When you have hook ups for water and sewer:1)Do you hook up direct to the water system or fill your tanks and drain it down?2) Do you leave the sewer valves open or closed? What is the best way for it to properly drain?

Hook directly to the city water and don't bother with using your fresh water tank and pump. Always leave your valves closed until ready to dump the tanks especially the black tank. Sewer flies will invade your tanks and then they will get into the trailer every time you flush if you leave them open. Also, you don't want to dump your black tank until it is at least 3/4 full or full. Full is better because the solids need the water flow to be flushed out. If your unit has a tank flush fitting then use it too when dumping the tank. Solids will build up in the tank if you don't have enough water flow to get them out.

1. I use pressurized city water because it’s quiet. We mostly boondock and use our pump, so the quiet water is a treat. 2. Close your valves until you’re ready to dump.

Like the others, we use direct connected shore water when it's available. We also keep sufficient water in our on board fresh tank so we can boost the shower pressure when needed by turning on the pump. For longer stays, we leave the grey valve open with a water trap dip in the waste hose until a few days before departure. The black tank is dumped when it's near full, and at departure the stored grey water is used to flush out the hose.

swimmer_spe wrote:When you have hook ups for water and sewer:1)Do you hook up direct to the water system or fill your tanks and drain it down?2) Do you leave the sewer valves open or closed? What is the best way for it to properly drain?usually, no. there has been the odd occssion where we've had to do that, usually when temps unexpectedly dip below freezing for an extended time. leave your valves closed until it's time to dump. two reasons:1- leaving them open allows odors from the sewer to eacape through your "stink pipes" on the roof into the atmosphere. you and your neighbors won't appreciate that2- more importantly, leaving the black tank valve open allows the liquid waste to drain leaving much of the solids behind which will, over time, completely dry and form a rock hard pile many of us refer to as a "black pyramid". that will drastically reduce the capacity of your tank. when that happens you'll likely need professional help to clear it. in extreme cases the pyramid will completely block the tank from draining causimg a backup into the RV. we saw that occur in Terre Haute one year. it was not pretty.

Hooking up to water/sewer | Good Sam Community

ktmrfs
Explorer II
Jul 29, 2022
valhalla360 wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Be sure to have some water on board for travel day of if the Parks water goes down.

Good point...even if you aren't moving.

This spring we were pushing ahead of normal camp opening as soon as they had the water going. Then a week later, they had a system leak and shut it down for a few days.

It was a minor nuisance for us (just watching our consumption a bit). Friends who came in at the same time were struggling as they only had a couple gallon jugs that they would take up town. When we found out, we did let them borrow our 5 gal water jug.

or you get to a campsite where the water is potable, but not really something drinkable or useable because of the taste or minerals. Then it is nice to have a full tank of good water on hand.

And we have on multiple occasions been to campgrounds where storms took out power and water or had water system down for one reason or another. Again nice to have a full tank of water.

And finally, with a full tank of water, when we pull into a site, we level unhook, put out the slides, awning, and chairs and then sit down and relax. usually don't bother hooking up water or power till the next day at the earliest.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jul 29, 2022
$20 says OP doesn’t even reply to his seemingly inane question.
Michelle_S
Explorer III
Jul 29, 2022
Generally hook-up to city/park water, BUT not without a pressure reg.
All valve closed until they need emptying.
valhalla360
Navigator
Jul 29, 2022
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Be sure to have some water on board for travel day of if the Parks water goes down.

Good point...even if you aren't moving.

This spring we were pushing ahead of normal camp opening as soon as they had the water going. Then a week later, they had a system leak and shut it down for a few days.

It was a minor nuisance for us (just watching our consumption a bit). Friends who came in at the same time were struggling as they only had a couple gallon jugs that they would take up town. When we found out, we did let them borrow our 5 gal water jug.
AllegroD
Nomad
Jul 29, 2022
dedmiston wrote:
1. I use pressurized city water because it’s quiet.
2. Close your valves until you’re ready to dump.

Ditto!
We may also add water to the tank.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jul 29, 2022
Hook up and use domestic water. Be sure to have some water on board for travel day of if the Parks water goes down.

Grey leave open and double flush on "Service Sunday". Black leave closed and double flush on "Service Sunday".
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Jul 29, 2022
never used the city water input, just fill the fresh tank.
1) we always leave home with full fresh water tank, that way we have good potable soft water at the campsite, and if the campsite has hard water use an inline water softener.
2) by using fresh tank I know that my grey/black tanks won't be near full till I go through over 3 fresh tank fills
3) when we leave the trailer, pump goes off, while if hooked to city water one would need to turn off the city water, less convienient. yes, that's anal but i do know a few campers who have had water leaks with city water even with a real pressure regulator (watts pressure regulator).

Black/grey tanks stay closed till full. unless you have a dip in the sewer hose if the valves are open you have no p trap in the campground sewer line, can lead to sewer gas and smell around the trailer. And it avoides a poop pyramid.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Jul 28, 2022
I fill my fresh water tank and use the pump. I’ve seen an RV with interior burst water line. Thankfully it wasn’t mine.
JRscooby
Explorer II
Jul 28, 2022
1 modification Dad had me do when he was full time was add a drain about 3/4 up on the gray tank. Had 2 valves, could run threw a garden hose bib, to drain in bushes, or tie back in, drain thru stinky slinky. He would seldom leave the slinky out in weather, store it after dump black.
By opening 1 valve, letting the top 1/4 of grey drain, and always had plenty to push black out when that tank got full.
dedmiston
Moderator
Jul 28, 2022
Same here with the gray. It really depends on how long I'm staying at that spot. If I'm just there for a few nights, then I leave it shut out of laziness.

And somebody else mentioned shutting off the fresh water valve at the spigot when leaving for the day. I do that too if we're going to be gone for a long time. It feels superstitious, especially since I never do that with the pump when we're boondocking.

So many of our rituals feel like the actions of superstitious natives, especially throwing chemical tabs down the toilet like virgins into a volcano. I quit that one years ago.