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08-12-2013, 05:06 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 15
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Grey tank leave open or closed
$1.00/year sewer hose budget diugo. Awesome! Any way what do y'all think on leaving Grey tank open or closed when camping. We average 2 to 3 drainings a a day.
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08-12-2013, 05:18 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 1,605
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I leave my grey tank valve open when hooked to sewer site for duration of stay, then close it day before leaving so I have adequate grey water to flush out hose when dumping black tank upon departure.
Steve
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08-12-2013, 06:20 AM
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#3
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Permanent User Ban
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Imperial Dam LTVA (Yuma, AZ)
Posts: 258
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OK to leave gray valve(s) open while hooked up.
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08-12-2013, 07:00 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Lebanon, PA
Posts: 190
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I also leave my grey open,. then shut it a shower or two before departure and use that water to run after i empty my black tank.
__________________
2011 Passport 280BH Grand Touring Edition
2008 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 5.3L, 3.73 Gears, Z85 Suspension upgrade and Timbren SES Springs
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08-12-2013, 02:49 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Posts: 84
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Quote:
Originally Posted by therink
I leave my grey tank valve open when hooked to sewer site for duration of stay, then close it day before leaving so I have adequate grey water to flush out hose when dumping black tank upon departure.
Steve
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I do the same as Steve.
Mark
__________________
2008 F-350 Dually
2012 Keystone Avalanche 330RE
2007 Harley Davidson Ultra
2000 Softail Springer
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08-12-2013, 07:37 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Green Valley, AZ
Posts: 782
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Quote:
Originally Posted by therink
I leave my grey tank valve open when hooked to sewer site for duration of stay, then close it day before leaving so I have adequate grey water to flush out hose when dumping black tank upon departure.
Steve
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Exactly what I do.
__________________
Earl
2007 33.5' Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel used for full-timing for several years--now sold
2011 Hideout 23RKSWE that we now use for poking around local parks
2007 Chevy 3/4 ton diesel with Prodigy Brake Control
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08-12-2013, 08:17 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Washington State
Posts: 39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sydvero
$1.00/year sewer hose budget diugo. Awesome! Any way what do y'all think on leaving Grey tank open or closed when camping. We average 2 to 3 drainings a a day.
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Realizing I'm still a newbie but I've hooked up leaving my grey valve closed and dump as needed. IMHO! What say my neighbor to the North-----Mista Festus?
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08-12-2013, 09:07 PM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
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Mista Festus says.....
Actually, I have done both. If I am staying for a short time (2-3 days) at a site that has hookups, I'll leave all of my valves closed. Two of the valves have easy access but the galley valve is right underneath the slide making it difficult to pull "when needed". We can leave them closed knowing we can get by for a short time without fear of anything "backing up".
Sometimes, it depends upon the campground we are in. In some, using their washroom and/or shower isn't all that pleasant so we end up using our more than usual. However, in most campgrounds, we tend to use their facilities as much as or more than our own. In this case, I just leave everything closed until we pack up and leave and then I dump several buckets of clean water into the toilet before pulling the valve.
Generally, I try to use the build-up of gray water to flush out the sewer hose and the main lines leading to it and then dump the black first then the gray.
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
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08-12-2013, 09:42 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Reedsport
Posts: 322
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I might add a small point - if camping in winter with below freezing temps its better to leave closed and dump when full. During extreme cold ice could form in hose causing blockage. Otherwise I agree with others. Open till just before pulling up stakes.
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2007 Keystone Cougar 243RKS
2019 Ford F150 S/Crew ECOBoost
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08-13-2013, 06:27 AM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 84
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Festus2
Mista Festus says.....
Actually, I have done both. If I am staying for a short time (2-3 days) at a site that has hookups, I'll leave all of my valves closed. Two of the valves have easy access but the galley valve is right underneath the slide making it difficult to pull "when needed". We can leave them closed knowing we can get by for a short time without fear of anything "backing up".
Sometimes, it depends upon the campground we are in. In some, using their washroom and/or shower isn't all that pleasant so we end up using our more than usual. However, in most campgrounds, we tend to use their facilities as much as or more than our own. In this case, I just leave everything closed until we pack up and leave and then I dump several buckets of clean water into the toilet before pulling the valve.
Generally, I try to use the build-up of gray water to flush out the sewer hose and the main lines leading to it and then dump the black first then the gray.
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Festus, by leaving the Galley Grey Water valve open (mine is under the slide too), is there any danger of black water getting into that tank when you drain the black water periodically?
Don.
