Beginner sewer question.

[DCamp84]

Hey guys. Just picked up my first camper. Gearing up for the maiden voyage. The site I booked has full hook ups water/electric/sewer. Question I have is when hooked up to the sewer for the duration of the trip, do you guys keep your black tank open the entire time so it runs right out immediately after use or do you keep it closed and empty it every couple days or so. Thank you!

[azjeffh]

Our last trailer didn't have a straight drop to the black tank so a wand would have been of no help. While the Flush King was better than nothing, it used a lot of water to accomplish the task.

Mush happier now that we have tank sprayers.

[laknox]

DCamp84 wrote:

laknox wrote:
One thing nobody has mentioned, and I can't find in the specs, if this rig has a black tank flush. If so, then it makes more sense to leave the grey tank open, if you want to. For me, I hook up my hose, turn the flush on for about a minute (if not real full), then dump the black, while leaving the flush running. When it's done, I close the valve and leave the flush running for about 5 minutes, maybe longer (have 45 gal capacity), then dump again, then repeat. Use the grey water afterwards to rinse the hose. If you =don't= have a built-in black tank flush, then it might be smart to get, or make, a wand that you use to do the same thing, but from the toilet. Just need to be d@mn careful when you do this, though. 😮

Lyle

I have a clear elbow with a flush hose hook up built in to it. Do you think thats good enough or is the wand a must?

The wand is handy to have (hell, you can =make= one from PVC, some fittings, nozzles and a drill) for when you get the dreaded poop pile (there's got to be a Monty Python routine there, somewhere) and need to bust it up. I've never had, or used, one of the clear elbows, but a lot of people swear by them. The elbows don't really have the power of a wand or installed flush system, only give you the ability to add lots of water to rinse the tank. A wand gives you the "power wash" you might need to break up hard stuff, especially if your tank ever dries out.

Lyle

[dedmiston]

Our first trailer didn't come with a black flush connection, so we installed the Quickie Flush. It worked like a champ. If I had it to do over again, I would ditch the extension hose that came with it and just use their hardware and a longer line from Home Depot. The length was pretty tight and it barely reached to the street side of the trailer with the rest of the connections. That caused a kink on the cub side and I had to be careful to not use too much pressure or else that line would pop off and spray all over the place.

That was a great mod/upgrade though. I'll never own another RV without a black tank flush.

[DSteiner51]

DCamp84 wrote:
another thing. I am reading through my owners manual but the **** thing is so vague. Its like it was written for every keystone in general and not my model specifically. I cannot locate where it tells me exactly how big my tanks are, fresh, gray or black. Would anyone know where I'd find this or would even maybe know the tank specs for a 2011 Keystone copper canyon 5'er 273fwret. I have and led gauge in the kitchen area that tells me E, 1/2 or F. But I'd like to know how many gallons each tank is.

2011/copper-canyon/273fwret

[BarneyS]

DCamp84 wrote:

I have a clear elbow with a flush hose hook up built in to it. Do you think thats good enough or is the wand a must?

If it looks like this one then it is just about useless. There is no way to keep the water up in the tank. It will shoot water up there for a few seconds (if you have a straight shot into the tank) and then when the stuff starts coming back out it becomes useless.


Instead of that one, get a Flush King that is about the same except it has a valve to close that lets you force the water into the tank until it is as full as you want.


Neither of these is as effective as the wand down the toilet however. I have used just about all the available devices and have found the best is the wand down the toilet.
Hope this helps.
Barney

[DCamp84]

laknox wrote:
One thing nobody has mentioned, and I can't find in the specs, if this rig has a black tank flush. If so, then it makes more sense to leave the grey tank open, if you want to. For me, I hook up my hose, turn the flush on for about a minute (if not real full), then dump the black, while leaving the flush running. When it's done, I close the valve and leave the flush running for about 5 minutes, maybe longer (have 45 gal capacity), then dump again, then repeat. Use the grey water afterwards to rinse the hose. If you =don't= have a built-in black tank flush, then it might be smart to get, or make, a wand that you use to do the same thing, but from the toilet. Just need to be d@mn careful when you do this, though. 😮

Lyle

I have a clear elbow with a flush hose hook up built in to it. Do you think thats good enough or is the wand a must?

[DCamp84]

Me Again wrote:
Here is the routine I have developed over many snowbird winters.

1. Get a clear sight adapter and put it between the trailer and the sewer hose.
2. I leave the black tank closed for a week at a time. Grey tanks open.
3. I form a pee trap in the sewer hose with a couple boards, one 2x and a 4x4.
4. To dump and flush, I remove the pee trap boards.
5. Close the grey water tanks.
6. Open the black water tank and turn on the hose to the built in flush system.
7. Watch the sight tube until I am down to just hose water coming out.
8. Go inside and do two full bowl super flushes. "Bomb the Pile!" Note: Full bowl means filling the bowl to the bottom of the upper rim.
9. Go back outside and view discharge.
10. Close the black water tank and run the flush water in for four(4) minutes. Do not let anyone distract you at this point.
11. Open and drain and repeat 10 again.
12. Flush a bit and verify that you have nice clear water coming out of the tank. If not go back to step 8 and start again.
13. When you have nice clear discharge, put the pee trap boards back the sewer line and fill the pee trap.
14. Close the black water tank and add about a minute worth of water to the tank with the flush hose.
15. Secure the flush hose. I have a little inline valve adapter at the side of the trailer and the other end gets turned off.
16. Open the grey water tanks and go add your chemical to the tank.

