I have seen plenty of sewer hoses left on the ground at camp grounds, why, because they sprung a leak. One of the main reasons sewer hoses degrade, is many RV'ers use the rear bumper to store their sewer hoses. After all, that is where many RV'ers are told that is where they are meant to be stored. While it is true, the rear bumpers are designed to fit sewer hoses. That is the worse place to ever store them. The metal slinky in the sewer hose is a dissimilar metal to the metal the bumper is made of. This causes electrolysis between the dissimilar metals and results in catastrophic failure of the sewer hose. The metal slinky in the sewer hose basically reacts to the metal bumper and kind of pickles itself, swells and degrades until it starts cutting the plastic of the sewer hose. Then when you need to use the sewer hose to empty your tanks, holy s- - t, it springs a leak. You are lucky if you notice it when it might only be pin holes. Other times it massively shreds itself and you can guess or know the results. Many RV'ers just constantly replace these sewer hoses, some of us just do it yearly.. The way to avoid this problem is to store the Sewer hose in a plastic tube under your RV. You can purchase plastic tubes made specifically for this at places like camping world or you can make one and save a couple of bucks by using a large piece of PVC pipe or PVC fence posts from places like HDepot. My last RV I sold had the original 11 year old hose that was used a lot. That hose was like new when I got rid of that RV. I will never store an RV sewer hose any other way but in one of those plastic tubes mounted under the RV.
@@JoshtheRVNerd Hi Josh, People just do not realize that the sewer hoses (at least the quality ones) are made for longevity, but that the square tube rear bumpers actually destroy them. Also it is a waste of time to keep replacing them. I hope people read this. Thank you.
I will agree with your video.. LOL In all but ONE regard, which you didn't touch on here, and it's really not within the scope of the "valves open".. but I'll toss it in here anyways... If your using a 12V External MACERATOR.. do NOT use the RhinoFlex coupling at the tank outlet! Sadly, the fitting on the rhinoflex 90 degree coupling is NOT rated for any back pressure that a Macerator may cause, and it WILL separate. Trust me, I learned this the hard way, and poop showers are NOT fun! If, like me, you want to be ready for anything and you bought a macerator to fill up your "schwaggon".. use the Valterra clear 45 degree elbow, it's ONE PIECE, and rated to handle far more pressure than your Macerator could ever cause to back up when dealing with the tank. The discharge side of your 12V Macerator is very low pressure, even at 25', so you CAN use the RhinoFlex there without any major worries. As for the "bare hands".. well.. some of us don't have much of a choice due to injury and/or disability in our hands making wearing gloves a huge no-no for mostly anything.. for dumping, I *ALWAYS* keep my 2nd fresh water hose handy, ( we all have a 2nd hose and a y-gate to hook up to the park water right?) , wash with bleach water and rinse off everything before starting, and when I'm done, and ALWAYS wash my hands before, multiple times during, and after. Yeah, it's not ideal, I agree.. I'd much rather wear gloves.. but when you can't feel your fingers or hands with them on, your a much bigger accident waiting to happen. Just putting it out there so that people don't look at someone not gloving up to deal with the "dooty" as well.. disgusting. I don't much prefer it, but I also don't prefer broken fingers or hands from slamming into things either, so it's the lesser of two evils really. Yes, it's not ideal.. but if you want to enjoy things, you do what you need to do.
This will be our 3rd summer camping. Couldn't go last year. Next week will be our 1st trip since 2019. Still feel like newbies. We learned the hard way about leaving the grey tank open. Not because things dried up. Got sewer gasses smell in the camper. And it was in the 100s that trip. Its a small 19ft. So, that smell stays with you.
Josh number 1 in a number 2 system. lol. So many people have no idea where their food comes from or goes when they are done with it. Good video helps to explain to even experienced people why the tank does not seem to empty any more.
I left my grey tank open and within 3 months had an incredible clog of hair grease and just nastiness. I then had to have someone come out and power wash the inside of my tanks to break the clog. So yeah keep em closed. Thanks Josh for educating the masses.
So everyone just needs to figure out how and what works best for their individual situation! I also use paper towels and wipe out all cooking oils, meat fats, butter from all pots, pans frying pans to keep oily stuff from my gray tanks along with using Dawn dish soap that does cut through those types of THINGS
Been building a playlist of camper tips for a while now and I noticed most of the videos are from y’all. So I definitely appreciate the quality information you put out, thank you.
I am also a rhino flex hose user too. A clear extension at the RV hook ups is a nice addition. I also like using the drop INS to help break down the solids and reduce the smell from the black tank. Another sanitary thing is to use a separate hose and pressure reducer For the black tank flush. Another tip for dumping the tanks is after everything is hooked up crack the Gray valve to check your connections. Cleaning up Gray water is a lot easier than the black water. Great video RV nerd keep up the good work.
