the things I have seen in my days but this weekend I saw and RV (the movie) moment. There was a guy that was camped on our weekend sites leaving the cg and trying to dump his tank. I was walking my dog at the time so I didn't stop to offer help. But this guy had his sewer hose on his lap and was sitting in front of his drain pipe looking down it. I was waiting for him to open the valve sitting there. I am kinda hobbled right now so I didn't walk back after dropping the dog off but I wasn't sure if he didn't have fitting on his hose or the pipe was clogged but either situation wouldn't be good.
I also have seen many other hilarious and gross things through the years the worse being guys who pull up to the dump station and just pull the valve open without a hose. I saw this numerous times at state parks. I've also seen guys adjust their hose and have a prong break on the knife connector and take a poo shower.
Before I seasonal camped I had a tote with dump equipment and dump equipment alone. I had a heavy pair of rubber gloves like I wore when I was on the fire dept. and kept them in a ziplock bag after rinsing well after each use. I always kept a spare hose end and a couple elbow and a spare hose in it. I also never went cheap on the fittings and hoses it's not worth it. Get the most heavy duty ones you can find. Putting the fitting on these hoses can be a chore but it's well worth it.
Now we seasonal camp and my trailer is hooked to the sewer with a pvc pipe. My new trailer has a power flush installed in the tank(I will never be without this again). I kept saying I was going to install one in my old trailer and procrastinated never doing so. I love the fact all I have to do is open the valve and let her fly!!!!
I do not use the geo method for everyday use in my tank I prefer the commercial ones for that. But I do use it several times a year as a flush to clean my tank. The commercial cleaners form a film on top of the liquid to help contain the odors. I put a cup or so of each soap,calgon,and bleach the fill the tank let it sit a few then dump the tank. I then fill and rinse it a few times. This cleans the tank and keeps the odors down it works well for us and I also do this at the end of the season.
I must say that after reading all these posts, I was a worried that I would become the subject of someone else's humorous tale from the dumping station because this past weekend I took my first "real" camping trip. However, my first experience with the dumping station was free from incident. Many of the stories and "tips" posted here helped guide me to this uneventful event, thanks.
But the real reason I had to share here was that after I pulled the trailer forward so I could finalize my preparations for travel (allowing the next RV to begin the dumping process), I witnessed a young couple on foot step up to the rinsing hose at the dumping station and begin washing their dishes. I assumed they were inexperienced tent campers and I was going to go explain to them where they were when the next RV driver began talking to them. Not one to usually eaves drop, I did hear him tell them that "This is where we empty the (four letter expletive that starts with s) from our campers..." I hope they went back to their campsite and got clean water and rewashed their dishes.
Location: In a big child free home - except for me
Posts: 1,682
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. B
I witnessed a young couple on foot step up to the rinsing hose at the dumping station and begin washing their dishes. I assumed they were inexperienced tent campers and I was going to go explain to them where they were when the next RV driver began talking to them. Not one to usually eaves drop, I did hear him tell them that "This is where we empty the (four letter expletive that starts with s) from our campers..." I hope they went back to their campsite and got clean water and rewashed their dishes.
I can just imagine the next one to cook supper for the other one... and the conversation goes - wow this meal tastes like crap. and the reply would be... well I blame you because you washed the dishes.
__________________ TV 2018 Ford F250, hauling a 2018 KZ 331 TH 12 Sportster 5th wheel, packing a 2015 CF MOTO 800 U-Force SXS
or read it and did not understand what "NON POTABLE" means.
One probably said to the other "Oh, I guess we better wash our dishes here. We can't bring the water back to our campsite, the sign says it isn't portable."
Stupid question I'm sure, but we are completely new at this. If you hook straight up to a camp water line, when you are dumping at the dump station where do you get the couple gallons of water to flush down the toilet. I'm guessing you fill a bucket?
__________________
Mike & Allie
2013 Salem Hemisphere 272BH
2006 Ford F250
Stupid question I'm sure, but we are completely new at this. If you hook straight up to a camp water line, when you are dumping at the dump station where do you get the couple gallons of water to flush down the toilet. I'm guessing you fill a bucket?
