Waste hookup while camped

[todtc318]

I see that most campers have a sewer hose hooked up to their rigs while camped for the weekend. I'm wondering if the hose is constantly draining gray or galley. I'm assuming no one let's black run free since solid waste would "pile" up in the dry tank.

Our Wildcat has a combined discharge for gray/black and a separate discharge for galley. I was told to dump black, followed by gray, followed by galley. I suppose this gives the sewer hose a "good" cleaning after dumping black although I do have an integrated black rinse.

Is there any advantage to letting galley or gray (shower) drain all weekend or is it unnecessary for short weekend trips? It's just my wife and I in the trailer.

Thank you!

[Stetay]

My opinion is save they grey to flush the hose last

[fonzie]

I leave grey open until last night of camping then close to have water to flush hose next morning after dumping black.....

[Nancyc7]

I noticed the same thing, in 2 state parks in our area. My husband said they just have it all ready to go. Since we keep reading that you should have all your tanks full so you can really flush that black tank, it's kinda distressing looking. My thought was they didn't get obsessed with forums like we have, didn't read the instruction book, and just don't know any better...

[Oaklevel]

We often hook our waste drainage hose up when we hook up the water more of a habit but it is ready to go if tanks fill but rarely if ever use the tank fill indicators.

But in the old days when we had smaller or just one waste tank nothing would be worse than needing to drain in the middle of the night or early AM with no hose hooked up.

But we normally do not empty the tanks till we are ready to leave. But do not want to waste the time to hook up the waste hose when getting ready to leave. Esp if it is early in the AM don't want to disturb the neighbors any more than necessary.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by todtc318

I see that most campers have a sewer hose hooked up to their rigs while camped for the weekend. I'm wondering if the hose is constantly draining gray or galley. I'm assuming no one let's black run free since solid waste would "pile" up in the dry tank.

Our Wildcat has a combined discharge for gray/black and a separate discharge for galley. I was told to dump black, followed by gray, followed by galley. I suppose this gives the sewer hose a "good" cleaning after dumping black although I do have an integrated black rinse.

Is there any advantage to letting galley or gray (shower) drain all weekend or is it unnecessary for short weekend trips? It's just my wife and I in the trailer.

Thank you!

Don't jump to the conclusion that a hooked up sewer hose is constantly draining. Uncle Gene hooks up his sewer hose before he hooks up water and electricity (even though his DW is sweating down waiting for him to turn in the A/C.) I hook mine up just before I think I'll need it. Neither of us drain a tank until it's full.

[Gidyupgo]

Comes in handy when the audible grey tank indicator goes off. You know the one.... " HONEY, THERE's WATER BACKING UP IN THE SHOWER!!!!"

[Lynlanning]

Originally Posted by fonzie

I leave grey open until last night of camping then close to have water to flush hose next morning after dumping black.....

X2

[wrvond]

Once upon a time I got it into my head that leaving my sooper dooper high end hose laying out in the UV available for kids to stomp on when I wasn't actually using it was not so smart. Smart, I told myself, was leaving it safely stored until I was ready to actually use it.
Then, one hot, steamy, sultry night, about 10:30 PM, as I was taking my shower I noticed water was no longer draining. The gray tank was more than full! I had also forgotten that the hookup is below my slide. So there I was, in the dark, crawling around in the sand, trying to fit 6'4" of sweating aggregation under the slide and connect the slinky up.
Since then I hook everything up right away.

[Oaklevel]

Our last camper if you did not hook it up first you had to crawl under the side to hook it up. Made life easier to hook it up before the slide was put out rather than crawling 3 feet under the slide on your hands & knees.

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by wrvond

Once upon a time I got it into my head that leaving my sooper dooper high end hose laying out in the UV available for kids to stomp on when I wasn't actually using it was not so smart. Smart, I told myself, was leaving it safely stored until I was ready to actually use it.
Then, one hot, steamy, sultry night, about 10:30 PM, as I was taking my shower I noticed water was no longer draining. The gray tank was more than full! I had also forgotten that the hookup is below my slide. So there I was, in the dark, crawling around in the sand, trying to fit 6'4" of sweating aggregation under the slide and connect the slinky up.
Since then I hook everything up right away.

I think I'm going to really like some of you people!!!

[5picker]

To the OP's question of is it necessary to leave the valve open to drain the GREY tank during weekend trips for just him and his wife?.... probably not necessary.

The DW and I can easily go an entire weekend without filling the grey tank.
If we have the grand kids or other company, (or another reason to use lots of water) I'll open it for the first day but close it the 2nd so I have some 'flush' water for the sewer hose.

I ALWAYS hook up my sewer hoses during initial set-up.

[DSMURPHY]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

We often hook our waste drainage hose up when we hook up the water more of a habit but it is ready to go if tanks fill but rarely if ever use the tank fill indicators.

But in the old days when we had smaller or just one waste tank nothing would be worse than needing to drain in the middle of the night or early AM with no hose hooked up.

But we normally do not empty the tanks till we are ready to leave. But do not want to waste the time to hook up the waste hose when getting ready to leave. Esp if it is early in the AM don't want to disturb the neighbors any more than necessary.

x2

[todtc318]

All make a lot of sense. Never considered hooking up sewer when setting up but now it makes all the sense in the world.

[northstar1960]

Originally Posted by todtc318

I see that most campers have a sewer hose hooked up to their rigs while camped for the weekend. I'm wondering if the hose is constantly draining gray or galley. I'm assuming no one let's black run free since solid waste would "pile" up in the dry tank.

Our Wildcat has a combined discharge for gray/black and a separate discharge for galley. I was told to dump black, followed by gray, followed by galley. I suppose this gives the sewer hose a "good" cleaning after dumping black although I do have an integrated black rinse.

Is there any advantage to letting galley or gray (shower) drain all weekend or is it unnecessary for short weekend trips? It's just my wife and I in the trailer.

Thank you!

good question since you are just weekenders then dumping when you leave is fine . when hooked up for longer periods it's a personal thing .i leave my grey tanks open to drain out when ever i use . the black of course is closed until i have to dump . about once a week . then it's dump and flush till clean or clear water comes out . i don't think using grey water to clean the line after a black tank flush is needed if you have the BTF that will clean the line better then dumping a lot of smelly grey water through the sewer line . after a flush when i'm packing up i use the my black water hose to flush the sewer line . I also every once in awhile fill the grey tanks with hot water and bleach to give them a good cleaning

[mtnlvr]

It depends on the amount of people travelling with you and how long yku will br ay yhat campsite. Since I travel solo and frequently am on the go, I don't bother hassling connecting the sewer line. I just dump it when my moniter says the tanks are nearly full. Agreed, save the gray water til last to rinse out the black line.

[BandJCarm]

I hook up the hose, because I'm already hot and sweaty.......but don't dump anything till it's needed.

[Jakieboy]

Amen to most of the responses. We are in the habit of hooking up all utilities, including sewer hose, before we deploy the three slides on our rig. This allows access to all connectors without banging foreheads. It also allows us to deploy Raid Barrier to all points touching ground to prevent any insect invasions. Best practice we think is to leave all drain valves closed to prevent any sewer gasses from flowing into our trailer, then drain black, then grey, and flush drain hose with fresh before departing.