EMPTYING THE HOLDING TANKS – TIPS & TRICKS
On the less than pleasant spectrum of RVing is emptying the holding tanks on an RV. Since it’s a must, best to do it as quickly and efficiently as possible so you can enjoy the rest of your day. In this post, we’ll not only review the types of tanks in your vehicle, but also how and where to empty them.
RV STORAGE TANKS
An RV has three types of water tanks, each with a specific purpose:
⦁ Black Water Tank contains wastewater and sewage from the toilet
⦁ Gray Water Tank holds the dirty water from your shower and sinks
⦁ Fresh Water Tank holds your clean, potable water
THE FLOW
All of your appliances, sinks, showers, and toilets draw water from the freshwater tank. From there, water that’s been used in your sink and shower flows into your gray water tank. The water that was used in your toilet goes into the black water tank.
WHERE TO DUMP
Firstly, if you’re boondocking, you’ll need to find a dump station to legally dispose of your waste. The easiest way is to Google ‘nearby dump station’ or apps like RVLIFE provide locations to the nearest dump stations.
Keep in mind, you should regularly dump your freshwater tank, too. Neglecting it could cause lots of bacteria to grow.
THE MACERATOR
‘The Macerator’, sounds like an action hero, doesn’t it? It kind of is – all things considered.
The term ‘macerate’ means to soften or break up. A macerator pump uses a fast-rotating stainless-steel blade to convert solids into fine slurry that is saved to your black tank until expelled into a sewage tank.
LET’S GET STARTED!
⦁ First, put on a pair of disposable gloves.
⦁ Unscrew the cover to the access hole located on the bottom of the Wet Bay compartment and feed the Sani-Con hose through the opening.
⦁ Extend the hose to a sewer outlet and securely insert the nozzle into the outlet.
(RUN A TEST FIRST. Before jumping right to the black tank valve, run a test first using the gray water to ensure the hose doesn’t leak.)
⦁ Open the Gray Tank valve to flood the Sani-Con unit, then turn on the Sani-Con pump long enough to check the hose and its connections are secure -- then turn off the Sani-Con system and close the Gray Tank valve.
⦁ THE BLACK TANK. Open the Black Tank valve and turn on the Sani-Con system to empty the Black Tank. Listen while the pump’s running. There will be a distinct change in sound when the tank is empty. When you hear it, turn off the Sani-con unit and close the Black Tank valve.
(RINSE AND STOW. After emptying Black Tank, use the soapy water from the Gray Tank to rinse any remnants the Black Tank left behind.)
⦁ Open the Gray Tank Valve and let the water flow freely to your satisfaction.
⦁ Once you’ve followed these steps, close the valves, pack everything up, and give yourself a nice pat of the back. Again, not a glamorous job—but necessary.
DIGEST CLEAN
It’s also recommended to clean your black tank monthly with digest.
⦁ Pour 16 oz. of Unique Tank Digest down your toilet
⦁ Hook up hose to black tank flush
⦁ Make sure valve is closed
⦁ Fill black tank & shut off water
⦁ Let sit for 24 hours or more
⦁ Drain black tank
⦁ Flush black tank
TIPS & TRICKS
Needless to say, RV waste dumping can get…messy. But there are a few tips to smoothen out the process.
⦁ Always Use RV Toilet Paper
You want all solids in your black water tank to break down as much as possible. RV toilet paper is designed to do so. Regular toilet paper…not so much. Do yourself a favor and remember to check the label and get the good stuff. Finally, if you’re not sure if your toilet paper is RV friendly, there’s an RV toilet paper test you can try.
⦁ Don’t Dump Empty Tanks
We’re talking about grey and black water tanks (fresh water tanks can be dumped whenever!) While it may seem gross, a tank that’s more full means that there’s a better chance the solids will flow out of the tank during the dumping process.
⦁ Flush with Lots of Water
Adding to the advice above, make sure you flush the toilet with plenty of water. Error on the side of using too much water—you’ll be happy when you must empty the tanks.
⦁ Heading to Another Site? Fill Up Your Tank
If you’re heading to another location, it’s a good idea to drain your black water tank and fill the tank up to about ⅔ of its capacity. That way water can move around on the drive and help clean your black water tank on the road.
A little dirty work is well worth the adventure that awaits while traveling the open road. Keep things clean and in working order so you can focus on what really matters—exploring the great outdoors in your motor coach!
If you find yourself in need of parts or service or even advice, please give our award-winning dealership a call.