I have had the burping a couple of times, however the super flushes seem to have fixed that issue.

Having piles in not good!!

Chris

Great write up! Thank you!

[austinjenna]

For me, I hook up my hose, turn the flush on for about a minute (if not real full), then dump the black, while leaving the flush running. When it's done, I close the valve and leave the flush running for about 5 minutes, maybe longer (have 45 gal capacity), then dump again, then repeat. Use the grey water afterwards to rinse the hose

This is my method as well. I leave all valves closed until ready to dump.

[Coach-man]

First, what is the name of these devices that hold the waste? They are called "HOLDING" tanks, they are designed, and engineered to HOLD there contents until full, then flushed! That goes for both the grey and black HOLDING tanks! When preparing food, and washing dishes, solids will get into the tank, the same logic for black tanks hold true for the grey tanks as well! And the grey tanks can smell worst than the black one! Use the grey to flush out the line after dumping the black tank, and you will be happy. Use plenty of water when flushing, I know we have all been told to save water, but in an RV you need to use enough water, not only to flush, but to ensure you don't get a build up in the black tank! A couple of posts back Ron gave some good info, except I have to disagree with one thing he said! ½ cup dishwashing detergent, before leaving, that is way to much detergent! And it will result in soap scum build up, that will effect the sensors. I use this method, after dumping both tanks, and using the rinse on the black tank, I make sure I have 5 - 7 gallons of hot water, I get this from the shower and fill a bucket, then I do the following, 1 bucket warm water, ½ cup calgon water softener, and 3 drops dawn dishwashing liquid. Flush this mixture down the toilet, break camp and go. As stated the drive will slosh the mixture and help clean the tank. No additives, ever needed, no Oder, no problems! Good luck!

[Bird_Freak]

I can tell a lot of folks here have never experienced sewer flies are they would never leave a tank valve open.

[laknox]

One thing nobody has mentioned, and I can't find in the specs, if this rig has a black tank flush. If so, then it makes more sense to leave the grey tank open, if you want to. For me, I hook up my hose, turn the flush on for about a minute (if not real full), then dump the black, while leaving the flush running. When it's done, I close the valve and leave the flush running for about 5 minutes, maybe longer (have 45 gal capacity), then dump again, then repeat. Use the grey water afterwards to rinse the hose. If you =don't= have a built-in black tank flush, then it might be smart to get, or make, a wand that you use to do the same thing, but from the toilet. Just need to be d@mn careful when you do this, though. 😮

Lyle

[Me_Again]

Here is the routine I have developed over many snowbird winters.

1. Get a clear sight adapter and put it between the trailer and the sewer hose.
2. I leave the black tank closed for a week at a time. Grey tanks open.
3. I form a pee trap in the sewer hose with a couple boards, one 2x and a 4x4.
4. To dump and flush, I remove the pee trap boards.
5. Close the grey water tanks.
6. Open the black water tank and turn on the hose to the built in flush system.
7. Watch the sight tube until I am down to just hose water coming out.
8. Go inside and do two full bowl super flushes. "Bomb the Pile!" Note: Full bowl means filling the bowl to the bottom of the upper rim.
9. Go back outside and view discharge.
10. Close the black water tank and run the flush water in for four(4) minutes. Do not let anyone distract you at this point.
11. Open and drain and repeat 10 again.
12. Flush a bit and verify that you have nice clear water coming out of the tank. If not go back to step 8 and start again.
13. When you have nice clear discharge, put the pee trap boards back the sewer line and fill the pee trap.
14. Close the black water tank and add about a minute worth of water to the tank with the flush hose.
15. Secure the flush hose. I have a little inline valve adapter at the side of the trailer and the other end gets turned off.
16. Open the grey water tanks and go add your chemical to the tank.

I have had the burping a couple of times, however the super flushes seem to have fixed that issue.

Having piles in not good!!

Chris

[Bird_Freak]

Every camper I have owned had a sticker with all the spec's on the back of a closet or cabinet door.

[MitchF150]

So I'm suppose to get out there and just wing it? lol. I'd like to at least have an idea of what I'm dealing with prior to a trip

Well, yes... That's how we all figured it out... How do we know what your potty and other water usage habits are? 😉

I know you don't know the size of your tanks, but they should be around 30 gallons at least each and then you just have to know how long you can go with your water usage you can go before dumping. No other way around it..

Some can go for a week or more. Some can't even go a day..

You probably fall someplace in between?

Good luck!