Long line at dump station due to people flushing tanks

[highfeather]

I'm with you. I paid for the facilities and if I'm driving 350 miles to home I do not want to deal with it in my own yard! Stop and smell the roses.

[crazylev]

So I am one of the slow ones. Sunday AM is pretty busy with everyone leaving, so I head to the DS early afternoon when it is more likely to be less busy.

At that time there is either no one behind me, or someone pulls up when I am in the middle of things.

I have not used any chemicals in my BW tank ever because of two things: I've not had a problem with odor even on the hottest of days, and 2) good black/gray tank hygiene. Some of those chemicals contain, or used to contain formaldehyde, but whatever the chemical, I was always a little more than concerned what goes into the ground.

Our installed BT flush system has not worked in years, and even when it did, it did a crappy job. No pun intended. I use a FLushKing, that was (recommended here on the forums) back flow flush and it has done a great job.

If no one is behind me, I will completely fill BT with RV wifestress watching level in toilet. Dump and repeat one or two more times. After 3rd time, water comes out pretty clear with no TP or doody.

That's the ideal situation. If there is someone behind me, I will do no more than 2 fill/empty cycles. Maybe a friendly wave to waiting customer too.

A consideration is how good the water pressure is the DS. I've been to places where it is so good, I can fill my tank in a couple of minutes, or if it's bad, it can take 20 minutes!

I too have been behind some poky folks that do interior cleaning at the dump and that's sometimes maddening. If there are more than two people waiting, I really speed it up, or try to.

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by Acheron2010

When I was a young man, I was a left-lane, on your bumper, screaming white-knuckle machine, blood pressure in the red zone just to get there one minute sooner.

I retired. I got rid of my smartphone. I drive the speed limit. I welcome the local small town grocery line where every customer has a ten minute conversation with the woman at the register.
Whenever you encounter a line, it is the Lord sending you a message. Take this time to look around. Find your inner peace. Enjoy your time on Earth. Smile at the children and the elderly. You can learn from both of them.
And don't go anywhere without a Kindle. And a smile.

Very good!

Maggie

[DRBusse]

Last time I dumped, I was in line behind a guy with an Airstream Interstate. A rental. He was having trouble, so I put on my rubber gloves and offered help. Turns out the Interstate uses an electric valve and it was stuck. I suggested he activate the button a couple more times and it became “unstuck.” Problem solved.

First time I dumped by myself I was at a Caltrans rest stop. Guy in front of me just started when I pulled up. “I’m new at this...mind if I watch?” I said. Not only did he offer suggestions, he stayed after he was finished and “coached” me.

BTW, I am recently retired. So was he, and we laughed about not being in a hurry any more.

[TBRich]

We do a lot of camping where there are not full hookups. If we are going to another campground before we head home, we do a "quick" dump, just dumping the black and then the gray and getting out. It's really fast and since we are going to continue to use the black tank, it's OK if we don't do the full such thing. If we are heading home it's a different thing. Hopefully we will have full hookups so we can do it at our leisure ... or no one else at the dump station, so we can take the time to do the full monte. If all that fails we will do it at home ... but not my preferred method.

[banderabob]

It doesn’t bother me. I have all the time in the world and would rather be frustrated at or about something that matters. Turn the AC up, sit back and listen to some good music.

[WhereStream]

If we are headed to another campground and there are a few other campers behind us, I’ll do quick work and move on.

If I’m heading home, though, it will have to be rinse and repeat.

I don’t have a way to tidy things up at the homestead, so I have to get the tank clean.

[brick1]

I dump and flush. It does not take long. Last weekend we were done in 7 minutes.
brick

[Antique Pedaler]

We were at a busy park where all the full hookup sites were taken. So we got one of the last water & electric sites. When it was time to leave there was a long line at the dump station. No problem. We just pulled into a recently vacated full hookup site and dumped. 😊

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by Antique Pedaler

We were at a busy park where all the full hookup sites were taken. So we got one of the last water & electric sites. When it was time to leave there was a long line at the dump station. No problem. We just pulled into a recently vacated full hookup site and dumped. ��

I have done exactly this many times.

Sometimes the sewer hookups at individual sites are better or worse, between them, and from that located at the dump station.

I especially hate the hookups that are elevated, where your hose has to run uphill....running the risk of the connector pulling loose while emptying the tanks.

Maggie

[369goose]

Originally Posted by Acheron2010

When I was a young man, I was a left-lane, on your bumper, screaming white-knuckle machine, blood pressure in the red zone just to get there one minute sooner.

I retired. I got rid of my smartphone. I drive the speed limit. I welcome the local small town grocery line where every customer has a ten minute conversation with the woman at the register.
Whenever you encounter a line, it is the Lord sending you a message. Take this time to look around. Find your inner peace. Enjoy your time on Earth. Smile at the children and the elderly. You can learn from both of them.
And don't go anywhere without a Kindle. And a smile.

