help! clueless about dumping gray and black water tanks

[joy mccalla]

Hi,
Now I know I should have figured this out before I left home but I didn't.
Have a 2007 Casita Spirit Deluxe and this is my first real camping trip. We are camping at a state park that has a dump site at the campsite.
There is no drain hose in the rear bumper. Where do I buy one and what do I buy?
Do I just unsrew the drain cap and attach it and run it to the dumpsite and leave it connected all the time?
I accidently pulled out the valves to the grey and black water tanks when I was trying to find the valve to open the shower drain. Did I just create a huge problem? I pushed them back in after I found the shower drain valve.

Thanks!

joy

[ThomasE]

I know Walmart has RV sewer hoses, I bought some there, or any Camping World if you have those near by. If you pulled the tank valves but the cap was still on, then you'll have some liquids in there, maybe a gallon or so, so be prepared for that to come out when you uncap the line. Once you get your sewer hose connected to the trailer and other end to the dump's line, you can leave the gray tank valve open. You're not suppose to leave the black tank valve open because all the liquids will drain out and leave the solids behind.

[Gina D.]

I accidentally pulled out the valves to the grey and black water tanks

I see a scene from "RV" here. But not as bad.

Get a tub, a dishpan should do, place it under the cap and a little forward. WEAR GLOVES!!!!

There is no pleasant way to do this, you just have to unscrew the cap and jump out of the way. Yes, you'll have "stuff" in there. A gallon sounds about right, but it is still very ugly.

You want the pan forward a bit because the contents will shoot out from the valve opening at first. You'll have to juggle the pan to get it all.

I use the red hoses, EZCOUPLER, but the Rhino hoses are good too. Expensive, but durable.

[Flygal]

feels *whoozy*.......my poor gag reflex

[Frederick L. Simson]

I accidentally pulled out the valves to the gray and black water tanks when I was trying to find the valve to open the shower drain. Did I just create a huge problem? I pushed them back in after I found the shower drain valve.

Been there, done that!

Don't feel bad. You're not the only one who did that.

[Donna D.]

File this one under "Lessons Learned," and write it down in your journal for future chuckles. Because I bet you won't repeat this lesson. And yeah, Frederick is right... you're not the first, and likely not the last. Gina gave you some tips that will work, just be prepared to have a bit of a mess to clean up around your camp site.

OR, unhook everything and go to a proper dump site (there's usually one in the campground) and they usually they have a catch basin and you can pull up close enough to the basin to just unscrew the valve/gate, then hose down the area into the drain when you're done. Put the cap back on and go back to your campsite and reset up. OR, wait until you're ready to completely leave the campground and do it then, if your holding tanks will hold what you need while you're camping.

[SherryNPaul]

Actually, whether you created a "yucky" situation... or not... depends on if anyone used the sink/toilet/shower before you went in search of the valves, and pulled the grey and black valves instead of the shower valve. If there was NOTHING in the tanks or line, there is nothing to worry about. No Robin Williams RV scene to foresee....

If, however, you did have a number of uses (especially of the toilet) line up a bucket with the cap, wear gloves, and stand back a bit when you open the cap to the dump line.

Sorry, but I say, "shame on you" to the folks who sold you the trailer, knowing it was your first, who did not go through the proper training when you picked it up. These little trailers are very simple, and with only a thirty minute lesson, you can be gain a lot of very important knowledge.

If your tanks were empty when you pulled those valves, with a brand new, clean hose, almost anyone in line will help you if you ask at the dump station. If they were not empty, please forewarn the next person behind. I'd still help you... I'd probably just stand back when you unscrewed the cap...

Sherry

[joy mccalla]

Thanks, everybody, for coming through for me again. I am learning through experience and have figured out a lot this trip.
Maybe things won't be too bad. We have used the potty but have, ummm, only used it for, ummm, liquids, no solids. We have showered at the bath house at the state park and have used the outside shower to do dishes, clean dirty feet, etc. Handy, that outside shower...
Anyway, will look at Walmart tomorrow for a hose and go from there.
We are at Gulf Shores State Park and laugh every time we pull into our road and see out little Egg with all these huge rigs. She's definitely the smallest camper here.
Thanks again!

joy and lily

[SherryNPaul]

Glad you're having a good time on your first trip. It is funny to see our little eggs among the "sun blockers".

