Hi from virginia!

[Harpbone]

My fiancé and I just bought a 2015 Rockwood HW296 last week. We are excited to take our first trip with it but we have never had a camper that required us to use hookups. Any tips on emptying and maintaining the black and grey tanks is much appreciated!


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[Iwannacamp]

Hello and welcome from Arkansas.


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[BamaBob]

Welcome to the Forums from Huntsville AL Harpbone!

Do a forum search on sewers and you will learn more than you ever thought you would need to know on sewers

Your first purchase MUST be this:
Amazon.com: Camco 39761 RhinoFLEX 15' Sewer Hose Kit with Swivel Fitting: Automotive

If you were given a sewer hose just toss it. You want peace of mind and a Rhinoflex will give you that.

If you have trouble finding sewer info, PM me and I will help you out

[richardwise]

Hello from Ohio. If using full hook up, keep valves closed til ready to dump, dump black first, then grey. Oh, keep an eye on the grey tank gage, you don't want to have to dump it in the middle of a shower, when it's chilly, when you have lots of shampoo still in your hair.

[Frank-VA]

Harpbone To The Forum From South Eastern Virginia.
I use Black Tank Chemicals. I let the Black tank fill to almost full. I dump the Black tank first then shut off Black tank then open the Galley tank then open the other gray tank that is for the Bath wash water. I also have a Black tank flush system.

[Brother Les]

When flushing your Grey and Black tanks. Flush your black tanks first empty. When empty, lift the drain hose several inches. Open the gray tank and back flush into the black tank. the soapy water from the sink will clean out the tank. When the water levels are even (you will have more 'grey water' that black water), close the grey tank (still half full) and let the hose down and empty the black tank. repeat once more, lift hose slightly and open grey tank handle and flush back into black tank, when 'even' let the hose down and let both tanks empty. You will now have a fairly clean black tank. Also, only use 'approved' (that works) paper for the bath stool that dissolves.

[MtnGuy]

from another Virginian located in the Blue Ridge Foothills !!

[Capt. Mike]

Welcome from the middle of the US.

You've gotten a good deal of great advice here, and that is one of the best things about this forum - other than the people we've met both on line and in person.

Here's one more "be sure"...before you remove the cap to attach the hose to the dump valve, BE SURE both the black and grey valves are CLOSED!

And then, just go out and

[Brush]

Congratulations on the new Rockwood and welcome to the forum from Southern MD!

[Charles Firth]

Welcome to the forum, you now have access to tons of info from people who use the systems. You can have all your questions answered here in detail. The best PDI around. I am new to camping also this site has been a lot of help. On my first trip everything worked great just like they said it would. Have fun and enjoy.

Chuck in Va

[Terier]

Hi there from SoCal! My grey tank fills up faster than expected.

[Harpbone]

Thank you all for the great advice!


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[TheFordes]

Welcome from another Virginian

[WolfWhistle]

Great advice, but I like to dump like Frank-VA adviced. I never have the black-water tank valve and grey-water valve or valves open at the same time. I don't want bacteria in my grey tanks. I don't even wash food debris (like we do at home) down the sink drain. Or course some gets in, but I wipe with paper towel then wash. Better than that... the greatest invention since sliced bread.... paper plates!

I tend to go into too much detail, but don't mean anything by it... this IS a pretty cr---y subject! If your unit doesn't have one, you might want to "invest" in a black-tank flush valve or cap. I've have used the one that lets you lock it on, then hook a hose to the cap... it lets you fill your black tank... even grey tanks. Before turning on the water don't forget to open the tank valve of the tank you want to fill... or kaboom! This sounds like silly advice, but I've done this several times. It blows off the cap off when "she" can't take anymore... Scotty!

Don't fall victim to this wonderful little prank. Although it has never happened to me (yet), I have heard of some idiot (bless his heart) opens, then closes the black tank valves... knowing what will happen with the RVer removes the cap. So, I always remove the cap slowly so I can screw it back on if I have to!

Back to dumping... like someone said, make sure valves are closed before removing cap... s-l-o-w-l-y. Make sure you always wear gloves when touching sewer things! The sewer cap included. I handle everything else first then sewer things last, WITH gloves. You could have a spray bottle of bleach water handy, but bleach takes a moment or three to work.

I keep sewer things stored in a separate box... which I also use to disinfect / sanitize them in later. Never store them with anything. When dumping at a park, consider everything near the dump station contaminated... not everyone is as considerate as you and I . After dumping; putting away sewer things, leave the area rinsed off, and after you take off rubber gloves, wash your hands well... sanitizer does not get hands clean!!!

Oh... a good way to clean the ole black tank even better is to leave a little water in the tank (5 gallons or so) then add a little dish-washing detergent to the tank, via the WC and let the drive home do the work. I've heard a couple of bags of ice down the toilet does this too, but ice is for cooling down refreshing beverages.
One last, Oh, if you are still awake! If I stay somewhere for an extended stay, and with full-hookups, after attaching the sewer hose (no, duh!), I leave my grey valves open, but black closed. A day or so before leaving I close the greys so I can use that water to wash out the sewer hose, etc.

[Harpbone]

Thanks for all that great information wolfwhistle! We are taking it out soon and I'm glad I have all these great tips. You all have been great and quick with the advice for this newbie


Jenn

[mogman]

Welcome to the forum.
Have fun, we have some great campgrounds in VA

[F and E Damp]

Welcome to the forum from the Pacific NW. In the early 70's, we lived in the Hampton/Newpoert News area. We're originally from the northwest UK.

After our relocation from Seattle to Hampton, on my first day going into NASA Langley at 07:00, it was foggy, 85 F and there was a thunderstorm raging. My experience has NEVER seen 85F at that time of day, or fog at that temperature. I never did get used to the VA climate and was overjoyed when Boeing asked me to go back after three years. DW and the kids liked the capability to go on beach picnics on New Year's Day, but I was so relieved to leave that area.

After 30 years with Boeing, I retired in 1998 and a year later we moved to Anacortes. Such a nice place - weather a bit like the UK but more reliable and maybe 5F warmer. It's a fairly small town (around 18,000 population) and everyone is so friendly. I'll leave this place only in a wooden overcoat! It's the only place we've lived in the US that my sister, who still lives in our old hometown of Leyland in NW England, is jealous of.

[WolfWhistle]

Originally Posted by mogman

Welcome to the forum.
Have fun, we have some great campgrounds in VA

Yes, you certainly do!

[WolfWhistle]

Harpbone, you shouldn't encourage me... but you are very welcome. I was thinking... if you don't already have one, get a water supply pressure regulator. I've been in campgrounds with very high pressure... not a good thing. Another thing is power. I have a progressive power monitor / protector (mine is 30A) and basing what I know on nearly 5 decades of telecom work, power isn't always delivered perfectly. Reversals, open grounds, too high and too low voltages, and of course surges, can really mess up electronics. I'm not advocating a certain brand, but get one that monitors all these and can disconnect your unit from power when something harmful occurs. I've had two instances when this little guy saved me money.

[Witch Doctor]

Welcome from the southside Virginia, Try camping at a COE camp ground around clarksville, the biggest lake in Virginia over 800 miles of shore line. I think the COE now is 22.00 a night right on the water.