@@JoshtheRVNerd been there done that with my grandpa whos always trying to save a buck it's no fun when that cheap hose or fitting fail and they almost always fail when dumping the black tank.
Thanks Uncle Josh you didn't poo pooh the subject. You stepped right in it and your shoe is still clean. Right to the point thats why we enjoy watching and learning from you. Keep up the great videos and the rving tips and tricks. By the way it hot here in Dallas.
Everything you say is true, Josh. The other reason not to leave your tanks open, is if your camper has a sewer roof vent, you stink up the entire area, don't do it......
Josh thank you!! Someone tried to tell everyone in an Rv group “you can leave the valves open and put a “pee trap” bend in the sewer line.” No. No you can’t. He said I was crazy. My response was “Okay go ahead and keep doing it, your Rv service dealer will love handing you a giant service bill.”
Love the Rhino flex. I replace the whole kit every year instead of waiting for something to fail. Also, before opening any valves, double check all your connections! The force of the water/etc. will spin open a loose connection and create much panic!
Use good quality chemicals in the black tank, take a flash light and look in during the clean out. Flush, flush again. I usually flush 3 to 5 times and look inside. After cleaning, put some water and chemical in the tank. I also put chemical in the grey after flushing. I want my tanks clean and no issues, a little extra effort goes a long way to pleasant camping....
Thanks Josh. I heard from a most unreliable source that leaving the grey tanks open was ok. So tonight, mid video, I paused, put on my headlamp and went outside to close them. (2 grey tanks) So thanks, josh the buzz killing RV nerd. 👍
Read thru the comments here. You'll find a few folks who had left their grey tanks open & didn't like the result It's a MUCH slower buildup in the grey tank. Extra water when flushing is your friend
I like to test out things so pull the gray and make sure everything looks good. Then close the gray open and the black drain, black water flush, reopen the gray and clean the hose.
Toilet paper recommendation: test it yourself. I ran a small experiment 2 years ago, put two squares of three different brands of TP in identical Tupperware dishes with the same amount of water and gave each a small shake. Let them sit for an hour. Guess which one broke down the slowest? The "RV" brand. Our Sam's Club TP broke down the best. It's what we've used ever since
Yrs ago when I bought my first camper, a older long time RVer told me just what you went over in this video plus he said after he dumps both tanks & is about to pull out to go home, he pours a bag of ice in the black tank & a bag in the grey. He said the sloshing done wonders for any build up ! And the more curvier & stop/start the better. I have done this since & he was right.. never had a build up issue & its amazing what will still come out next go around without even adding any poo to the tank.
Some manufacturers tell you not to use ice due to the potential of damaging your level sensors. Curious if you’ve had sensor issues with the ice? We dry camp almost exclusively at race tracks and in-between races and rely heavily on our sensors since we do not have the luxury of dumping anytime necessary.
@@Live_Concepts Does your RV use the older style probe sensors for 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full or do you have a sonar system that reads your level as a percentage? Also, if you're using the older style probe sensors; does your monitor panel allow you to fine-adjust the levels to properly calibrate them to your tank size?
Recently found your channel, like this morning. Great content. We have been RVing since 91. Started with a fifth wheel, and were trained by the Service Department Manager how to take care of our unit. Class room setting for an hour, and then 2 hours hands-on with unit. Fast forward 5 units later, have never had instruction offered with any new ones. As trained, we keep valves closed, when ready to dump tanks, we use rhino hoses, of course, I take 5 gallon bucket of water to restroom. Going back outside, I dump black water tank, once complete, going inside I dump 5gl water down toilet. Going outside I close black water valve, then open grey water valve, thus flushing hose. Once complete I place 5gl water in toilet, toss in a cleaner packet. I pour 2gl water with 2 tablespoons of dawn dish soap down the shower. We leave campground, our tanks are cleaned as we drive down the road. Never have had a problem, even with tank sensors. Thanks
By the title, I originally thought the question referred to when you are driving down the road. Like "can I leave a snail trail of black tank sludge while rolling down the interstate?" Glad you specified that you meant it while hooked up to park sewer.
@@JoshtheRVNerd people this past weekend didn't shut there valves after they dumped there tanks and proceeded to drive off with crap still pouring out.
For my end of season, I take the shower hose (if it reaches) and fill the black water tank with hot water through the toilet. Helps to break down the chunks.
On my Dad’s camper the Rino flex works great. The only thing it didn't stand up to was a black bear, but i’m unaware of any poop-chutes that are Black Bear resistant.
I have learned more watching your videos then from any of the others I’ve seen. I’m sort of a fabricator/mechanical builder/do it yourself guy with a pretty good grasp of physics and this was a good eye-opener. Much obliged Josh.
