newbie questions on black water tank and campgrounds

[yankeeslover]

2011 jayco featherlite. I was reading the owners manual for the 2013 model as I have not picked up my camper yet. im real new and dumb so far with all these terms. I understand that the black water holding tank is from the toilet. heres my question, the book says that when hooked up to hookups at campground that I keep the holding tank release closed until its 3/4 full and then release it.. im confused.. how does the black water hookup work? I understand if im at a site without hookups then all the toilet stuff goes into the holding tank and when I leave, or when its full then I drive to the dumping station and hook it up to dump it.. .but im confused on when im using full hookups. when im using hookups does that mean I bypass the holding tank? or does the toilet still flush into the holding tank and then from the holding tank out to the sewer system? and if this is the case why does book say to keep it closed till 3/4 then open it? if that's the case it seems like even during full hookup site I still have to fill up holding tank then release it? I was under the impression that the point of a full hookup site was that so when I flush the toilet it leaves the camper right then and there and doesn't go to holding tank... im confused..LOL

[GilliedogKiwi]

You use the Calgon and a bit of detergent you say - we put in one of those little "keep it clean and smell good" things but we would also like to add some Calgon. Would that be OK? And how much do we use - we have a 45 gal black tank I think.

Thanks

jdadoug wrote:
Biggest thing to remember about "chemicals" is the black tank is not a sewer system!!!
Yes, try and get as much liquid in the black tank before dumping. The gray tank is different..... it will be too full unless you have a hook up. As suggested, buy and use the clear elbow. It will tell you when you are done dumping, how clean the system is, and if you need to rinse the tank more or not. Doing the "Geo Method" is what I do.
Thats the one that you use a cup of Calgon and some detergent.
The biggest thing you want to do is keep the tank as clean as possible. The gray tank needs to be kept clean too, dont run bacon grease down the drain..... try to use the sink screen for food scraps.
On my camper I have a galley tank (kitchen sink) it is just as apt to start making a smell if not cared for properly........
As all the others have said, drain the black tank first, watch it with the clear elbow. Then drain the gray using it to flush the hose.
Then hook up the spray nozzle and clean the black tank. Again, watch the clear elbow to see if it is getting cleaner.
Some campers have a black tank rinsing system built in.... and you can buy one and have it installed.
(its a hose that goes all the way to the back of the tank and sprays the inside of the tank towards to drain)
Now you know just about all you really need to know to keep your black tank working.
jdadoug

[4monkeys]

We bought our first RV last summer, with no experience w/ RVs at all.
I agree w/ the other person to go ahead and get the full hookup this first trip. It will much less stressful for you to dump and figure out your system without a line of RVs behind you at the dump station. (and usually there's a line at the dump station if you're leaving on Sunday)
We didn't do that, but it's a very good idea!

[lanerd]

You know... ask all the questions you want. There are many of us here that are more than willing to help you...even with repeated questions. You learn by asking questions and by experience.

I agree however, that once you get your trailer at home and able to see exactly what we are talking about, will make more sense to you than it does now. Make a list of the items now that doesn't make sense to you so that you can ask again when you have the trailer. You're gonna have a bunch of them.

Using the search feature on this forum is sometimes a little difficult, but absolutely doable...just gotta come up with the correct search words and have the time to wade through the pile of posts/replies. If you can't find what you're looking for, by all means post a question and we'll do our best to help you out.

In the mean time, if something pops into your mind and you don't understand...by all means: ask a question.

Ron

[jdadoug]

Biggest thing to remember about "chemicals" is the black tank is not a sewer system!!!
Yes, try and get as much liquid in the black tank before dumping. The gray tank is different..... it will be too full unless you have a hook up. As suggested, buy and use the clear elbow. It will tell you when you are done dumping, how clean the system is, and if you need to rinse the tank more or not. Doing the "Geo Method" is what I do.
Thats the one that you use a cup of Calgon and some detergent.
The biggest thing you want to do is keep the tank as clean as possible. The gray tank needs to be kept clean too, dont run bacon grease down the drain..... try to use the sink screen for food scraps.
On my camper I have a galley tank (kitchen sink) it is just as apt to start making a smell if not cared for properly........
As all the others have said, drain the black tank first, watch it with the clear elbow. Then drain the gray using it to flush the hose.
Then hook up the spray nozzle and clean the black tank. Again, watch the clear elbow to see if it is getting cleaner.
Some campers have a black tank rinsing system built in.... and you can buy one and have it installed.
(its a hose that goes all the way to the back of the tank and sprays the inside of the tank towards to drain)
Now you know just about all you really need to know to keep your black tank working.
jdadoug

[bikendan]

Chuck_S wrote:
Sorry for this but.....

