Advice on plumbing? (New owner)

[stutch]

Not sure of Montanas but if you have macerating toilets, all valves stay open then once every other month, flush black tank.

Grey tanks self clean between showers, washing machines, dishwasher, sink water, the water goes in then out no problem.

Black tanks, not maceration, are different. Solids don't flow easily. I would wait till full then dump. Since this doesn't guarantee all solids will be cleared, a monthly flush will suffice. Some RVs have 1 tank for both so I've heard of people installing a valve gate before the final pipe to the sewer, closing it, and allowing the Grey water to enter the black tank. Vice versa happens but to a much smaller extent. With the soaps and extra water, this can be your monthly flush solution. Open the last valve and both tanks flush out then close the black tank to proceed as normal. Within 1 or 2 days your Grey tank is back to normal and you would have completed a flushing of the Black.

I honestly believe people give to much thought to this. Simple water in/ water out. Additives? A gimmick. My opinion.

[CecilD]

We use chemicals in the black tank. Can't say what is best as we have used different kinds and never have had a stink problem. We don't use anything in the gray tank. We do have fine mesh stainless screens in both the kitchen and bathroom sinks to keep particulates out. It is surprising how many chunks of food the screen picks up from just brushing your teeth. We also wipe down our dishes with paper towels prior to washing, especially the greasy ones; force of habit now. Never had any gray tank smell issues.

I wouldn't leave the gray tank dump valve open. Your gray tanks are probably not vented to the roof, rather the trailer uses air admittance valves under the sinks. These valves sometimes fail and will let sewer gases permeate your trailer if the dump valve is left open. I dump the gray and black at the same time and have never found it to be a burden.

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by CecilD

....Your gray tanks are probably not vented to the roof, rather the trailer uses air admittance valves under the sinks. These valves sometimes fail and will let sewer gases permeate your trailer if the dump valve is left open. ..

All Montana tanks are vented through the roof. Air Admittance valves and P traps are not tank vents. They serve a different purpose.