We make sure there is water in the fresh water tank. You can un hook the "city water", and put a few gallons in the "fresh water" valve with the hose. No big deal.
I promised DH I wouldn't post this, but he didn't see that I had my fingers crossed behind my back First, I need to explain a little about our process. We started about a year ago. We have 2 grey tanks and one black. He does the outside work, and I do the inside. Each time we dumped, we were figuring out new things. Nothing surprising here, but I thought we were learning together. As it turns out, I was learning and he was relying on me to remember what worked and what didn't. Now, I should explain that my DH works in the nuclear field and is used to having strict, written procedures to follow. After a few more frustrating trips (he lets himself get in a hurry and was missing steps) I finally decided that my DH would benefit from a written procedure. So...I typed up what "we" had learned was the best process for us:
1. Dump the front grey tank.
2. Run water down the sink to ensure no residual remains in the line.
3. Disconnect fresh water hose from trailer.
4. Disconnect fresh water drain hose.
5. Dump black tank.
6. Back flush black tank.
7. Hook hose to tank wand and pass through bathroom window.
8. Turn on water to hose.
9. Rinse black tank using tank wand until water is clear.
10. Remove tank wand from hose.
11. Use hose to add water to tank.
12. Add chemicals to tank.
13. Use hose to put a few inches of water in toilet.
14. Remove hose from bathroom window.
15. Drain rear grey water tank.
16. Rinse all hoses and store.
I printed this out and even laminated the paper to keep it from getting ruined. Now, you might notice that I left out a few obvious steps like closing valves and installing caps. (I did this because I thought they were obvious!)
On our last trip, we had to use a dump station. All went well with dumping the front grey tank. I pulled the trailer forward until he told me to stop when the back drain line was lined up where we needed it to be. I got out of the truck and was talking to my dad, who was preparing to dump his tanks at the other dump station beside us. All of the sudden, I hear a "woosh" sound. I look back and there is DH standing there, in shock while our waste is pouring out onto the ground by the dump station drain. I start yelling "shut the valve". He said, "It's stuck open. Why is it open?" "I don't know dear, but try again", I say soothingly. He reaches down and shuts the valve. He's still asking how the valve could have been open. He's still in shock and I start to see anger setting in. I'm not going to lay blame here, even if he is the only one that touches the valves, so I say, "I don't know what happened, but we learned something today. We learned that we should always check the valve before we remove the cap." He says, "It's not in the procedure." You see what he did here....in typical nuclear worker fashion, the fault lies with the procedure writer. "Okay, sweetie. I will re-write the procedure when we get home, now let's get this mess cleaned up. Hand me the hose."
As for gloves, I have found that they stuff a Christmas stocking very nicely! He will now get a new bunch every year!
That is funny, but my story is dif. My husband is a firefighter and never reads directions and is not handy. In his words "I get paid to tear $h!t apart, not fix it". That being said I am very OCD and precise (I don't like the word anal..." I have already read each manual, hole punched them, and put in a binder in alphabetical order. He has said he is just gonna let me tell him where to go, and what to pull. So w/ the above info please understand your post probabley makes sense to those that are experienced, but all I think is "why is the fresh water hose being disconnected after duming 1st grey water tank, why is it hooked up" and so on... When I say inexperienced I have been camping in a pop up twice, we bought the TT last week and have yet to take it out. We have one GW tank and I thought you only hooked fresh water up at the dump station to flush your BW?!? So this story is funny to some, but to me w/ my OCD. Oh lord, back to the manuals... ~
__________________
Mike & Allie
2013 Salem Hemisphere 272BH
2006 Ford F250
That is funny, but my story is dif. My husband is a firefighter and never reads directions and is not handy. In his words "I get paid to tear $h!t apart, not fix it". That being said I am very OCD and precise (I don't like the word anal..." I have already read each manual, hole punched them, and put in a binder in alphabetical order. He has said he is just gonna let me tell him where to go, and what to pull. So w/ the above info please understand your post probabley makes sense to those that are experienced, but all I think is "why is the fresh water hose being disconnected after duming 1st grey water tank, why is it hooked up" and so on... When I say inexperienced I have been camping in a pop up twice, we bought the TT last week and have yet to take it out. We have one GW tank and I thought you only hooked fresh water up at the dump station to flush your BW?!? So this story is funny to some, but to me w/ my OCD. Oh lord, back to the manuals... ~
I probably should have explained that the "procedure" was written for dumping at the campsite before we leave. We do have to change a little when we go to a dump station. The fresh water hose doesn't get reconnected to the trailer, but when DH reaches that step, he knows that I want to dump some water down the kitchen sink using my large mixing bowl. Since we're at the dump station, the next step would be me moving the trailer up, so he can't forget anyway.