I personally use a 45deg elbow right where the hose connects to the ABS. Doesn't slow the flow down as much as a 90, and easier to see what's coming out, especially when the sewer end is 20ft from your tanks. I also use a combination of the tank flush and a PVC wand. PVC wand can direct spray where you need a jet, and fills the tank up decently quickly for flushing. Also not sure how picky folks are about flushing but after camping, I always flush the tank several times until the water coming out of the black tank is clear and has no signs of solids in the water. Surprised me a few times where I thought the tank was clean and all of a sudden, a wodge of TP goes rushing past, one less contribution to the pyramid.. :-)
I leave the gray water open all the time, no issue. def not the black, and I flush it every week. Full timer here. Also get drain covers for the shower and sinks, keeps the sewer fleas from coming up.
Well I'm one of the newbs...at least to RVing. I have had houseboats and it's similar but I had better access to my systems than I do my new fifth wheel. Thanks for this video because I wasn't sure about this and now I know better. :) You earned my sub on this video. Thanks for putting out solid (no pun intended) info.
Great video. One added suggestion, I use a straight 3" clear section connected at the end of the RV pipe that I never remove. It does 2 things. 1. Should one of the valves leak, I can see it before I take the cap off and be properly prepared. 2. It's easier to see the if the solids are fully flushed from the tank. I also use a clear elbow as you suggested.
I have one of those on my 192RBS. For my KZ 130RBSE I use a Rhino Blaster, which in addition to being clear, allows me to flush the black tank as it does not have an onboard black tank flush.
Had the Pyramid issue in new 5th wheel in 70’s on the road to Colorado from Ohio. We didn’t know. Some Dealer guy came onsite and explained the problem. Was a real job getting it to clear out. We learned the Lesson. Got a Clear, Valved Backwash twist on for our 28 ft trailer while we had it. Still have all the Gear, need a new Rig to put it on. 😉
Actually I live in my toy hauler full time! I leave my gray tank valve open all the time! Keep my black tank closed til 2/3 full then drain, my trailer is set up with black tank sprayers, have separate hose connection to sprayers, I personally flush my black tank 3-4 times until I see totally clear water in clear elbow into ground sewer line! This way I know my black tank is TOTALLY CLEARED OUT and clean! I do ever so often close gray tank until 2/3 full and drain, but then at I have a washer dryer in my toy hauler that actually fills my gray tank up very fast!
Thank You for another awesome tutorial. Over a 10-year period we spent approximately 1650+ days living in our 5th wheel trailer while work camping in Wyoming. We wish we had access to these videos back there and then. Due to the harsh conditions of living mountainside at 8,000 asl, we had to keep the water running 24 hours a day to keep from freezing the water lines of the camper and campsite. Hence, the gray water tank drain remained open until we could be sure of the weather. Flushing the gray tank after being open for months proves you to be correct. We were luck not to have clogged the gray water drain with the despicable buildup. (5º F after a 10" snowfall was our coldest night and with ingenuity nothing froze up.) Thanks again!
If I'm camping for more than a weekend, I leave the grey tank open until the last day or so. Your sinks and shower have traps, so as long as they have water in them, they're sealed to the sewer. The last day or two gives me enough water to adequately flush the grey tank. Also, opening grey after black, with black still open, creates a bit of a siphon against the black tank, helping to pull remaining debris out.
Great video. We learned the hard way about not keeping the valves open. We didn’t get a Pooh pyramid, we got to sit outside wondering what the smell was wafting thru the air. Yup black water and solids sitting in the drain hose stewing in the sun. Glad we learned that lesson early.
I think I can tell if a tank is empty the main purpose of the see-through connector is to see if any solids are still coming out or if it is Clearwater
Trip over a sewer hose at night? Wrap several pieces of reflective tape on them, same for water hose, and electric, easily seen at night. Works very well.
It’s also Recomended to not leave the valves opened when hooked at a site because nasty bugs from the camp site tanks can crawl up your tanks and work their way up your plumbing. Great video. Thanks.
