How To Properly Empty Your Black Tank

We keep our grey tank valve closed until we are ready to empty the tank so that none of the fumes, etc. from the sewer come back into the camper.

I have a different take on whether to keep the gray tank valve open. We keep both tank valves closed at all times until we are ready to empty the tanks. This allows for sufficient water pressure to evacuate and clean the tanks. It also allows for the chemicals to work since both tanks accumulate organic and other matter. After the tanks are empty we put two or three gallons of water in each along with whatever chemicals we are using. The chemicals help both clean the bottom and sides of the tanks along with the sensors. (Yes, sometimes we have to empty to gray water tank before the black water tank is full enough to empty. Such is the vicissitudes of life on the road.)

One suggestion to check on your connection; I usually open the grey tank for a moment and let some water drain to make sure that the connection to the campground sewer is secure ( better to have a little grey water on the ground rather than black water). Also, there are several devices that you can buy to go over your connection to the campground sewer, to secure it firmly. Also, I saw one response saying to use you water supply hose to wash out your black tank if you have a connection. You should not use your fresh water hose to do that. You want a separate hose so that you don't contaminate you fresh water.

thanks for that. I do that, but am new and we have our first motor home an old 2005 lexington by forest river. We went from texas to maine this year and were only staying one night at each spot on the way to maine and back. I have new sewer pipes and and attachments. I found that most dump holes at camp sights had poor holes that never had a screw to secure the pipe during dump. Most had big rocks or the like to put on top of pipe. so it's not just us campers but also the camps poor dump holes.

I discovered the blackwater tank flush on my travel trailer a while after I bought trailer, and it is a good way to continue to flush blackwater. Connect your freshwater hose to the blackwater flush input. Open the blackwater valve and make sure the sewer hose is connected to the trailer and the sewer. Turn on the fresh water for about 3 minutes. This sends a high pressure spray through the black water tank dislodging further surprises that may have been clinging to the tank. And then of course, rinse your sewer line as described above.

When we first received our used 2012 fifth wheel, the Black water tank was plugged up! A neighbor/friend of ours showed us what to do. Requires two people and a ladder. Close the BLACK tank valve, take the drain tube as high up the ladder as possible, along with the hose to filled up with water. Hold it up and fill it up. As soon as the water level reaches near the top of the hose, have the second person opened a black water tank gate valve. The water pressure from the drain tube blasts anything in front of it away, thus clearing the blockage. Before setting the hose down, have the second person Close the gate valve. ( Water pressure is a great thing! Thanks Danny for the tip! )