# question about blackwater



## 2tines (Oct 26, 2008)

i am a first time camper owner. i have hunting camper that i have installed a make-shift septic tank, my question is should i leave the valve open to the septic tank or should i close and let the tank fill up then empty once or twice a month?


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## Paddle (Oct 27, 2008)

The guy's I've seen with that set up leave the valve open.


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## JD (Oct 27, 2008)

It all depends on if you are hooked up to a sewer tank. If you have a line that connects from your tank to a sewer hook up leave it open. If not you need to leave it closed or it's just going to drop straight out on the ground under the camper. If you have to leave it closed make sure you go to a camping/RV store and get scent paks to put in the tank and use only TP for RV's regular TP will not break down and clog your tank....


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## Jeffriesw (Oct 27, 2008)

Not sure how you have it set up, But if you have it hooked directly from the campers black water tank to a septic system, you need to make sure you have the system vented and trapped to avoid gasses coming back into the camper. If not the gasses and odrs can straight back into your camper.

Just like in your house all your sinks, toilets and showers have a trap installed to retain water to block the gasses from coming back into the house and vents going out the top of your house stacks to allow the gasses to not build up.

When I am hooked up to the sewer connection at a campground I leave the valve closed to retain the sewage in my black water tank until it is full then dump it and rinse and then refill with a small amount of water and a "blue pack"


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## 2tines (Oct 27, 2008)

thanks guys, great info . i am hooked straight to the septic tank but it looked liked i was trying to get a clog. i didnt know about rv toilet paper, maybe thats my problem. i'll pick some up before i go back.  thanks again.


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## firewagon (Oct 27, 2008)

I keep a flush device on my line. Here's a link to Camping World. Any RV place will have one.
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/product/rv-hydro-flush/2096
Works great to flush the tank without unhooking your drainline first.


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## deerehauler (Oct 28, 2008)

Swamp Runner said:


> Not sure how you have it set up, But if you have it hooked directly from the campers black water tank to a septic system, you need to make sure you have the system vented and trapped to avoid gasses coming back into the camper. If not the gasses and odrs can straight back into your camper.
> 
> Just like in your house all your sinks, toilets and showers have a trap installed to retain water to block the gasses from coming back into the house and vents going out the top of your house stacks to allow the gasses to not build up.
> 
> When I am hooked up to the sewer connection at a campground I leave the valve closed to retain the sewage in my black water tank until it is full then dump it and rinse and then refill with a small amount of water and a "blue pack"



Swamp runner is right about the stink. If there is not enough fluid to rinse it out of your tank it can sit there and get to stinking something awful. I worked at a Rv dealer as a tech for awhile and have seen and smelled some nasty tanks that didnt get rinsed out good. It doesnt hafta be full before you empty it but if it was me I would leave it closed and open it after you get a inch or two of water in it atleast.


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