# Unhooking Procedure



## lilmismajik (Sep 29, 2005)

We recently completed our first trip with some friends who also have a trailer. Great trip...but we may have not gotten the proper advise. We had full hook ups. We disconnected everything and put the odorless chemical in the toilet. If you are hooked up to a sewer line do you still dump? What is the proper maintenance following unhooking to ensure no smells or problems. Thanks for your help, this is all new to us and our dealer was less then helpful (basically figure it out yourself)
Kimberly


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

What we do is always drain before leaving camp. Your grey water is going to fill much faster than the black if you use the shower so you might have to dump the grey more than once on your trip, leave the black until full. 
Now the black tank if not full you want to fill it full (just run the toilet) to get a good clean dump. Pull the black tank and then the grey tank to clean the tube. Put a few gallons of water back in the black tank, you can put some chemicals in now but we typically do that when we're at camp. You don't want an empty black tank to dry out unless your absolutely positive there is nothing left in the tank, once #2 has dried it's not easy to break free and baby wipes do not belong anywhere near a black tank







No smell at all in our tank, it should vent outside if Gilligan wasn't working that shift.

Happy flushing.

Bill.


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

lilmismajik said:


> We recently completed our first trip with some friends who also have a trailer. Great trip...but we may have not gotten the proper advise. We had full hook ups. We disconnected everything and put the odorless chemical in the toilet. If you are hooked up to a sewer line do you still dump? What is the proper maintenance following unhooking to ensure no smells or problems. Thanks for your help, this is all new to us and our dealer was less then helpful (basically figure it out yourself)
> Kimberly
> 
> 
> ...


Hi, Kimberly!
Well, to start with, I'd call the dealer and tell them you need an appt. for an "in-service" tour of your camper, basically that you want to know how things work, etc. He should comply (actually someone in service should), and help you out.
You need to leave those holding tank valves CLOSED until they need emptying, even with full hook-up and your sewer line intact. Periodically check the tank indicator to see how full they are. Empty your black tank first, and flush the line with the grey water. Usually, when you're camping you're not going to need to empty the black water 'til close to time to leave, as you use alot more grey water (from showers, dishes, etc.). The chemical packs are for when you set up, not afterwards. They help to break down the waste, toilet paper, etc. Before I empty the black tank, I hold the toilet pedal down to fill the black tank as much as possible to get as good a flush as possible. Otherwise, you may end up with build up in that tank, which will result in it hardening and adhering to the walls of the tank. Not a pretty picture, if you get my drift. Read your manual. It should help on this, as well. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. People on here are very helpful!
Good luck!
Darlene action


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

Bill, 
Don't scare her to death about Gilligan!!







She's already got a big enough mess if #2 was left in her tank!!








Darlene action


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## Devildog (Sep 8, 2005)

LOL, you all are too much! Good advise though...


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## gone campin (Jan 29, 2006)

We dump before we leave the CG and use a backflush thing??? (clear little tube you hook hose up to and send water into it) to put water up into the tank again then empty again. After we are done with that I put water and another bottle of chemical in the toilet to swish around going down the road. That will stay in there until we use the trailer at the CG again and have to dump again before we leave. So it swishes on the way home and on the way back to the CG on the next trip. We have never had any odors in the trailer so I guess we are doing something right.

Linda


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

sgalady has some good advice. You want your black tank to be as close to full as possible when you dump it. More water will help move the solids out of the tank.

Tim


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## Moosegut (Sep 24, 2005)

When I have a full hook up, I too fill the black tank as much as possible, open the valve, close the valve and then I refill it and repeat. Then I empty the gray, doing the same with the refill. This way both tanks are clear. I then add chemicals to the black and about a gallon of water.

Scott


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

I couldn't have said it any better sglady
Nice job there Dalene









Don


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## nascarcamper (Jan 27, 2005)

With a wife and a teenage daughter I leave the gray tank open or I'd be worn out from running back and forth to dump it. I shut it two or three showers before it's time to dump the black tank. I usually dump the black tank every three days so it's not too full of well you know. Top it off with water then dump it and chase it with gray. Same thing when I leave but I add several gallons to slosh around on the way home and dump again before I get home. The negative side is I end up hauling extra gray water to flush the hose on the last dump. I never leave the black tank dry except when I winterize.


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## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

I started using the natural enzyme type chemicals for the black tank. WOW what a difference.

The enzymes actualy eat the waste to break it down. It comes in a little green pouch you drop is the toilet. It will breakdown regular TP also.


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## h2oman (Nov 17, 2005)

nascarcamper said:


> With a wife and a teenage daughter I leave the gray tank open or I'd be worn out from running back and forth to dump it. I shut it two or three showers before it's time to dump the black tank. I usually dump the black tank every three days so it's not too full of well you know. Top it off with water then dump it and chase it with gray. Same thing when I leave but I add several gallons to slosh around on the way home and dump again before I get home. The negative side is I end up hauling extra gray water to flush the hose on the last dump. I never leave the black tank dry except when I winterize.
> [snapback]98285[/snapback]​





kjdj said:


> I started using the natural enzyme type chemicals for the black tank. WOW what a difference.
> 
> The enzymes actualy eat the waste to break it down. It comes in a little green pouch you drop is the toilet. It will breakdown regular TP also.
> [snapback]98289[/snapback]​


Yup. Leave the gray valve opened when hooked up. Close it and let gray tank fill some before dumping black tank so that you can clear the line with grey water. Keep chemical in the black tank all the time and the enzyme chemicals work great to keep the solids broken down and odors down as well.


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

hatcityhosehauler said:


> sgalady has some good advice. You want your black tank to be as close to full as possible when you dump it. More water will help move the solids out of the tank.
> 
> Tim
> [snapback]98211[/snapback]​


I use the Quickie Flush to fill the black tank if it is half empty before I dump to ensure a great flow while dumping.

Thor


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## lilmismajik (Sep 29, 2005)

Thanks everyone!! We did mostly all of the suggestions so I guess we will be ok. We just added the chemical a little later. Live and learn!!!








Kimberly


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Kimberly,

We take a slightly different tack...

The chemicals go in before the trip along with about 5 gallons of water so they slosh around good.

When breaking camp, I will drain the gray tank (to save towing weight), but not the black tank. Just before we hit the road, I pour a bag of ice down the toilet. As we are driving, the ice cubes slosh around in the tank and help break things up. Then, of course, they melt.

Once we get home, I will refill the gray tank and top off the black tank as needed, and head for the local dump station. Drain the black tank, Quickie-Flush the black tank and finally, drain the gray tank.

Also, before every third trip, I will do the Calgon/Tide conditioning of the black tank instead of chemicals. Then add the chemicals once we are at the camp site.

This procedure has kept our black tank clean and oder free. And, the gauges work!

Happy Trails,
Doug


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