Washer Water Discharge

[Tree Top Turkeys]

Just installed a new washer dryer combo and we love it. I’ve noticed I get water backing up into kitchen sink much more quickly. I found online that a load of clothes can use up to 16 gallons. I’d like to know what tank the washer discharges into? It’s a small issue but I would like to understand so I am more aware when using washer. Thank you

[rohrmann]

You might have a label next to the washer drain line where your washer is installed. Our washer, if we had one installed, does not drain into a tank, and there is a label on the wall next to the drain saying so and what to do when doing your wash.

[Tree Top Turkeys]

Thanks. We didn’t have that wall label.

[wjg315]

On our unit the washer drains into the galley tank.

[RMcNeal]

I've read that the washer can drain into the first gray tank, the black tank, or directly to the outlet and no tank. It really depends upon the plumber working at the plant that day. The easiest way to find out is drain all your tanks, then run a hose into the washer drain. If no tank, the water will come directly out of your outlet. If not, pull each tank until you have water running out and you'll see which one they plumbed it to.

[Carl n Susan]

We have the "washer is not drained into a holding tank!" sticker and the washer does drain into the shower tank. Don't believe everything you read on the internet and Montana stickers.

[1retired06]

Ours drains into the shower tank. We leave it open and have never had an issue with overflow. During the install, I f.igured the dump path just as described above with the hose.

[mhs4771]

Yet on our previous 2010 2955RL that sticker was true to it's word.

[DutchmenSport]

After getting our stackable Splendid Washer and Dryer installed, I ran a several loads of water through the washing machine immediately so I knew exactly how much water was being used and exactly where the discharge was going.

I emptied all my tanks (I can do this easily at home), I flushed the black tank, cleaned everything up real good and made sure every last drop of water was out of the tanks.

I then closed all outside drain valves on all tanks. I ran a load of laundry at the setting we were most likely to use. I had a pre-measured 5 gallon bucket sitting under the drain out outlets.

Once the washing machine completely finished, I pulled each lever until water started running. I was pretty sure it went into the grey water (shower) tank, so I pulled it first and sure enough, water started pouring out of the outlet. I filled the 5 gallon bucket. Dumped it, and opened the valve again and let it run until it completely stopped. I had the bucket pre-measured, so it finished after 3 more gallons. Total for the wash with no clothes in the washing machine ... 8 gallons.

I now knew how much water the washing machine demanded. I also now knew which tank it flowed into.

I've never had issues with the tanks or water supply when doing laundry. I always pump water from my fresh water tank. I am never hooked up to shore water, unless filling the fresh water tank, and I have a garden hose water meter attached to my fresh water hook-up at my camper. I can monitor exactly how much water is going into my fresh tank, how much water is going out of my holding tank, as we very seldom have the luxury of full hook-ups and use my 32 gallon Barker Blue Tote to hall my waste water to the dump station (even at home, I use it to dump into my septic tank).

Knowing the exact capacity of your tanks is easy to figure out by simply measuring with a bucket when you dump. Take the time to figure all of this out (which clean tanks of course), and then you'll know by instinct how much water you are using.

Since we're talking about water usage, take the time to run your shower. Catch exactly 1 gallon of water in a bucket and time it, so you'll know exactly how much you are using when you take a shower. Do the same thing at the kitchen faucet and the bathroom faucet. Once you have these figures in your head, when you run the water, you'll instinctively just "know" when you run 1 gallon, 2 gallons, 3 gallons ...... It' might not be perfect, but you'll be very close.

Good luck... happy camping!