Congratulations on the new TT! I hope you get a chance to enjoy it soon! Here's hoping you don't have story to post here anytime soon
We don't have the benefit of a sewer hook up at our park. I purchased a 20 gallon transfer tank. I'm not gonna move the TT every time I need to dump my tanks. I did a dry run with grey water the first time. All went well.
I finally had to dump it two weeks ago. My wife joined me. I had dumped black water before but never into a transfer tank. I connected the hose and removed the air vent cap. Then I released the valve while she held the end of the hose to the tank. Needles to say, we were both suprised at the speed in which the fluid filled it.
Within seconds the vile liquid was spraying out of the tank's air vent. I rushed to shut the valve but it continued to pour out. We were both afraid to remove the hose because it was chaulked full. I grabbed it and somehow managed to spill very little by holding it up. My wife capped the tank trapping the remaining overflow that would have spilled onto the ground.
I'm a big guy and I had a hard time lifting the tank. I attached it to the truck, jumped on the tailgate and she drove down the hill to the dumping station. The entire time I was shouting for her to keep the speed down while the dog chased us down the road.
At the dumping station, I knew we were gonna have trouble. The tank was ballooning under the pressure. As soon as I disconnected the cap, about a litre gushed out and soaked my sneakers. I'll probably never wear them again.
Back at the camper I still had to deal with the full hose and the remaining fluid in the tank. I managed to get the hose into the tank easy enough and emptied the tank wihout any issues. As my wife attached the cap, she says, "Wow, it's way chunkier this time." My stomach churned, I could have easily puked.
I cleaned up the site and myself and learned how not to dump my tank. I could still smell the stink that night after I showered. It was stuck in my nose. My wife is a nurse and she nearly barfed a few times during the process.
After reading a few of the stories to my Dw over our morning cup of coffee, she told me, You are going to have to do it when it needs to be done. We try to manage ours, if a bathroom is not far away, we use it for the main stuff. If our gray tank is a little more than the black, I pour our dishwasher in there to help. So far this camping season we have not had to take the trailer to the dump and then back to the site, but I know my day will come one day.
We don't have the benefit of a sewer hook up at our park. I purchased a 20 gallon transfer tank. I'm not gonna move the TT every time I need to dump my tanks. I did a dry run with grey water the first time. All went well.
I finally had to dump it two weeks ago. My wife joined me. I had dumped black water before but never into a transfer tank. I connected the hose and removed the air vent cap. Then I released the valve while she held the end of the hose to the tank. Needles to say, we were both suprised at the speed in which the fluid filled it.
Within seconds the vile liquid was spraying out of the tank's air vent. I rushed to shut the valve but it continued to pour out. We were both afraid to remove the hose because it was chaulked full. I grabbed it and somehow managed to spill very little by holding it up. My wife capped the tank trapping the remaining overflow that would have spilled onto the ground.
I'm a big guy and I had a hard time lifting the tank. I attached it to the truck, jumped on the tailgate and she drove down the hill to the dumping station. The entire time I was shouting for her to keep the speed down while the dog chased us down the road.
At the dumping station, I knew we were gonna have trouble. The tank was ballooning under the pressure. As soon as I disconnected the cap, about a litre gushed out and soaked my sneakers. I'll probably never wear them again.
