Hookups "with sewer"

[Bisjoe]

So far we have only stayed at places with electricity and water, and have used a free dump station at rest stops on the way home. This weekend we will be at a park with sewer. It seems like a bad idea to connect to it and leave the drains open, because "stuff" won't get flushed out. Do you just wait and use it as you would a dump station before leaving, maybe connect to dump the gray water if it starts to get full? It's only Friday-Sunday so we wouldn't expect either tank to fill up. Oh, and the forecast is for rain the entire time. :facepalm:

[flybouy]

Leave the dump valves closed until you are ready to dump the tanks. If you leave the black tank valve open then sewer gas will come up through the hose and into the camper as there is no "P" trap in the camper. If you leave the gray valve open then you won't have the gray water to chase the blackwater thru the hose.

[Tbos]

Ditto, leave them closed until ready to dump.

[sourdough]

^^^^^ what they say

[Number 4]

You mean there are places with electricity, water and sewer hookups? :eek:

Just kidding, but if I ever stay in a "modern" campsite I'll know what to do thanks to these posts. This is our camping style each spring at local mountain man era black powder shooting events. There's the DW (my "Indian" bride) next to the TT and TV we sold last year before moving up to our current arrangement.

[travelin texans]

NEVER leave your black tank valve open. I agree sewer gases are a possibility, I personally always create a p trap with my sewer hose when connected, just a small sag will do.
The main issue with leaving it open is the "poop pyramid" (gross, right?), caused by the liquids running directly out of the tank leaving the solids piling up in the tank, once dried is next to impossible to remove. When flushing the toilet always continue running the water for 5-10 seconds after everything went down, water is your friend in the black tank.
If your grey tank/s fill quickly you can leave them open til a day or 2 before dumping so as to have a good hose rinse after draining the black tank, black is always dumped 1st then grey/s.
Once your black tank is dumped & rinsed thoroughly, add a couple gallons of water & a good healthy squirt of Dawn dish soap, while traveling it's cleaning your tank sloshing around.

[notanlines]

Exactly what T-Texans ^^^^^ said!

[Ken / Claudia]

I will open a gray valve if we are showering in the RV just so that tank does not fill. Before black tank gets dumped sometimes I add water to it just to get it near full. I fill the gray(s) tanks just to get that extra water through the sewer hose before I disconnect it.

[tundrwd]

You mean there are places with electricity, water and sewer hookups? :eek:

Just kidding, but if I ever stay in a "modern" campsite I'll know what to do thanks to these posts. This is our camping style each spring at local mountain man era black powder shooting events. There's the DW (my "Indian" bride) next to the TT and TV we sold last year before moving up to our current arrangement.

Strange looking tipi...

[Pull Toy]

With "Full Hook-ups" I leave all valves closed till ready to dump...unless grey is full early, let off pressure then reclose , BLACK first, then GREY to flush hose. I also flood the black tank to full, at least twice, and use my clear 45 degree to check for GUNK! Never had a "Poo Pile" in 40 years, even before "flush valves"... just sayin'!



Good Luck,

[Bisjoe]

Turns out my hose wouldn’t reach anyway, have to pull forward 2-3’ before leaving to dump. Turns out to be a great place, short walk to the water and caught one trout before the rain got too nasty.

[flybouy]

If you don't already have one do yourself a favor and get a 10' extension hose. Useful in extending the standard hose and for dumping at dump stations.

[kjohn]

All good points above. A couple of years back, I had to hook up and move the trailer about 25 miles each way to dump. Came back to the same spot. That, I decided would be the last time that happened. I bought a new 25 gallon plastic water tank and plumbed in a whizzer 12v pump to fill the trailer. I then scrounged an empty 45 gal. DEF barrel, ordered a macerator and voila!, my very own self-contained supply truck.


I usually keep enough water in the trailer when we are moving to deal with any normal use. If I think I will be parking where there is no water hookup, I fill the tank in the truck. I have a cap on the truck, so none of my "system" is visible, and when empty adds very little weight.

[Mboys]

I agree that water is your friend when it comes to the tanks, especially the Black tank. Use lots and lots of water and keep black and galley tanks closed until full or 3/4 full to let the water work for you. Flushing is a must. If you don't have an internal spray system us a Flush King adapter to your dump connection. I use both and have never had a problem.
Also I do leave the shower grey tank open while at full hook up sites. Was having a problem with tank level indicator light showing 1/3 full, for many months. Tried absolutely everything I could find on line to eliminate the problem.
After leaving it open the problem went away. I believe by leaving it open it allowed water to flush the bottom sensor of hair and such. It was driving me crazy. Now I'm a happy camper.

[DJCMJens0412]

I agree with everyone so far. Leave the tanks closed until ready to leave. I was also told that you after its dumped you can add a some fabric softener, about a 1/4-1/3 tank of water and 25 -30 lbs, of ice in the black tank, drive down the road to a free dump station and it should scour out any piles that have gotten stuck in the tank, plus it makes the tank smell better.

[notanlines]

DJCM, the legendary "ice cubes in the black tank" really doesn't hold true for accomplishing much. A number of videos on youtube will demonstrate this. You would have to pretty much drive like a maniac with your hair on fire to have any success at all. In that you'd like to have your black tank smell "nice," any reason you wouldn't use the little tablets designed for that rather than fabric softener?

[travelin texans]

I agree with everyone so far. Leave the tanks open until ready to leave. I was also told that you after its dumped you can add a some fabric softener, about a 1/4-1/3 tank of water and 25 -30 lbs, of ice in the black tank, drive down the road to a free dump station and it should scour out any piles that have gotten stuck in the tank, plus it makes the tank smell better.

I certainly hope you meant to leave the valves "closed" til ready to leave? You should NEVER leave your black tank valve open, even if you live in your rv. You can leave the grey open til a day or so before dumping.
I totally agree about the bags of ice, just a waste of ice. Think about it, 5-10 lbs of ice in a 40+ gallon tank, that's like dropping 2 ice cubes in your 32oz soft drink, it would be melted before you got out of the driveway.

[DJCMJens0412]

Notanlines, the ice cube thing was suggested by the dealer we purchased out trailer from, it was not my idea nor have we tried it yet. And yes, we use the little tablet/pods, also known as chemicals to treat the black water tank. I’m not an idiot.

[Kestrel1029]

When we go camping I always stay at campgrounds with full hookups. The way I work it is I leave all my valves closed, I have two gray tanks. I periodically check my tank levels. When they get between two thirds and full I dump. I always dump the black tank first then I dump my two gray tanks. That way the water from the gray tanks rinses out the sewer hose.