Extended stays- Black & Gray water question

[Matt400]

Our TT is going to get a 15 week use with full hook ups.

The hoses will stay all hooked up but I am thinking it would be best to let the black tank fill and then dump when needed vs leaving the valve open 24/7, is that how its done?



Seems if you left the valve open the sewage would not have a chance to break up with the chemical, increasing odor and a chance to clog up.



If you were to leave gray and black open I would think odors would back up through the gray system.



Whats best for extended stays?

 

[RMADSEN]

Leave your black water valve closed until the tank needs to be dumped. I leave my gray water valve open until the black tank needs to be dumped. I then close the gray valve and let the tank fill. I dump the black tank, close the black tank valve then open the gray tank valve and flush the hose. I never have the gray tank valve open when the black tank valve is open. In your case, (the trailer is not moved before dumping) I would dump 3 gals of clean water through the toilet after the black water tank has drained to help clear any paper or solids from the valve before it is closed.

 

[duckcarvr]

Hi Matt you are correct, let it fill before dumping or the solids will stay on the bottom. also when you are parked like that for a long time solids do tend to build up on the bottom anyway. when i leave i drain the tank and then put in 5 or so gallons of water and chemicals. i then drive for an hour or so and drain it again. you don't want it to set in storage with a build up. you can also use a hose from outside to help flush it out. no not your water hose[ lol]. also your tanks-pipes are vented to the roof like your house. hope this helps robert

 

[Slow Six]

I got one of the clear plastic flush elbows that goes between the hose and the sewer connection. After the black tank empties use the flush hose to push water into the black tank. Stop the flush hose and let it drain again. I do this until there are no more solids coming out. Be sure the gray valve is closed when you are doing this. I've found this cleans the black tank as good as anything else I've tried. If I'm going to disconnect the hose I close the black valve as well and flush the hose out.

 

[AMink]

I've heard another way to bust up clumps (mmmmm) is to dump a big bag of ice cubes down the toilet, drive around for a while, then dump.

 

[Matt400]

Thanks for the advise everyone!

 

[PRawls]

Do a web search for the GEO method. If you can't find it, I'll track it down a little later. Its supposed to be real good at breaking things down and making them release from the sides of your tank. Plus you don't have to worry about using the blue chemicals that most use.

 

[SHobbs]

Ice cubes work great to clean the tank. Also when you put the ice in the tank fill it to at 2/3 full add 1 cup of laundry detergent as well as 1 cup of water softener and drive it around. The water softener will make the walls of the tank slippery and keep solids from building up while the laundry detergent freshens up the tank. Some folks will add 1 cup of bleach to the black tank when empty and add another cup if it starts gettin stinky. Bleach kills the critters in the tank that cause the stink. Most parks and public dump stations do not like bleach being used at all though.

 

[RJOL]

Here is the link to the Geo method...



http://rvecafe.com/bwater.html