Question about the Brown Pyramid of death

[Biggyniner]

Hi All,

Since I'm new to all of this I was hoping to get some advice regarding full hookup sites.

I was always under the impression that if I had full hookups I could just leave my valves open. After reading about how the liquids will run off and the solids will remain behind I realize that, that is a bad idea.

So my question is what is the point of full hookups? Most of the State Parks here in Oregon say to not dump a full tank at the site sewer connection but instead at the dump station. What do you all do?

[Biggyniner]

chilibean wrote:
I have camped at Ft. Stevens my entire life, so I know what you are talking about. We believe the warning is there to try to keep all in the park from dumping at once on a Sunday when everyone leaves during the peak times. We Oregonians get a rather short camping season, so for three months of the year that campground is full. It is a very old park, so probably not the best pipe system either, but that is only a guess on my part. All that being said, if we have a FHU, we dump at the site. We no longer camp there at peak season anymore though. We always go after the kiddies get back in school. Much quieter and less crowded. Our state Parks are a bit laid back, and we find that as long as we are behaving ourselves, and not taking too much advantage of the niceties, the park is mostly OK with dumping at the site.

This makes sense, I am not going to worry about it. We usually only camp there during the off season as well. During peak times its a little too crowded for us.

[Biggyniner]

olympicman wrote:
Having camped at Carl G Washburn State Park on the Oregon Coast several times. I have learned not to save my black tank and try to dump it at the camp site as there hook-ups are not very air tight and have had overflow problems, YUK!! They are not open at the top, but open to the side. I bring my tank stuff home with me to dump or dump at the designated dump station.
Bill

Good to know I will keep that in mind for that park

[sowego]

Biggyniner wrote:
Hi All,

Since I'm new to all of this I was hoping to get some advice regarding full hookup sites.

I was always under the impression that if I had full hookups I could just leave my valves open. After reading about how the liquids will run off and the solids will remain behind I realize that, that is a bad idea.

So my question is what is the point of full hookups? Most of the State Parks here in Oregon say to not dump a full tank at the site sewer connection but instead at the dump station. What do you all do?

The point of full hook-ups is so you can dump at anytime and any amount you want to. Yet, if you are at a site that does not want you to dump a whole tank at one time...it's easy, just dump part of the tank, the close the valve, then open it again...as many times as you feel is needed.

If you feel you have a build up...just fill the black tank with water, add 1 cup of liquid dish detergent and let it sit, preferably going for a nice long ride then try dumping to see if the water runs clear. Repeat as often as you like.

The optimal plan is to have and use an onboard tank washing system which will allow you to completely flush the tank after each dump.

I fully suggest doing this with the gray tank too.I also agree that the gray tank valve should not be left open all of the time. Dump it the same as you would with the black tank (when close to full) Even though dish, shower and hand washing water do not have a lot of "solid material" it does contain sticky soaps and some bits of food which may also build up in your tank.

[Cube58]

two-niner wrote:
I believe Fort Stevens has a high water table. Best guess the drain field can't handle it, or hasn't been able to in the past.

It is a rational solution to (I think) their problem.

Not a common situation, but not unheard of. (SW FL seawalls)

Kerry

Ugh!! Don't Drink The Water if that is true.

[chilibean]

I have camped at Ft. Stevens my entire life, so I know what you are talking about. We believe the warning is there to try to keep all in the park from dumping at once on a Sunday when everyone leaves during the peak times. We Oregonians get a rather short camping season, so for three months of the year that campground is full. It is a very old park, so probably not the best pipe system either, but that is only a guess on my part. All that being said, if we have a FHU, we dump at the site. We no longer camp there at peak season anymore though. We always go after the kiddies get back in school. Much quieter and less crowded. Our state Parks are a bit laid back, and we find that as long as we are behaving ourselves, and not taking too much advantage of the niceties, the park is mostly OK with dumping at the site.

[Bobbo]

Road Dog wrote:
Never leave the gray tank valve open! You can get backwardation of sewer gas and bacteria traveling into your gray tank in addition to sewer flys! Yuck!

Ummm, I always put a "U" trap in my stinky slinky when doing this. Works just like a "P" trap under your sink.

Get a BIG rock. Run the hose straight down to the ground, up over the rock, then back down to the ground. The "U" made by the hose going up and over the rock holds water for a seal.

Be sure the rock is big enough to be over the top of the sewer hose.

[two-niner]

I believe Fort Stevens has a high water table. Best guess the drain field can't handle it, or hasn't been able to in the past.

It is a rational solution to (I think) their problem.

Not a common situation, but not unheard of. (SW FL seawalls)

Kerry

[olympicman]

Having camped at Carl G Washburn State Park on the Oregon Coast several times. I have learned not to save my black tank and try to dump it at the camp site as there hook-ups are not very air tight and have had overflow problems, YUK!! They are not open at the top, but open to the side. I bring my tank stuff home with me to dump or dump at the designated dump station.
Bill

[skipnchar]

OP wrote:
I assuming because this may overload the site connections. I think they want you to leave your tank valves open instead of dump full tanks all at once at the sites..

That would be ONE very good reason to camp elsewhere. Your campground should NEVER put your operating systems in danger with what is clearly THEIR problem (unless it's a temporary issue waiting on repairs)

[rgatijnet1]

Since we travel a lot in the Winter in freezing temps, I never even hook up our sewer hose until it is time to empty our tanks. For the wife and I, we can usually go 5 days or so before we need to empty our holding tanks and fill our fresh water tank. This has the advantage of keeping fluid in the holding tanks long enough to soften all solids so that the tanks drain completely. It also means that for this somewhat unpleasant task, I only have to do it every five days or so.

[wrvond]

Road Dog wrote:
Never leave the gray tank valve open! You can get backwardation of sewer gas and bacteria traveling into your gray tank in addition to sewer flys! Yuck!

Exactly. Leaving your valves sitting open is just an open invitation for whatever nasties are in the sewer system to enter your camper.
I only open them to let stuff out, then close after flushing.

[Road_Dog]

Never leave the gray tank valve open! You can get backwardation of sewer gas and bacteria traveling into your gray tank in addition to sewer flys! Yuck!

[Bobbo]

FHU site is so you can dump before pulling out. You don't have to stop again at the dump station. Dump and rinse at your convenience without worrying about whether someone else is waiting.

Of course, you CAN leave the gray tank valve open. Be sure to close it a day or 2 before dumping the black tank so you have enough rinse water.

[dad4papa2]

I always keep both my grey and black closed while camping. I try to dump grey every 3 days. Only takes a minute to do it. I leave my Black tank close and only dump just before leaving unless i'm on an extended stay. I also have a flush out on my black tank so I keep a seperate host to hook up to the water system and fill the black tank with the flush out line. This works well.

If you do not have one installed from factory in your tank they have at camper parts and sales a tool that you can hook onto a hose and open the stool up and stick it down the stool. Fill the black tank that way and then dump. It works pretty well. My son uses one of these and it keeps his black tank clean. It has sprayers on it to spray in different directions so be sure to get it into the stool all the way.

Hope this helps a bit.

Dad