APP
Charlotte, NC
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Joined: 12/11/2003
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I apologize in advance as I am sure that this has been discussed often. Do you keep your gray tank open or closed when hooked up to a sewer? I know all the reasons why to keep your black closed. About 4 years ago we were camping at the beach and many roaches came out of a nearby manhole cover. Not the sewer but I am sure that they can make it in to your RV through the sewer hose. 40 gallon tanks do not hold a family of showers, especially with teens. Do you just keep dumping?
Thanks!
Al
Great Family
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Badeye
Bonaire GA
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Joined: 03/06/2003
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I normally keep my grey tank bypass open till the day before I am ready to leave and then close it to get a good amount in the tank with a dose of enzyme cleaner and let it work on the tank so that it will be clean by the time we do our final dump and flush. Some let it fill and dump periodically. Either method will work. You just have to be aware that if you let the grey water flow through the tank that some solids will be left and have to be flushed out with a good flush on the last day.
Badeye
"No one can guarantee success, only effort."
Bob & Fran
2005 Coachmen Sportscoach Elite 40 ft DP
2003 PT Cruiser
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rv2go
Somewhere between Knoxville, TN and the coast.
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Joined: 12/26/2000
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I keep my gray open until 2 days before I break camp. The flushing of the gray tank will help clean the slinky. In your case, 1 day may be enough...
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Norm Payne
Livingston, TX
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Joined: 04/25/2002
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We usually keep the gray tank open so when we run the washer it won't overflow the grey tank. A day or two before the black tank fills we close the grey and let it built up, then we dump the black followed by dumping the grey.
The reason you need to leave the black tank closed is to prevent building up a pyramid of solids. With the black tank open the liquids will run out, but the solids will build up. And that is not good.
Norm
2005 Dutch Star 4015, Cummins ISL 370 hp
2007 Honda CR-V
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CookinCamper
Oregon
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Joined: 05/01/2008
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We leave the gray open and close it the night before we leave.
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Sully2
Cincinnati
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Joined: 01/20/2003
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I leave my grey water open USUALLY and always use a good flush prior to unhooking from sewers
2000 Country Coach Allure; Cummins ISC 330 HP; 71/2 - 8 MPG regardless
2002 Jeep Liberty
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DUTCHSTARWEST
GREECE NY USA
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Joined: 05/31/2003
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Keep it open or closed is the question, my experience has been that it takes me only 3 minuets to empty the grey tank. it also takes only a day or two to get out of the habit. with the venturie efect on the holding tanks stack, why not draw into the rig a degree of ungodly sewer air..Even is only bugs and critters come up the hose, what is to be gained by saving all that energy that would otherwize be used in pushing and pulling the tank gate valves??? In less time than it takes to brew the coffee, it is done for the day..
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MI Director
Michigan
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Joined: 03/03/2007
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I've learned to keep it closed until it's at least 3/4 full then dump and close it again. Soap and other things will build up in the bottom of the tank and can smell worst than the Black tank. Besides the little crawlers that come up out of a sewer pipe.
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marvmarcy
Polson, MT, USA
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Joined: 04/19/2003
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I choose to keep the valves closed until tanks are fairly full or we're leaving the site. I've had the "slinky" hose cut and broken on several occasions, only to find a problem when dumping tanks. However, that beats finding the hose broken and a mess all over the ground. I always check my connections with the shower/tub holding tank. That way the water leak is inconsequential because it is essentially clean water. If I have a full shower/tub tank, I can not only flush the hose, but I can flush the black tank with the gray water - and no, I don't cross contaminate the tanks. This is just how and why I do it.
JMHO
Marv
2001 Volvo VNL42T420, ISX450/1650, super 10sp w/GearMaster
2003 Newmar Mountain Aire 38RLRK
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RVing since 1979 - Fulltime since 2000 (mostly CO, MT, NC & Key West)
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Chuck&Gail
In the Colorado Mountains
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Joined: 06/16/2004
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Closed until I need to dump.
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
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1999 Mercedes ML320 TV
2003 Wanderer 187TB Toybox (3620# UVW, 4800# loaded)
Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories.
I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
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