Sewer

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Barry J

Active member
Joined
Jun 20, 2018
Posts
31
  I have a 2003 Four Winds Travel Trailer , that is parked at the camp ground all year, it does not move. I just bought it, there is skirting around the whole camper, and around back is a stone wall around the camper. The valves are hard/impossible to get to, unless I crawl on my stomach to the back of camper. There is a comfort station right across from site (not to clean), the previous owner mentioned that the toilet was barely used for "#2", they just went to comfort station. He was the only owner of the camper.
But, we would like to use the toilet in our camper (I have two daughters).
Should I just start off with pouring a couple of gallons of water done at the start of our stay, and then hook a hose to the side inlet to flush, before I leave.??
The sewer is hooked to the camp ground septic system
Any suggestions would be helpful
Thanks
Barry
 
The reason you can't get to the valves is that they were probably left open all the time. You can do that. But when you start doing #2, the valve needs to be left closed until the tank is 2/3 to 3/4 full. Then dump it. That way you get a good flushing action.  Also, after dumping, add about 5 gallons of water and leave it in there till you come back. this will continue to break down any solids left behind when you dumped.
The reason you need to shut the valve is that if you leave it open all the time, the liquids will drain immediately but the solids will stay behind creating what we call the poo pyramid. You don't want that. It can be a real pain to clean up.
Not knowing exactly how the previous owner took care of his tank, the next time you leave, fill it up all the way with water and add a treatment of Ridex or Roebic K-57 available at Tractor Supplies. Leave the tank full until you come back. I would do that a couple of times.
 
If you plan to never move the trailer, you can remove the tanks and hook the plumbing lines straight to a drain pipe and into the campground sewer pipe.  That is how "park model" campers are done.  At the campground where I am a member, there are many long time residents that have done the same thing.
 
Well now I am confused, I got some people telling me, "NEVER" leave it opened, and others saying that I can, When I look down under, I do not see anything that looks like a valve/gate
 
In gravesdiesel's response perhaps he forgot the part where you would change out the toilet to a household unit. I wouldn't make such a move without doing so because you need a more adequate water flow to remove the contents to the drain than you normally get with an RV toilet. The "park models" I have seen usually often don't have tanks but come equipped with a normal household unit, not an RV toilet.

"never or not" . Most of us here will tell you to NEVER leave the black tank (toilet) valves open for the reasons given in Ren?'s reply. For the grey water tank or tanks (kitchen, bathroom sinks and shower), you can safely leave them open until a day or two before leaving camp. Then let them fill up for a day or so. Then after dumping the black, close the black valve and dump the grey to flush out the sewer line well.

The valves may not be 'under' but may be in a small compartment on the drivers side. They look like this: https://www.ebay.com/bhp/rv-waste-valve

My trailer has never been on the road, and like yours, has been on the site for 17 years now, but I still hold to the 85% rule before dumping the black and leave the 2 grey water tanks open as stated above. I do the flush thing at the end of every winter season before heading back north. (I also use household style 3" plastic piping between the trailer and the sewer inlet, not a slinky hose.)
 
They make electric valves. here's one from one of site sponsors:
https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Drain-Master-Electric-Waste-Valve-With-LED-Switch-p/5202dm20-rpms.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlLeOqvri2wIVCpFpCh2LAgiMEAQYAyABEgL1PPD_BwE&gdffi=d722fab84a06472899ce2a16e4d2ed3f&gdfms=00049A0AED5B481B8970673208CCFDE0
 
Do you have a RV toilet or is it a regular house toilet?
You may not see any valves because they may be concealed by the belly. Like Stu said, look around for a couple of handles on the drivers side. There may also be a drain valve for a 2nd gray tank. So look around for a 3rd handle. 
 
Granted, I have only had my FW for 6 months, but I have never seen my tank valves (except fresh water drain).  I have the valve handles as Stu described.


Follow the sewer drain line back under the camper.  There is probably a Tee feeding the drain and a 3" pipe from the black tank to the tee, and a 1 ?" pipe from the gray tank feeding the tee.  Follow those back to the tank, and you should find the valves.
 
Some background here...

You have both gray and black waste water. Gray is sinks and shower, black is the toilet. Black gets solids and paper, so requires more care than the gray waste. The gray waste line can stay open all the time cause liquids just runs down to the sewer, but the solids and paper often to not run out of the tank easily and stay behind after the water flows away. That let's a "poop pyramid" form under an RV gravity toilet.  Or even a house-style flush toilet.  If the former owner seldom used it for #2, the black may be ok, but increased use will lead to the pyramid build-up.


Removing the black tank and running a pipe direct to the sewer with a good downhill pitch would eliminate the pyramid problem, and it's conceivable yours has that modification. If not, then heed the warning the others.  If there is no T handle visible on the 3" sewer line at or under the trailer, yours may be modified already. 

The waste valve assembly typically has a 3" and a 1.5" line that comes together in a Y (wye) with a valve on each side. The 3" park sewer line connects to the outer ly of the Y.  Here is an example.
https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Sewer/Valterra/T38.html
 
I just reread the OP's original post and he said he does have valves but he can't easily get to them.
You can put extension rods on them. They are threaded on the ends with a 1/4-20 thread.
 
Rene T said:
I just reread the OP's original post and he said he does have valves but he can't easily get to them.
You can put extension rods on them. They are threaded on the ends with a 1/4-20 thread.

Or switch to electric valves like what I linked to. ;D
 
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