1st trailer... septic hookup questions

[Hammerdown3512]

Hello.

So I just bought my 1st trailer 2015 Royal Travel 40 ft. This is going to be my home for a couple of years as I am fresh out of a divorce and broke with ruined credit... 😞

Anyway, My father has 5 acres with well and septic on it and is gonna let me put this trailer there for awhile While I get back on my feet.

My questions is this trailer is not a park model has a RV toilet and the tanks.

When I go to hook it up to septic, How do I need to do the tank maintenance?

I've heard that I should leave the Gray water open all the time but never leave black water open just let the black water out a couple times a week. But then somebody was telling me that I need to leave the Gray water filled up to flush the black water so I'm confused.

My father has own several trailers but never one that was not a park model. All his have standard toilets.

I got this trailer at a really good deal and its all i can afford right now so ill have to make due with a non park model.

Thanks!

David

[NRALIFR]

Since your going to be sitting in place for a few years, the primary objective in your situation should be to prevent solids accumulating in your trailers tanks, and the drain lines. You want to have, as much as possible, all the solids in both the gray and black tanks drain into the septic tank.

The best thing to do in your case would be to connect your trailer to the septic system using the same 4” PVC sewer pipe used on a house, and not the flexible hose “stinky slinky”. None of those hoses are intended to be left out continuously for years at a time. PVC has a smoother interior, and won’t trap solids as readily. It’s also more durable.

Then, use your trailers tanks in such a way that there is never a long, slow stream of water flowing through the drain pipe. That’s what happens if you leave the dump valves open on either tank. You should leave the valves closed until the tanks are filled to point where there will be sufficient volume released to flush the majority of the solids into the septic tank. How often you dump will depend on the size of the tanks, and how quickly they fill up, but I’d try to let them get at least half full.

When it’s time to dump, drain the black first, then the gray, so the gray water will help move any solids in the drain pipe into the septic tank. Since your trailer isn’t a park model, that’s how I would do it.

:):)

[JRscooby]

One mod Dad had me do to his trailer was put a extra drain in the gray tank about 3/4 up on the tank. He could drain the top of the grey thru a garden hose. When his black got full, hook up stinky slinky, drain black, then grey to MT. Then he would put the big hose away. He did not like to leave hose out where it could be damaged.

[midnightsadie]

if you leave the black open? poo will build up in the tank ,theb you,ll have a real mess. close blk tank empty weekly with plenty of water .

[cavie]

You will not be removing the hose and rolling it up so there is no need to risen it out. Leave the gray open.

[dave17352]

If it is just you put a a few gallons of water in the blank tank. Use the toilet like any other toilet til it is full. Then dump. You want plenty of liquid along with the solids. Now you could maybe go 2/3 full then dump. The grey I would leave open until a couple days before dumping the black. Then let the grey fill up and dump that right after the black tank. The grey water will help flush all the solids from the blank tank down the line. The grey water will fill much much faster than the black tank. Under no circumstance should you leave the blank tank valve open. You will end up with a pyramid of solids where the goods hit the tank bottom. They will continue to mound up as the liquid flows out if you leave the valve open. Not a good thing.

You don't want to let your black tank or any tank for that matter to freeze. If you have tank heaters make sure there is some water in the tanks before you turn them on. That is if they are the electric pad type.

[rexmitchell]

When I was hooked up long term to septic I let the gray water flow but kept the black closed and emptied it monthly or whenever was needed. I’ve seen others leave the black open all the time but I’ve been told letting the black tank fill then flush helps get all the solids out and keep doors down.

[ependydad]

People think they’re “cleaning” the sewer hose with gray water by dumping the gray after the black. IMO, gray water stinks too!

Here’s an article that may help you:
https://learntorv.com/how-to-dump-rv-tanks-its-not-so-icky/