Full-Hookup First-Timer

[sfrye5853]

We are camping next week with full hook-up. It is my first time ever. During our walk-through at Tom Raper RV in Richmond. The service guy told us we should open both valves and just let stuff flow out. My question is, what is your all's experience? Do I open both valves or do I just open them when I need to empty a tank?

Thanks!

[05 Dmax Dually]

Open the grey water valve but not the black. open the black when it get full, the liquid in the blk tank will help the solid waste flow out, then dump water in the toilet to flush it out. Just my 2 cents.

[dimurrrw]

First of all, report the service guy to the president/owner of the company. He is totally incompetent if that is what he told you.

At the very least, never dump the black tank until at least 2/3 full. Add water via the toilet if you must. Most folks will then dump the water from the grey tank, which will flush the hose.

There are variations but that is the basic process.

[nycamper]

I keep both valves open. The night before we are leaving I close the grey water tank valve. Before leaving I flush out the black tank then open the grey water tank valve. This helps to keep your sewer hose clean.

[tkephart1]

Always let your black tank stay closed, till it is at least 2/3 full, and over. If you put alittle calgon water softner in there it will keep that toilet paper from sticking to your tank, plus keep the gunk flowing nicely. I put a little dawn in there, also keeps the tank nice and grease free, and yes it cuts through that muck in the sewer as well as in the grey tank,that's what we use to wash our dishes. Just keep your levels high in the black, and make sure when it is time to leave you have a full tank of grey water to flush that hose after dumping that black water tank. Happy camping and may your sewer lines always flow to empty, that means everything in there!

[essness]

I was told the same thing by my dealer. Bottom line is, it's wrong! You need the volume in the black tank to keep solids and paper from drying and sticking to the inside of the tank. I also don not leave the grey tank open because I like to use the grey contents to rinse the hose as previously stated.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by dimurrrw

First of all, report the service guy to the president/owner of the company. He is totally incompetent if that is what he told you.

At the very least, never dump the black tank until at least 2/3 full. Add water via the toilet if you must. Most folks will then dump the water from the grey tank, which will flush the hose.

There are variations but that is the basic process.

this is what the vast majority of RV forums recommend.
and i mean 99% of responses.
leaving the black tank open will result in poop pyramids!

[74bronco]

Not sure about your model, but you may have 2 grey tanks and a black tank. If that is true, you would have two valves open. The advice above about the black tank is right-on. Only dump in batches when it fills up.

[BaronBigDog]

Let the black tank fill anywhere from 2/3 to full. Until it is around 1/2 full leave the grey valve open. The grey tank fills up much faster if you are showering on a frequent basis. Close the grey tank once the black tank is at 1/2 or better and then when the grey tank fills drain the black tank then follow up with the grey tank. That way every thing flushes out reasonably well.

I also flush my black tank after each draining. Of course this is easy with the flush system on my current camper. It was tougher in the past on the units that did not have this option.

One point; as a courtesy to all around you and to make camping much more pleasant for yourself add a good tank deodorant each time you close your black water tank. Follow the instructions and things will be far more pleasant than if you do nothing or try some home remedy. Been there.

[Terier]

I leave both valves closed until ready to dump. The black tank is dump first followed by the grey tank to help rinise out the sewer hose.

Like others my grey tank can fill quickly with showers so when necessary I will do a partial dump which is usually a day or two before breaking camp.

[jimh]

He may have been telling u to dump when u get there to start dry. I would still dump black first. I never open black and gray at the same time.
If this is ur first trip out, make sure the waterheater is full b4 u turn on the electricity.

[BaronBigDog]

You got the wrong guy Jim. I am not the first tripper, maybe the 500th, but not the first. Been doing this since the early 80s.

[camper007]

I leave both valve's closed in case of sewage back-up. Could cause a major problem. Also no chance of fume's getting in trailer.

[jimh]

Originally Posted by George Deems

You got the wrong guy Jim. I am not the first tripper, maybe the 500th, but not the first. Been doing this since the early 80s.

it was mainly an insurance statement...was directed to original post. the rest had already been posted.
u have 10 years on me as far as camping. u've palpably seen quiet a bit in that time and know the whys and hows. nice to be able to draw from that.

[trudinator]

Originally Posted by bikendan

this is what the vast majority of RV forums recommend.
and i mean 99% of responses.
leaving the black tank open will result in poop pyramids!

We refer to it as the "brown tower of doom." Your black tank should always be at least 2/3 full before dumping. Use the gray water to dump after the black tank. And then put 2-3 gallons of fresh water back in both tanks, whether you use the Geo method (which we do) or chemicals.

[Family Guy]

I would recomend getting a clear elbow or 22 degree connector between the hose and your waste connection on your trailer. I find it very helpful when rinsing out my black water.
However, I keep both valves closed until I need to dump, and then I dump the gray first for just a few second to make sure everything is setup properly. It's always better to know if something is wrong with a pipe connection with gray water in the pipe than black water in there. I also keep some disposable gloves in the trailer for when i'm dumping. They are cheap at an auto parts store ( VIP, auto Zone, ect). However, I just go on weekend trips and I never fill the tanks over a normal weekend.
I do have a question for the masses: Does bleach hurt the tanks? I like to put a cup of bleach in each tank mixed with a gallon of water between trips, and before i leave i just drop a little blue bag of tank treatment in there (it use to be the blue bottle of treatment, but the bags are just easier).
Steve

[grhodes50]

I don't think bleach would hurt anything. I use bleach in the spring to sanitize the system.
The rest of the time I add Dawn Dishwashing Liquid to 2 or 3 gallons after flushing my tanks. I also add the little blue bags when I set up camp.
If the tank isn't flushing out as clean as I like, I will add a cup of vinegar to at least a half full tank and drive around. I usually do this once or twice a year. You'll be surprised how well that cleans the tank and the tank sensors.

[sfrye5853]

Thanks all! Our camping trip was a great success. Full hookup has spoiled us. The info on dumping tanks made our lives so nice and convenient!

Thanks again!

Scott