Back at the camper I still had to deal with the full hose and the remaining fluid in the tank. I managed to get the hose into the tank easy enough and emptied the tank wihout any issues. As my wife attached the cap, she says, "Wow, it's way chunkier this time." My stomach churned, I could have easily puked.
I cleaned up the site and myself and learned how not to dump my tank. I could still smell the stink that night after I showered. It was stuck in my nose. My wife is a nurse and she nearly barfed a few times during the process.
WOW! I was gonna buy a portable tank soon because it sounds so much easier than moving the trailer to the dump & back. Now I'm scuuuured! So have you used it again w/ better results? How do you know when to shut the valve in time to fill it almost w/ out over flowing? And how do you transport it since it is so heavy? Anyone else have tips for using the "blueboy"?
__________________
Mike & Allie
2013 Salem Hemisphere 272BH
2006 Ford F250
It is usually just the two of us camping, and we can fill our 38 gal gray tank in 3 days. It takes about 6 or 7 days to fill the black, we (at least I do) try and use the CG bath house for #2.
So most of the time I'm using it for gray water. I like the 42 gal size because if I need to dump the black I can and know I have the room for all of it and still run a little gray through the stinky slinky to clean it out.
I recommend the Barker brand, especially the ones with the side valve. No lifting the tank at all with that valve. My tote tank came with a gauge bobber that fits into the vent. IMO not very useful because it stops up the vent if you try and use it.
The only complaint I would have for using the tote tanks (any brand) is we were staying at a CG that had speed humps between our site and the dump station. It worked, but I was worried about pulling the tank over the humps. I told the camp host that they needed to cut 4' out of the middle of the humps so those with tanks could pull them through the cut out.
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Russ & Kim
2014 Alpine 3600RS
2007 Dodge Ram 3500 5.9 4X4
2008 Harley Davidson Road King 105th Anniversary
(2011-5 bad year)(2012-40)(2013-45)(2014-23)
WOW! I was gonna buy a portable tank soon because it sounds so much easier than moving the trailer to the dump & back. Now I'm scuuuured! So have you used it again w/ better results? How do you know when to shut the valve in time to fill it almost w/ out over flowing? And how do you transport it since it is so heavy? Anyone else have tips for using the "blueboy"?
I use my "Blue Boy" all the time when I camp in Florida.
I got one big enough to not only hold all my black water, but some gray water to flush out the hose before I disconnect.
Get one with a side valve so you don't need to lift anything and a hitch loop on the handle so you can move the full tank with the truck.
I saw how others who use tiny tanks fair at the campground (not well even for seasoned users).
A valve at the END of your dump mast will allow you to immediately stop the flow at the end of the mast so you are only dealing with 10 inches or so of hose (you DID make a special hose up for your dump tank right?)
PS it is the same one that Road-King has...
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
My tote tank came with a gauge bobber that fits into the vent. IMO not very useful because it stops up the vent if you try and use it.
I agree. While using the foam float gauge cuts down on stinky vapors when filling the tank, it forces the tank to vent through the camper's stack. This results in the tank "burping" while filling the Blue Boy. If you are close to full, a "burp" could over fill your tank before you can react and close the valve. Additionally, you will still need to remove the "float" to let the hose drain after you close the "end of mast" valve. Always stop dumping before "full" so you have room to drain the hose.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
TV 2018 Ford F250, hauling a 2018 KZ 331 TH 12 Sportster 5th wheel, packing a 2015 CF MOTO 800 U-Force SXS
First, I need to explain a little about our process. We started about a year ago. We have 2 grey tanks and one black. He does the outside work, and I do the inside. Each time we dumped, we were figuring out new things. Nothing surprising here, but I thought we were learning together. As it turns out, I was learning and he was relying on me to remember what worked and what didn't. Now, I should explain that my DH works in the nuclear field and is used to having strict, written procedures to follow. After a few more frustrating trips (he lets himself get in a hurry and was missing steps) I finally decided that my DH would benefit from a written procedure. So...I typed up what "we" had learned was the best process for us:
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