Leaving grey tanks open in parks

[436Blue]

Wondering if anyone has left their grey tanks open when in full hook up? If so, is there ever a problem with bugs comung up the sewer and into your grey tank? Thanks!

 

[jimtoo]

Yes to the bugs and also the bad smell. Keep them closed untill full or almost and then dump.

Jim M

 

[Birchwood]

To avoid a catastrophe we always leave our grey tanks open when we have full service.My wife often has the washer going so we don't want to be opening and closing.Never had problems with bugs or smell.

 

[4ever]

I always have left the gray tanks open when staying extended time hooked-up. Have not had any problems.

 

[Garypowell]

For longer stays (4 - 5 nights) I normally leave the shower/bathroom sink valve open and the kitchen sink tank closed. Now that I think of it...... Why do I leave the kitchen tank valve closed???? Probably because we don't collect nearly as much water there.

The biggest problem for me is to remember to close the valve in time to collect w ought water for the black tank flush.

 

[boatto5er]

I leave them closed. The soapy water is a great way to help clean the "stinky-slinky" after draining the black tank.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

We leave ours open. So far we've never had an issue with doing that other than two times after dumping and flushing the black tank, I've forgotten to close the greys. Upon arrival at the next park, there was quite a surprise waiting for me when I pulled off the cap. It seems the greys don't completely drain when parked. As we travel, the sloshing around fills the grey drain pipes up to the cap.

 

[donr827]

We leave ours open also. I close them the day before we are leaving a cg to build up water to flush the drain hose.
Don

 

[kakampers]

Leave ours open too....these new rigs all have built in black tank flush systems. ..don't need full grey tanks to flush...am I missing something

 

[boatto5er]

Leave ours open too....these new rigs all have built in black tank flush systems. ..don't need full grey tanks to flush...am I missing something

I like have the nice soapy water to run thru the "slinky" after running the black tank thru it. The water from the flush valve is OK, but the soapy grey water makes me feel better about what's left clinging inside the slinky.


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[boatto5er]

We leave ours open. So far we've never had an issue with doing that other than two times after dumping and flushing the black tank, I've forgotten to close the greys. Upon arrival at the next park, there was quite a surprise waiting for me when I pulled off the cap. It seems the greys don't completely drain when parked. As we travel, the sloshing around fills the grey drain pipes up to the cap.

The screw on Valterra valve will prevent this.


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[dave10a]

I leave mine open because of the washer/dryer. However to keep the smells from entering, I'm not sure that is a problem, I put a 4x4 under the hose to create a P trap effect.

 

[JoeCampnEat]

I fulltimed for about three months last summer, with wife and kids, waiting on new home construction.

I left my grey valve "cracked" open to keep up with showers etc.., but day before I needed to dump black, would shut the grey to let it fill for rinse of system after dumping black. Maybe old habit, was just schooled this way back in the day, especially important on last day prior to leaving cg, just to clean up sewer hose a bit.

At least on old trailer, I am not conviced the black tank flush is all that usefull. When I dump my black, I still run about half a tank of water into it an dump it again, while the backflush is going too. It seems I still see tp flushing out.

To OP, never had bugs and this was in South TX where the bugs are plentiful.

 

[olcoon]

About a week ago there was a post, (see here) about bugs in the black tank, sounds like he had/has quite a problem. Two summers ago we had our first work camping experience, and after reading posts on here & other forums about leaving both grey tanks open, and the black closed, I left the gray tanks open & let them drain at will. Before we got there our sensors for the tanks worked pretty good. When we left & to date, both gray tank sensors don't work. They'll show anywhere from full to 1/3 full when empty. I'm kind of thinking that the residue inside the tanks dried & now I can't seem to get them to work all the time. I've tried the Geo Method, & everything else I can think of. I can get them to where they'll show 1/3 for a while, but it doesn't last. Now I've given up & when the toilet burps I dump all 3. The black tank will work "most" of the time, and when I give it a good flushing, that sensor will work for a while.

Also, when I flush out the black tank, I'll use the built in flush system, I'll let it run while dumping the tank & leave it running for a while after it's empty, then close the valve let it fill for a while, then dump it. I'll do this several times, leaving the flush system running all the time, until the water coming out is clear. It's amazing that even when the water coming out is clear, there is still "stuff" coming out. Also while I'm filling the black tank to get a good flush I'm careful not to fill it too full, so it doesn't overflow through the toilet & into the bathroom.

 

[wdk450]

I was recently at a group campout where it was related to us (but not printed on the park rules in their flyer) that leaving your gray valves opened during your stay was that campground's policy. Why, I don't know.
I am single, don't have a clothes washer in the rig, so I just leave the grey valves closed until after dumping the black. I use the clear outlet adapter to "monitor" the black tank flush process, and then run the grey tanks after to flush out a little of the plumbing and sewage hose with soapy water. I do remember water backing up into the kitchen sink from my wife's overnight dialysis treatments, and occasionally up into the pan of the shower with no leaks or spills.

 

[jmgratz]

It you think about it by leaving the gray tank open all the time debris can stay in the tank and build up. Debris such as food particles (in galley tank) and hair and lint in bathroom tank. This debris could eventually cause problems such as fouling sensors. Also bugs and/or vermin could crawl up from the sewer through the hose to the tank and then into the RV. Why take a chance? We leave ours closed and open it after and/or during use of the washing machine. We can get at least two wash loads done before opening the drain valve.

 

[Eddhuy]

I leave the Grey tank valves open except to let them fill near the end of the stay to flush the hose. Have never had bugs or any other problems doing this.

 

[JohnDar]

My tanks stay closed until they need to be dumped, which is usually dictated by the black tank. If the galley tank or bathroom tank should need it sooner, I only partially dump them. Exception is when we run the washing machine, then I'll open up Gray #1.

 

[dbbls59]

I left mine open one winter for four months and the kitchen valve leaked about all summer. My guess is that food particles settled into the groove the blade slide in and prevented it from closing completely. Finally in the fall it started sealing again. I always keep mine closed and dump once a week.

 

[kowAlski631]

We leave them closed except when running the washer.