Black Tank

[Jnorman1969]

When you are only using the camper for 1 or 2 nights a month, how often should you dump the black tank if it doesn't have but a few uses each time.

 

[Kirk]

A lot will depend on how long it is between uses and the daily temperatures that you experience. You will find that a black tank with some feces in it will develop nasty odors very quickly in warm weather, no matter what, if any, chemicals you use in it. If you are somewhere with daily temperatures in the 90°F range or higher, a week will be about the maximum for me. Before we retired, I would put water into our black tank to at least 1/3 full, or better yet 1/2 full and then dump the tank before leaving. Using it as you do, I would also put about 1/4 tank of water before storing it between trips.

 

[CamperAL]

Hi Jnorman1969,

I'd be nervous only using it a couple of days and letting it set for a month before you go back and use the camper again. I'd make sure you put in a good amount of water to keep it from getting dried out. 5 to 10 gallons should do. I'd also add extra water after each month. I'd try to dump the tanks at least at the end of every 3 months. You don't want to create a problem of your tank getting solids and drying up on you which will be a much more difficult problem.

They do have tanks that you can buy and empty your tank then take the extra tank you dump in somewhere and dump that after each use. Be sure to put 5 gallons of water in the tank until next time then. Kirk just posted while I was making my comments but I agree with his comments. Best wishes!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Like the others, I would be reluctant to let it sit for weeks like that. Or in the worst case, risking that it dries out and forms a rock-hard "poo-pyramid".

The best practice is to dump the black tank every time you leave a campground and head home. In other words, don't bring the s*** home with you. Since you won't have much fluid in the black tank if dumping after just 1-2 nights, add water to the black (and gray too) so that it is at least half full (3/4 is even better!). Then dump. The extra liquid helps carry away the solids & paper in the black and greasy scum from the gray.

 

[Derby6]

I'm in the dump after every use camp and keep about 2-5 gallons of water in there during summer months. It's just insurance and prevents very bad smell as you flush cause its been there in the summer heat festering.

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

Whether we have full hookups, dry camp, or at a campsite with electric (maybe water too), we always dump. Depending on how many days we've gone using the black tank we always add dish pans full of water with Dawn down the toilet before dumping.

For added measure and a good way to blast any build up carry a 5 gallon bucket with you. While dumping, fill the bucket with water and after the black tank is empty pour one or more buckets of water down the toilet. The force of the large water stream helps break up poo piles.

 

[Jackiemac]

And after dumping leaves a few gallons in the tank to stop any residue from drying out in there.

 

[rjshiflet]

We certainly dump before every trip home, but if we're staying a night or two on the road headed to our ultimate destination...we will go two or three nights before dumping so the water "sloshes around" in the tank during travel and hopefully loosens any paper or other things that may have stuck to the sides. In May we were gone three weeks and the longest we stayed in one spot was three nights. That's a rare trip for us, but on that jaunt we did leave the black tank with lots of extra water for several days. Normally we go within a day or two drive, stay for a week or two or a month rather than moving so often like we did in May.

But - on the last night we always dump, then leave some water and treatment in the tank.

 

[DutchmenSport]

Every time, regardless of how much the toilet was used, or not used. If there is not enough water in the tank, I add it. Regardless, I always back-flush with the bathroom grey water. That always pulls "stuff" out, even after the initial dumping.

 

[meierjn]

Our 5th wheel remains in the same place for the majority of the summer with us visiting it on weekends and for a couple of extended holidays a couple of times each summer. We are lucky to have a drain into the cabins sewer system that was installed when the septic tank was upgraded and the Summer Village's sewage system was upgraded. I dump after each weekend (unless its pouring rain), and during the week as needed. After dumping I always pour 2, 5 gallon pails down the toilet with the blackwater valve open. It seems to flush everything out and down the drain nicely. I never thought of leaving a bit of water in the tank to keep things loose and not let anything dry up. I do occasionally put some of this in the black and grey tanks as was suggested by someone on this forum. I use it in the drains at home as well.

Zep Drain Defense

 

[Jnorman1969]

Thanks to everyone who responded. The wife and I are excited to start our harvest hosting adventures.

 

[Kirk]

The wife and I are excited to start our harvest hosting adventures.

We were on the road full-time for 12 years and we would spend at least half of our time as RV volunteers. There are so many interesting things that one can do which need to be done and give great satisfaction as well as supplying an RV site free in places that most RVs never get to stay. We especially like volunteering on the national wildlife refuges. I strongly suggest that you check out the USFWS Volunteer website for future opportunities. We also spent time volunteering in 5 different National Parks, volunteers in parks program. We did things like visitor centers and tours, small maintenance jobs, mowing lawns, and even once were involved in black bear census & study! There are also campground host positions available for the state park campgrounds in nearly all states. It was a wonderful way of life and while age and health forced us from the road, we still miss it.