Grey water tank - leave open while camping?

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

I just don't see what is so difficult with walking around your RV every couple of days and pull the grey water tank handle.
Everyone on here can use the exercise...including me.

From some of the threads I have read in the past I think you can blame some of this on laziness. Plain and simply.

[twinboat]

Yup, call me lazy.
I'm not running out during my DWs shower because her feet are under water.
Gray tank gauges are a joke and we have never had a problem.

In the old MH, both gray and black were left open for 6 months a year.

Think about all of the stationary, rental RVs, in many parks now days. I'll bet they are always open. Add in the tiny houses and park models, no tanks, no valves.

[BigSkyBob]

Originally Posted by scbwr

For 20 years or so, I've left the gray tank valve open until shortly before leaving when I close it to accumulate water for flush the sewer hose. I've never had any problems. I do occasionally fill the gray tank and then let it drain. And there is always some water in the tank when disconnected.

My method as well.

[Mr Ted]

Originally Posted by twinboat

If you think that's the only way in, you don't know roaches, but that not what I asked.

And that is a subject for another post. We ARE discussing MH Sewer systems right now.

[Caswelld]

Originally Posted by K4LK

After hooking up the sewer we open the grey for the duration of our stay. A friend told me he never does that because the tank could fill with gas from the sewer and end up in our coach! Not sure if the gases could make it past the P traps? What do you do?

Thanks
Dana

I used to do that until I saw creepy-crawlies making their way up through the sewer hose. Yikes! Now I just dump the gray as needed & plan to have the gray tank available to flush the sewer when the black is dumped.

But I have seen campers put a p-trap kink in the sewer hose, that should keep the sewer critters out.

Dave

[BeenThereB4]

A lot of good advice here about this subject.. I like the method of closing the valves until one of the tanks indicates 2/3 full (or so) because of the "whoosh" factor (the vacuum it creates) which seems to effectively evacuate the sewage very well, if the black tank valve is opened first, then when black seems mostly empty, I open the grey.. I have never had a problem with accumulation of "solid" waste in either the black or the grey tank, because I try to use some good judgement as to what I put down the drains. It is easy enough to avoid putting fatty or greasy "cooking" waste down the drain, and bits of food from washing utensils and plates etc. are easily contained by one of those stainless steel strainers in the sink drain. About the black water waste : I seen the suggestion somewhere to keep a container of the "dollar store" dish detergent in the rest room. A couple of squirts of the soap into the toilet now and then seems to make it less likely any solid waste will adhere inside the tank, and as an added bonus, the soapy waste water lubricates the gate valves when you open and close them ! no more "sticky" valves for anyone to have to struggle with.. Inexpensive but effective !

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by BeenThereB4

A lot of good advice here about this subject.. I like the method of closing the valves until one of the tanks indicates 2/3 full (or so) because of the "whoosh" factor (the vacuum it creates) which seems to effectively evacuate the sewage very well, if the black tank valve is opened first, then when black seems mostly empty, I open the grey.. I have never had a problem with accumulation of "solid" waste in either the black or the grey tank, because I try to use some good judgement as to what I put down the drains. It is easy enough to avoid putting fatty or greasy "cooking" waste down the drain, and bits of food from washing utensils and plates etc. are easily contained by one of those stainless steel strainers in the sink drain. About the black water waste : I seen the suggestion somewhere to keep a container of the "dollar store" dish detergent in the rest room. A couple of squirts of the soap into the toilet now and then seems to make it less likely any solid waste will adhere inside the tank, and as an added bonus, the soapy waste water lubricates the gate valves when you open and close them ! no more "sticky" valves for anyone to have to struggle with.. Inexpensive but effective !

