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08-21-2020, 10:40 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 39
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New camper scared of the black tank
Dump stations are easy. 45 Gal black tank and 32 gal blue buddy. Our buddy has a little pop up indicator, do I trust this or how do you know when to dump or shut off the flow?
Thanks!!
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08-21-2020, 10:44 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Northen IL
Posts: 8,336
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I would say to just dump when you are 1/2 or even 3/4 full but the indicator lights are notoriously inaccurate.
My only advice is that it's better to shut the valve too early rather than too late. If the black tank is full, you'll be making two trips either way. Whether the first trip is with a full 32 gals or only 16 gals, it doesn't really matter either way.
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08-21-2020, 10:55 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,652
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Why not just test the buddy with hose and water then you'll know before it becomes a "poop" indicator issue.
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08-21-2020, 11:19 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 597
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I feel the side of the tank, you can feel the temp difference between the black water and the side of the tank.
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08-21-2020, 01:08 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: SC
Posts: 62
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Black Tank
Rubber, Nitrile, or Vinyl gloves and hand sanitizer are your friends. 
Jim
__________________
Jim & Brenda
USMC Vet.
Asst. Fire Chief - Ret.
2018 RAM 3500 CC DRW
2017 Flagstaff Super Lite 29RKBS
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08-21-2020, 01:19 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Summerfield, FL
Posts: 382
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Rubber Gloves up to your elbows.
.
__________________
 2018 Flagstaff 29KSWS
2008 Ram Laramie 3500 Megacab 4x4 Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel
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08-21-2020, 01:22 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: SC
Posts: 62
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Black Tank
 Chuckinca
__________________
Jim & Brenda
USMC Vet.
Asst. Fire Chief - Ret.
2018 RAM 3500 CC DRW
2017 Flagstaff Super Lite 29RKBS
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08-21-2020, 02:04 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Shoals, Indiana
Posts: 3
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If you have the thetford blue buddy with the red full indicator, when you think you are getting close to full, close your valve part way to slow things down and watch the red indicator. As soon as it starts rising, shut the valve.
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08-21-2020, 02:51 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,855
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boydn1
Dump stations are easy. 45 Gal black tank and 32 gal blue buddy. Our buddy has a little pop up indicator, do I trust this or how do you know when to dump or shut off the flow?
Thanks!!
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We have a blue boy tank, with popup indicator, and never needed it for black water, only for gray water.
We would have to be dry camping or boondocking, in the same spot, for 3 weeks or more for me to need the blue tank for black water. And that's with a 25 gallon black tank in the trailer.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.) 
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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08-21-2020, 04:12 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 1,230
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X2 on what Bikendan said. We camped for 6 days with 6 people, and never filled our black tank. I had to empty the gray water twice, and refill the fresh twice.
__________________
2009 Roo 21ss + 2007 Superduty 6.0
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08-21-2020, 07:22 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 9,622
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Nothing to be scared of. If you've ever changed a diaper or picked up after your dog, there's nothing different.
Our blue boy doesn't have an indicator, but I take off the vent cap and watch the water/suds rise. I cut off the fill when the level gets close to the vent neck.
__________________
Larry
"Everybody's RV is not like your RV."
"Always take pictures with the button on the right."
"Always bypass the water heater before opening the low-point drains."
Sticks and Bricks: Raleigh, NC
2008 Cherokee 38P: at Ivor, VA permanently
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08-21-2020, 07:30 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,362
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry-NC
Nothing to be scared of. If you've ever changed a diaper or picked up after your dog, there's nothing different.
Our blue boy doesn't have an indicator, but I take off the vent cap and watch the water/suds rise. I cut off the fill when the level gets close to the vent neck.
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Another member said it best. "Nothing will get on your hands that won't wear off or wash off".
I would quote him if I could remember who but what the heck, I'm old. 
__________________
"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change  )
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08-22-2020, 10:02 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuckinca
Rubber Gloves up to your elbows.
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Skip the gloves. Just wear a full body hazmat suit.
__________________
David and Vicki
19-month-old English Springer Spaniel "Sadie"
2019 Silverado LTZ Duramax
2023 GDRV Reflection 150 226RK
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08-22-2020, 10:15 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 531
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where are you going to store the tote after you use it? 
are you staying some place where they offer the honey wagon service? Might be worth asking. Save you some trouble.
The pop up indicator works fine for me. But when it's full, the thing is very heavy.
__________________
2019 Heritage Glen LTZ 272RL
2018 Ram 2500 CTD
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08-22-2020, 10:17 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,362
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Springerdad
Skip the gloves. Just wear a full body hazmat suit.
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That's funny. I can see it now. Pull up to the dump station and the person ahead of me looks like this:
Of course I considered dressing like this when it was my turn to change diapers. Black tank dump, no problem. Diapers caused a tremendous gag reflex.
__________________
"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change )
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08-22-2020, 11:30 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,022
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Thanks for the visual on that, Mike. 
__________________
David and Vicki
19-month-old English Springer Spaniel "Sadie"
2019 Silverado LTZ Duramax
2023 GDRV Reflection 150 226RK
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08-22-2020, 12:54 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: NJ
Posts: 606
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This is one of the best reply strings I've read on this forum. I bought one of those tanks when I got my first 5th wheel. Carried it with us on a couple of trips. Never used it, but always wondered how to know when it neared full. This old model doesn't have a pop up or other indicator I could find. I didn't panic, I just leave it home now and make sure I don't stay somewhere that I might need it.
__________________
DrLewie
Flemington, NJ
Former: 2007 Cardinal 30W LE
Now:2018 Arctic Fox 27-5L
2008 Ford F-250 Long Bed Diesel
Total of 30 Months on the Road Since 2008
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08-22-2020, 01:02 PM
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#18
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TitanMike
That's funny. I can see it now. Pull up to the dump station and the person ahead of me looks like this:
Of course I considered dressing like this when it was my turn to change diapers. Black tank dump, no problem. Diapers caused a tremendous gag reflex. |
I don't think I would want to be wearing that mask when I gagged. 
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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08-22-2020, 03:25 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 648
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boydn1
Dump stations are easy. 45 Gal black tank and 32 gal blue buddy. Our buddy has a little pop up indicator, do I trust this or how do you know when to dump or shut off the flow?
Thanks!!
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Get a 60 gal blue buddy or where the sign..
And its not a very pretty or good smelling sign.
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08-22-2020, 03:32 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TitanMike
That's funny. I can see it now. Pull up to the dump station and the person ahead of me looks like this:
Of course I considered dressing like this when it was my turn to change diapers. Black tank dump, no problem. Diapers caused a tremendous gag reflex. |
And to think I got to change the very first diaper for all three of my kids. After that diaper changes were easy.
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