Black tank hose verses garden hose

[Ready2camp]

Does anyone use a garden hose to flush out the black tank? I had a black tank hose and noticed that it's much smaller in diameter than a garden hose. Is there a reason I shouldn't replace my black tank hose with a garden hose?

Thanks

[Mr. Dan]

No reason whatsoever... as long as you can distinguish it from your city water hose.

[Kaadk]

I've never heard of a 'black tank hose'. I just use an x-hose for my black tank flush. Packs down pretty small, and since it sees minimal use, I'm not worried about the leaks that can develop when it's left under pressure.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Kaadk

I've never heard of a 'black tank hose'. I just use an x-hose for my black tank flush. Packs down pretty small, and since it sees minimal use, I'm not worried about the leaks that can develop when it's left under pressure.

Actually, I haven't, either.


I use two retired white city water hoses on which I spray painted many black spots/streaks.

[bikendan]

Also never heard of a black tank hose.
I used to use a short garden hose but now use a short expanding hose, since it takes up less room and is easier to use.

[Herk7769]

I just use a 10 foot black water hose with one way check valves at each end.

The white ones are water; black one is for the flush.

[Ready2camp]

Black hose picture

[CHICKDOE]

walmart expanding hose. it collapses for easy storage

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

No reason whatsoever... as long as you can distinguish it from your city water hose.

I've always been curious what the actual chances are of any kind of contamination occurring inside the hose while connected to the black tank flush.

It's gotta be pretty small right? I'm just having a hard time imagining how the water would back up into the nozzle inside the tank. Especially if it's run properly with the valve open.

Can it really be any worse than when we were kids drinking out of the green garden hose that had been laying on the ground all day?

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

I've always been curious what the actual chances are of any kind of contamination occurring inside the hose while connected to the black tank flush.

It's gotta be pretty small right? I'm just having a hard time imagining how the water would back up into the nozzle inside the tank. Especially if it's run properly with the valve open.

Can it really be any worse than when we were kids drinking out of the green garden hose that had been laying on the ground all day?

I agree with your thinking. I just posted the middle of the road party line to reduce the probability of reproach from members who are never wrong.

(P.S. - I use my my black and white spotted hose for another purpose or two.)

[67L48]

Nothing special about the black tank hose, other than the color that screams, "Don't Use Me!" I use one because it was $10 and I needed a hose, anyway. The bright orange black water hose was actually cheaper than the garden hose selection at the time.

Otherwise, regarding these black water hoses versus the regular hose, I don't think there's any big difference. The regular hose might even be build a bit better, as garden hoses are expected to be used regularly ... the black water hose gets used by the average person just a few times per year. With that said, I wouldn't replace the black water hose until it was worn out.

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

I've always been curious what the actual chances are of any kind of contamination occurring inside the hose while connected to the black tank flush. [...]

That's just one potential issue. The other, and more significant, reason for a separate hose is the quality of water that flows through it. In the campgrounds I frequent, the water source at the dump stations feature nonpotable water. This is typically either groundwater, runoff, or reclaimed water and none of it has been treated, filtered, chlorinated.

So, it's less about your black water somehow working back up into the hose. It's about flowing untreated, nonpotable water through the hose. You may not want to ingest whatever is in that water ... even if it's not your own black water.

If your dump stations feature treated drinking water (potable), then that reason doesn't apply.

Good luck.

[GLBCamper]

I use a short length garden hose that I marked for non-potable uses only.

However, it only occurred to me recently that the black tank flush lines, check valve, connectors, etc. are just as susceptible to pressure “blow outs” as the city water inlet and now make sure I have a pressure regulator for the black flush hose, too.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Ready2camp

Black hose picture

This is just like RV toilet paper.
Put "RV" on it and charge a lot more for it, when the regular versions work just as well, if not better.

[67L48]

Originally Posted by bikendan

This is just like RV toilet paper.
Put "RV" on it and charge a lot more for it, when the regular versions work just as well, if not better.

A 25' garden hose is in the $15-25 range. The Camco RV 25' drinking water and black water hoses are in the $8-$14 range. So, I'm not following the logic.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by 67L48

That's just one potential issue. The other, and more significant, reason for a separate hose is the quality of water that flows through it. In the campgrounds I frequent, the water source at the dump stations feature nonpotable water. This is typically either groundwater, runoff, or reclaimed water and none of it has been treated, filtered, chlorinated.

So, it's less about your black water somehow working back up into the hose. It's about flowing untreated, nonpotable water through the hose. You may not want to ingest whatever is in that water ... even if it's not your own black water.

If your dump stations feature treated drinking water (potable), then that reason doesn't apply.

Good luck.

I guess I never even thought about that as I'm seasonal and my trailer never moves. So the water I'm running through my BW flusher comes out of the same spigot as the water I'm running through my regular water lines.

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

I guess I never even thought about that as I'm seasonal and my trailer never moves. So the water I'm running through my BW flusher comes out of the same spigot as the water I'm running through my regular water lines.

Do you leave your flush hose connected, or disconnect it when you're done? If you disconnect, then shouldn't be an issue. During it's use, the water pressure should minimize any back contamination. If you leave it hooked up, then yeah, bacteria can travel, it doesn't need to be a full tank.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by Kaadk

Do you leave your flush hose connected, or disconnect it when you're done? If you disconnect, then shouldn't be an issue. During it's use, the water pressure should minimize any back contamination. If you leave it hooked up, then yeah, bacteria can travel, it doesn't need to be a full tank.

I always disconnect it. I don't need to add another hose to worry about when I'm trying to mow.

[Reverse_snowbird]

We use one of those black collapible expandable hoses with a shut off to connect to the black water flush. Once it's pressurized, it works just fine. I'm a bit 'memory challenged' so a black hose for the black tank flush made sense to me.
We also have a y-connector with black tape around the connection we use for black water.
Probably overkill, but it works for me.

[GLBCamper]

Another thing to keep in mind is that when you pull into a full hookup site, you are connecting your fresh water hose to the same spigot that the last guy likely just unhooked his black flush hose from. So I also keep an antibacterial kitchen spray in my fresh water supply bin and spray the threads before I hook up my fresh water hose. (Yes, I’m OCD.)

[emoney]

Regular garden hose with one of those on/off connectors. Even made a tank wand out of schedule 40, and end cap glued to one end and a hose adapter on the other. Drilled 7 or 8 tiny holes in the cap and works perfect but only cost $5