealer and then from Crossroads and they are going to re-plumb the shower. It's a month from now, but Crossroads was very responsive. Im going to skip two dry camp sessions, but heading to Lake Placid because my site has a dump station.

[Lloyd]

WOW!
Good news and nice to hear a response like that.

[ChristianM]

Originally Posted by Ksh3

I received a call from the dealer and then from Crossroads and they are going to re-plumb the shower. It's a month from now, but Crossroads was very responsive. Im going to skip two dry camp sessions, but heading to Lake Placid because my site has a dump station.

Thanks for the update- glad we are taking care of it (sorry that you have to wait a month!). Enjoy Lake Placid, my family is originally from the Catskill Mountains and we love every second we spend in that area of the country!

[Ksh3]

Originally Posted by ChristianM

Thanks for the update- glad we are taking care of it (sorry that you have to wait a month!). Enjoy Lake Placid, my family is originally from the Catskill Mountains and we love every second we spend in that area of the country!

Picked up the RV Friday to go camping because the dealer assured me everything was going to be fine as they can't get to repairs until mid Sept. And it would be ok for a weekend. After returning home I learned the dealer cut a big hole in the under belly to inspect the improper plumbing, but did not seal it back correctly so a flimsy tin foil heating duct was hanging out from the underside also allow the possibility of rodents entering. While at the campground we for the first time used enough kitchen sink water to need to empty (it was full). It came out as a trickle with what appeared to be white chucks of foam coming out. After about 20 minutes of this, a camp attendedant told me a plumber was up the road. The plumber came by with his camera snake and learned what he though was block foam blocking the flow. He could not grab it but pushed it into the tank, but water pressure pushed it back to the drain hose. When towing it home (even though it showed mostly empty) black water sloshed up though the shower (even though it supposedly has a p trap-maybe)and sloshed onto the floor. Haven't even made a payment, we paid full,retail (because we hated the first one made by Thor) because we traded after two weeks-now this is just insult to injury. At this point dealer is not helpful because I call them too much, but I did email crossroads for more help

[ChristianM]

Originally Posted by Ksh3

Picked up the RV Friday to go camping because the dealer assured me everything was going to be fine as they can't get to repairs until mid Sept. And it would be ok for a weekend. After returning home I learned the dealer cut a big hole in the under belly to inspect the improper plumbing, but did not seal it back correctly so a flimsy tin foil heating duct was hanging out from the underside also allow the possibility of rodents entering. While at the campground we for the first time used enough kitchen sink water to need to empty (it was full). It came out as a trickle with what appeared to be white chucks of foam coming out. After about 20 minutes of this, a camp attendedant told me a plumber was up the road. The plumber came by with his camera snake and learned what he though was block foam blocking the flow. He could not grab it but pushed it into the tank, but water pressure pushed it back to the drain hose. When towing it home (even though it showed mostly empty) black water sloshed up though the shower (even though it supposedly has a p trap-maybe)and sloshed onto the floor. Haven't even made a payment, we paid full,retail (because we hated the first one made by Thor) because we traded after two weeks-now this is just insult to injury. At this point dealer is not helpful because I call them too much, but I did email crossroads for more help

WOW! I hate to hear that. Though you are definitely having problems with your unit, NO dealer should ever slack off on their service just because you "call them too much". I have contacted you directly to continue this train of thought and see how I can help further. :-)

[Tim D]

I think you need to call them often and keep after them. They will put you off if you don't.

[Ksh3]

Originally Posted by Tim D

I think you need to call them often and keep after them. They will put you off if you don't.

Now they don't respond as I thought would be the case. I will be in touch with Vermont Dept of Health, Vermont AG and NHTSA and wait to see how repairs go and then take it further if need be. What gets me is the dealer acts like this is as normal a problem with a RV that they sell as loose trim or other defect, but if I were to dump black water on the side of the road it would be a major offense. I'll see if the agencies I contacted seem to be interested in helping. As I said in previous posts I contacted the Pres of Crossroads so if anyone could help, Andy Cripe would have been the one to help but hasn't yet.