We are pretty much on the same page. My valves are shut until it's time to open them. If my grey water fills faster than the black I will drain it down some but always keep some in the tank. When the black tank reaches 2/3 full I finish filling it with fresh water if I'm on a full hook up then fill the grey tank. I drain the black tank, close the valve then drain the grey tank. I then add 5 or so gallons of water to each tank.
Nothing goes into our sink as far as dirty dishes go. All the dishes get cleaned with a rubber spatula and a paper towel or two before going into a plastic dishpan in the sink. When the dishes are all washed the dishpan gets dumped into the toilet. The additional soap and water only helps to keep my sensors clean and working like they should.
Anytime someone uses the toilet, if the job requires use of paper, the toilet gets flushed, a 1/2 bowl of water is run into the toilet and it gets flushed again.
When we are ready to break camp and head out I fill both the black and grey tanks to full, dump the black, close the valve and fill the tank again. Then it gets dumped again. Add 5 or so gallons and a shot of detergent to the tank then go onto the grey tank. Pretty much the same treatment as the black tank. Fill it up, dump, refill and dump again. Add water and detergent and call it good. I rinse my drain hose with a rinser hooked to a garden hose before storing the hose away.
In my particular case our coach may sit 3-4 weeks between uses. I don't want something with stinky tanks sitting near my house and I certainly don't want the tanks to completely dry out. Just as importantly I want my level sensors to work when I want them to. Keeping the sensors clean is the key to having them work.

[franklin99]

I leave the grey tank open while in the park, and leave it closed the last day to help flush both tanks.

[KEH]

I have worked at RV resorts for the past 6 years and can absolutely attest to the sewer flies and roaches (in Florida the big palmettos) that ARE in the sewer system. I too used to keep the grey valve open. Not anymore. We full time and it’s now just a habit to empty the tank daily. I feel better knowing the tank ‘gate’ is closed between our coach everyone else connected to the sewer.

[Farmboy666]

I just read an article possibly on here about bugs making their way up into the tanks and infesting the RV. Easy enough to just dump every day if you have to

[Farmboy666]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAVLIT_1b4E

This might make your mind up.

[Dutch Star Don]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

I just don't see what is so difficult with walking around your RV every couple of days and pull the grey water tank handle.
Everyone on here can use the exercise...including me.

Sometimes when you make an all encompassing statement, you need to think about how other RV's are setup and not just your own situation. My full wall slide extends over 30" and then drops down 6", covering all the bays on the driver's side. To access the wet bay means someone very small accesses the bay, or I crawl on my knees. If there are bushes/hedges on that side, it can be nearly impossible.

I've had two back surgeries and both knees replaced. I get around well, but why would I want to punish myself to access the wet bay.

You're right about everyone needs the exercise, but not always the same type. I have to use a recumbent bike to get my exercise, to keep the stress off of my knees.

[Mr Ted]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Sometimes when you make an all encompassing statement, you need to think about how other RV's are setup and not just your own situation. My full wall slide extends over 30" and then drops down 6", covering all the bays on the driver's side. To access the wet bay means someone very small accesses the bay, or I crawl on my knees. If there are bushes/hedges on that side, it can be nearly impossible.

I've had two back surgeries and both knees replaced. I get around well, but why would I want to punish myself to access the wet bay.

You're right about everyone needs the exercise, but not always the same type. I have to use a recumbent bike to get my exercise, to keep the stress off of my knees.

You Really should look into the Electric remote dump valves. I'm surprised with your condition's you haven't discovered this already...

[Smick]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Sometimes when you make an all encompassing statement, you need to think about how other RV's are setup and not just your own situation. My full wall slide extends over 30" and then drops down 6", covering all the bays on the driver's side. To access the wet bay means someone very small accesses the bay, or I crawl on my knees. If there are bushes/hedges on that side, it can be nearly impossible.

I've had two back surgeries and both knees replaced. I get around well, but why would I want to punish myself to access the wet bay.

You're right about everyone needs the exercise, but not always the same type. I have to use a recumbent bike to get my exercise, to keep the stress off of my knees.

Dutch Star Don,

Sorry to hear about the knees and can understand fully. I do remember a gentleman on this site had smartly used a piece of pvc conduit and notched it to not only reach his valve handles easily with slides out, but he uses it as a gauge to make sure he is parked far enough from obstructions for his slides.

He put a simple notch in the end of the pvc at the valve end that grabs the valve handle under the rv, and glued a T-handle on the other end for ease of pulling valve handles. I believe his wife used the apparatus to gauge slide out clearance when backing into a site.

Take care and good luck,

Steve