What is Galley Water in a Camper?

What Is Galley Water In A Camper?
What Is Galley Water In A Camper?

You might be wondering what Galley Water is in a Camper. In fact, the term “galley” is nautical, referring to the kitchen on a boat. In RVs, the term refers to the wastewater and freshwater used in the kitchen.

The first part of the holding system in a camper is the galley water tank. There may be more than one galley tank, so you should pay attention to the label.

The gray tank is what holds the water that drains from your sink, shower, and washing machine. It can handle a few days’ worths of wastewater, depending on how much you use it.

What is Galley Water in a Camper?

Is Galley Wastewater the Same as Gray Water?

Some RVs store both of these wastes in a single tank. Others separate the wastewater from the shower and bathroom sink. In some cases, there may be three handles that you can pull to dump the waste, which means that the RV has a separate galley waste water tank.

Gray water is the wastewater generated by bathroom sinks and indoor showers in RVs. It differs from black water, which is used for toilet flushing. A full grey water tank causes the sink and shower to back up with water, which can be unpleasant and inconvenient.

Moreover, you may notice that water is hard to drain from your sink and shower. Having an RV with a separate gray water tank is a good idea to avoid these problems.

However, if you own or are considering purchasing a Class B Van, there are several things you need to know. You should first know that you might not have a separate shower in it.

The bathroom in Class B may not be as luxurious as one found in a larger RV, but it will still provide you with the essentials that you need to enjoy your trip.

Shower gray water is also treated differently. Some jurisdictions allow people to dump shower gray water, not kitchen gray water. Some of the highest-end RVs have separate tanks for galley wastewater.

RV shower tank

In addition to the galley wastewater tank, some models even have clothes washers. This washwater contains soap and may contain bacteria. Therefore, it’s important to dispose of this water appropriately.

Why Is There a Separate Tank for Galley Water?

You may have heard of RVs with separate tanks in the galley. But why is that? And does it have any benefit? Read on to learn more about this interesting feature! It may help you to understand why you need a separate tank for the water from the kitchen.

  • Balance

It’s important to remember that water is heavy and should be distributed throughout the trailer rather than being confined to one area. Adding a separate galley gray water tank can improve the balance of your RV.

Because water weighs a lot, it’s best to have it distributed throughout the trailer’s frame. Another advantage to having two separate galley tanks is the ease of taking a shower.

The galley drain is usually located far from the shower and bath sink, so dividing the tank helps balance the weight on the front and rear axles.

Balance the RV

  • No Need To Run a Separate Drain

If you want to avoid running a drain line in your RV, consider installing a separate tank for your galley water. This will eliminate the need to run a separate drain line for water from the bathroom sink and shower.

Additionally, it will provide better balance for your trailer. The galley is usually located far away from the bath sinks and shower, so it’s better to divide the weight of the water around the frame.

Most large RVs come equipped with a black and a gray water tank, although you may notice that some manufacturers install only one gray tank.

The number of tanks you’ll find in your RV may vary, but a separate tank for galley water is ideal if you have a long distance between your kitchen and bathroom. This feature eliminates the need to run a long pipe and drain line in your RV.

  • Jurisdictions

Gray water in RVs is different from the water in a bathroom. There are many reasons why an RV manufacturer may add a separate galley gray water tank.

These reasons may include jurisdictions that prohibit sewer disposal of gray water from the kitchen. For this reason, manufacturers include a separate galley wastewater tank in RVs.

The reason why manufacturers put a separate galley wastewater tank in RVs is to reduce sewer backup. Unlike shower water, which is relatively free from contaminants, kitchen gray water contains more bacteria.

Galley wastewater is considered sewer waste by some jurisdictions. Some RV manufacturers, however, choose to add a separate galley wastewater tank for this reason.

  • Galley Freshwater

A self-built camper van will have a freshwater tank for your kitchen. Similarly, some small Class B vans might even have a freshwater tank for the kitchen. But if you’re planning to use your van as a mobile home, you need to consider the size of the kitchen.

The most compact Class B vans are typically not big enough to include a full-size kitchen. You can find Class B vans that feature a small kitchen, however.

A class B motorhome is a smaller version of a Class C motorhome. It is built on a van chassis and resembles a conventional van on the outside. They typically have a bathroom with a separate shower and toilet.

They will also have freshwater and wastewater holding tanks. However, many Class B vans don’t have slide-outs, the common RV features.

Small Class B vans often have freshwater tanks for the galley, while self-built campers might use boat parts to build a freshwater tank. A galley freshwater system consists of a 5-gallon freshwater tank and a manual or electric pump.

Freshwater is referred to as galley water, whereas wastewater from the kitchen in RVs is usually called freshwater.

  • How Often Should I Empty RV Galley Tank?

Whether you are traveling with a family or by yourself, you need to know how to empty the RV’s galley tank. You may notice water in the sink when you have an overfull galley tank. This is a good sign that your tank is overfilled.

While RV plumbing isn’t as durable as a home’s, even the tiniest particles of food or hair can jam its pipes. It is wise to wait until the tank is at least two-thirds full to make the process easier.

Before you begin cleaning, it’s best to know the contents of the gray and black tanks. To keep the tanks clean, you should monitor the water level in the gray tank and dump it every few days.

Make sure the black tank is empty first, as this is the most difficult tank to empty. Once you’ve finished with that, you can move on to the gray tank. You’ll be happy you did!

  • Dump Station

If your tank is full, you’ll need to locate the dump station to dispose of the waste. While you can usually find one at a campground, you may be stuck in a location with no dump station. It is recommended to find a dump station online before your trip.

Dump stations typically charge a small fee for using their services, but it’s much cheaper than paying a fine for open dumping.

Moreover, it will also help to wear gloves when emptying the galley water tank.If you go without gloves, you may end up with a mess that is even more hazardous than you thought.

Dump station

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