Question about "poo"... really...

[DSN46]

Hey Everyone!

After the great responses I received for my very first question on this forum, I figured I would throw this one out there because I have never had to deal with this before.

Okay... after you have dumped your waste tanks at the campground and have arrived back home. I understand about cleaning out your gray water in your backyard... no biggee. BUT, I am very picky about all of my equipment and I want it all "brand new" again after using it (this goes from my mowers to my tiller or anything). What do you do about really cleaning out the black water tank? I'm sure the hose and the tank are gonna have residual "stuff" left in them after a simple gravity drain.

Where do you flush it out? I dont have a campground type sewer dump built at my house..... so where do I let it all go at home? Where do YOU guys let it all go? Or am I being too anal retentive about it and I should just accept that it is a camper and let it go?

Thank you for any and all experience on this matter... it has me concerned.

James

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by DSN46

Hey Everyone!

After the great responses I received for my very first question on this forum, I figured I would throw this one out there because I have never had to deal with this before.

Okay... after you have dumped your waste tanks at the campground and have arrived back home. I understand about cleaning out your gray water in your backyard... no biggee. BUT, I am very picky about all of my equipment and I want it all "brand new" again after using it (this goes from my mowers to my tiller or anything). What do you do about really cleaning out the black water tank? I'm sure the hose and the tank are gonna have residual "stuff" left in them after a simple gravity drain.

Where do you flush it out? I dont have a campground type sewer dump built at my house..... so where do I let it all go at home? Where do YOU guys let it all go? Or am I being too anal retentive about it and I should just accept that it is a camper and let it go?

Thank you for any and all experience on this matter... it has me concerned.

James

James,

Maybe I am not getting the entire drift here.

Did your dealer give you any instructions about how to use your camper at all? This topic is without a doubt one of the most important.

Do you have a TurboFlush or equivalent in your camper?
If so you should use it at the campground after you gravity dump to flush out your tanks. A clear elbow on the dump mast will help you determine if you are finished. The water should run out CLEAR. If it is still brown you need to keep flushing out the holding tank.

If no turbo flush, use a toilet wand to flush out the tanks.

Read the pages on your holding tanks.

[rkswyo]

Buy yourself a Tornado tank flusher. They are reasonably priced and very easy to install. I wouldn't be without one. Also get a clear 45 degree elbow. That way you can see what is going on. Once you dump te black tank, hook up the water to the Tornado, turn it on and flush until clean. Some of the best money you will spend on your RV.


http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...nnection/28091

[Herk7769]

While on the subject of "at home" dumping, do you have a lawn vent in your yard for your sewer? I use 10 foot sections of 3 inch PVC pipe with a union glued to one end. One 10 foot pipe has a RV male fitting glued to it that I hook my camper flex hose to. Then I hook them together to a street elbow that fits right down the lawn vent.

The lawn vent leads to an underground trap in the house sewer line to the street. Dumping my holding tanks (if I can't do it at the campground) or my end of season flush and treatment into that trap does double duty by flushing out any junk that accumulates in that trap.

[DSN46]

Thanks for the fast answers guys!

I suppose I did not make myself clear enough because I don't understand what is available at a campground dump station.

I "thought" people just pulled up, hooked up the hoses, opened the valves and let gravity empty the tanks. Then they closed everything, put hoses away and moved on. Am I to understand that there will be city water hookup at these stations? Or do I need to make sure that I have enough fresh water and battery to run the onboard pump to flush out the system?

I am new... please be patient.

Lou, we haven't taken delivery of the 233s yet. It will happen this Saturday.

James

[Triguy]

I flush with a wand at the dump station or into my septic if I think it's needed at home.

But, in talking with people, I don't believe those who are not on these boards flush out the tank that thoroughly after dumping. They just keep a few gallons of water in the tank from after they dump to keep it from drying out. That works if its only a few weeks until the next trip.

[DSN46]

"I flush with a wand at the dump station or into my septic if I think it's needed at home."- Triguy

Does this mean that there will be water hookup at the dump site? Or do you use onboard water with your RV pump supplying pressure?

James

[TURBS]

We don't number "2" in our camper one less thing to deal with.
we've done this for years and anyone in and around my camper knows it.
Since I "deal" with it its my rules!

[rkswyo]

The Tornado is a built in "Wand". No need to drag a hose through the camper. You use the water hose at the dump station and hook it to the Tornado.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by DSN46

Lou, we haven't taken delivery of the 233s yet. It will happen this Saturday. James

No worries, but MAKE SURE they show you everything AND how to use it.

