Community Forums

Ham_Hog · 07-23-2012, 06:51 AM

When at an RV park with full hookups the holding tank's drain line is hooked up too but do you leave the HT valves open or when the tanks get full do you open the valve then close it after the tank empties?
I know this is a very basic question but we have yet to try an RV park with full hookups and just wanted to know ahead of time how this is handled.
Thanks,
Bruce

jmbusse · 07-23-2012, 06:54 AM

Bruce, leave the valves closed until the tanks are around 3/4 full, then dump the black water first then flush the lines out with the grey water. After you dump you should close the valves. Failure to do it this way will cause a buildup in your black water tank.

Rook · 07-23-2012, 07:03 AM

A large number of people leave the grey water open and close the black water tank, dumping it when full. That's what I do. Rook

Tallyrver · 07-23-2012, 07:04 AM

I leave the grey tank open and black closed ,close the grey tank valve the night before leaving to get plenty of water for flushing out the hose after dumping the black tank.

Wayne

bobrw9 · 07-23-2012, 07:22 AM

Leaving the valves open can lead to a lot problems that are never fun to clean up or fix.If the valves are left open your tanks will be mostly dry.You will not get a complete flush from the tank and certainly not through the hose.If the solids dry out in the tank or hose you will have a problem getting them clean again.I have found it best to keep the valves closed all the time.Let the chemicals liquefy the solids and control the order.Dump the gray tank whenever you need to BUT always have the gray tank mostly full when you need to dump the black tank.When your ready to dump, open the black tank valve only, let it drain, flush a few loads of clean water down and close the black tank valve.Now open the gray tank valve.All that nice soapy water will clean out the hose and you will be good to go for another cycle.This requires monitoring the tanks a lot but it beats trying to clean dry hard crap out of your tank and hose.

JJH3rd · 07-23-2012, 07:27 AM

**Dried crap! Yuck!**

nightriderrv · 07-23-2012, 07:47 AM

The crap mountain is not fun to deal with after it dries out

and it has no snow on it

Skip426 · 07-23-2012, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tallyrver

I leave the grey tank open and black closed ,close the grey tank valve the night before leaving to get plenty of water for flushing out the hose after dumping the black tank.

Wayne

JMHO, when you leave the grey valve open, all the RV park sewer gas vents through your grey tank ,

across your roof and into your site.

Cat320 · 07-23-2012, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rook

A large number of people leave the grey water open and close the black water tank, dumping it when full. That's what I do. Rook

This is what we do also. Before we had a tank flusher, I closed the gray the day before then dumped it after the black to help flush out the hoses.

Miljet · 07-23-2012, 07:52 PM

When we first started full-timing, I always left the grey tank valve open. But I discovered that over time the valve would become almost impossible to operate. The slot that the blade slides in would become clogged with coffee grounds, food particles and other gunk. After I had to disassemble and clean the valve a couple of times, I decided it was easier to keep the valve closed and dump when needed. Besides, as others have noted, it is nice to have the (reasonably) clean water to flush the hose after dumping the black tank.

FlyingDiver · 07-23-2012, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip426

JMHO, when you leave the grey valve open, all the RV park sewer gas vents through your grey tank ,

across your roof and into your site.

Not if you let your hose dip down like a P trap between the tank and the septic connection. Then just raise it up when you dump the black tank.

joe

buck454 · 07-23-2012, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJH3rd

**Dried crap! Yuck!**

Not to mention dry, hard TP. Been there, done that...... ONCE.

Mr_D · 07-23-2012, 08:06 PM

Been RV'ing since 1957 (before RV's had toilets in them). I leave both tank valves closed till they need dumping. Then I dump the black tank, then the grey tank. In all those years of RV'ing I've never had a tank backup or plugged valve or hose, so I must be doing something right.

Sky_Boss · 07-23-2012, 08:25 PM

I have a built in black tank flush. I keep the grey open and the black closed. I then fill the black tank till nearly full, drain, refill to about 3/4 tank and drain again.

If I am in an area where water conservation is in place, I then keep the grey tank closed to minimize use of city water and use the grey water to flush my my hose after dumping the black tank. I still follow up with a few gallons of city water to clean the hose a bit better.