NOT Dumping Black and Gray Tanks

[TheGriz]

This weekend (Friday-Sunday), I boondocked during our 2019 Amateur Radio Field Day (Ham Radio). I was the only one in my TT, and have only four "loads" or so in the black tank, several "pees", and associated flush waters. So I can't imagine black tank exceeds a third full. Guessing 5 gallons in the galley gray tank and 10 gallons in the bathroom/shower gray tank. I was in water conservation mode for weekend.

Is there any harm in NOT dumping the tanks for several weeks??? I could go to a campground a couple miles from my house and dump if needed. They do charge $20 to dump, and I am not complaining about the charge. However, it would be nice to wait until the next time I go camping and connected to full-hooks up to dump. Probably in next one to two months.

BTW...gates valves on tanks are all in good shape/don't leak.

As long as it's not a LONG time, say 6 months or more, I can't foresee a problem. Thoughts???

Thanks,
Mike

[GMcKenzie]

Issue would be if the liquid portion evaporates and leave a hard pile remaining. Will be hard to get rid of. Add more water to keep everything wet.

[wobly]

Originally Posted by GMcKenzie

Issue would be if the liquid portion evaporates and leave a hard pile remaining. Will be hard to get rid of. Add more water to keep everything wet.

^^^This. We have been in a similar situation and just added water. We also ensured that there was water in the toilet to keep the seal from leaking and venting odors.

[travelin texans]

If sitting for a couple months you could add a bit of RidX with more water to the tanks to help with the solids, but typically this wouldn't work short term.
Be sure to add some sort additive designed for deodorizing.

[Schmackpappy]

I wouldn't do this. I had my trailer in my driveway and my daughter and friends "camped" in the trailer. Only urine with a drop-in in the tank. I was going to use the trailer in a couple of weeks so I just left it. It started to stink pretty bad. I will never leave my black water tank un-drained again.

D

[sourdough]

IMO opinion I wouldn't do it although I'm sure you can. If I did I would add plenty of water and some sort of deodorizing/decomposition chemical. 6-8 weeks is a long time for "stinky stuff" to sit and decompose while depositing that wonderful "perfume" into the trailer. I let mine sit one time at a deer camp for about 2 weeks thinking it would be fine and I would just dump when I left later on. It was mid Sept. and it was pretty warm - highs in the mid 80s if I recall. Opened the door upon my return and took my breath away. I haven't let one sit for any length of time since.

[Canonman]

Here's a link to an app I use to find free camping. It also will show dump stations. There may be a convenient option on your way home. BTW I've never paid more than $10 to dump and usually $5
https://freecampsites.net/ Hope this helps

[JRTJH]

OK, let's look at this from a perspective of "will it damage the trailer?" (NO) and "Will it absolutely stink and be unpleasant?" (again, NO, not absolutely).

If the holding tanks don't leak, there's no reason to be concerned with the contents "drying out"....

If the holding tanks start to stink, then it's pretty easy to do what you'd do this afternoon if you were to "go dump the tanks immediately"... in other words, if it becomes a problem, you can deal with it then as easily as you can deal with it now....

What I'd do is add some "TST Orange Tank Treatment". That's what I use because it's what is cheap and seems to work to "keep the stink level" down to a manageable level. I'm sure any other "reasonable tank treatment" would do the same thing, so I'm not advocating for TST, rather for "some type tank treatment"....

About the "worst thing" that could happen by leaving the black tank with a "partial load" (pun intended) is that it would "soften and not be lumpy" when you do flush....

For me, I don't see any problem (from a trailer damage or harm) perspective. And, if it does start to stink, deal with it, if it doesn't, then dump when you next go camping.

[Logan X]

I agree with John, JRJTH. I park my trailer in the backyard and we use it as a guest house/emergency bathroom. I have gone at least three weeks, and maybe longer, without dumping the tanks with no ill effect and no bad smell.

I use happy camper RV tank treatment and I highly recommend it. I also use plenty of water.

The dump fees at all of the places near my house are expensive, $25. What I did is buy a portable waste tank, “blue boy”. I am able to empty the entire black tank into the blue boy, wheel it to the front of my house where the sewer clean out is, and dump the blue boy. It works great!

[travelin texans]

[QUOTE=Logan X;346718]I agree with John, JRJTH. I park my trailer in the backyard and we use it as a guest house/emergency bathroom. I have gone at least three weeks, and maybe longer, without dumping the tanks with no ill effect and no bad smell.

I use happy camper RV tank treatment and I highly recommend it. I also use plenty of water.

The dump fees at all of the places near my house are expensive, $25. What I did is buy a portable waste tank, “blue boy”. I am able to empty the entire black tank into the blue boy, wheel it to the front of my house where the sewer clean out is, and dump the blue boy. It works great![/QUO]

When we were still in our S&B we were fortunate that our house sewer clean out was close enough that we could hook up to it & drain/clean/rinse our tanks all we wanted.

