pasusan
Northernmost PA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/13/2009
View Profile
|
If you are used to using your FW tank then you can keep doing that if you want. We always fill our tank and use the water from that. And we turn the pump off when not using it - that way there is little chance of an undetected leak causing lots of damage.
As others have said - leave your waste tank valves closed until dumping.
"I'm out here to enjoy nature -- don't talk to me about the environment!" ~Denny Crane
Susan & Ben
2004 Roadtrek 170
Trip Pics
|
wa8yxm
Davison Michigan (East of Flint)
Senior Member
Joined: 07/04/2006
View Profile
 Offline
|
swimmer_spe wrote:When you have hook ups for water and sewer:
1)Do you hook up direct to the water system or fill your tanks and drain it down?
You can do it either way.. When I was married we usually (Save for one CG) hooked up and used the park water.. At that one CG there was an issue with excessive chlorination of the city water. and I found that Fill and Use stored water fixed it (I have a bit of training that suggested it might work and it did). Once my wife died I kept using the Fill and drain method due to the other water concerns It worked very well for me.. So it depends on how much water you use and how often you change campgrounds.
Quote:2) Do you leave the sewer valves open or closed? What is the best way for it to properly drain?
Keep them closed till it's time to dump.
In the RV magazines you will see the ad for the useless black tank chemicals that show a "Stinky" rv with odor coming off the roof vent.
He's got his valves open.. Guarantee it.
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times
|
JoeH
Apollo Beach,FL
Senior Member
Joined: 02/21/2001
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
swimmer_spe wrote:When you have hook ups for water and sewer:
1)Do you hook up direct to the water system or fill your tanks and drain it down?
2) Do you leave the sewer valves open or closed? What is the best way for it to properly drain?
1) I hook to the city water..... but, I always turn it off when leaving the rv for any significant length of time. I started turning off the water after walking thru a CG and seeing a trailer with water pouring out the closed door, no one was there, we turned off the water, but the damage may have already been considerable.
2) Valves closed until ready to dump ( 2/3 or more full).... unless we are doing laundry, then the gray tank valve is kept open.
Joe
2013 Dutch Star 4338- all electric
Toad is 2015 F-150 with bikes,kayaks and Harley aboard
|
LouLawrence
Traveling the US fulltime since 2000.
Senior Member
Joined: 03/16/2021
View Profile
|
I like to hook up to city water, fill my tanks, turn off the water and use the water from the fresh water tank. Refill as necessary when the FW tank gets low. This keeps fresh, sanitary water in the FW tank and keeps that water fresh and drinkable at all times.
Dumping procedures have been discussed.
|
schlep1967
Harrisburg, PA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/08/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
There are two sides to every discussion. We use the city water hookup. Some water in some areas has a high sulphur content. You generally don't figure that out until the trip after you have it in your system and you start running some hot water. Then you get the rotten egg smell.
It doesn't take all that long to open the drain on the water heater and drain out the sulphur water. But if you have an 80 gallon freshwater tank filled with it, you may be flooding your site or the neighbors site to get rid of the bad water.
I do my best to fill my fresh tank at home with my known good well water. Not always possible but I do it when I can.
Black and grey tanks, leave them closed until you need to dump. Dump black first, then grey.
2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ 3500 Diesel
2022 Montana Legacy 3931FB
Pull-Rite Super Glide 4500
|
|
|
valhalla360
No paticular place.
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
1) We use the tank & pump. If there is a leak, that annoying pump noise becomes a warning. In the middle of the night, if you hear the pump kick over, it's time to find the leak. With the silent operation on city water, you may wake up with the plywood subfloor soaked thru. Also, if there is a dripping faucet, it takes a surprisingly short period of time to fill the gray tank and then it can overflow in the shower (if it's the toilet valve leaking...even worse).
2) Both closed until ready to drain. Particularly the black tank, when a solid deposit is made, you want it to stay afloat, not be stuck to the floor where it will build up into a pyramid of poo. When emptying, do the black first and then use the gray to flush any of the residue from the black out of the hose.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV
|
Horsedoc
Dixie --- N. Georgia
Senior Member
Joined: 09/30/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
WNYBob wrote:No and no
what??? there was two choices in both statements/questions.
|
ford truck guy
Pennsylvania
Senior Member
Joined: 03/22/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
huh....
I must be the only odd ball here???
I keep my sewer valve closed, but the grey valve OPEN.. I close it the day before we are packing up. Been doing it this way from day #1, about 35+ years ago with zero issues... No unwanted flies, or smells... That's why we have "P" traps
Me-Her-the kids
2020 Ford F350 SD 6.7
2020 Redwood 3991RD Garnet
|
valhalla360
No paticular place.
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
ford truck guy wrote:huh....
I must be the only odd ball here???
I keep my sewer valve closed, but the grey valve OPEN.. I close it the day before we are packing up. Been doing it this way from day #1, about 35+ years ago with zero issues... No unwanted flies, or smells... That's why we have "P" traps
Gray is less critical as it doesn't have a lot of solids mixed in. But if I'm going out to drain the black, doing the gray at the same time isn't any burden and allows you flush any black residue out of the hose.
|
ford truck guy
Pennsylvania
Senior Member
Joined: 03/22/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
valhalla360 wrote:ford truck guy wrote:huh....
I must be the only odd ball here???
I keep my sewer valve closed, but the grey valve OPEN.. I close it the day before we are packing up. Been doing it this way from day #1, about 35+ years ago with zero issues... No unwanted flies, or smells... That's why we have "P" traps
Gray is less critical as it doesn't have a lot of solids mixed in. But if I'm going out to drain the black, doing the gray at the same time isn't any burden and allows you flush any black residue out of the hose.
agreed.. That's why I close the grey the day before leaving.. that allows at least 2 showers and other misc. grey water to accumulate in the tank to RINSE the tube after dumping black water
|
|
|
