Forum Discussion

vanmol's avatar
vanmol
Explorer
Dec 15, 2015

Wanna help out a 75 yr old virgin?

HEY!!!!!Ignore all my previous questions. Nope---no RV--I'm gonna rent a convertable and will need a hotel room for 6 or 7 nights in and around Utah. Is it neccessary to prebook hotel rooms in September or can I get a room where ever I decide to stop for the night? Because it is the end of the season I would think the vacancy rate would be in my favor. Frank


Yep! I have never been RV en. Will be renting a class B 21 ft van in Las Vegas next year. My main concern at this time is the use, maintenance and emptying of toilet tanks. Water tank 21G--Grey ( is this for licquid waste?) 15G and Black (solid waste?) 11G. Nowmal use by two adults during an 8 day trip. Just how often would these tanks need to be refilled and purged?
Once I get comfortable with this chore I am sure to be back asking for more help from you good people. Thanks Frank

Thank you all for your advise and community spirit. Would you believe that I may be renting a convertiable instead. The wife and I are concerned about the need to reserve the RV so far in advance. The cancellation policies of these companies is very strict and costly which requires an additiional expenditure of about $400 for travel insurance and if you need it you still lose money on the deal. The cost of the car rental, motel and food would only be a few hundred dollars more and travelling in that enviornment with the top down should be visually stimulating. Again, thanks for you input. Frank
  • RVcircus's avatar
    RVcircus
    Explorer II
    Dec 15, 2015
    The difficulty of emptying the tanks is often exaggerated. The jobs not that difficult and not that dirty.

    Let the tanks fill and empty the black tanks before the grey tank (the grey water will rinse the brown stuff out of the hose). Keep an eye on the gauges as they don't always work. The tub will backup first.

    Wear rubber gloves when emptying and keep a separate water hose dedicated to use for rinsing anything that attaches to those dirty holes or is used in the emptying process. I keep anything I use when emptying the tanks separate from anything fresh water related.

    Don't worry too much about it and enjoy the trip!
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    Dec 15, 2015
    Most RVs come with gauges that show some hint of how full the tanks are. Typically these are quite imprecise--fullish, 2/3 ish, 1/3 ish, and emptyish. The fresh water tank gauge usually works pretty reliably. The black water gauge is often prone to showing too high of a level due to the level sensors getting junk on them. The gray water gauge is somewhere in between in terms of reliability, but probably more on the reliable side than the unreliable side.

    At any rate, while many old-timers here don't lend much credence to these gauges, they can be rather handy for figuring out your first few fills and dumps. On many RVs, too, it's a straight shot down from the toilet to the black tank, and you can scrutinize the level to some degree by peering down the toilet with a flashlight.

    How frequent you'll need to do these things depends on how much water you use, which can vary a good bit from person to person. Showering and dishwashing are the biggest water consumers, typically.
  • Traveler_II's avatar
    Traveler_II
    Explorer
    Dec 15, 2015
    At home when you flush your toilet you get one or more gallons of water, not so with an RV. Add some water when you flush and you won’t have a problem, it’s not the fun part of RVing, but it’s not all that bad. My wife and I retired 17 years ago and we’ve been traveling all over the place and really do love the RV lifestyle.
    Enjoy
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    Dec 15, 2015
    Gray depends on how long your showers are, and if you do dishes. I do both, and that size tank would last me about 2 days. Absolutely do not skimp on water when pooping.
  • DutchStar38's avatar
    DutchStar38
    Explorer
    Dec 15, 2015
    We empty both black & gray tanks daily when on full hookup. In addition, I always ensure there is some water in the black tank after I empty it. That helps keep things from sticking to the bottom. Emptying daily may seem excessive but it doesn't hurt. Empty black tank 1st then close valve and empty gray tank then close valve. The gray water helps to sorta clean the hose.
  • ChooChooMan74's avatar
    ChooChooMan74
    Explorer
    Dec 15, 2015
    Use plenty of water. If you are at a full hookup, keep the black tank closed, and only empty when full.
  • donn0128's avatar
    donn0128
    Explorer II
    Dec 15, 2015
    Gray tank will be sink and shower water. Black tank refers to toilet water.
    As for emptying? Empty when full. That can mean three days to over a week. Since this is a holding tank, you want to be sure nothing goes down there that does not break down in water easily. Wet wipes are one major NONO.

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