Dump Station Etiquette???

Someone mentioned putting a Water Thief onto the non-potable water hose (which usually has no fitting at all on the end of the hose -- it's just bare rubber). One end of the Water Thief is a slip fitting, which goes over the bare rubber end, and the other end is threaded (and can thus be screwed into your black water rinse port).

A Water Thief is a great idea. But be careful when turning on the faucet for the rinse water. If you turn it on too fast and too hard, the back-pressure will blow the Water Thief off of the bare rubber end of the rinse hose, which will whip around like a wounded rattlesnake and will spray everyone with refreshing non-potable water.

Please do not ask how I learned this valuable lesson.

Maybe it's already been said up above, but if so, I'll repeat ... if sitting in a line waiting to dump, with others behind me, I'll take that time to prep - get the hose out, fittings, gloves, etc and stage either on the tailgate or on the ground near the dump pad. That way others aren't waiting on me to get ready ... I'm ready to hook up and dump when it's my turn. After dumping and rinsing, I'll pull ahead for the next guy, and put my stuff away while out of the way.

Prior to @ 2010 or so, the vast majority of RVs left the factories without tank flushing contraptions. If you wanted such a gizmo, you added it yourself. Most never bothered to do so. I wonder how everyone survived without them? They work really great ( not sure at what as many are mounted to spray against the gravity flow of the tank outlet) until the cheap plastic anti siphon valve, typically buried in a cabinet somewhere does not seat, and you're mopping up the puddle on the floor. Then not so much.

akcorr wrote:
Picking up our first trailer next month and doing the rounds on youtube on how to empty you black tank. Question for you guys: Are you allowed to rinse the tank after emptying when you are at the station or is that frowned upon?

If they have a non potable water hose with a hose fitting on the end that's not been run over........I hook that up to the sani-flush while the black tank is draining. I turn it on soon as it hooked up so it gets a start on the rinse. Then when the black appears to be draining just flush water, I close the black valve, I open the gray water. When the gray is done, I close it and open the black tank to dump the flush water. This usually doesn't hold anyone up. But usually the non potable water hose either has no end or it's been run over.

If there is no line I'll rinse the black tank and the hose. However some dumpstations don't have a hose fitting. I can usually stick the hose in my fitting and it rinses the tank that way. You can also get a fitting called a "water thief"? This will let you cla,p it onto a hose and then you can attach it to the RV fitting.

I don't have anything new to add but hope you'll take the majority advice and not rinse and diddle when others are waiting. Don't be selfish. Be prepared for all sorts of nutballs at the dump station. I was behind a Bubba once who just opened the valve and let-r-rip. No hose. I pulled out of line, dumped at the next stop.

I agree with the idea of not holding up the line -- but that unwritten rule is one of the reasons that I got a Flojet macerator to use at home. That way, I can rinse as long as I want, and no one is inconvenienced.

Tvov wrote:
Yes, dump-rinse-go if a line behind you. If you are alone, YES thoroughly rinse the tanks.

Yes, you don't have to rinse the tanks every time.... EXCEPT if it is mid summer and you camper will be sitting for weeks / months until the next trip. I am able to rinse my tanks on my property, so if we aren't going out again for a couple or more weeks I thoroughly rinse and sanitize the black tank. In mid-August, that black tank, even though quickly "rinsed" at a dump station, can very much stink up the camper.

If you need to really rinse out and sanitize the tanks, in Connecticut a lot of the state parks that have dump stations (not many do, you need to check in advance) will allow you to dump and rinse to your heart's content for the price of one overnight campsite. Yea, it is expensive, but if you need to do it.... I have had to do that a couple times for various reasons - the nice thing about that is if you can go to the dump station in the middle of the week when it is empty you can take all the time you want.

A lot of private campgrounds will allow you to dump and rinse, usually for 1/2 the price of a campsite - but can vary greatly so call ahead and check.

We usually wait to dump when leaving on a Sunday afternoon until the last minute. We've found that most people have breakfast, packup, and go to the dump station - everyone seems to arrive at the same time. Yes, you can go first thing in the morning, but I like to have a leisurely breakfast. If you wait until the last minute usually the dump line is small or empty, not always, but usually.

Also, when dumping when there is a long line, don't start dumping and then go sit in your truck or camper. I usually hang out by the tank, checking constantly for when it is done, so I can rinse the line quickly and get going. Think about when or if you are waiting in line to dump, and the person dumping is nowhere to be seen for awhile. Just a small thing, but if people behind you see you there doing "something", it can be a little less annoying to wait.

If you really need to take the time to rinse (long distance camping trip, camper going into storage, etc) tell the person waiting behind you. Grumpy people can be just grumpy, but at least you let them know it will be a little extra time - and if they see you "working" (as I say above) instead of relaxing in your camper it may make them a bit more understanding.

These are tips and ideas coming from me. You will figure out your own routine, and experience your own adventures at the dump station.

Then you also can come back here and tell dump station stories!

I like that advice. Its like when the boss is walking around the shop. grab a wrench and it looks like your doing something. You just need a "prop" lol. Act busy!

Most tank drains are in the side of tank. So if it is a 3 inch whole by the time the waste is inch and half deep, the rate of flow is half what it was to start. And no matter how much is in the tank it takes the same time to mess with the hose. So the time to drain a full tank not a lot longer than half tank. And most want MT fresh tank to go home. I wonder if while packing up you pump water into the waste tanks, reducing the concertation of the nasty in the tank it would not reduce the need to rinse?

Yes, dump-rinse-go if a line behind you. If you are alone, YES thoroughly rinse the tanks.

Yes, you don't have to rinse the tanks every time.... EXCEPT if it is mid summer and you camper will be sitting for weeks / months until the next trip. I am able to rinse my tanks on my property, so if we aren't going out again for a couple or more weeks I thoroughly rinse and sanitize the black tank. In mid-August, that black tank, even though quickly "rinsed" at a dump station, can very much stink up the camper.

If you need to really rinse out and sanitize the tanks, in Connecticut a lot of the state parks that have dump stations (not many do, you need to check in advance) will allow you to dump and rinse to your heart's content for the price of one overnight campsite. Yea, it is expensive, but if you need to do it.... I have had to do that a couple times for various reasons - the nice thing about that is if you can go to the dump station in the middle of the week when it is empty you can take all the time you want.

A lot of private campgrounds will allow you to dump and rinse, usually for 1/2 the price of a campsite - but can vary greatly so call ahead and check.

We usually wait to dump when leaving on a Sunday afternoon until the last minute. We've found that most people have breakfast, packup, and go to the dump station - everyone seems to arrive at the same time. Yes, you can go first thing in the morning, but I like to have a leisurely breakfast. If you wait until the last minute usually the dump line is small or empty, not always, but usually.

Also, when dumping when there is a long line, don't start dumping and then go sit in your truck or camper. I usually hang out by the tank, checking constantly for when it is done, so I can rinse the line quickly and get going. Think about when or if you are waiting in line to dump, and the person dumping is nowhere to be seen for awhile. Just a small thing, but if people behind you see you there doing "something", it can be a little less annoying to wait.

If you really need to take the time to rinse (long distance camping trip, camper going into storage, etc) tell the person waiting behind you. Grumpy people can be just grumpy, but at least you let them know it will be a little extra time - and if they see you "working" (as I say above) instead of relaxing in your camper it may make them a bit more understanding.

These are tips and ideas coming from me. You will figure out your own routine, and experience your own adventures at the dump station.

Then you also can come back here and tell dump station stories!