RV Expert Bruce Bernhart on some Black and Gray Water Tips
Your gray water tank can be dumped anytime, no matter how full or empty
, and when you are hooked up to a sewer connection the gray water dump valve can be left open at all times. This allows the water from your sinks and shower to flow directly out of the rig and into the
campground sewer system. However, it is not a good idea to treat your black tank the same way.
RV toilets flush with very little fresh water, so the solids in the black tank are quite concentrated. If you were to leave the black water dump valve open while hooked to a sewer
connection, these solids tend to build up in your tank and then dry into a disgusting form of
concrete. Over time, a black tank can become partially or completely blocked, leading to a highly nasty cleaning job or complete tank replacement. To avoid this, always keep the black water tank dump valve shut. Let the black water build up until the tank is at least 1/4 full and
then dump it, rinsing with lots of fresh water. Waiting to dump the tank keeps all those solids
in suspension and the quick rush of fluid out of the tank, using gravity, when it is dumped
helps carry most of the solids out. Whenever it's convenient, try to dump the black tank after traveling. The motion of the rig on the road will mix up the contents nicely and help break
down the solids. When parked for an extended period, I usually dump the black tank every
couple of weeks if the weather is cool and more often when it's hot. (helps keep the odors
down). The day before I plan to dump the black tank, I shut the gray tank dump valve. This allows some gray water to build up in the tank... then, when I dump the black tank, I follow it with the gray tank to flush out the hose and help carry the whole mess down the sewer pipe to wherever it ultimately ends up. Be sure you include the proper additive to both your black and gray tanks to help with the breakdown of solids plus minimize odors. Odors usually become a problem when your tanks begin to fill with untreated waste in warmer temperatures, and there is an insufficient amount of water. I use the "five second rule": Flush the toilet for five seconds after each use to make sure you include enough water to mix in with the waste.
Nowadays there are a number of enzyme and bacterial tank treatments on the market. These
products are designed to stimulate aerobic bacterial action and break down the waste and kill
the odors, which is kind of like having a miniature sewage treatment plant onboard. They
carry an added benefit in being completely biodegradable and highly beneficial to RV park septic tanks and sewer treatment plants as well.
If you decide to stick with old fashioned toilet chemicals, please use them sparingly and avoid
using any product with Formaldehyde as the active ingredient. Most home brew toilet
treatments should be viewed with a skeptical eye. Very important: Don't even consider using a home-brew remedy that has pine oil or Pine Sol in it. Pine oilswill harden the seals on the dump valves and eventually cause leaks.
RV Expert Bruce Bernhart on some Black and Gray Water Tips
By: Bruce Bernhart
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