fresh, grey,black water question newbie here

[workinwood]

OK, I inherited our 96 Minnie Winnie and it has sat for two or three years.. What should I do to ensure they are clean and fresh water is OK to add and drink. I have read that you need to rinse out grey and black tanks the only way I know how is the garden hose. That seems out there, black tank flushing the john a lot. Help.....want to use it over memorial day weekend and take five yr old grandson camping for a few days...it will be the maiden trip for me. Fairly close to home just in case.

[John Hilley]

Dawn dish washing soap and Calgon are good for cleaning the grey and black tanks. Fill them about 2/3 full with about 1/2 cup of Dawn, then drive it around for awhile and dump. Flush several times with water. When you are through rinsing with fresh water, mix two cups of Calgon in 2 gallons of water and dump in each tank.

For the fresh water tank, fill with water and add 1 cup of bleach for each 10 gallons of water. Dump and rinse. Then flush with fresh water.

I usually don't use the fresh water for drinking, but carry bottled water for that .

[workinwood]

Thanks John, but how do I fill the black and grey tank? My only way for them is one flush john a lot, and grey run faucet till 2/3 full

[John Hilley]

Originally Posted by workinwood

Thanks John, but how do I fill the black and grey tank? My only way for them is one flush john a lot, and grey run faucet till 2/3 full

You can run a garden hose into the bathroom and fill the black tank through the toilet and just leave all the faucets on while hooked up to water for the grey, doesn't take long.

[wa8yxm]

I do not flill gray or black full, for my 36 gallon tanks I nonly use about six gallons for the "Geo Method" wash out described above, and then drive, 10 gallons might be better (well 12 for me, it's a six gallon container) I use a "Jerry can" and dump it down the proper drain.

For fresh you sanatize by adding bleach, I like to fill the tank about half full before adding bleach, then add bleach in the amount of 1/4 cup for every 15 gallons of tank capacity, then finish filling (Instructions say to pre-mix bleach in water then pour in, I do not do that but I do pre-fill the tank half way before adding)

I also add the bleach via the fill hose (might as well sanatize it in the process)

Pump bleach water (Nasty stuff) Through all lines, Sower, Toilet, and so on.

Then drain and flill with plain water, pump thie through all lines.

Then add about 1/2 to 1 cup baking soda, re-fill the tank and pump this through all lines (Removes all traces of bleach)

Then drain and refill with fresh water, Pump this through the lines. >Refill and use.

I do not worry about sanatizing the waste tanks, I mean, I'm not drinking that stuff, I'm flushing it down to the sewer when I get a chance.

Oh, two more things: Tank treatments (ALl sorts of products to keep your black tank smelling fresh) are mostly a waste of money, Never found one that made any difference at all, However only once (Well technically twice) have I ever had a "odor" problem.. the "only twice" was not the black (or gray) tank, it was something else entierly not related to the sewage system.

The one time I had genuine sewer odor I'd left the dump valves open by mistake and it was coming back up from the hole in the ground, Closed the valves and fixed it.

Let your tank get a least 2/3 full before dumping, then dump black first, then gray.

What if you are say only 1/3 full and it's time to leave the park...ADD WATER, (simple solution many can not think of) Flush well, whatever.

[workinwood]

Thank you, John for your expertise, I will let you know how it all turns out for me.

[BFlinn181]

A. Don't use the same hose you put down the toilet to fill fresh water tank!

B. Calgon makes dozens of products, from 'Refreshing Body Mists', 'Ultra-Moisturizing Bath Beads', 'Foaming Bubble Bath', and on and on. What you want is Calgon Water Softener, preferably the powdered, it's a little cheaper that way. It's hard to find anymore, the liquid is often found in Walmart and other grocery chains.

The full Geo Method is described here: https://sites.google.com/site/cbruni/

And this might help:

HOW TO: Dump & Clean an RV Black Tank - YouTube

[Fred1609]

You might want to consider using bleach in your lines...bleach can be harmful to plastic delivery hoses especially older rigs.....there was a thread some time ago and somewhere in it they were discussing what was the best way to sanitize your lines.....the solution I found to be the best was too add a cup of food grade 35% peroxide per 100 gal (add it before your trip). The peroxide attacks any bacteria and pathogens and oxidizes them. When you get to your CG. rinse out your tanks. Clorine also leaves a nasty after smell/taste and folks use all kinds of things to get rid of it......never would I use chlorine

[John Hilley]

Here is a good article on Cleaning Freshwater Tank , it discusses both bleach and hydrogen peroxide.

[Trudinator]

Bleach doesn't stay in your tank long enough to do any real damage. And it is so watered down; it's not like you're pouring straight bleach into your lines. After you dump the bleach solution just make sure you fill up your tank once or twice and dump to rinse it out. And don't forget to run all of your faucets (including outside shower if you have one) to make sure all the faucets and lines are sanitized.

Most household bleach products contain anticorrosion agents and, when used as directed, are safe for use on a variety of hard, nonporous surfaces, including stainless steel, plastics, glazed ceramics, glass, porcelain and other materials.

We use the Geo Method and have for a year now. We've never had an odor problem and our tanks are pristine. I highly recommend it over any commercial deodorizer, chemical made for RV's.

[bjcarpetguy]

Something You might conside is having sat that long you probably have some very
solid things in your black tank.
Wallmart and about any rv store sells the hose with a spining nosel on the end.
after dumping hook it to your hose insert it as far as you can in toilet and turn water
to high. The pressure and the spining action should break up any solid that have formed as well as to help clean sensors and walls. Good luck
and welcome.