Rv Full Hookup Site Can You Flush Black Tanks At Site
Leaving your gray tank valve open at a full hookup site seems like a good idea, but there are several reasons that you shouldn’t do it. Even at full hookup sites you should dump your tanks the same way you would at a dump station. That means letting your tanks fill up close to capacity then dumping the black tank first followed by the gray tank. Tips for Dumping Your Black Tank at a Full Hookup RV Campground. The secret to easily dumping your black tank in a safe and sanitary way lies in your gray tank. The process starts a day or two before you plan to dump your black tank. That’s when you should close the valve in your gray tank, allowing gray water to accumulate. Tips for Dumping Your Black Tank at a Full Hookup RV Campground. The secret to easily dumping your black tank in a safe and sanitary way lies in your gray tank. The process starts a day or two before you plan to dump your black tank. That’s when you should close the valve in your gray tank, allowing gray water to accumulate. Find the nearest RV dump site near me. Learn the fastest way to dump your waste tank, how to do it for beginners, best practices, etiquette & tips + tricks.
If you want to get the most out of your RV will come to rely on hookups; water, sewer and electric. Taking full advantage of these while traveling in your RV will bring a high level of comfort regardless of your destination or stopovers. Each of these three hookups allows you to enjoy at-home comforts while you are on the road. They are found at most RV parks and campsite, but you should know that they are not free. You will have to pay a higher per site price to use these hookups. To many, this is more than worth it. Some sites have partial hookups that allow you to pay for only what you use.
Water Hookups
These will give you access to running water no matter where you are. Many of the appliances and features of your RV will require water such as the toilets and sinks. With a water hookup you can drink tap water so save on bringing water bottles and you don’t have to search endlessly for a public bathroom. Once you are parked, this is the first hookup you will want to connect to. Not all parks require the use of a water pressure regulator, so be sure to find that out first.
B sure to unwind your hose completely to remove all kinks before connecting to the RV. Once secure, connect to the hookup and turn on both the water and gray tank valve. Always check for leaks at both ends. When it is time to disconnect, turn off the water supply, shake the hose to remove any lingering water and disconnect from the water source first, and then your RV. To use your shower, do dishes, and flush the toilet, you want to be sure you find an RV park with a water hookup.
Sewer Hookups
If you are using water hookups, you also want to use sewer hookups too, so you can dispose of any running water. You have a black tank which holds waste from your toilet and a gray tank which disposes of water that doesn’t contain waste. You never want your black tank to be over 75% full and you will never have to worry about this with a sewer hookup.
You need a sperate hose to the water hookup and this will be done after connecting the water. Attach the hose to the hookup first and then your RV. You can open the black tank valve as soon as the hose is secured. To disconnect, you want to always wear gloves because it can get messy. Turn off all valves and disconnect from the RV, holding the hose upright. This will allow waste to flow back down the hose into the sewer system. Always wash the hose with waste-fighting chemicals before storing it.
Electrical Hookups
This allows you to power up the RV’s electrical system so you can use heat, lights, AC, and appliances. Most parks and campsites offer 30 and 50-amp hookups. Most likely your RV is set up with one of these two options. Smaller RVs are set up with 30AMP hookups, larger ones with 50. These will be the last hookups you make once settled into your location.
You must make sure the hookup box matches what your RV can handle, because many older sites are not equipped with up to date systems. Double check first to avoid blowing the entire electrical system. Hook both ends of the cable up, turn on the regulator switch, and you have lights, power, and action. To disconnect, turn the regulator off and unplug the cable connected to the RV first, then the power source.
Remember that not all campgrounds and RV parks will offer hookups, so you want to research ahead of time. You can plan your stops accordingly. These hookups allow the comforts of home to be with you while you travel. The staff at the sites are always more than welcome to assist you with questions and connections. Add the comforts you are used to and make your trip special and your RV a home away from home.
Leaving your gray tank valve open at a full hookup site seemslike a good idea, but there are several reasons that you shouldn’t do it. Even at full hookup sites you should dumpyour tanks the same way you would at a dump station. That means letting your tanks fill up closeto capacity then dumping the black tank first followed by the gray tank.
Reasons to Keep Your Gray Tank Valve Closed with Full Hookups
You might be thinking, but if I leave the valve open I’ll neverhave to worry about over filling the tanks or going out early in the morning orlate at night after someone took a long shower and filled the tank up. That is true, but there several reasons youshould keep the valve closed.
1 – It Prevents Buildup of Solids in the Gray Tank
Most RVs have 1 gray tank that connects to the shower, bathroomsink and kitchen sink. While the showerand bathroom sinks are usually pretty free of solid items, your kitchen sinkisn’t. Every time you wash dishes all thoselittle pieces of food make their way into the gray tank. Once they get there the flow of water fromthe sink can spread out and slow down leaving all those pieces stuck to thebottom of the tank. Once the water hasall drained out those stuck pieces can dry up making them almost impossible toremove. The best way to avoid this is tofill your tank and then dump it, creating a much higher flow with more force toclean the tank out.
2 – You Need the Gray Water to Flush Your Sewer Hose
After dumping your black tank there may be some nasty thingsleft hanging out in your sewer hose. Having plenty of water in your gray tank allows you to flush that outwith some clean and probably soapy water. This will help keep your sewer hose clean and free of odors.
3 – Prevent Sewer Smells Around Your Campsite
This may not always happen but leaving your gray tank valveopen while you are at a full hookup site could allow sewer gas and odors toenter you camper or campsite. This can occurin your camper if one of your drain traps dries out and no longer seals that odorin the tank. The outside smell can occurif the campground sewer odors get pulled into your tank and exhaust out of thetank vent on the roof of your RV.
4 – Keep Sewer Flies Out of Your Tank
Another less common occurrence is sewer files in your tank. This is more likely to happen in campgroundswith septic type sewer systems where files may be living. By leaving your valve open you create a directpath for the files to enter your tank and make a home.
Wrap Up
Hopefully, you are convinced that keeping your gray valveclosed at full hookup sites is the way to go.
Bonus Tip:
If your gray tank fills up and you don’t have much time left on your stay, don’t drain it down more than ½ way. Now you should still have enough gray water to flush your sewer hose before you leave.
If you are looking for more tips on using your RVs waste tanks please check out these other articles on Weekend RV Adventures about how to dump your RV’s tanks and how and when to use RV tank chemicals.
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Thanks for reading and Happy Camping
Rv Full Hookup Site Can You Flush Black Tanks At Sites
Jason