Newbie fulltimer

bacardiron · 05-09-2016, 01:44 PM

Hello everyone;
It's me again with seemingly unending questions. We just started fulltiming and it's quite an adjustment. On question is on the debate on whether to leave the black and gray drains open or closed. Right now I am leaving them closed and dumping ever 2nd or 3rd day so the hose is rinsed out regularily. I have been told that if we are using the washer/dryer we need to have the gray water valve open. That makes sense, we are thinking of removing the combo unit and making the water closet a bit bigger someday down the road. Our only complaint about our 2007 32tk3 is that the washroom is too small for a big guy to use comfortably. Happy camping!

**wingnut60** · 05-09-2016, 02:02 PM

In our 9 years of using our 36TK3, we have always kept the black tank closed--period--except when dumping the tank. If you don't let some fluid build up in the tank, you will have solids build up and end up with a mess that has dried and hard to get moving. I would keep it closed until at least 2/3 to 3/4 full before dumping and flushing.
As to the gray water tank--much discussion on that: 1) keep it closed so you will have some non-black water to flush sewer hose after dumping the black tank; 2) leave it open and forget about the tank getting too full, use the flush device to clean the sewer hose after dumping the black tank.
A lot of this will come to you thru experience, hopefully a not too smelly experience. If you move often, the movement of the fluid will help keep solids from settling/building up. If you are stationary for long periods, that is when you will have to get a routine established that works for you.
Joe

oldbird · 05-10-2016, 09:22 AM

Like Joe said, its a good idea to let the tanks get almost full before dumping. This helps keep them clean. The exception to this is when you use the washer machine, I get nervous when the washer is draining and don't want to overfill the tank so I leave it open. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong about this. My Travel Supreme had a bypass pipe so when the washer drained it went straight out the hose, not in the tank. This MS doesn't seem to have that bypass.

**wingnut60** · 05-10-2016, 09:34 AM

Correct, the kitchen sink, lavatory and shower drain into the gray water tank.
The standard capacities for the tanks are: 100 gal fresh water; 75 gal gray water; 50 gal black water--most all DRVs will have these size tanks.
I always leave my gray water valve open when hooked to sewer and use the flush jet to clean the tank/sewer hose before leaving.
Joe