Black Tank Flush - am I doing it right?

[Taylorgso]

Reading these posts with interest. I thought I was having the same problem for a while. I've noticed a couple of interesting facts(?). I use a 1/2" hose for my city water connection - limits flow. I've also noticed that when I got to a campground with high water pressure, I could easily hear the sound of the water flushing the tank. I think a lot may depend on these two factors - flow rate and pressure. I use a 1/2" hose for compactness when storing. I've also connected mine to our city water connection at home with a standard 5/8" hose, where the pressure is 45psi, and get good cleanng action.

[jevanb]

my black flush was hooked to my fresh tank fill, got that fixed...

[anthonyshaw]

Originally Posted by jevanb

my black flush was hooked to my fresh tank fill, got that fixed...

I'm almost curious if this is the same problem that I have, I'll check when I get back to my camper this weekend

[trudinator]

We have the black tank flush and use it every time we dump. We've never had a problem with dirty tanks, etc. and we take minimal time at the dump station. I can't help but wonder how long you all take at the dump station if you're completely filling your black tank several times and then dumping. Two weeks ago there were 7 (SEVEN) rigs in line at the dump station and the person in front of us was doing it for the very first time. There was almost mutiny from the people behind us when he took longer than normal. I cannot imagine what would happen in this situation if every rig took over a half hour to dump! We'd still be in line on Tuesday.

[jevanb]

I dump at the station , go home , fill then dump into the woods off the driveway. Since I have no neighbors nobody minds......

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by jevanb

I dump at the station , go home , fill then dump into the woods off the driveway. Since I have no neighbors nobody minds......

Which tank(s) do you dump into the woods?

I'd be curious if there are EPA, state or local regs that you're violating by doing this.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Which tank(s) do you dump into the woods?

I'd be curious if there are EPA, state or local regs that you're violating by doing this.

I think he is working under the engineering principle " if a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, did it fall"???

[OldCoot]

Don't go around farms where the raise livestock or pigs, they clean the pits and spread it on acreage they plant. Been doing it for hundreds of years and we eat the crops grown on it.
Don't say what he is doing is right, but not a major EPA problem unless he's inside the city limits and is violating a city/state ordinance.

Wild animals deposit more every night than what he can dump.

[kc8lvy]

Probably not much worse than you taking a leak in the woods or your dog taking a dump in the woods. He is dumping out there really diluted. Alot of times when they fertilize the fields they will use human waste and till it into the ground. Alot of city folks don't realize that fertilizer is poop and pee whether it be cow, pig, horse or even human poop it all goes into the ground.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Don't go around farms where the raise livestock or pigs, they clean the pits and spread it on acreage they plant. Been doing it for hundreds of years and we eat the crops grown on it.
Don't say what he is doing is right, but not a major EPA problem unless he's inside the city limits and is violating a city/state ordinance.

Wild animals deposit more every night than what he can dump.

Sure the EPA does. There have been regular issues between the EPA and Purdue, the chicken company here in Maryland.

I'm not a city boy by any means but have never had experience on a farm (though, I've lived near and around them) and do understand what fertilizer is and remember the smell distinctly. (Though, comically- in the neighboring town to where I live now, the police department got flooded with calls when a batch of particularly smelly manure was spread one day. Enough so, it made the local news.)

Anyway, I stand by my original statement- I know that special permits and process need to be followed in order to have a septic system. These are there for a reason and likely to protect the water table. While 40 or 50 gallons of black(ish) water at a time isn't necessarily a problem, I do still wonder if there are EPA, state or local regulations that are being violated.

I'm just saying. But, if jevan doesn't care, then that's the end of it for me.

[jevanb]

lets see.. I have a drain field thats drains into the ground, the amount of waist that leaves my RV is almost nothing, just a few scraps of paper and a few little terds... City folk have no idea what is put on their greens.. or any idea how meat is ready for the market

[bakken]

Originally Posted by bubbles

Google "how to clean rv black water holding tank" and watch one of the available video's.

If it is on the internet, it must be true!
Seriously, if you clean your black tank with the tank flusher on a regular basis, there is no need whatsoever to close the valve and fill the tank to flush it. That is what the tank flush is for.
If the instructions say to keep the valve open, why would I not do that?

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by bakken

Seriously, if you clean your black tank with the tank flusher on a regular basis, there is no need whatsoever to close the valve and fill the tank to flush it. That is what the tank flush is for.
If the instructions say to keep the valve open, why would I not do that?

Experience- I've tried it both ways.

I've found that my tank gets more "gunk" out if I close the valve and let the water accumulate vs. just running the tank flush sprayer with the valve open.

[OldCoot]

EPA has done some good in years past, but the last few years it has come up with some really stupid regulations. One being to try to set how much dust a farmer can generate while plowing and working his fields. Talk about the height of ignorance of bureaucrats, that one takes the cake. Controlling companies from dumping chemicals, etc in waterways, I am 100% in favor, but the EPA is rapidly loosing any common sense about a lot of things.

Enough anyway. I'm finished.

[bakken]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Experience- I've tried it both ways.

I've found that my tank gets more "gunk" out if I close the valve and let the water accumulate vs. just running the tank flush sprayer with the valve open.

Maybe I am just anal about such things, as I never let my tank get that problematic.
I realise that you can usually get away with it, but with my luck, I don't tempt fate!

[bakken]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

EPA has done some good in years past, but the last few years it has come up with some really stupid regulations. One being to try to set how much dust a farmer can generate while plowing and working his fields. Talk about the height of ignorance of bureaucrats, that one takes the cake. Controlling companies from dumping chemicals, etc in waterways, I am 100% in favor, but the EPA is rapidly loosing any common sense about a lot of things.

Enough anyway. I'm finished.

Thank god.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by bakken

Maybe I am just anal about such things, as I never let my tank get that problematic.
I realise that you can usually get away with it, but with my luck, I don't tempt fate!

Sorry, I didn't realize that you'd met me or my tanks... next time introduce yourself as bakken on FRF when we talk.

What do you mean by "that problematic"? I'm talking about each time that I dump and flush tanks (which is just about every time as I typically have full hookups).