RV Plumbing Tips- How to Keep RV Holding Tanks in Good Working Order

So far, my hubs about RVing have extolled the delights of RVing, but there are some downsides that I’ve been avoiding. Now it’s time to jump right in and talk about the unpleasant topic of RV holding tanks. If there's anything that equalizes all RVers, it's the fact that everyone who lives in one has to deal with dumping their sewage and waste water. Every RVer, from the couple in the million dollar Provost to the guy or gal in the 20 year old Winnebago, has to put on their rubber gloves and get down to this dirty business every week or two no matter who they are in their non-RVing life.

If you're new to RVing, caring and maintaining RV holding tanks may seem like a complicated and overwhelming undertaking. It really isn't that complicated, but there are some things that every RV owner should know and there are some tips for keeping your systems flowing smoothly.

Most motor homes and travel trailers (except very small trailers and pop-up campers) have three tanks as part of their water and waste systems:

The fresh water tank

• provides water for washing dishes, showers and flushing the toilet. Some people use water from their fresh water tank for drinking, others prefer to buy bottled water. The fresh water tank is filled using a clean hose, one reserved for use with drinking water, which is connected to safe drinking water from a city water system or a well. Generally, a white hose is used exclusively for this purpose, and is stored separately from other hoses so that it doesn’t become contaminated.

The gray water tank

• is used to collect used kitchen and bath water and stores it until it can be dumped safely into a campground sewer system.

The black water tank

• stores used toilet water and waste until it can be safely dumped into a septic system.

One of the first things every RVer must learn is how to deal with these tanks. Filling the fresh water tank is easy as it’s just a matter of hooking the white hose up to city water and filling the tank. Emptying and maintaining the black and gray water tanks is somewhat more complicated. Your RV manuals will give you specifics of how to hook up your sewer lines to the dump station and how to dump your tanks. However, just as important as dumping is maintaining a smooth flowing system and keeping it clog-free.

Anyone who has seen Robin Williams in the movie RV has seen a worst case scenario about dealing with waste from the RV tanks. The movie had me rolling in the aisles,as the sewer hose came loose spraying everyone in the area with the waster from the tanks, but at the same time it hit too close to home – my RV home! Although the movie exaggerated the problems of dumping, the scene where other campers gathered around to watch, comment and give advice was not far-fetched. New RVers will quickly find out that their problems are a spectator sport for the rest of the campers. The minute your campground neighbors get wind of the fact that you are having a problem with your RV, they’ll quickly congregate around you to help, watch, comment and give advice- whether you want them to or not.

Although it can be embarrassing to be the center of attention as you demonstrate your ignorance of how things work on your RV, you’ll usually find other RVers helpful and knowledgeable. Let them help you out when you need it.

Keeping tanks working properly is a lot easier than fixing them. Here are a few tips that will help keep your black and gray water tanks in good working order:

• Add water to tank. Always put a gallon or two of water into your black water tank after emptying. Then add tank chemical (usually 4 oz. of liquid chemical per 40 gallons of water that the tank will hold) by pouring it carefully into the toilet and flushing it down. There are several brands on the market. We use RV Toilet Treatment – TST made by Camco. Whatever chemical you decide to use, be sure to use one specifically made for RV tanks and use as directed. The TST will help break down solids and help keep your tank from smelling bad. Don’t skip it! If you are in a very hot climate, you may want to add more chemical after a few days.
• Flush with enough water. Use enough water to flush thoroughly. Too little water will cause toilet tissue and solids to adhere to the lines rather than falling into the tank. This will eventually cause a buildup of solids and prevent the tank from emptying properly when you dump.
• Use RV safe toilet tissue only. NEVER flush down tissues, paper towels, or anything other than RV safe toilet tissue (see below on how to identify RV septic safe toilet tissue.)
• Only dump when tanks are nearly full. When parking at a campground, hook up your sewer line if you wish, but don’t open the valves to dump until your tank is at least two thirds full. This will ensure that the weight of the collected waste water pushes everything through the lines rather than building up a little at a time and causing a clog. Keeping the valves closed until you are ready to dump will also keep the smells of the sewer system from drifting up into your RV.
• Dump black tanks, then gray tanks. When dumping your tanks, always dump the black water tank first, then the gray water. The soapy gray water will help to rinse out your hoses. Flush through some clean water to rinse residue out of tank and hoses, but be sure all rinse water goes into the campground sewer connection. Never rinse hoses and let water flow onto the ground around the tank.
• Check tank levels. After dumping, you’ll probably want to check your tank gauges to be sure the tanks have emptied properly. Unfortunately, the waste water tank gauges are notorious for showing inaccurate readings because sensors are usually inside the tanks and can easily gather bits of toilet tissue or residue that will give a false reading. If you suspect that you are not getting an accurate reading, you can double check the condition of your black water tank by turning off the water pump, opening the flush valve in the toilet and looking into the tank with a flashlight.
• Ice cube trick. This is a trick that some RVers use to loosen a stubborn build-up that’s deposited on the bottom of the black water tank. Add several gallons of water to the tank and dump in a bag of ice cubes. Take your rig for a drive of 5 or 10 miles. The ice cubes bouncing around in the tank will help loosen any buildup and you’ll be able to dump the residue easily.
• Wear rubber gloves when dumping and avoid touching the outside of the gloves. Rinse off before storing.
• Carry an extra garden hose for rinsing the outside of the sewer hose and the dump station area. Store this hose separately from the clean water hose and never let the two come in contact with each other. Often the water provided for rinsing at the dump station is not potable water. Never fill your fresh water tanks with any water that is not marked "potable" or "safe for drinking" water.

Life is good when the plumbing is working smoothly! No matter where you are - in a house, office or RV, when the plumbing system breaks down, it can cause misery and headaches. Keep your RV plumbing systems running smoothly by following the common sense tips above and your manufacturer's instructions for dumping.

Remember: Never dump gray or black water on the ground!

It will contaminate the area and may find its way into local drinking water. Have respect for the environment and for the people who follow you by always using proper procedures for disposing of your gray and black waste water.

Now, quit thinking about sewage and hit the road!

Happy Trails!

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This article Copyright ©2011 by Stephanie Henkel