One of the adjustments to RV living is the regular maintenance and disposal of the contents of your gray and black water tanks. If you don’t stay on top of it, life can be miserable. We have a few tips to make life easier. Generally, a gray water tank has more storage capacity than a black water tank though they both need to be emptied on a regular basis. For those just starting out: gray water is from the sink, shower, and washer (if you have one.) I probably don’t need to mention what goes in the black tank.
There are several schools of thought on the gray tank. Amy and I leave the handle to drain it in the open position at all times. That is because we have a Sani-flush system that allows us to flush the black tank. Without that system, it is better to close the drain and open it after draining the black tank as it will flush the hose of residue. In our setup, both tanks drain into the same hose.
After draining the tanks and closing them, a product we found that eliminates odors, for the most part, is “Happy Camper,’ a powder that is added to the toilet and flushed with a lot of water.
Water is your friend! Use a lot. Never leave the black tank open after flushing it. There is a condition called “piling” that occurs and clogs your tank.
The gauges that tell you how full each tank is are notoriously inaccurate. Being on a regular schedule (we do ours weekly) is a better bet. The more people who live in your unit, the more often you need to flush your black tank.
Ladies, it is not necessary to flush all toilet paper as it tends to clog up the black tank. A covered trash can next to the throne for paper used for #1 and flush paper used for #2 is the best bet.
Hopefully, this will help make life easier. Remember, you are not the first to deal with this kind of maintenance and chances are if you have an issue, your neighbors will be glad to help.
~ Living The RV Dream with Amy & Greg Coleman | Rising Spirit | Liberty Hill RV Park | Interested in touring Rising Spirit RV Park? Take our Virtual Tour!
Rising Spirit is a long-term RV park near Austin and Georgetown located in Liberty Hill. Our thriving RV park near Georgetown, Round Rock, and Austin has recently expanded due to high demand. Contact our leasing office at (512) 229-6510 for availability, reservations, and scheduling a tour.