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06-18-2015, 12:42 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Olathe, Kansas
Posts: 118
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How often to Empty tanks
Wondering how often most of you empty your black and gray tanks? The wife wants them emptied every time, before we get home. However, I say, if it's only a third full (especially the black), then I don't need or want to dump. I say it can stay in the tank until the next trip.
What's say ya'll?
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2014 FR3 30DS
2005 Dodge Dakota 4WD
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06-18-2015, 12:57 PM
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#2
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HAPPY WHEN RV'ING
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Southern California
Posts: 646
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KsWhoDat
Wondering how often most of you empty your black and gray tanks? The wife wants them emptied every time, before we get home. However, I say, if it's only a third full (especially the black), then I don't need or want to dump. I say it can stay in the tank until the next trip.
What's say ya'll?
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We always empty the black/grey tanks before we get home. We'd rather start our next trip with empty tanks. On the road we empty when it shows 2/3 on the gauge.
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Smooth Roads, and, Drive 'em Safe
Curt & Isabel, & 9er (our Goldendoodle)
2014 Forest River FR3 30DS (Beasty)
2014 Honda CRV EX-L (toad)
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06-18-2015, 01:00 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Pfafftown NC
Posts: 2,353
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Conventional wisdom is to empty every time. The tanks on RVs are holding tanks, not septic tanks. There is nothing good going on down there over time. At least for the black tank, it should be emptied and flushed every time. Gray should be dumped after black to clean the hose.
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There are 10 types of people in the world.
Those that know binary, and those that don't.
2013:31 / 2014:51 / 2015:58 / 2016:37 / 2017:46
2018:16
Total 239
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06-18-2015, 02:39 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 142
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Every time we get back. Why would you want that crap (no pun intended) festering in there?! *head scratch*
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2015 Palomino Puma Unleashed 351-THSS 37' Toyhauler
2016 F-350 Platinum DRW 4x4 w/ Curt Q24 hitch and Air Lift rear air ride
"Just put that hammer down and give it hell" -Jerry Reed
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06-18-2015, 02:46 PM
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#5
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Boss Ox & Drovergirl
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: N.E. Ohio Snow Belt
Posts: 1,341
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Sure it can stay in the tank, but the black tank will build up "pyramids" right below the bowl and if not flushed and emptied can (and do) get solidified. Then it's harder and harder to get it cleaned. Lots of water is needed to flush out all the debris. So if your tank is 1/3 full, what's the harm in filling it up and dumping it out? Like Evereddie mentions, they are'nt septic tanks and the little bits of enzyme chemicals you may add don't really do much to digest the goop.
In addition, even the gray tank with soap scum and food particles will splash and adhere to the walls above the water line and very well may dry there and not be redissolved.
Sorry, I'm in agreement with your wife on this one.
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Mark, Vicki, & Scout THE dog
2015 Hemisphere 282RK
2016 GMC 3500HD Duramax dually
1992 Goldwing Aspencade
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06-18-2015, 02:49 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Liverpool NY
Posts: 967
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If you are under, fill the black and gray tanks with water to reach the 2/3 level and dump away. Nothing good will come from leaving the ugly stuff in your tanks.
After, do your normal rinsing and leave some water in the tanks
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2015 Shamrock 23IKSS, Oyster shell
2019 Chev Silverado LT Z71 Ext. Cab, 4x4, 5.3L V/8
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2 Old Town kayaks & 2 Boston Terriers - Zoey/Gonzo
Lar & Ruth
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06-18-2015, 03:24 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 580
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My wife and l unless it's a emergency will not put any solids or paper in the black tank. Only liquids only. Mostly liquids only find there way into the black tank at night.
The black tank is always dumped 1st then the gray tank gets dumped. The gray water acts as a rinse. It is best to have more liquids in the tanks, rather than less because the more intense evacuation you can get when dumping the tanks the better job it will do to keep your black/gray tanks cleaner. But l would never leave my tanks with stuff in them just because there is only a small amount in them. Anyway most chemicals for the black tank are only good for a week or 2, after that let the Science experiments begin😳..
