Question about Black Tanks and full timing

[dvitale300]

Kind of an odd question, but I was talking to someone in Walmart who had commented on the black tank chem treatment that I was buying. He said that since he is a full timer (working oil fields and staying in a TT), he never uses any black tank treatment and keeps his black and grey valves open and connected to the sewer.

Is this proper? I thought I had been told that you should only open the black valve when dumping the tank (when full), but should normally have some kind of treatment in the tank until it's full (which is what I do).

Just curious!

[jaycocreek]

I leave my black tank valve open when I'm hooked up and staying for a while. Haven't had a poop pile yet. Use plenty of water and you won't get the dreaded poop pile.

[dvitale300]

One tip I learned is when you show 1/3full after dumping, is to put a couple gallons of water in the tank along with a 10 lb bag of ice. Then go for a drive sloshing it around. Then fill the tank w clean water and dump again. I also completely fill up my greys before dumping so the hoses are flushed.

[hawkeye-08]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

hawkeye-08 wrote:
If conditions are perfect, you can leave the valve open. IIRC, 1/4" drop per foot will keep the solids and liquids both moving. If it is steeper than that, the liquid will leave the solids behind and you will have a plugged up mess eventually. This includes in the holding tank and pipes and hose. Since conditions are never perfect, best to keep valve closed until you have enough to dump (and flush if you want) and then close again after dumping.... for me, I never want to have to work on it, it was bad enough the previous owners of our trailer left a rock hard pyramid that took lots of water and several trips to get cleaned out.

That would pertain to sewer plumbing in a S&B house

RV waste tanks..........poop goes plop directly under toilet and liquids run away from poop plop pile.
Just like an outhouse, vault toilet, pit latrine, squat toilet.......

I wonder how that stuff gets out of the tank then.. don't need no stinking slope.

Thanks for proving my point. You really don't want the liquid to get away, you do want to retain it and let it all drain together...

btw, I have never seen a vault toilet with drain at bottom with valve.

[Old-Biscuit]

hawkeye-08 wrote:
If conditions are perfect, you can leave the valve open. IIRC, 1/4" drop per foot will keep the solids and liquids both moving. If it is steeper than that, the liquid will leave the solids behind and you will have a plugged up mess eventually. This includes in the holding tank and pipes and hose. Since conditions are never perfect, best to keep valve closed until you have enough to dump (and flush if you want) and then close again after dumping.... for me, I never want to have to work on it, it was bad enough the previous owners of our trailer left a rock hard pyramid that took lots of water and several trips to get cleaned out.

That would pertain to sewer plumbing in a S&B house

RV waste tanks..........poop goes plop directly under toilet and liquids run away from poop plop pile.
Just like an outhouse, vault toilet, pit latrine, squat toilet.......

[hawkeye-08]

If conditions are perfect, you can leave the valve open. IIRC, 1/4" drop per foot will keep the solids and liquids both moving. If it is steeper than that, the liquid will leave the solids behind and you will have a plugged up mess eventually. This includes in the holding tank and pipes and hose. Since conditions are never perfect, best to keep valve closed until you have enough to dump (and flush if you want) and then close again after dumping.... for me, I never want to have to work on it, it was bad enough the previous owners of our trailer left a rock hard pyramid that took lots of water and several trips to get cleaned out.

[Big_Katuna]

I keep both closed and dump when full. In Fl the sewers are populated with bugs and critters. I don't want them getting into my tanks.

[pianotuna]

Keep black closed until it is time to dump.

[2oldman]

True fulltimers know better. He's just living in portable housing.

[Bumpyroad]

not as critical if you have a black tank flush and periodically spray it down, but yep, I wouldn't do it.
bumpy

[fla-gypsy]

Yeah, not a good idea

[Old-Biscuit]

He either mis-spoke, you hear him wrong or he is not doing it right.

Chemicals......I agree with him. I don't use them. Tried them but didn't find a need for them. If RV seals, traps, AAVs, vents-----odor barriers/controls are functioning them chemicals not needed. If those design features aren't working them you smell chemically treated poop.

Grey waste tank.....OK to leave open but I don't because grey tank can have crud (skin cells, soap scum, food debris, oils etc) and I prefer to dump tank when full so they stuff gets flushed out

Black tank.........only time that drain valve should be open is when dumping full tank and when using built in tank flush system.
NO poop pryamids for me!!

[jfkmk]

You'll hear all kinds of arguements for and against treatment, it's a personal choice. As far as leaving the black tank valve open.....don't do it! You'll get a big pile of hardened solids on the bottom of the tank you won't be able to remove.