based upon reactions to a post I made in another thread:
I'm starting this thread to inform folks and hopefully to learn from their responses about
:
6. the numbers of folks who know how to properly hook up their sewer lines and what valves to leave open and which ones to leave closed has caught me by complete surprise
first of all, on any camper that has remote cable controlled valves, I recommend the addition of an
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm/Outdoor-and-RV-Accessories/RV-Maintenance/RV-Sanitation--Sewer/Twiston-Valve/skunum=27868 valve to the the exit point of the camper's sewer drain system ... note: mine is mounted permanently via the use of super glue, has been on the camper since late '05 and performed flawlessly .... this valve has several positive contributions ... first of all, it prevents the cup or more of surprise liquid often discovered when the line cap is removed ... secondly, when camping without sewer hookups it allows you to open your gray tank valve(s) thusly making all piping to the exit point additional storage space .... on all campers I recommend leaving the black tank valve closed until you are ready to dump it and the fuller the better .... frankly, you want solids to float and not stick so you need much liquid as possible in the black tank ... most campers come with either 1 or 2 gray tanks ... if 2 gray tanks, it is perfectly OK to leave the one for the bathroom sink/shower open while at your full hookup site .... it also isn't a bad idea to close it the day prior to leaving to build up water to help flush the lines after dumping your black tank .... on 2 gray tank systems, I recommend folks treat the kitchen sink tank like their black tank, in that it should remain closed until filled as full as possible ... water in this tank is usually mixed with grease and just like the solids in the black tank, when you open the valve you want it to leave ... on single gray tank systems it is OK to leave it closed or open until you need to drain it ... if you are washing very greasy dishes, closed is better ... the use of Dawn dish washing liquid is recommended because of the way it handles grease .... I do recommend the day prior to you leaving, close all gray tanks so as to be able to use that fluid to help wash the lines after draining the black tank
Jim