First long trip

[Bevteacher4]

Trying to plan my fist 2 to three week trip. Heading to Michigan from Indiana. Have picked out campgrounds, but would like advice. Thinking of staying in each 3 nights. They are all FHU sites. Any advice on emptying black tank since these will be short stays.
The longest I have been out is 7 days and that was all in one place.
Any advice on planning a trip like this would be welcome!
Trip planned so far:
Lebanon, IN (home)
Oak Grove Resort in Holland, MI
Matson's Big Manistee River Campground in Manistee, MI
Lake Leelanau RV Park in Lake Leelanau, MI
Oscoda KOA in Oscoda, MI
Poncho's Pond
Ludington, MI
Lebanon, IN (home). Longest drive time is last stop to home at 6 hours.

[Bevteacher4]

Thank you all so much!

[Janss]

"The longest I have been out is 7 days and that was all in one place."

This is from the OP's beginning post.

[Sam_Spade]

Janss wrote:
Did your black tank last the whole 7 day trip that you mention?

I think I'm the only one that mentioned 7 days.

It was a 7 day "park"; not moving.
Dumped black that had been treated twice.
Dumped grey with black still open.
Rinsed both; closed both.
Put some cleaner with bleach in both with a gallon or so of water and hit the road.

I am pretty careful about water usage.
Showers using campground facilities only.

[Janss]

Did your black tank last the whole 7 day trip that you mention? i.e. did you only dump it at the end of that trip? If so, just repeat that 2 or 3 times for your 2 or 3 week trip. Not necessary to dump the black tank at every stop. Like another poster wrote, it's good if the stuff sloshes around while driving.

[sdianel_-acct_c]

For the gray tank, instead of Calgon we use Borax and Dawn Ultimate dish liquid. 1 c. dish liquid and 1 c. Borax dissolved in 2 c. hot water. We couldn't find the Calgon all the time. Borax is sold at most Walmarts. For the black tank we use Camco TST Blue.

there are 2 of us. We have a 60 gal grey tank and 72 gal black tank. We can go 5 days without dumping if we are careful with showers or shower in the campground bath house. With just one of you and a tank about half the size of ours, you should be able to go 5 days as well.

[Dick_B]

Along with the Calgon add some Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. Calgon may be difficult to find. I get mine online.
Another school of dumping thought is to dump as soon as you get to the new campground. The thinking is that during the travel all of the parts and pieces with be sloshed around and more likely to be dumped than if the rig is just sitting at a site for a few days.
Hopefully you have a clean connection at the RV discharge so you can see when the water runs more clear. It may take several `dumps and refills' before it is.

[Sam_Spade]

Bevteacher4 wrote:
I will also try the calgon!

AHEM. "Soft" water is not necessarily slippery. :R

I too travel alone and can usually get a full week before actually needing to empty anything.

I use a splash of "Clorox Cleaner with Bleach" after each dump. It is somewhat slippery AND deodorizing too.

[Alabama_Jim]

You seem to be ready to go. Have fun and be safe. May God give you many enjoyable and fun trips.

[Bevteacher4]

I will also try the calgon!

[Bevteacher4]

Thank you! I was thinking that was what I should do! 39 gal tanks. Just me, I am a widow, so traveling with my dog, Willow. I used the Good Sam trip planner as well, to help pick campgrounds.
Thank you again,

[GilliedogKiwi]

May I suggest, that after dumping and after adding about 2 gal of water to your black tank, and when adding the degrading powder/liquid or packet down the toilet also add 2-3 caps full of Calgon liquid (available at most grocery stores or WalMart). This helps when emptying the tank as the water is soft and it all slides out easily.

We just returned from a month long trip out west and we have a 45-50 gal (I think)black tank and we emptied after each stay of at least 3-5 nights. A lot would depend on how much we used it - if we were out sightseeing all day or spending time around the trailer and using the toilet more. Some places we were stopped for a week others 4 nights.

[Sandia_Man]

It really depends how long you can go before black tank needs dumping. We can go quite a stretch without dumping black tank, but grey tank typically will need dumping after a few days anyway thus black tank gets dumped at the same time. Of course you will be dumping tanks at your last spot before going home unless you dump at home. Enjoy your first extended trip out in your RV, we find that there isn't much difference whether going out for an extended weekend or a couple of weeks at a time.

[Golfcart]

While you're at a full hook up site(with sewer) never leave your black tank valve open. You need some liquid in there to help the.. matter.. wash out down the line as needed. If not it will just cake in the tank and you will have to stick a hose in the toilet to clean it out

[Sam_Spade]

How many people will be with you ? And how big is your tank ??

Probably should dump the tanks right before leaving each site, sooner if necessary, and then put a couple of gallons back into each one.

DO NOT LEAVE THE DUMP VALVES OPEN ALL THE TIME especially the black one.
(Explanation if necessary.)