Same here...I can’t help but wonder with the tiny home movement and many people giving up the traditional sticks ‘n bricks home to RV full time if this is why it’s become increasingly difficult to find campsites and then looong waits at the dump stations. Camping hasn’t seemed to keep up with todays demands.

We recently watched a fella (in FL) empty his fifth wheel tanks along the river bank under the dark of night and hose it all in to the river bank while we were sitting around a campfire. Next morning he was the first one out while the other RV’ers he was with all waited in line at the dump station. I would have gladly waited for 1 more person to use the dump than have seen that.

Anyway, ”Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.“

[OpenRoad100]

Some of us are not “straightening up” inside. I am adding enzymes to my black tank after emptying it. This takes a moment, and is part of keeping the tank clean.

We pull a 30’ Signature International, with a 37 gallon black tank and a 37 gallon grey tank. After a week of dry camping, these tanks are full, and take longer than 2 minutes to empty.

Then we rinse the black tank too.

Please be patient with people with a larger rig ahead of you.

[SteveSueMac]

My $0.02 - rushing causes problems. Rushing contributes to forgetting a step - like leaving the water pump on which can be disastrous if you hit a bump and open a faucet. When dealing with almost 40 gallons of water polluted with fecal matter, its best not to have an impatient fella honking a horn, getting out of his rig to ask when the hell you're going to be done, or otherwise trying to burn a hole in your hide with his angry eyes. [emoji106]

At the same time, dilly dallying causes unnecessary frustration for those behind me.

So when at the dump station, I try to finish the black/grey dump in as thoughtful and efficient a manner as possible. If space allows, I'll pull forward enough to give the guy behind me the chance to get started and will then start my tank refilling process and finish my checklist. If space doesn't allow for that, the person(s) behind me are just going to have to wait the extra 4-6 minutes it might take to complete those tasks. And when you knock on my door to ask me if I'm done yet - I'm going to get distracted and have to go back to the beginning of the checklist. I'm not an idiot - I know you need the station too. Just take a deep breath and hang in there - I have no desire to luxuriate around the cesspool just to piss you off. [emoji106]

Camping gives us all the opportunity to slow down, lighten up, and assume positive intent.

Happy camping, dumping, and travels. [emoji3]

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, we used to plan for a full hook up sight at our last stop before heading for home. We seldom ever used a dump station, but when we did, we just dumped [never flushed] and hit the road. Now we have full hook ups at our home and I can spend all of the time I want to for flushing out our tanks.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, we used to plan for a full hook up sight at our last stop before heading for home. We seldom ever used a dump station, but when we did, we just dumped [never flushed] and hit the road. Now we have full hook ups at our home and I can spend all of the time I want to for flushing out our tanks.

That's great! We bought our house several years before buying the trailer - our first ever - and weren't even thinking about it. No place for a trailer on our lot so we have to keep it in storage and there's no dump station there. Next place - that's our number one consideration and we'll skip the dump line altogether. [emoji3]

[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by bigfoot390

It’s a dump station. Not fast food. Have a sandwich while your waiting.

Some how dump stations don't pique my appetite.


The only thin that bothers me is when people stand around yaking- not while tanks are draining - but when they could be moving on.

[AlanMcD]

I went to the Logan, OH Urban Air a few weeks ago and they had the Airstream factory national service manager (I think his name is Rick and can't remember his last name at all) there who did a seminar on Airstream maintenance and he said you should always use the BT flush with every dump not only for the obvious reason of flushing of the tank but also because the head of the nozzle inside the tank will build up sludge on it quickly and once it clogs up it is done for. He said the only way to fix it is to remove/replace it which is a very expensive endeavor because there is no way into the black tank. Now, that being said, I don't flush every time because for one, I don't have to worry about pyramiding because I have a 26U floor plan which comes (new from the factory) with a macerator toilet (because the design requires the toilet flow to go over the wheel well so no direct gravity drop into the black tank like most other trailers). But I still need to be concerned about the nozzle head clogging. I still don't flush every time but will more often after hearing his seminar.

[mojo]

Unfortunately, there is a percentage of the population that are just clueless. They are unaware that they are dilly dallying at the dump stations. These are the ones that stand in the middle of the aisle at the grocery store blocking anyone from getting by. Or park at the gas pump while they go in to get their big gulp and a candy bar before buying fuel. Can't fix stupid.

[57Wanderer]

What SteveSueMac said! Thank you for your sanity in this matter. 40 gallons of fecal material deserves respect...... I say that as a veteran of 42 years of dealing with many "Code Browns" as an RN. If you know what I mean. Happy Trails and no dump station accidents to all.....

[pmclemore]

Dump with full tanks and you won't need to flush.

Pat