Black and Gray water at campground

[kartracer]

Do you leave the values open to both gray and black tanks when at camp site. Are do you wait until they are full to empty.

 

[Neal]

Many opinions on this and how to do things, none of which are wrong. Some leave their gates closed as there are things such as bugs in sewer systems that could potentially enter your coach via this path. Sewer flies, etc. Some will leave the gray open so as not to worry about long showers, etc. I personally leave gray open until the warning light comes on for black and then I close gray so I have a good amount of gray to follow the black dump to clean the plumbing. I never leave black open as I want this to collect and have a better flow of the goods at dump time.

 

[kartracer]

Many opinions on this and how to do things, none of which are wrong. Some leave their gates closed as there are things such as bugs in sewer systems that could potentially enter your coach via this path. Sewer flies, etc. Some will leave the gray open so as not to worry about long showers, etc. I personally leave gray open until the warning light comes on for black and then I close gray so I have a good amount of gray to follow the black dump to clean the plumbing. I never leave black open as I want this to collect and have a better flow of the goods at dump time.

 

[kartracer]

Thanks Neal

 

["EZ"]

Many opinions on this and how to do things, none of which are wrong. Some leave their gates closed as there are things such as bugs in sewer systems that could potentially enter your coach via this path. Sewer flies, etc. Some will leave the gray open so as not to worry about long showers, etc. I personally leave gray open until the warning light comes on for black and then I close gray so I have a good amount of gray to follow the black dump to clean the plumbing. I never leave black open as I want this to collect and have a better flow of the goods at dump time.

This is exactly how I do it too.

 

[Joe Hogan]

As Neal noted it is a good idea to flush sewer lines with Gray after dumping Black. Typically I’ll leave both closed until we are planning high water usage, Laundry, showers, etc. the plan is always to have substantial gray water to rinse sewer lines after a black tank dump. Depending on volumes there are times that I don’t hookup lines at a campground until we are ready to dump tanks. This might be a couple days into a campground stop.

 

[RKins]

We usually travel with empty waste tanks unless we are doing stopovers for a few days so I leave ours closed and hoses disconnected until the first time we need to dump the grey tank. Then I put out the sewer hose and dump the grey tank (usually the black tank is only a 1/4 full by then). I close the grey valve and until the next dump black and grey remain closed.

 

[JRS]

We leave both of ours closed and also empty prior to travelling. Should never keep the black tank valve open.

 

[bpaikman]

Many opinions on this and how to do things, none of which are wrong. Some leave their gates closed as there are things such as bugs in sewer systems that could potentially enter your coach via this path. Sewer flies, etc. Some will leave the gray open so as not to worry about long showers, etc. I personally leave gray open until the warning light comes on for black and then I close gray so I have a good amount of gray to follow the black dump to clean the plumbing. I never leave black open as I want this to collect and have a better flow of the goods at dump time.

Agreed. We were warned about black tank ‘volcano’ collection on our very first outing. Also, someone told us to dump a bag of ice in the tank …. when traveling… the ice helps break up solids… I dunno if it does or not, but ice is cheap, and peace of mind is priceless. ?

 

[Chuggs]

agree with Neal...

I also think that you have to evaluate each situation. A lot will depend on "waste management"... Evaluate your needs for a particular stay. How large are your tanks, how many folks are taking showers, or doing laundry, how long is your stay. It really becomes a juggle when you don't have a full hookup and have to use a tote to transport grey to the dump station. So, each scenario requires a bit of planning to basically keep your system working properly, and cleaned...while minimizing your work. I mean who loves to spend more time pulling dump handles than hangin in a hammock?

In our fifth wheel...I would most times hook up, make a P'trap bend in the slinky...and keep grey open until the last two days...then close it to accumulate soapy water...for use after dumping black. Seems a very common strategy. The P-trap isn't impervious to sewer flies...but will hold down sewer gases rushing into your rig when someone else on the same drain system dumps. Whoosh!!!

Now with electric gate valves, remotely activated...I am pretty much open on "as needed basis to lower a tank level" type of guy.

 

[6pack]

If you leave the black water valve closed so bugs and poop flies don't get in your coach what stops them same bugs from using the grey water side which you say you leave open?

 

[Joe Hogan]

If you leave the black water valve closed so bugs and poop flies don't get in your coach what stops them same bugs from using the grey water side which you say you leave open?

Precisely why we keep both closed until the tank needs to be emptied. Most times, unless the tanks need to be emptied, I don't even get the waste pipes out until we are ready to leave the CG.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

And, if we will traveling any distance on the day we dump the tanks, I put about 10 gallons of water in the black tank (via the flush connection” and squirt a shot or two of Dawn dishwashing detergent into the toilet while it is flushing. This helps break down any residue in the bottom of the black tank. When we arrive at our next destination, I immediately dump and flush the black tank.

We’ve found that this procedure helps keep the black tank pretty clean.

TJ