When to Dump??

happybooker1 wrote:
This has been beat to death, but here I go anyway....

I know it's recommended to dump ONLY when the Black Tank is full. However, we do so little camping during the school year and it's only me or me/son a weekend here and there, it might literally be 4 MONTHS before the tank gets full.

I do be sure we use plenty of water.

If you are going periodically (not very often), then I would do as others stated...fill the tank up with water and dump. While you might think you are ok and will be camping again soon, things change...trips get canceled. We dump before going home, no matter when the next trip is. If we are going to another campground, then no, move on and dump when necessary or before heading home.

NekkidFish wrote:
Such great information on this forum!!

The dumping question is really moot, but what concerns me is all the advice to add or fill with fresh water. If using sufficient water to flush the stool, no added water need be added, or should the tank be "flushed" after every dumping, once a quarter should be sufficient.

K3WE wrote:

People on this forum have a strange addiction to "rules of thumb"....

They also have a strange addiction to poop

dave54 wrote:
...I wonder where the old wives tale about not dumping until full started. Someone read it on the internet so it must be true?

@#%@%#~!

It's not a wives tale!

It's better to dump a fuller tank!

Trying to get the tank kind of full for a "forceful flush out" does not make you a nut job!

That being said, telling a newbie he ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT dump a small load after a short trip OR ELSE...

No foul on someone asking, there's lots of RV rules, some of them probably need to be followed more strictly, and some not so strictly.

I can smell when it gets about 2/3 full. My nose seems to work better than the sensor. So we dump when we first detect the odor, or we know we are not going to be using it for several weeks.

I wonder where the old wives tale about not dumping until full started. Someone read it on the internet so it must be true?

revump wrote:
We dump the grey tank every 5 days and both tanks every 10 days. We usually have to fill fresh water every 5 days.

Our schedule is different.

Are we doing something wrong?

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
I have been camping in TT'ers for over 45 years.

I have dumped when full, dumped when used 1 day and everything in between. I have NEVER had any problems; EVER. 95% of the time we just use the trailer for 1 day and when I pull into a campground with full hookups I dump.

I don't know where this odd idea came from that you can only dump when full. It's just bull pucky.

I mean really, think about it. It's just a container; nothing more, nothing less. I may run 5 or 10 gallons of water in the tank and then I pull the handle.

The way some people on here make it sound it's like your trailer is going to explode if you dump without your tank being full. :R

Excellent post!

People on this forum have a strange addiction to "rules of thumb" as though they are etched on by the hand of God on Moses' stone tablets and love to make absolute statements.

Sure, having a fuller tank makes for a better flush out and you generally don't want to simply leave the black valve open...

But bingo, If you need to dump the tank dump the tank, even if it's got one use in it, and if you can put a slug of water in it before you dump, that's good too...

Indeed the trailer is not likely to explode, nor is it likely to suffer a clog.

Such great information on this forum!!

We dump the grey tank every 5 days and both tanks every 10 days. We usually have to fill fresh water every 5 days.

one thing if you don't dump the water in the tank will eventually dry up some and then you have caked on black in the tank and then you have a real bad problem. believe me, I would rather take the time to dump than let the tank go to a solid state.