First Time Flushing Tanks

[MLP]

First thing to know is that the gray water stinks worse than the black. Second for no smell of ether I use Happy Camper treatment in both. I have changed my valves on my old fifth wheel twice. The first time without Happy Camper and the second time with it. There is no smell with Happy Camper. Happy Camper works well. We use Amazon toilet paper Presto. It is very close to Charmin, breaks down really fast, and is for the RV. I do hope you have a black tank flush, if not have one installed. I use a standard garden hose marked with Black Tank Only on both ends of it. I let the black tank flush run fresh water in for four minuets then empty. I do this three times. Then dump the gray tank. Always close the valves after dumping the tanks. As far as the sensors go, you do not need them. In a short period of time you get to know when your tanks are getting full.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans

NO WAY are we storing soiled paper anywhere but where it belongs.........down the toilet! YUK!
Please don't say your one of those folks that burn that soiled paper in their campfire?? Double YUK! YUK!
Been rving 40+ years & flushing the DWs favorite paper into blacks since the 1st rv & have NEVER had an issue with clogging any black tanks.

If it's not an option for you: that's just fine.
In our case; it was the Missus who suggested it. We take that small bag to the garbage at least once a day, and there is no smell.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

You all make camping way to difficult.

Agree!

[Scubawise]

No kidding used for years. This and calgone softener and no smell and everything flows out..do not think twice

[danl61]

Popfla gave great advise. Now just 'my' thoughts on it. We have never replaced sensors due to the newer ones simply doing the same thing they most always do. These are the rough estimates we use for sensors actually working correctly. Fresh water: 90%-98%, Gray: 65%-80%, Black: 50%-60%. We have, like Porkchop posted, wasted hundreds of dollars for chemicals and replacement sensors and still, those numbers are pretty well the case. After a very short time, you will get extremely accustom to time between tank dumps. Sensors are more of an expensive luxury item. Best of luck. Again, this is just IMHO.

[knucklehead]

Originally Posted by NateHTP

I'd appreciate some advice, I'm scared lol.

This is my first motorhome, and first time flushing the tanks.

I found a free dump station at the Brendan Byrne State Forest on sanidumps.com

I have a grey and black tank of unknown full-ness (I'm adding new sensors soon).

So I'm going to drive to this dump station and... is this the process?

1. Open Black, let it drain.
2. Open Grey, let it drain.
3. If there is water running, I'd fill up the black/grey tanks (with a hose?) and then drain them again?

Thanks, I appreciate the help for a newb!

You got it man!! A second fill up and dump in the same order is good advice, especially using there water. Also if you have a flush system on your black tank do that too!! You want to keep your tanks clean as possible. Many people put ice cubes in there tank before they go down the road to help knock debris off the sides. I installed a See-Level system to go along with the P.O.S. "No pun intended", tank monitor Thor uses. Accurate but does not read the entire tank since there is a large portion of the top and bottom of the tank that the sensor will not attach to, only the flat part of the tank, so it reads empty even when there's about 5 gallons or so in it and reads full even when we have 5 or more gallons of space left. Ask your local RV dealer what they recommend for your specific tanks?? Bob & Wendy Trice

[knucklehead]

Originally Posted by NateHTP

Thanks a lot! Seems like that would use a lot of water... do the places you dump always have water available, and if they do they don't mind you using so many gallons?

Who's gonna tell them---YOU??? That's what we ALL DO!!!! Bob Trice

[Bob Denman]

I agree: that spigot isn't there just for appearances...

[macdaddy1111]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

San-T-Flush...
Everybody has their own routine; and here's mine:
After dumping the tanks: I put about half a cup of dish soap down the toilet. I then hook up the water supply to the system, and leave the valve closed I put what I figure to be about ten gallons of water back in the tank. I then shut off the system, and open the valve. I keep running the system, and draining until I get suds-free water coming out. (Maybe 4 or 5 sequences...)

Mines better, I drink a beer while I watched the boss lady drain the tanks! HA

RV LIVING, where you get to play with your dookie twice!

[Bob Denman]

Your routine is AWESOME!
Where should we send the flowers for your funeral?

[Pete'sMH]

70 posts on how to drain the tanks ought to about cover the nub of it! LOL

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by HarryS

I just used my Flojet for the first time. (bought it for use at the house) Had Son and DIL stay for a couple days in the MH, and my sewer cleanout is about 85 feet from MH. It did an awesome job, even though it was 21 degrees when I used it. I may retire my slinky and use it as my primary tool.

We just returned from a trip and while out, I used the Jet Flo Macerator for the 1st time. I only pumped 25' to sewer that was at our campsite.

Kind of hard to get the clear Camco sewer adapter off the macerator but it worked without an issue,. Really life the on/off switch were you can stand back

Jury is still out when I use at home where I have a 100' hose Even with the gray water going last, you still needs to rollup that hose to force all of the affluent out.

[MJC62]

73 and counting can we make 100 on dumping the doo doo tank?

[Bob Denman]

You know what they say: "crap happens"

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Hugh.vines@att.net

Why do people use mercerrators aren't they much slower to dump

I bought my Jet flo Macerator so I could dump at home I store my RV at home on it's own pad. 75' to nearest toilet and 100' to a sewer stub out in the yard.

After about a year, I noticed 70% of the time we dumped at facility about 12 miles from our house. While it was very nice and free It was just more work to unhook drive up there take care of things and drive back home.

I just used mine to dump my tanks for real yesterday at a campsite. I could have easily used my slinky and it would have been about the same effort. I now own them both and will use the option that is most convenient. But FWIW, I have no plans to carry my 100' 3/4" Sewer hose with me in the RV, it is on a hose cart and only intended for home use. On the road, my sewer hose is only 25' 1/2". My Slinkys extend to 20' so that could be a factor.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

70 posts on how to drain the tanks ought to about cover the nub of it! LOL

Did I read some peeps are putting their pooped soiled toilet tissue in trash to be dumped daily

I think we need a lot more than 70 post because I wish to understand this and why?

For starters has anyone ever clogged their black tank due to toilet paper? If so; what brand of toilet paper was being used?

For boat and RV we always use the same toilet paper we have in the house. Never had a problem. One day we dumped same day and the toilet paper while noticeable was already breaking down with no chemicals. Note: Normally we Thetford deodorant to break down our black tanks, but not if we intend to dump with a day or two.

[Bob Denman]

We do that in order to reduce the chance of fouling-up the sensors..

[jjoster56]

Six month newbie here, but just travel cross country in lots of different temperatures. All great comments on how to dump. But any suggestions on how to make the hose connections come apart easier. I am using a Rhino hose system and have separate grey and black dump locations, so more hoses (Y-configuration to the sewer with FHU) Some days I could hardly separate the connections.

[MJC62]

Originally Posted by jjoster56

Six month newbie here, but just travel cross country in lots of different temperatures. All great comments on how to dump. But any suggestions on how to make the hose connections come apart easier. I am using a Rhino hose system and have separate grey and black dump locations, so more hoses (Y-configuration to the sewer with FHU) Some days I could hardly separate the connections.

Camco makes a set of plastic spanner wrenches for that issue.
I believe they are available at Camping World for around $10

[Jimbo56]

This makes 80! Do I hear an 81?