With all your questions why don't you try reading the threads here. They're all covered but it will require a little effort from you not just us spoon feeding you.

Like I said "sorry." 😉

-- Chuck

i kinda agree, you're repeating questions that have already been answered.

you need to slow down and take a breath.:)

try finding some RV websites to read up on how things work, like the one i suggested, the 12v side of life.
the Internet will have all kinds of videos and diagrams for you to look at and listen to.
take some time out and do some research. then you'll have a better point of reference to ask your questions.

[dadmomh]

Since there are only 2 of us most of the time, and most trips are 3 - 4 days, I'll explain how and why we do it as we do. Unless you have full hookups, you don't do anything but add chemicals AND WATER - ABOUT A GALLON OR TWO into the toilet and flush. The reason, as I understand it is to not only avoid "the pyramid", but to keep the seals from becoming dry and brittle. There are a zillion black and/or gray tank treatments - we use Odorlos + an enzyme, both usually available at Camping World. For dishwashing/showers/whatever, use the fresh water like it's costing you by the ounce. You can fill a 25 - 30 gallon gray tank before you even blink. You'll have gauges somewhere in your camper for the fresh, grey, black tanks. Do not believe these sensors - they are notoriously dead wrong. No chemicals are added after the initial treatment + the fresh water. So after the weekend, you'll stop at the dump station. Rubber gloves and hand sanitizer. Hook up your equipment, pull the lever for the black tank and let it run. Suggestion is to invest about $15 in a clear fitting so you can actually see when the tank is empty and nothing else is flowing. Then the grey, which will rinse your hose and fittings. That's about the size of it. Close the grey tank and put all the stuff away. Here is where I go back in and add a fresh amount of black tank treatment and a couple gallons of water from the fresh tank - gotta turn on the pump for this. So when we leave, we've dumped the black, the grey and started a fresh tank with the treatment and water in it. If it's more than just a couple of weeks or so between trips, I'll toss in another amount of the treatment when we start our next trip. You don't want to have a dry tank for any solids left to turn into concrete.

The downside of traveling with much of anything in your tanks is that water weighs about 8# per gallon. If you have 30 gallons in your fresh tank, and the black and grey tanks are fairly full, you're hauling around possibly another 240#, which = even less fuel economy. The upside is the sloshing. 99% of the time we dump after a long weekend. Others may not, but that works for us.

It sounds a lot more complicated than it is. If possible, plan your stop at the dump station when there are not a lot of other campers leaving. Waiting behind several campers dumping usually makes for a bit of irritation for the guy at the end of the line, so plan accordingly. After a time or two, you should be able to set up, dump, wash up and be out in maybe 10 - 15 minutes or less. Don't let this tank thing stress you out, it's not a biggie. There are some "extras and add-ons" that can be included in this dumping thing, but right now I think that would just add to your overload of information. Remind us later to tell you about the blue tote, the Tornado, the macerator, etc., but for now forget it.

[drenjoey]

I have to agree with Chuck.

Wait till you get the HTT home......... inspect it......... make a list of concerns you might have....... look for answers in the owner's manual......and finally, ask for help.

I feel most answers to your questions will be right in front of your eyes when that HTT will be in your driveway. You'll find most of the solutions by yourself......and that is very rewarding.

Dre

[full_mosey]

yankeeslover wrote:
so, at a full hookup site, I let the holding tank fill up, and then I just dump it? and then let it fill up again?

Yes. It is that simple.

HTH;
John

[Chuck_S]

Sorry for this but.....

With all your questions why don't you try reading the threads here. They're all covered but it will require a little effort from you not just us spoon feeding you.

Like I said "sorry." 😉

-- Chuck

[lanerd]

yankeeslover wrote:
all good lanerd, thanks... you say when I get the camper home to put several gallons of clean water in the black tank...since this camper has a ccc of only 400 pounds or so, will I be able to travel with water in the black tank? and how do I fill the black tank at home? thru the toilet?

