Dumping at Campgrounds and Flushing Black Water Tank Too

[JohnnyE_]

I've been reading some of the posts about flushing your black water tank. Has anyone taken the time to dump the black water (with a line of other RVers behind them) and then refill their black water tank and flush it? The dump site doesn't have a hose nozzle so you'd have to fill the black water tank by flushing the toilet.

[Veebyes]

For whatever good it does, it is rather satisfying to give the tank a really good rinsing every so often.

We put our 5er away for a 2 month rest today. Spent last night at a nearby SP. Only 4 others were there & 2 of them left before us this morning. Must have spent 1/2 hour at the dump rinsing away. AHHHHH! Put a couple gallons in to slosh around & stay while we are away. All should be nice & clean & ready for the next extended trip.

[pegpeg]

Light bulb!
Thats why the level lights still say full, after dumping!
Good grief!

[wbwood]

pegpeg wrote:
Newbie here!

I did not know you should flush the black water tank after dumping it? I have just dumped and cleaned out the hose. What is the purpose of flushing the black water tank?
Peg:E

Sometimes things don't flush as you would hope. Or you think everything is gone. Get a clear connector and hook it up next time you are at a fhu site. Dump the black tank. Refill it back up and dump. Is it clear? I doubt it. Does it matter? Guess it depends on the owner. I'm not going to tell someone they don't need to do something if it doesn't hurt anyone else or causing unjust delay.

[pegpeg]

Thanks for the info! Had to laugh at cleaning the tank to store food in it. Very funny! I do always put water back in,:B a gallon or so with the odor tabs.
I do not like the big lines at camp grounds, but as some one suggested the best times to go are after check out or early. The last time I camped I went the day before I checked out. Used the campgounds bathroom or a bucket!
Happy dumping!
Peg

[scottz]

pegpeg wrote:
Newbie here!

I did not know you should flush the black water tank after dumping it? I have just dumped and cleaned out the hose. What is the purpose of flushing the black water tank?
Peg:E

Beats me! Putting a gallon of water in your black tank after emptying it will keep it nice and clean. No need to flush it. I don't even clean the hose as flushing the gray tank does this.

[paulcardoza]

I believe some folks try to store food in their black tank, since they are so obsessed about having it squeaky clean. 😛

I flush mine every 4 - 5 dumps, when I feel like doing it. If you use plenty of water and dump when 3/4+ full, you really don't have to worry about this, to the extent that so many do.

pegpeg wrote:
Newbie here!

I did not know you should flush the black water tank after dumping it? I have just dumped and cleaned out the hose. What is the purpose of flushing the black water tank?
Peg:E

[pegpeg]

Newbie here!

I did not know you should flush the black water tank after dumping it? I have just dumped and cleaned out the hose. What is the purpose of flushing the black water tank?
Peg:E

[Mr_Beebo]

Does the fact that they paid less mean they must be forced to wait in line?

No one is forced to wait in line. If you are a weekend camper, the "rush hour" is normally mid to late morning Sunday. You can choose to leave at the crack of dawn, or like us, sit and enjoy the last few hours and leave about 30 minutes before checkout. It is usually pretty deserted by then.

My lesson learned was leaving a SP a few years ago during a mass exodus and falling into a line for the dump station. At least 15-20 RVs on a steep grade behind one slow as cold molasses guy. 92F @ 10 a.m. Guy did a tank dump, then a flush, disappeared inside, came out and popped the hood on his TV, checking fluids, belts, etc. Opened his cargo hatch and unloaded tool boxes and******looking for something. Folks behind him are congregating along the road, a few going up and asking if he needs help. "No, I'm fine." There was nearly a riot. Long story longer, it was almost an hour to dump, but it was my choice to leave then, get in line and wait my turn.

[K3WE]

westernrvparkowner wrote:
...The people in the full hookup sites with on site sewers will have paid more for that full hookup site than the people in the water and electric only sites in almost all parks...

The people in the full hookup paid to have the sewer availalbe for the whole time they are camping.

The people in the electric-only paid less and agreed to the 'inconvienince' of pulling up to a pipe in the ground elsewhere, to spend 5 min and dump.

Does it really matter if that pipe is called "dump station" or called "site 23" if they dump and go? They are still enduring the inconveinice. They are not taking advantage of having full hook ups for 24 hours.

Does the fact that they paid less mean they must be forced to wait in line?

[Veebyes]

Avoid the line. Leave a little later than the rush at the dump. Do a quick dump at a vacated FHU site. If I have to deal with a line at the dump it is a quick dump & go which can be done in < 5 minutes with a system that does not need to have the hose taken out of some storage place & hooked up, then put away.

Hate it when there are dawdlers at the dump who go through the same slow routine no matter how many are waiting behind them. If you are gonna be slow, dump later after the crowd.

[Roads_Less_Trav]

We find the easiest and fastest way to do a flush of the black tank is to dump a 5-gallon bucket of water down the toilet at the end of the black water flush... dislodges all the solids under the toilet.

If there's a line at the dump, we do just one bucket and go (I'm inside waiting with the bucket til I hear my hubby tap on the wall).

If there's no line, we do a second and sometimes a third bucket -- until the water runs clean (we have a clear plastic elbow on our sewer hose).

[Mocoondo]

JC2 wrote:

I agree.:S If you dump your tanks when they are properly full, nothing else will usually be needed except on rare occasions to keep them in good working order. They aren't supposed to be sparkling clean. One of the biggest problems of rvers is their lack of "consistant" preventive maintenance of their rigs.

Sadly, this is so true.

Based upon my observations over the years, those who obsess over whether a little piece of corn is in the far left corner of the black tank are the same owners who neglect consistent maintenance...probably because they are too busy obsessing over some part of their coach that they can't even see! :S

[JC2]

Mocoondo wrote:
It's a DUMP station, not a FLUSH station or any other kind of station. Pull the valves open, send your******down the hole and be on your way. Save all this goofy flushing and other rituals for when you are on your own time.

I agree.:S If you dump your tanks when they are properly full, nothing else will usually be needed except on rare occasions to keep them in good working order. They aren't supposed to be sparkling clean. One of the biggest problems of rvers is their lack of "consistant" preventive maintenance of their rigs. It will come back everytime and bite you in the butt later on.

[Mocoondo]

It's a DUMP station, not a FLUSH station or any other kind of station. Pull the valves open, send your******down the hole and be on your way. Save all this goofy flushing and other rituals for when you are on your own time.