tank drain?

[wyleyrabbit]

Hi everyone,

The last few times we've been out in our 3055RL, I have simply left the drain hose connected to both the trailer and the screw in fitting at the campground. When the tanks get to about 3/4 full, I go outside and drain them in order from bottom to top. Am I doing things correctly?

I swear I read somewhere that some people just leave the gray tank valves open and then never have to worry about the tanks filling up, but I would worry that campground sewer odors and gasses could then get into the trailer.

What do you experts do?

Chris

 

[Ricky Albertson]

I leave all of them closed and keep check on guages. I drain black first and then both grey to flush out lines. Usually have to drain once a day with four adults.

 

[SouthernNights]

I leave all of them closed and keep check on guages. I drain black first and then both grey to flush out lines. Usually have to drain once a day with four adults.

yup, plus 1

 

[JohnDar]

Same here, except when using the W/D, then I open Gray #1 until it's done. If for no other reason, keeping water in the Gray tanks until draining the Black is to provide incentive for sewer trout reluctant to join the migration down the piping.

 

[kakampers]

We, on the other hand, leave both greys open when set down for several days...have never had a problem with sewer gases or smells from doing this. You have traps in both sinks and a seal gasket on the toilet to prevent odors. If you us it daily, as we do being fulltimers, there shouldn't be a problem.

We do, however, close the valves the last day or so and usually take some water with us in tanks to next destination. This seems to help "clean" the bottom of the grey tanks by sloshing around during transit. We then open them at next destination, and all is well.

Don't need the greys for cleaning sewer hose after dumping black water, as we use the black tank flush for that....

 

[TXBobcat]

Hi Wabbit !!!!
I think almost everyone keeps the gray water valves closed until the tank is 2/3 to 3/4 full. Dump the black tank, then dump the gray tanks. The reason for this is to flush out your sewer hose.

Many times I will leave the gray valve open for the shower. There is no debris in the shower tank to block a valve. I have a strainer in the sink drains so there should be no or very little debris gray kitchen tank. When I empty the black tank I will use the santi-flush. After the initial dump of the black tank I run the santi-flush two or three times until I see clear water coming out. Be sure to use a clear adapter between the sewer hose and the sewer pipe on the trailer.

About once a month I take a water hose and fill the black tank and kitchen gray tank until I see the water in the sink and toilet then drain the tank. I do this twice. So far I think my tanks are in good shape.

We use our tanks every day so I do not use any chemicals. We don’t have any odor from the tanks. Others will probably disagree with me, but I have talked to friends that have been fulltiming for 10 to 20 years and they never use chemicals. Just flush well, use plenty of water and let nature have it’s way.

BC

 

[SouthernNights]

Hey Bob,

After reading another thead here about not using chemicals in the black tank, we tried it last time out.

After 4 days and using a little more water with each flush-NO SMELL. We dumped it once during those days.

We are not fulltimers, so I did cheat and put just alittle chemical in while it sits here. After I did that I thought maybe I should have have tried a couple gallons of water instead and advoid the chemicals all together.

I am not a tree hugger, but if chemicals can be advoided and help the ecology (or sewer systems) then cool!!!

Great advice. Thanks.

 

[porthole]

Before I dump the black I try and make sure the gray is close to full.

Then - dump black, leave black open, close the valve on the clear adapter on the end of the pipe. Open gray, which then dumps into the black until both tanks are level. Then close gray, open black, flush black real well.

Then just finish up as normal. I found this an easy way to quickly add 15-20 gallons to the black tank.

I always leave some water in the black for the ride home and if we have any ice left over I dump it all in the black to help "mix things up" a bit.

At home I have a sewer connection on the side of our house.

 

[TXBobcat]

When we use the toilet for solids we try to fill the bowl about half way. This provides enough water to allow the solids to exit easily and wash out the bowl if necessary. Other times we just flush the toilet for about two seconds to provide water for the tank. I do think that providing plenty of water is a big part of the process.

BC

 

[cookie]

Same here, except when using the W/D, then I open Gray #1 until it's done. If for no other reason, keeping water in the Gray tanks until draining the Black is to provide incentive for sewer trout reluctant to join the migration down the piping.

Sewer trout. !

Peace
Dave

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Sewer trout. !

Peace
Dave

That was funny, wasn't it...

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

We follow pretty much the same routine as kakampers. Both grey open and Black closed until it's time to stock the pond. Sewer Trout! When we travel, we leave a few gallons in all the tanks but most importantly the black. Helps to release the dead trout from the bottom of the tank. Once we get to a destination I hook up asap and dump and flush the black right away. We are still using chemical only because we bought a lot when it was on sale. Might as well use it up. We've followed this routine for 3 years and things are still working good. Maybe this is TMI but before I drop the kids at the pool, I line the pool with a little TP. This helps prevent the kids (trout) from sticking to the bowl.

 

[jmgratz]

My thoughts are if you leave your gray tank open while camping the liquids will flow out of the tank but any food particles or other debris that may get into the tank will not. For that reason I have been told by the 'experts' to leave the gray tank closed until at least half full then empty it. And ideally you will flush the black tank, then the galley gray, and then the bathroom gray. By doing it in this order any debris from the black is washed by the galley gray and any food particles left by the galley gray are wash out by the soapy water from the bath gray. So far it works for me. Others do have their own system.

 

[JohnDar]

Maybe this is TMI but before I drop the kids at the pool, I line the pool with a little TP. This helps prevent the kids (trout) from sticking to the bowl.[/quote]

Geez, Ray, remind me never to ask to see pictures of your kids .

The campground we're at asks that tanks be kept closed unless dumping. All I've been using in the black tank is some Calgon Water Softener, dissolved in a bucket of warm water and dumped in the toilet. Since it drains SOOOO much better than our TT did, I'm not adverse to using copious amounts of water when flushing. No stink and the black tank drains like Gangbusters. Maybe I'll occasionally go back to the stock of Aqua-Chem I've got, just to get rid of it.

The tank flusher might clear the line (or break loose and flush the basement), but the flow doesn't impress me. There is no doubt when I pull Gray #2 that the levee has broken and the "trout" are running downtown .

 

[Netem]

I was told if you leave the valves open soap and other things can build up in the groove and cause the valves to be hard to open and close so I don't do it anymore.
Ray I thought my nephew was the only one that dropped the kids off at the pool.