[TheGriz]

Thanks for all the input folks. I will certainly keep an eye out, or should I say a nose out for the stink! The tanks and gate valves are all in excellent shape. But evaporation of water in the traps and toilets have to be countered. So importantly, keeping the P-Traps on sinks and shower full, and a few inches of water in toilet is a must.

[SkiSmuggs]

While folks seem concerned by the solids, it is the urine that makes the stink. Solids have the bacteria from your body to help break it down. There are compost toilets on some hiking trails here in Vermont with signs asking that you pee in the woods so as to not disturb the composting process.
FWIW, we have had our RV sit over a winter with stuff in the black tank and it's always been fine to wait until we are at a campground again.

[rjniles]

Probably gross some of you out but I dump it on my lawn and use the hose to wash it down well. Free fertilizer. And I live out in the sticks on 3 acres.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by rjniles

Probably gross some of you out but I dump it on my lawn and use the hose to wash it down well. Free fertilizer. And I live out in the sticks on 3 acres.

I'd wonder about the white "fuzz" on your lawn from toilet paper.....

That said, many third world countries use human waste as fertilizer. It not only is a major source of e-coli poisoning, it can readily expose anyone who comes in contact with it to hepatitis, Typhoid and a host of other communicable diseases.

It may be "free fertilizer" but the potential price to your family may be much more than opening your wallet for commercial fertilizer for your lawn..... YMMV

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by rjniles

Probably gross some of you out but I dump it on my lawn and use the hose to wash it down well. Free fertilizer. And I live out in the sticks on 3 acres.

You need to post your address so the rest of us can avoid coming near your lawn or come by with our rv & help you fertilize. Hopefully signs are posted warning others that your lawn is full of sh##! I have one question, is your wife aware & onboard with the sewer dump in the front yard?? Mine would never go for it a million years!!
YUK!!!!!!

[atkinsb3]

Originally Posted by rjniles

Probably gross some of you out but I dump it on my lawn and use the hose to wash it down well. Free fertilizer. And I live out in the sticks on 3 acres.

about 40 years ago when I was an innocent lad, we got back from a hunting trip with some family members and they forgot to drain the black tank. The trailer was parked at the top of a hill of a small town street next to the house. One of the family members decided to pull the handle and let it drain down the gutter. I will never forget that blue, lump filled liquid flowing down the gutter and what remained once the the liquid was gone!?!?

I was eternally damaged and think about that (and laugh) every time I drain our black tank, at the dump station, after a camping trip.

[JRTJH]

I "said my say" in a previous post about the "esthetic element" (smell, health hazards, etc) but failed to mention that around here, in the boonies of northern Michigan, if you get caught dumping raw sewage on private or public property, you'll be at the courthouse on Monday morning, standing in front of a judge. Yeah, it's illegal as well as just plain nasty..... Of course, as said by others, this is Independence Day weekend, so........

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I "said my say" in a previous post about the "esthetic element" (smell, health hazards, etc) but failed to mention that around here, in the boonies of northern Michigan, if you get caught dumping raw sewage on private or public property, you'll be at the courthouse on Monday morning, standing in front of a judge. Yeah, it's illegal as well as just plain nasty..... Of course, as said by others, this is Independence Day weekend, so........

It's classified as "hazardous waste" by the EPA & is illegal in every state to dump it on the ground, actually federal offense to do so.
I would stop that practice immediately, especially now that you've posted it on a public forum letting the whole world know you're doing it willfully.

[raylinkz]

Before Y'all light your flame thrower, I'm aware of all the negative postings about using bleach... IMHO the information given is way overblown as I use bleach for many things to Kill bacteria and most viruses. Nothing else can (cheaply) accomplish that.

If I need to leave the tanks with 'dumps' in them, I use copious amounts of water and add bleach to the tank a cup at a time... Keep an eye (er nose) on it and if it starts to smell, add another cup of bleach.

I find it will not stink if you kill the odor causing bacteria and the solids will soften with the bleach water.. I also add water softener and Dawn liquid which helps soften and disperse any oily substance.

When I arrive at my next camping site with a dump station or any free dump station, Dump, rinse and add bleach, water softener and Dawn with a few gallons of water.

There is a long article on the web about this type of cleansing but I'm too lazy to look for it:

You may also see this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_A11DKe13k&t=224s

PS to the posting that says he empties it on his 3 acres. Works for me, none of my family has the diseases that some said concerns them. Water and sunshine and worms take care of the effluent.
OK 'Flame On'

[SkiSmuggs]

Water treatment plants use air and sun for sewage treatment.