Just one note... Feel free to ask for advice ahead of time from a nearby camper on how to hook up a dump hose... but please don't try to open the cap to the dump valves at your campsite. Discharge of even grey water at a site is against the rules (and illegal) in most parks. Go to the dump station and try it all out there, all gloved up. bucket in place at the spout.

It's not a really big deal... Lots of people some kind of mistake the first time. We've all seen a lot at dump stations...

The really important thing is that you and your daughter are out in the parks, and having a good time camping.

Bravo!
Sherry

[Radar1]

I was in a similar situation as you last week, had been camping with pop-ups for years but last week was the first time we went camping in our new to us Scamp and had to deal with dumping tanks. Visions of the movie "RV" floated in my mind.

We started at WalMart and they have kits that include all the attachments you need (hose, clamps, connectors, or you can buy the pieces a la carte. We bought a 10' flexible hose, a connector piece to twist onto the tanks, a straight piece to fit on the other end to accept a 90 degree adapter (the adaptor allows you to plug the other end of the hose into the dump station drain and stay in place) and 2 hose clamps to hold the connectors on the hose. (Some people just stick the end of the hose into the dump station drain but the elbow held the hose securely for us with no worries about it popping out an an inopportune moment)

We learned it's best to drain your black tank first (park close enough to the drain so that both tank outlets will reach with your hose) and after dumping the black tank, flush the toilet a few times to help rinse the tank out a bit. After it's drained as much as possible, close the valve, then move the hose connector to the gray water tank, hook it up, and open the valve. After it's drained you can run the sink if you like to flush it out a bit. Close the valve, remove the hose, and use the fresh water hose at the dump station to thoroughly rinse out your hose before putting it back in the storage container. (By now you've probably figured out that the gray water tank is not gray)

Make sure any connectors you buy are narrow enough to fit in the storage container; the first one we purchased had good sized protrusions to make it easier to turn, but those protrusions ended up being wider than our holder so we had to get the one with narrower knobs. The 90 degree elbow adapter piece doesn't fit in the container, so we use an old plastic coffee can to hold that.

I recommend wearing those disposable gloves and keep some sanitizing wipes handy. The first campsite we stayed at had a very nice dump site, with trash cans for disposing of the old gloves, and a sanitizing foam dispenser for cleaning your hands. The second one was not quite as nice but suited our purposes.

I survived my fears of my first dump station encounter and you will too!

Good luck!

John

[Robin G]

Hope your dumping adventure worked out, Thankfully I knew how to do that job (I grew up with self contained rv's) It's not a fun one, but I hate public restrooms so I deem it part of the pay off for my clean lil private bathroom.

May I also suggest buying a box of disposable gloves to wear and dispose of after dumping, so your not bare handed when touching all the equipment required to dump.....


Others suggested asking for help from other campers/rv'ers. I second that! The best resource of learning along the way is to ask your campground neighbor. In a private park, you could also ask the park owner/workcamper for help, or as I put it when I am doing something new - guidence! LOL Or the best one, I need a second opinion........... Men always are willing to give their opinion that a women might be doing something wrong............... Suckers! LOL..................

Well I hope you guys are enjoying your camping trip. Enjoy, and yes soon enough even dumping will become second hat..... Enjoy!

[Len Cater]

Another option, and one I actually really like, is to get a tote-n-stor or something similiar to it. This is an eternal tank that you empty your black water and grey water into, and then take to the pump out. I saves you having to haul your trailer over there, especially if you are parking where there is no direct hookup. Google tote-n-stor and you'll get lots of choices. Regardless emptying the black water is always a crappy job!

[Monica M]

Been there, done that!

Don't feel bad. You're not the only one who did that.

I did that too...I was "fortunate" to have five good looking guys standing around at the RV repair place when the cap was removed from my black water tank. I really did not realize there were two outlets, I thought there was one (the gray water cap), so I opened the valve on the black. These nice, young, good looking fellas found the other cap for me .

All of them jumped back at the odor, I was soooo embarrassed! Lot's of "Oh god!" and "Oh Geez!" going around.

My sister summed the scene up beautifully..

"Well, I guess you're not going to find a date there."