I'm only talking about three to five gallons of water...approximate 25 to 45 lbs. No big deal. With a 400 lb ccc, I would probably keep it down to about 3 gals. Just enough to slosh around really good inside the tank. This small amount of weight won't be a problem for you.

To fill, as I mentioned, if you have a black tank flush inlet, just connect a hose to it to put in the water. Real easy. If no inlet, then like Pat said or run the hose through the trailer to the toilet.

Ron

[mockturtle]

yankeeslover wrote:
all good lanerd, thanks... you say when I get the camper home to put several gallons of clean water in the black tank...since this camper has a ccc of only 400 pounds or so, will I be able to travel with water in the black tank? and how do I fill the black tank at home? thru the toilet?

Yes, you can use a five-gallon bucket or you can pump water in from the fresh water tank using the fill pedal. I usually do the latter, provided I have plenty of water on board. But if you're home, it's quicker to just use a bucket.

[yankeeslover]

all good lanerd, thanks... you say when I get the camper home to put several gallons of clean water in the black tank...since this camper has a ccc of only 400 pounds or so, will I be able to travel with water in the black tank? and how do I fill the black tank at home? thru the toilet?

[RandK-M]

I rarely get any black tank smell except occasionally when it's over 3/4 full. Even then, It's rare. One tip I've found is to shut off the roof vent fan in the bathroom when flushing. With the fan on and the bathroom door closed, you create negative pressure in the bathroom and the fumes in the black tank get drawn out when the flush valve is open.

But again, we're not talking massive odor at all. I use some enzyme and Odorlos.

Ray

[lanerd]

No body has mentioned it yet, so I will. More than likely, your Jayco will have a black tank flush inlet that provides the capability for you to add water to your black tank from the park's water faucet. You will need to get a hose bib "Y" connector that has shut off valves on each outlet and a one-way check valve that you will put on one of the Y's outlet connector. From the check valve you will need to have a "green" garden hose that you will use for this purpose only, and connect the other end of the green hose to your black tank flush hose connector (usually on the panel with other tank connections). On the other Y connector you will need a "white" potable (drinking) hose for your fresh water.

In the event your Jayco doesn't have a black tank flush connector, you can purchase a "kit" that will serve the same purpose. Look on campingworld.com and search for "Quickie Flush" or "Tornado". Both are fairly easy to install.

When you get ready to empty your black tank, turn on the green hose to put water into your black tank while draining. This will spray inside your tank and help remove any tp or solids stuck to the tank's walls. Once the black tank is empty (you will need a clear connector at the drain to know when the tank is empty). Close the black tank valve and continue to put water back into your black tank and refill to 1/2 to 3/4 full and then open the drain gate again and empty the tank. With the clear connector you'll be able to "see" if the tank is empty of tp and/or solids by the water coming out. If it's clear, close the gate and turn off the green hose.

Then you can open the gray tank valve and empty it, or with the above flush system, there is really no need to keep the gray tank valve closed and you can keep it open all the time.

Chemicals are typically used for "odors". However, the black tank is a sealed unit (except for the vent on the roof) and you should never have any odors if you keep the tank clear of solids every time you empty it. Most chemicals used for the digestion of the solids take several days...maybe even a week or two.. to turn the solids into a liquid......so therefore, are pretty much useless in an RV application.

One method used (and mentioned) quite a lot here on rv.net is the use of a water softener (such as Calgon) to put into the black tank with several gallons of water when you are traveling. The water softener will coat the inside of the tank and make it slick enough that most tp and solids won't stick to it. You can even add some liquid laundry detergent to the water and softener to help the cleaning action of the sloshing water when traveling. Empty once you get home and put several gallons of clean water back into the black tank until you camp again. Since your new trailer is a 2011, I'm assuming it is used. Nevertheless, before you hit the road for the first time, try this method with the water softener. If it's still new, all the more reason to try it.

Hope I didn't add more confusion to your existing confusion. Congratulations on your new camper. Be patient, you'll eventually get experienced to offer info to newbies like yourself.

In any case, when using the toilet, use the least amount of tp you can get away with and put extra water in the toilet bowl when you flush it. The more water in the black tank, the better it will drain.

See ya...

Ron