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Don, Pearl, Zack, Magic & Brodie
2008 Cougar 289BHS (33' 5er)
2002 GMC Sierra CC 4WD, Diesel
Hijacker - Slider hitch
Previous RV's
Tent, Hard-top Tent Trailer, Chinook 10.5' Camper, 13' Citation TT, 1976 Diplomat Motor Home
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08-13-2013, 06:28 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: North Florida
Posts: 1,241
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I leave it open on FHU sites until the day before the black tank dump.
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2006 Keystone Hornet 29RLS (The Cracker Cabana)
2009 F-250 SuperDuty CC 6.8L/4.10 (The Black Pearl)
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08-13-2013, 07:40 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Dacula, GA
Posts: 620
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grey water
You should have the message. Close it to have flushing capacity. I was impressed recently after 9 nights at a water&elect site in Destin, no issue of capacity. Now bear in mind, we used the clean, air conditioned bath house for the "need" a soapy shower and the Gulf of Mexico ocean and rinse showers a lot. Also washed dishes outside, military style.
Henderson Beach State Park is GREAT! Cannot even see your neighbor! Level sites to
pull thru or back into. $35 a night compared to $135, seven miles east. Super for kids, with own paved trail and private camper's boardwalk. Clean is an understatement!
Book months in advance or forget it!
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08-13-2013, 08:35 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Okanagan, BC
Posts: 916
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MadMax
Festus, by leaving the Galley Grey Water valve open (mine is under the slide too), is there any danger of black water getting into that tank when you drain the black water periodically?
Don.
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That is my concern. Leave the galley valve open and get poop in the line when I need to drain the black.
I leave all three of mine closed and drain when needed. If I need to drain the black, I drain the shower right after.
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2010 Cougar 30RKS
2015 GMC Sierra Max Trailer
"Drinks for 6, Dinner for 4, Sleeps 2"
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08-13-2013, 09:14 AM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Maryland
Posts: 10
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I do as many on here, leave gray(s) open until the night before departure. Close the gray(s) until I dumped and flushed the black tank. Open the grays to rinse out the lines and the hose. Works well and the hose alway comes out smelling of a combination body wash/dish soap (better then the other smell). I would agree with others about not dumping black with gray tanks open, to prevent a "backwash" of black tank into the gray(s).
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__________________________________
2011 Chevrolet 2500HD Duramax-Allison
B&W Turnoverball with a Companion Slider
2013 Fuzion 310 Monster Package
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08-13-2013, 11:00 AM
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#15
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 15
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Grey tank op or cl
Thank y'all very much. Just as I suspected once again miss Gail is right. I love it when she is right. She is always right. Hey, she can't read this can she? Oopsie already hit send.
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08-20-2013, 09:55 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
Posts: 552
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Thanks all.
I never considered leaving the grey open (until the night before) while staying for extended periods. Our pull handle is under the slide, so that would have helped.
Live and learn for next year...
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2013 Passport 3220BHWE, upgrade axles, Kumho Radial 857's, all LED, TST507 TPMS, Reese DCSC, DIY corner stabilizers
2012 Ram 1500 Sport crew cab, Hemi, 4x4, 3.92 LSD, factory brake controller, S&B CAI w/scoop, Moroso air/oil can, 87mm ported/polished/knife-edged throttle body, Magnaflow exhaust, 180* t-stat, Rear lowered 2", Airlift 1000.
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08-22-2013, 06:20 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: MA
Posts: 3,153
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We leave our open as it fills within 2 showers and some dishes to the point that we have water in the bathtub. Close it the morning of or night before we leave and we are good for the flush. It is best to have all grey tanks closed when dumping the black, just good practice. Our previous trailer the handles were hard to get to so I had a 4 foor pipe with a hook on the end to open and close the handles, worked well.
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2013 Premier 31BHPR
2014 F350 6.2L
Soon to be just DW and I
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08-22-2013, 08:22 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 185
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I leave the valve closed. Better flush after the black tank is cleaned out.
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08-26-2013, 01:19 PM
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#19
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Gettysburg
Posts: 27
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If your coach is equipped with a black water flush system then there is no real reason not to just leave the grey tank valve(s) open. NEVER, however, have any of the grey valves open at the same time as the black tank valve because of the risk of sewage back-flushing into the grey tanks.
On the other hand, I often let water accumulate in the grey tanks a day or so before leaving the campsite as that water does provide an initial flush of the sewer hose after I've dumped the black tank. But I have so far found that the black tank flush system (at least on our Montana) is very effective even though I need to let it run for up to half an hour to get perfectly clear flow. How do I know it's clear? I also have a clear plastic section (about 8" long--can buy then anywhere) in the sewer hose so I can see what's going through. Not always pleasant, but sure is effective.
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Bob and Donna
Gettysburg, PA
2012 Montana 3625RE
2010 Ford F350 dually
One Cocker Spaniel, one Tennessee Walker
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