black water tank

[Wrigley]

after reading all the threads about all the trouble these tanks cause is it a good idea to just do away with them all together.I guess if a person camped in the boondocks you would need one but they cause a lot of misery.
Thanks
greg

[sandlapper]

Heck no, you misunderstand, the black tank is a good thing, especially at 2am when duty calls.

[TBRich]

I'm not sure what problems you are referring to ... but getting rid of the black water tank entirely seems like a drastic measure ... I don't think I'd like to go without a black tank. Yikes!

[markdoane]

Wha?? Are we going back to chamber pots and thunder mugs? I'd rather go tent camping!

[Wrigley]

What a reaction.i wasn't suggesting removing the toilet.all I read is they leak,they smell they crack.if you don't camp in the boonies why not plump it so it dumps into the campgrounds sewer through your flex hose.

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by Greg65

What a reaction.i wasn't suggesting removing the toilet.all I read is they leak,they smell they crack.if you don't camp in the boonies why not plump it so it dumps into the campgrounds sewer through your flex hose.

Not enough water flow to get it through the hose.

In some areas there are many campgrounds that don't have sewer hookups at sites.

You can't stop in any parking lot and use your bathroom while towing.

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by Wazbro

Not enough water flow to get it through the hose.

In some areas there are many campgrounds that don't have sewer hookups at sites.

You can't stop in any parking lot and use your bathroom while towing.

Forgot a couple of important ones.

Stopping for 1 night on the way you don't have to hookup the sewer.

You can dump the night before you leave and have less to unhook in the morning to get going (if it's not your last nigh in the trailer for a while).

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Greg65

all I read is they leak,they smell they crack.

No different from your gray tank or fresh tank in that regard, except for the smell issue. Smell is easily dealt with by making sure your tank seals are all in good shape, and you empty the tank often enough to not let everything ferment inside— meaning that you never put your trailer into storage unless the black tank has been emptied and flushed first.

If your black tank has a flush fitting on the side, get a green garden hose and use it to flush the tank. After emptying the black tank, refill it through the flush fitting, and drain it again. I suggest a green garden hose because that way you're never connecting your white freshwater hose to your black tank.

If there's no flush fitting on the side of your black tank, you can flush the tank by filling it with clean water through the toilet and then draining again. If you have a handheld shower nozzle that will reach the toilet, you can fill the toilet with hot water from your shower for a better black tank flush.

[TBRich]

Originally Posted by Greg65

...>snip<....why not plumb it so it dumps into the campgrounds sewer through your flex hose.

The problem with a direct-connect to the campground sewer system is that, unlike residential toilets, very little water is used to flush an RV toilet. If you connect directly to the sewer system (or leave the black tank dump valve open all the time), the liquids will drain out after each flush, leaing behind the solids. After a while you will have a nasty build-up of solids that will either clog the direct-connect or collect at the bottom of the black water tank causing all sorts of unpleasant problems. This is the reason that one should let the black water tank get at least 3/4 full or so before draining it...so there will be ample liquid built up to carry the solids out.

One could connect directly to the sewer system if the RV toilet was replaced with a residential toilet... But that would require plumbing changes and far more water, making it impractical for a mobile rig.

[TG Twinkie]

When I need to empty the black tank, I try to do it upon entering the camp site. That way it has been sloshing around from driving and is well mixed and liquified.
Of course, if you are on an extended stay, this technique does not apply.