JeNNY (2015 FR3 / 30DS)
2000 Jeep TJ Moab Rock Crawler
2013 Jeep JK
USS Seattle (AOE-3) 84-88 Wayne
US Army 06-15 Sherry
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06-18-2015, 03:33 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Clarksville Va.
Posts: 10,422
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I dump all tanks, If hooked to a sewer I will run the black flush for 20 mins or so. The gray tank will start to smell in heat after a week or so, so I also dump that. If I'm traveling that's different I won't dump for 3 days or so.
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Coachmen M/H
Concord
2018 / 300 DSC
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06-18-2015, 09:35 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,947
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As most here have said...we all side with your wife.....key point to take from this thread is that there is no sense hauling it home, but if it's only 1/3 full when leaving, just fill it with more water....and like gljurczyk said...if your are travelling then you could wait till the next stop...the swooshing action may actually be beneficial.
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2016 Chevy Silverado 2500 Duramax
2016 Rockwood 8289WS, Diamond Pkg.
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06-18-2015, 09:49 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 1,675
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The wife is right this time 
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Dan
2014 Berkshire 390RB-60
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06-18-2015, 09:56 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,443
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If my black tank isn't full I will fill it the rest of the way with water just to help get whats in there out. Dump every time you leave the campground solids build up if you leave any in there and a mound will eventually form plugging your tank. We also try not to use only in emergency but that usually happens once or twice during a trip.
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Think about things before you do them make life easier not harder.
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06-18-2015, 10:04 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,570
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Don't leave any in any tank. You must pay to transport in in tow and besides it's a couple hundred pounds banging around the tanks only using cheap strap brackets securing the tanks. They do break loose.
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06-19-2015, 11:46 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Southwestern Mi
Posts: 1,242
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Going along with the crowd (and your wife) here. Dump after the trip and leave clean, empty tanks until the next trip....
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06-19-2015, 11:46 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 153
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dan-nickie
The wife is right this time |
X2!
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06-19-2015, 12:02 PM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 89
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dan-nickie
The wife is right this time |
Ouch! That must have hurt 
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06-19-2015, 12:10 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 599
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Dump my black tank when we leave, back flush it add some water and the orange chemical. I empty my grey tank every morning because the first time out almost overflowed out of the shower, caught it just in time. I was leaving it open utill last month at Disney when a terrible sewer oder came out of the bathroom sink, now I just do it every morning no big deal.
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06-19-2015, 12:14 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Oshawa, ON
Posts: 984
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CNYCamper
If you are under, fill the black and gray tanks with water to reach the 2/3 level and dump away. Nothing good will come from leaving the ugly stuff in your tanks.
After, do your normal rinsing and leave some water in the tanks
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Agree. I dump after every trip and flush with lots of water. It's a good practice and will keep your tanks problem free.
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Dave, Southern,ON
2017 GMC SLT HD All Terrain Crew Cab (6' 6" Box) 2012 Roo 23SS
E2 Trunnion WDH (1,000 lb / 10,000 lb)
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06-19-2015, 12:30 PM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 59
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Now what is the license plate of your TT? Want to be sure and never drive behind it!
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06-19-2015, 06:23 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 215
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I dump every time. If it is only 1/3 I fill with water, and then dump.
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2015 Tracer ultra light executive edition 3200bht
2007 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins 6.7, Dually, crew cab, long bed
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06-19-2015, 06:56 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Nanaimo
Posts: 487
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" KsWhoDat ".....
It is not a good idea to prolong emptying any of the tanks for any periods especially the black tank .
The scum in the gray tanks and the solids (particularly the paper) in the black tanks will hang up on the probes and will cease to operate.
The liquid will evaporate and the solids will solidify promising to create a big problem.
The movie .."RV" comes to mind staring Robin Williams.
Question: by any chance was this posting a 'spoof ' ?
So in closing... "Dump it" if you have a chance ...and
......"rinse like you mean it " !
Islander
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