There are PDI checklists here (and F1100Turbo is working on a new one) that you should print out and take with you. DO NOT let them short change you. You won't remember everything, but if you have questions later and you ask them here you will at least know what we are talking about.

There should be a "non-potable" water hose at every dump station. they are required in case there is a "spill." It WILL happen sooner or later to everyone.

I carry a raft of different hose adapters (you never know what will be on the end of the hose - IF THERE IS a hose!) I also carry a special 10 foot section of BLACK hose that I only use for flushing the tanks if there is not one at the station. Sometime "nice" people think that hose would look better in their camper. I have also found the end cut off so now I also carry a 5/8" hose barb and a screw clamp.

NEVER use your white "potable" drinking water hose for flushing.

[bikendan]

one, your RV pump won't have enough pressure to do anything except rinse the bowl.
second, every dump station is different. they usually provide a hose to rinse out your sewer hose and to rinse any spillage. but some don't have a threaded end because they don't want people to sit there doing a full black tank flush with a wand or flush device, while people are waiting in line.

personally, i simply dump my black tank, then the gray tank, which rinses the hose. then i take the water hose and rinse the hose again and anything else on the ground.
i then use some of the FW tank water to put in about 3 gallons of water into the black tank and then add a tank chemical.

when i happen to have full hookups or i'm dumping and there's no one waiting, then i will use a garden hose and my wand and backflush device to fully clean the black tank.

[TURBS]

Thanks yes I'm still wiring on it!
I expect to finish soon I'm trying my best to make it right.

[DSN46]

"personally, i simply dump my black tank, then the gray tank, which rinses the hose. then i take the water hose and rinse the hose again and anything else on the ground.
i then use some of the FW tank water to put in about 3 gallons of water into the black tank and then add a tank chemical." - bikendan

Does this mean that you add fresh water and chemical and then leave it that way when you are home until the next trip? Or do you have a way to dump the water and chemical once you get back home?

Just need clarification about what folks do BETWEEN camping trips. We will have 4 or 5 weeks at least between our trips... some parts of the year maybe longer.

Thanks again!

James

[OldCoot]

Yes, leave it in the tank. I also go in about once a week and run the toilet bowl full of water and flush it just to make sure there is water in the black tank and make sure there is about an inch of water left in the bowl to keep the seal wet.

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by DSN46

"I flush with a wand at the dump station or into my septic if I think it's needed at home."- Triguy

Does this mean that there will be water hookup at the dump site? Or do you use onboard water with your RV pump supplying pressure?

James

Because of the way our trailers are set up (no easy access to the bathroom from outside and no external hookup to flush the BW tank) I have a non-white ( not potable) hose I run to the bathroom where I can use my hand held wand. So the order would be: BW dump, rinse, GW dump, add 5 gallons of water. Go.

If its busy or there is a line or if I am camping again shortly, I just dump BW, no rinse, dump GW, add 5 gallons of water via the pump to the tank and go.

I also add a scoop of Calgon and all leftover ice cubes before we leave for home no matter what method. I find this helps to knock of crud from the sides. The Calgon is widely used in place of chemicals.

[OldCoot]

DSN46 you didn't mention what trailer you have. If it is a tongue trailer you can use a wand by sticking it down the toilet and spray that way. If you have a 5th wheel, you may not be able to use the wand if it is plumbed like mine as it has an elbow in the line going to the tank.

[Triguy]

He mentioned a Roo 233s in one of his posts, but good point.

[Oakman]

If you pull up to the dump station and there is a line of RV's waiting, please don't waste everybody's time by trying to flush your black tank. It poor dump station etiquette. If there's no line then do as you wish. Many of the campgrounds in MO don't have a non-portable spigot for flushing tanks.

I dump my black tank first and then while the gray tank is draining I go inside to add the three gallons of treated water into the black tank. I ALWAYS have 3 gallons of water in the black tank and I ALWAYS use chemicals in the black tank. If the trailer is going to sit unused for a few weeks I might add a 4th gallon of water.

One more point, always keep water in the toilet bowl so the seal at the bottom doesn't dry out. VERY IMPORTANT.

[caper]

When camping I always try to get a full service site (Electric, water and sewer) and dump and rinse tanks at site. No need to hold people up at dump station and I can get a cleaner rinse.

[DSN46]

Thank you all! I am getting a better understanding of how this works now.

Oakman-- I am from MO. Camped in just about every campground from Meremac to Bennett Springs. Have family in JeffCo. I miss the seasons!

James