I feel a bit silly for asking this question:

BogieMeister

  I’m currently on the road staying at an RV park that has full connections.  This is my first experience with connecting my black water tank directly to a sewer line. My question is, do you normally keep the black tank valve closed and store the affluent, then empty it periodically? Or do you leave it open for a full flow?  

targ

If you keep the valve open, you might not flush out all the solid waste with each flush.  Over time, that could build up in your tank.  IMHO, you'd do better to keep the valve closed until the tank is near full, then dump it.

The grey tank on the other hand, keep it open or not, doesn't really matter.  We tend to keep it closed as well since we don't really fill it up that fast.

lkc001

ALWAYS keep it closed until you need to dump or you could get the dreaded solid mountain of poo stuck in your black tank.  Dumping your grey tank AFTER dumping the black tank helps to rinse out the dump hose.  

lkc001

@BogieMeister  and you shouldn't feel silly about asking a question--that's how we learn

ScottG

Keeping your valves closed will also prevent campground sewer gases from wafting back into your tanks, and potentially into your camper.

Cbusguy

Keep both closed then till either when full or just before departure,  empty the black and then flush the sewer hose with your gray.    

I like to completely fill the black tank completely when at full hookups before draining....helps float everything out.   If your paying for full hook ups you might as well take advantage.

BogieMeister

This is all “sage” advice. Thanks for the guidance. 

GatorEgg

There is no silly question while learning.
yes, keep closed, or fear the poop dam!
Also cockroaches/palmetto bugs like sewer and septic systems.  

BrianZ

Sounds like you got some good advice here.  We recently tried a similar approach to a slightly different situation..
We stayed one night at each of three different campgrounds that were about an hour apart, so we figured we'd wait until the last day to visit the dump station.  While at the third campground, we found water in the floor of the shower, but we hadn't used our shower.  I think our gray water was around 30 or 40 percent full; so we figured it must have been due to some sloshing around while traveling, since there weren't any leaks anywhere.

Sharon_is_SAM

Good to know @BrianZ.  Yes, our tanks are shallow, so I can see how that could happen.

GatorEgg

Water water will seep into the toilet over time.  Before we hit the road we turn off pump switch, or disconnect city water, flush/empty bowl.  Since doing this we don’t find any water on shower floor after drives.  We brought that over from our sailboat living lives.

Tundra57

The only stupid question is the one you never asked.

No-one judges here fellow tabber

ChanW

@DougH

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