RV-Dump parking sloping the wrong way

Everyone has their own challenges in dealing with poorly designed dump stations. I have never seen anyone using leveling jacks to compensate for slope. If I were in line behind somebody taking up time trying to get the last drop out I would not be very pleased.

I often have to wonder if the designer of the dump area has ever seen a RV let alone used one. Dumps are often anything but level. They slope forward. They slope to the rear. They slope left & right. They are put in a turn making it difficult if not impossible to get where your discharge close to the dump. Not everyone has the same system with detatchable hoses. Some have a system where the hose is permanently connected & additional hose cannot be used.

Everywhere I dump is not quite the right way. I have enough slope to the bottom of my tanks that it isn't a problem.

I have more trouble with the fact that the dump stations are surrounded by gravel. When unhooking the hose, after dumping, there is always a few drops of liquid that escapes. After awhile the gravel near the dump station becomes a wet hole.

Kinda gross really if you think about it.

spoon059 wrote:

hedgehopper wrote:
Why are we concerned about getting a complete dump?

When we are on the road, dump stations are sometimes hard to find. When we do not get a complete dump, we have to look for another dump station a day or two sooner than we would have if we had gotten a complete dump. We would rather spend our time traveling, not looking for dump stations and dumping.

Unless you are dumping on the side of a mountain, I can't imagine that you are leaving more than 5 gallons of water inside your tanks. How small are your tanks? Mine are 46 gallons. I can go 2 weeks before I "have" to dump my black tank, and that's a family of 4...

You've taught your family well on how to use an RV toilet system. We've taught our grandkids and we can stretch and bring back a lot of fresh water too.

SDcampowneroperator wrote:
NFPA 1194 is a guideline for design and construction. It does not address other issues such as storm water, splillage as those issues are the authority of the local AHJ.
in my experience and how we built our station is the space the camper is on is level, no curb, but the concrete dump basin is an inch or so higher than camper space, so no excessive storm water can drain into the dump basin.
If a spill should happen outside the basin, its channeled to storm drain.

Also, that sounds like a standard for the actual sewer connection area. Not the pad where vehicles travel.

hedgehopper wrote:
Why are we concerned about getting a complete dump?

When we are on the road, dump stations are sometimes hard to find. When we do not get a complete dump, we have to look for another dump station a day or two sooner than we would have if we had gotten a complete dump. We would rather spend our time traveling, not looking for dump stations and dumping.

Unless you are dumping on the side of a mountain, I can't imagine that you are leaving more than 5 gallons of water inside your tanks. How small are your tanks? Mine are 46 gallons. I can go 2 weeks before I "have" to dump my black tank, and that's a family of 4...

RVing since 1975. Believe me, there is no shortage of "Polish Sewer" hookups across the US and Canada. Been there, done that scenario! It is the same old story, somebody building something that is totally clueless.

I only recall once in many years of RV'ing that I ended up at a dump station with enough reverse slope to overcome the bottom slope of the waste tanks. In that case, like Mr Wizard, I just used the right side levelers to bring it up.

i will use levelers if needed to get level or even slope it toward the dump station

never give it much thought
just did it

NFPA 1194 is a guideline for design and construction. It does not address other issues such as storm water, splillage as those issues are the authority of the local AHJ.
in my experience and how we built our station is the space the camper is on is level, no curb, but the concrete dump basin is an inch or so higher than camper space, so no excessive storm water can drain into the dump basin.
If a spill should happen outside the basin, its channeled to storm drain.

Having rear air bags that are inflated independently I lower the left side and pump up the right and get about a 8 % angle to dump if the slope is contrary to what I want to accomplish.

navegator