Newb Black Tank Questions

[KamiwillRV]

So I came across an article here that talks about dump station etiquette. Our first trip location will have this ‘community’ style and I just had a few questions when running the scenarios through my head.

1) It says not to flush your black tank at the dump to be courteous, and to dump grey water as a flush. If this is the case, how and where do you end up flushing the black tank well?

2) What do you do if you completely forgot to empty the black tank and leave the park for home? How soon SHOULD it be emptied after having ‘stuff’ in it?

3) The guy that did my walkthrough said that legally you can leave the grey valve open while camping. Is this true? Would you WANT to?

I did buy one of those additional sewer valves for cap mishaps.

Any info you would like to offer up on your dump procedure, I would love to hear it. (Lol, that sounds very weird)

[archer75]

I only black tank flush in the dumpstation if there's no one behind me. Otherwise I do it in campsites when we have sewer. It's not something I do all the time.

I've never forgotten to empty the black tank. But if I did i'd just find another dump station. They're all over. You can dump at camping worlds for a food donation. A friend of ours has a sewer line in his yard, he pulls the cap off and dumps there. There are apps to help find places to dump. Other campgrounds and rv parks often times let you use their dumpstation even if you aren't staying there. For a fee.
Our black tank fills up so fast that i'm always looking at the gauge. There's no way i'd forget.

I don't know if that's true in campgrounds. I doubt it. I know you can in national forests. It has to be a certain distance in to the forest. Per the ranger. Campgrounds have different rules.
But you need grey water to dump after you dump the black tank. It cleans out the line and your hose. I wouldn't leave it open.

[Mr_D]

Leaving the gray tank open has been illegal in OR since about 1968 and many other places too.

[MtnTrek]

Originally Posted by KamiwillRV

1) It says not to flush your black tank at the dump to be courteous, and to dump grey water as a flush. If this is the case, how and where do you end up flushing the black tank well? There if it's a time of day with no one waiting. Or anywhere there is a sanitary sewer connection.

2) What do you do if you completely forgot to empty the black tank and leave the park for home? How soon SHOULD it be emptied after having ‘stuff’ in it? Sooner than later. As time passes suspended solids will settle and become less prone to flushing off the tank bottom.

3) The guy that did my walkthrough said that legally you can leave the grey valve open while camping. Is this true? Would you WANT to? While connected to sanitary sewer, sure. On the ground can be strictly prohibited in most areas. Even in remote BLM locations you probably don't want to get caught doing this.

I did buy one of those additional sewer valves for cap mishaps.

Don't fret, it may seem overwelming at first but you'll catch on.

[cruzbill]

Kamiwill, Your freinds RV is parked on the lawn in front of your house. He says "A guy" said its OK to dump the grey tank. What is your response. As for ettiqute;

Don't dally at the dump station, but don't be in a hurry either.

Get your hoses all hooked up an then gradually open you black valve until fully open. When empty, flush 3x using your black tank rinse, you already have a dedicated water hose for this and hooked it up, right? Now your black tank is clean, allow the black tank rinse to fill it up to 1/4 tank or so. Close black valve and open grey valve. Disconnect black tank rinse hose and store. When grey empty, for all intents and purposes, your grey hose is 'clean' so close grey valve put cap on drain pipe and store grey hose. Check the area for spills and clean any you find. Use hand sanitizer on your hands after you remove your disposable gloves. Tell the wife its her turn next time.

If you hear different than the above, ignore.

[cruzbill]

And go buy one of these so you can watch the excitement! (did I spell that correctly?)

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Valterra-...er=8*X6Fwho90A

[KamiwillRV]

Originally Posted by cruzbill

Kamiwill, Your freinds RV is parked on the lawn in front of your house. He says "A guy" said its OK to dump the grey tank. What is your response. As for ettiqute;

Don't dally at the dump station, but don't be in a hurry either.

