ramdually4100king
Well-known member
We full time and leave the grey open. We create a p-trap in the hose to keep bugs and smells out. When we flush the black tank we lift the hose during the flush to clear the hose.
Leaving grey tanks open in parks
- Thread starter 436Blue
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Hi ramdually4100king,
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum. There's lots of useful information here along with a great bunch of friendly and helpful people. Thanks for being one of them.
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
I know! I keep saying it's about time to buy one but never do.
Well here's my take on this.
Sewer systems, whether they are in ground septic or city sewer, need to vent.
Leaving the dump valve open allows these systems to vent through the 'stink pipe'. That is the vent pipe for your tanks that sticks out the roof of your rig.
As a courtesy to my neighbors, I will only open my dump valves when dumping.
Peace
Dave
Sewer systems, whether they are in ground septic or city sewer, need to vent.
Leaving the dump valve open allows these systems to vent through the 'stink pipe'. That is the vent pipe for your tanks that sticks out the roof of your rig.
As a courtesy to my neighbors, I will only open my dump valves when dumping.
Peace
Dave
I expect cookie has a good point while in the close proximity of other campers/rigs. Naturally these odors carry some, and personally, I would rather not be the source of the sewage odors; good point... Regarding the holding/dumping of the gray and black water tanks, everyone has their own preference, so it seems. When we start with fresh tanks, I add a cup of calgon and about 3 or 4 seconds (1/2 cup) of dawn dish detergent to the black water tank, and allow both gray, and the black tank to drain in the order of 1) drain the black water tank with the blank tank flush system turned on, followed by 2) opening the galley gray water line, followed by opening the shower/bath sink gray water line, to flush out the drain lines. Close the valves and refill the black tank for about 15 minutes with the black water flush, and then once again drain. I run a cup or two of bleach through all three tanks about every 5 dumps to keep bacteria levels down. Using the calgon/dawn soap method, I get good readings from my level sensors probably 40% to 60% of the time. I keep a bag of Tethford odor control packets on the rig, but generally don't have to use them. We also are very careful about the type of toilet paper we use, so that when we drain the black tank, it is all pretty much in a liquid state.... gebills
Sumo
Well-known member
We have had its happen to us. Didn't flood anything, But, no fresh water which made the weekend very difficult. Now we turn off the water pump when we leave the trailer.
Last edited:
wdk450
Well-known member
GEBILLS:
I know that this is just a small thing, but my dumping order is Black tank (with rinser sprayer), shower/bath sink grey tank, and last kitchen grey tank. WHY? Well if the idea is to flush out fecal matter from the plumbing/drain line, there is a possibility of small amounts of fecal matter being in your shower grey tank water, and you would want the final flush of your plumbing/drain line to be with the soapy, "non-contaminated" water from washing the dishes.
I know that this is just a small thing, but my dumping order is Black tank (with rinser sprayer), shower/bath sink grey tank, and last kitchen grey tank. WHY? Well if the idea is to flush out fecal matter from the plumbing/drain line, there is a possibility of small amounts of fecal matter being in your shower grey tank water, and you would want the final flush of your plumbing/drain line to be with the soapy, "non-contaminated" water from washing the dishes.
Mizmary
Well-known member
Wdk- that's the order we flush with. But we (I am with Mr. Ramdually4100king), use a P trap in our hose after that we fill with fresh water. This keeps the odor away same as leaving the valves closed- but keeps me from ending up ankle deep in grey water because we forgot to empty.
Our rule is we flush the system about once a week unless it gets full sooner (after company). And then we flush all of them. We lift the p-trap, open the black, flush it, then replace the p-trap, run water through the bath/kitchen until it is full. ;-P
I don't notice a stinky from the slinky on our end. What makes me crazy is people who use the dump station without any hoses at all. Yes. People do that.
Our rule is we flush the system about once a week unless it gets full sooner (after company). And then we flush all of them. We lift the p-trap, open the black, flush it, then replace the p-trap, run water through the bath/kitchen until it is full. ;-P
I don't notice a stinky from the slinky on our end. What makes me crazy is people who use the dump station without any hoses at all. Yes. People do that.
traveler44
Well-known member
I have always wondered if critters or bugs could crawl up the drains in these rigs. My wife had a frog jump out of a toilet in a house in Florida one time and we figured it got up through the drain. Maybe I'm paranoid but I only open mine long enough to drain the tanks. Tom
HappyKayakers
Well-known member
Since I have a lot of time on my hands, I've researched sewer flies a few times. For those who are interested, here's an article http://www.orkin.com/flies/sewer-flies/ Interestingly, they don't say anything about the insects actually coming up through a sewer pipe, which agrees with my previous searches. For those of you who are dumping black tanks on a weekly basis, I hope you're filling with water first or using some type of flush system. Although I normally leave my gray tanks open, the black tank would typically last 3 or 4 times as long as the grays.
Similar threads
