Flush King sanitation question - Page 2

kenn · 01-12-2011, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnguy

Disclaimer: I still lick the cookie dough bowl.

That's an awesome ice cream flavor!

mjones12 · 01-12-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

Just so you are aware, that an on/off valve is not a backflow preventer.
An ounce of prevention... Just sayin'

You are right, but the Flush King specs indicate that the on/off valve includes a backflow preventer. In the scenario I described, a second backflow preventer would be installed at the opposite end of the hose, providing redundancy. I promise I'm not trying to be a smart-a@@ by asking this, but I wish someone could describe the physics by which bacteria could defeat one backflow preventer, swim 15-feet upstream in a gray water hose and then defeat another backflow preventer, thereby contaminating the water source. I'm not saying it can't happen. I'd just like to understand it from a scientific perspective. Thanks to all.

**Herk7769** · 01-12-2011, 07:07 PM

Nothing scientific about it. Most likely it is perfectly safe and you could do it a hundred times with no problem.

However folks get funny when potable water and potty water are used in the same sentence; let alone hooked up to the same spigot.

kenn · 01-12-2011, 10:32 PM

Lou hit it on the money!

acadianbob · 01-13-2011, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnguy

That is why I am so anal about sterilizing the potable water faucet before I hook up, especially at a site that has a sewer drop. I just know there are people out there that insist on flushing their tanks on the site.

IMHO, the black tank flushes should only be hooked up at non-potable water faucets at dump stations.

That's my story, and I am sticking to it.

Yep, do you think there is a reason that they provide separate faucets? For sure, Chap.

caper · 01-13-2011, 01:53 AM

We had a person at a campground leave his hose on the flush king all the time. The other campers approched the cg owner about their conserns about contaminated water. The cg owner asked the person to remove the hose from the unit. He would not. The owner the removed the hose. Next day the hose was back on the unit. Somehow the hose was cut into very small pieces. The owner of the cg did not want a risk of E. coli. Valve can and do fail.Accident can happen look what happened in Walkerton Ont. when town workers did not treat the water properly. People died and other are still suffering the efects of the mistake. Flush Kings should not be uesd on a potable water supply. Even with two back flow valves and a length of grey hose an accident could happen. The odds are great that it would not happen but it could. Would you want to be the person that make a campground sick?

mjones12 · 01-13-2011, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

Nothing scientific about it. Most likely it is perfectly safe and you could do it a hundred times with no problem.

However folks get funny when potable water and potty water are used in the same sentence; let alone hooked up to the same spigot.

Lou: With all respect, saying there's no science about it (like bacteriology or hydrology) is akin to saying there's no science involved in flying an airplane. However, I think your other points are good, and I appreciate the helpful info from you and all the others. Thanks again. One other question - and I have no idea about this - but how do the factory tank flushing systems work? Do they draw water from a potable supply? Or do you have to take them to a dump station to flush them?

**Herk7769** · 01-13-2011, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjones12

how do the factory tank flushing systems work? Do they draw water from a potable supply? Or do you have to take them to a dump station to flush them?

Most dump flush systems have a single white hose hooked to an outside female garden hose fitting on one end and a tank fitting on the other. Depending on the manufacturer, the tank end has either a wand, or just a nozzle that sprays water into the tank; striking the far wall and sloshing around. Some units may also have a back flow preventer at the tank end.

The tank on the right is the black water tank in my 5th wheel. The white hose to the left of the dump valve is the "Turbo-Flush" line.

There are also clear "elbows" with a hose water fitting on it. It also has a back flow preventer, but someone will key your truck for sure if you use one of those on a potable spigot.

If you are just dumping at your camp site, open the valve and dump as normal. The "kind" thing to do (if you care about what your fellow campers think) is to drive to the dump station and use the non-potable water hose to do a thorough cleaning of your tank using the flush access port.

As to the "scientific" comment. I did not feel competent enough about the mechanics of contamination to convince someone who clearly does not want to be convinced. You are welcome to "give it a go" but I doubt you will be successful.

mjones12 · 01-14-2011, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

Most dump flush systems have a single white hose hooked to an outside female garden hose fitting on one end and a tank fitting on the other. Depending on the manufacturer, the tank end has either a wand, or just a nozzle that sprays water into the tank; striking the far wall and sloshing around. Some units may also have a back flow preventer at the tank end.

The tank on the right is the black water tank in my 5th wheel. The white hose to the left of the dump valve is the "Turbo-Flush" line.

There are also clear "elbows" with a hose water fitting on it. It also has a back flow preventer, but someone will key your truck for sure if you use one of those on a potable spigot.

If you are just dumping at your camp site, open the valve and dump as normal. The "kind" thing to do (if you care about what your fellow campers think) is to drive to the dump station and use the non-potable water hose to do a thorough cleaning of your tank using the flush access port.

As to the "scientific" comment. I did not feel competent enough about the mechanics of contamination to convince someone who clearly does not want to be convinced. You are welcome to "give it a go" but I doubt you will be successful.

Thanks again for the explanation, Lou. I hope the science comment wasn't offensive. I don't know the mechanics of contamination, either. Again, I appreciate your input. Almost all the campgrounds we visit have full hookups and no dump stations at all, but that's a logistical problem I'll have to deal with. I really DO want to be convinced about this issue, but with facts as opposed to feelings. I do care about what my fellow campers think, but I care exceedingly more about not doing anything to harm them.

VTX Al · 01-14-2011, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjones12

Thanks again for the explanation, Lou. I hope the science comment wasn't offensive. I don't know the mechanics of contamination, either. Again, I appreciate your input. Almost all the campgrounds we visit have full hookups and no dump stations at all, but that's a logistical problem I'll have to deal with.

....Yup, thats the situation we run into quite often ourselves. Another common occurance is, even where there is a "dump station" the rinse hose adjacent to the black water dump does not have a hose fitting on the end and is only there to rinse off the access to the black water inlet. If someone wants to utilize their factory installed black tank flush system, the only source of water is the potable water hose. Have seen this used for black water flush on numerous occasions. Seems not to be a problem for the operators of these campground facilities.

...VTX-AL

kenn · 01-14-2011, 07:05 PM

Use a different white hose to flush. That way others will not think otherwise of it. Just use some preventers and such as normal.

Better yet: Buy a new RV when your black tank gets full. That way, you're not to blame for contaminating any water source.

**Herk7769** · 01-14-2011, 08:02 PM

Not sure about campgrounds not having a dump station. That has not been my experience. Most do even when all sites have full hookups to accommodate folks who just want to dump for a fee. A look at the campground map will usually point you to their dump station. It may be away from the camp sites and inconvenient.

As to the hose, I carry a gray colored 15 foot hose with a permanent backflow preventer on it that I use when flushing and cleaning up my sewer equipment. If the non-potable spigot does not have a threaded male on the end; I just remove it and use my own hose. I keep it in the same tub as the sewer hose and couplings.

mjones12 · 01-14-2011, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

Not sure about campgrounds not having a dump station. That has not been my experience. Most do even when all sites have full hookups to accommodate folks who just want to dump for a fee. A look at the campground map will usually point you to their dump station. It may be away from the camp sites and inconvenient.

As to the hose, I carry a gray colored 15 foot hose with a permanent backflow preventer on it that I use when flushing and cleaning up my sewer equipment. If the non-potable spigot does not have a threaded male on the end; I just remove it and use my own hose. I keep it in the same tub as the sewer hose and couplings.

Good to know, Lou. Thank you.

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