Get your hoses all hooked up an then gradually open you black valve until fully open. When empty, flush 3x using your black tank rinse, you already have a dedicated water hose for this and hooked it up, right? Now your black tank is clean, allow the black tank rinse to fill it up to 1/4 tank or so. Close black valve and open grey valve. Disconnect black tank rinse hose and store. When grey empty, for all intents and purposes, your grey hose is 'clean' so close grey valve put cap on drain pipe and store grey hose. Check the area for spills and clean any you find. Use hand sanitizer on your hands after you remove your disposable gloves. Tell the wife its her turn next time.

If you hear different than the above, ignore.

I’m so confused by your response. It sounds like you have a sepereate hose for gray and black? I don’t understand your swapping of ‘hoses.’ Do you have a different drain for your grey and black?

Thanks!

[archer75]

Originally Posted by KamiwillRV

I’m so confused by your response. It sounds like you have a sepereate hose for gray and black? I don’t understand your swapping of ‘hoses.’ Do you have a different drain for your grey and black?

Thanks!

The drains for grey and black meet in to one output that you connect your sewer hose to.

To flush your black tank you use a standard garden hose. This hose cannot be the same as the water hose you use for your trailer which are blue or white. I use a black hose for the black tank flush. Makes it easy!

Also, even if you have all the time in the world at the dump station to flush the tank i've been to many that have no faucet for a hose. Some have a hose hanging there but no threaded end.

[KamiwillRV]

Originally Posted by archer75

The drains for grey and black meet in to one output that you connect your sewer hose to.

To flush your black tank you use a standard garden hose. This hose cannot be the same as the water hose you use for your trailer which are blue or white. I use a black hose for the black tank flush. Makes it easy!

Also, even if you have all the time in the world at the dump station to flush the tank i've been to many that have no faucet for a hose. Some have a hose hanging there but no threaded end.

Ahhhhh okay...I was thinking they were saying a seperate drain hose.

So my unit has a female hose connection at the water controls....should I use that to flush, or is that product linked previously a better way to go?

Thanks!

[archer75]

Originally Posted by KamiwillRV

Ahhhhh okay...I was thinking they were saying a seperate drain hose.



So my unit has a female hose connection at the water controls....should I use that to flush, or is that product linked previously a better way to go?



Thanks!

There was a test done with the hydro flush and while it helped it didn't work as well as advertised. You can do better with the built in flush and following some tips. You don't have to flush every time. I only do it when we're in a site with sewer. I may do it several times a year or only once. You certainly don't have to do it every time.

More importantly make sure you get a pressure regulator for your drinking water hose. Never hook up to your city water inlet without it. I would say this is the most critical accessory to buy for your new rig.

[ByeTheWay]

1) No problem if no one is waiting to dump. A full hook up site is a good place to open the black tank and rinse it out. I like to close the black tank and let it fill then open the drain. Repeat as long as you see chunks coming out. I use a clear extension for viewing.

2) This can be a good thing. The road vibration and water movement can help break down the solids. Many allow the black tank to fill before dumping. Some purchase a macerator pump to dump at home in a drain clean out.

3) Only when hooked up at a full hook up site. Most let there grey go into the sewer when parked then shut it off a day or two prior to dumping the black, to allow the grey to build up for rinsing the discharge hose.

[cruzbill]

the clear 45 elbow to which I referred is useful to 'see' how well your tanks are draining. In addition, the female hose fitting on the elbow is useful when used to add water to your black tank, if you don't have a black tank flush.

[archer75]

I forgot to mention, after I dump I add some water and blue chemical to the toilet to swish around while driving. Clean it a bit. And then for the next trip the toilet already has chemical and we don't add more.

[KamiwillRV]

Originally Posted by archer75

There was a test done with the hydro flush and while it helped it didn't work as well as advertised. You can do better with the built in flush and following some tips. You don't have to flush every time. I only do it when we're in a site with sewer. I may do it several times a year or only once. You certainly don't have to do it every time.

More importantly make sure you get a pressure regulator for your drinking water hose. Never hook up to your city water inlet without it. I would say this is the most critical accessory to buy for your new rig.

Thanks!

I did get the regulator too!