RV Dumping

Here are some tips to follow when emptying your RV’s holding tanks. (See below for a suggestion on how to empty your RV’s holding tanks.)

•  When emptying both the black and gray tanks, dump the black-water tank before the gray-water tank so the “soapy water” from the gray tank can clean the residue from the hose.
• Don’t dump the black-water tank until it is at least two-thirds full. Don’t leave the black-water tank valve open when hooked up at a campsite. This will cause liquids to drain, leaving solid waste behind to harden on the bottom of the tank.
• Use a heavy-duty sewer hose about 6 to 8 feet long to make handling easier.
• Carry an extra garden hose for rinsing in case the dump station doesn’t have one.
• Store this in an area where it won’t be in contact with your drinking water hose.
• Never use your freshwater hose for rinsing sewer hoses or the dump station area.
• Wear protective rubber gloves and avoid touching the outside of the gloves.
• If others are waiting to use the dump station, skip the tank flushing and hose rinsing steps. Pull away from the dump station and then add some water and chemicals to the holding tanks.
• Never put anything other than the contents of your holding tanks into the dump station.
• Leave the dump station area cleaner than you found it.

How to Empty Holding Tanks

Here’s a suggestion on how to empty your RV’s holding tanks.

First: Do not open any valves until the proper time! Doing so will be met with rather unpleasant results. You may consider wearing a pair of rubber gloves in the event some effluent gets on your hands. Some folks will also wear rubber boots. if you’re careful, any splashing is minimal.

Remove the holding tank outlet cap and connect your three-inch sewer hose to the outlet of your holding tank. Extend the hose to the opening of the dump station, which is usually a hole in the ground that is slightly larger than the three-inch hose.

Insert your sewer hose into the dump station’s hole about four to six inches. Use the hole’s cover, a brick, or something heavy enough to hold the sewer hose in place so it doesn’t come out of the hole.

Once you’re sure that all is connected and held down, open your black tank valve. You’ll hear the effluent flow and eventually it’ll slow, then stop. Close the black tank valve.

Now open the gray tank valve. Again, you’ll hear water flow, then slow, and stop. Close the gray tank valve.

At this point, you’re almost done. If you want to flush and rinse your tanks once more, you can do so by filling your tanks to two-thirds full and repeat the emptying process. If others are waiting to use the dump station, skip this step.

Recheck that both your black and gray water tank valves are closed and disconnect the sewer hose from your tank outlet. Replace the tank outlet cover. Lift the end of the sewer hose (the end you just disconnected) to completely drain the hose into the dump station. If a non-potable water hose is available, run water through the sewer hose to rinse it out. Remove the sewer hose from the dump station hole and rinse the outside of the hose. Rinse the area around the hole to ensure that any spillage has been cleaned up and cover the dump station hole.

Go into your RV and add about five gallons of water (about three flushes) to your black tank and then add the appropriate amount of holding tank treatment. If you use treatment for your gray tank, do that as well.

The task of emptying your RV’s holding tanks is finished! Now it’s time to move on to your next adventure.

Always leave an area cleaner than you found it.

Black Tank: 

• While camping (with or without hookups) (leave black valve closed) until tank is at least 2/3 two-thirds to full before emptying the black tank.
• Before Using Add water and blank tank treatment to break down solids while camping. (The key is to have water treatment level above solid waste for system to work properly to break down the solids in your tank when using the right treatment) (Also when flushing your toilet use the 10 second rule water x10)
• Preventative care for your toilet use a toilet brush and cleaner.
• Preventative care for your black tank use a tank cleaner at least every 3-to-6 months and use a tank restore treatment once a year.

Grey Tank:

• While camping (with hookups) (leave grey valve open)
• While camping (without hookups) (leave grey valve closed)
• Preventative care for your grey tank use a Dish-Soap at least every 3 months.  (with hookups close grey valve fill the tank with water add 16oz of dish-soap let set overnight then open grey valve)

Fresh Water Tank:

• Preventative care for your fresh water tank

1.  Use 1/4 cup of unscented household bleach for every 15 gallons of water in the tank.
2. Fill the tank with water, then add the bleach solution.
3. Drive the RV for about 30 minutes to circulate the bleach.
4. Let the solution sit for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results.
5. Drain the tank and flush with fresh water until the bleach smell is gone.
6. Refill the tank with clean water before using it again.

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