Hey Josh one thing people should always due with their black tank is flushed at least 2 to 3 times so that when you see the water that's coming out of there is almost clear doesn't have to be perfectly clear but almost clear not dark like it was when you 1st opened your black tank is black cake that will also stop your gages if you don't make sure it's clean enough aint none of your gages will come up and then they won't read right then you need to do the Eco flush Which is barraxel and dawn dish soap And it's not a bad idea to do the ecosystem on your way home it'll help keep your tank cleaner with about 3 gallons in 3 gallons in it and a 1/2 a cup of barraxel and a 1/2 a cup of dawn do soap And let it slosh around in your black tank and maybe dump it when you get closer to home Or if you're not winterizing yet you can keep it in there till your next time out and your tank should be clean
The clear Rhino blaster 45 elbow at the camper connection since our Wolf Pup doesn't have a black tank flush. Also have a hose flush connector for when we're done dumping and flushing
Josh, you are so eloquent. I have two bathrooms on my new Class A so I'm learning the Twin Twig Rig with the Stinky Slinkys. Due to the angle between the discharge of the tanks and the cut-out in the compartment floor, I've attached a 90 degree CLEAR elbow then the hose. This is great because in addition to the clear 90 at the sewer drop, I can tell when its clear water entering the hoses so I know when its safe to break the connection and lift the hose watching it flush on down. I add a dash of 40 Mule Team borax periodically to facilitate breakdown and evacuation of the effluent. I put a 45 ell on the black tank flush connection with a shutoff then a vacuum hose breaker before attaching the hose. If there was some event that caused a sudden drop in the water pressure in the park it could try to siphon out of the water hose and you don't want it sucking on a straw connected you know where. Whether on the intake or discharge of the hose, those plastic ells are very important for the next guest. We've all seen the guy who ASSumed it was flushed and broke the connection only to create an EPA Superfund site next to you. Keep up the vids and thanks.
My grandpa did that once years ago he didn't have a clear adapter and assumed the black tank was empty so he disconnected the hose and got a very unpleasant shower next camping trip he bought a clear view adapter and has had 1 on every RV since.
I have also put a black tank chemical pod in the gray tank... I also put a 3rd pull valve on thr main hook up befor the cover to prevent spillage from what does not drain after valves
What a great video. I knew about pulling the gray tank second but i had no idea about letting the black tank fill up. I just figured keeping the b tank open all the time was better. But your explanation now makes perfect sense. Thanks for explaining this crappy topic.
Facts about the sewer hose , I have a rhino flex 15 ft and I ended up needing a 10 ft extension I went cheap from. Walmart ,well I found out what cheap does when golf ball size hail came flying down on my rv. It completely destroyed that Walmart sewer hose and the rhino flex was absolutely unharmed lesson learned!
I love the clear elbow lol. I’ll open the black and unfortunately just stand there and watch it to be sure it’s done. Then I’ll run the gray through. Then I have my wife stand on the toilet flusher for several minutes until I see the water looking damn near drinkable lol. But it’s amazing how much more comes out by just continuously flushing as a final step. Plus I’m the kinda guy I don’t even hook up the hose until I’m packing up JUST to be safe so it’s not just out there.
Thanks for the info, we are going from a boat to an RV and I was thinking of just leaving the hookup open. I did not think it thru. Been watching a lot of your reviews on RV's and tips videos. A huge thanks for all the great information you are sharing. Having a youtube channel, I know how much work and personal time it takes to put all of this together.
Josh, your viewers also need to purchase the black plastic donut that helps seal the sewer outlet pipe. Many campgrounds require them since it not only facilitates a "cleaner dump" but also keeps annoying critters, like biting flies, from breeding in the sewer system, yikes!
... a couple of additions. Good to mention that another purpose for saving the Gray water until a black flush is an aid to flushing the the hose. Also the clear fitting you show is a great addition but not typically the connection to the park pipe but instead goes on the trailer end of the hose.
I've used Angel Soft 2-ply for years, works great and when I flush I see nothing in the clear elbow. Before when I bought the 'special' shittickets, I saw clumps of paper all the time. I leave the grey tanks open weeks at at time. Once every month or so, I'll close the grey tank and run it full, then use it to help flush the stinky slinky after a drain.
we found some TP at the local dollar store that was "septic safe". What I did was run a test comparing Scott RV TP with the dollar store brand and also from ALDI as well. The dollar store brand broke up slightly faster than that Scott RV TP. Also one of the ALDI brands breaks up just about as fast as the Scott's RV TP. That said, when we get a new batch of bargain TP I run the same test. The test is pretty simple. Fill a small container with plain water and then add 2 to 4 sheets of the TP to be tested. Record the date and time, and then check each day. Note when it really starts to break apart. For a control add the Scott's RV TP to another container at the same time. The reason to retest when a new batch is bought at the bargain store is that you cannot be certain that what they are packaging was made at the same factory using the same process, so always better to test again.
At the end of the RV season (for me) I like to take the flex hose and cap it at one end, add ½ cup of bleach then fill it up with water. Cap the end where I filled it and give it a good 20 minute soak. The drain and rinse and let hang for drying!
Use and like the RhinoFlex 15 ft drain line. Came with the clear elbow and added the straight clear attachment at the trailer outlet. No guessing. Worth the little extra cash.
Thank you so much for this information. I am new to all of this and so any good info is so much appreciated. I have been researching this stuff for a long time....so I can purchase my rv. And knowing things like is is valuable! You really do rock, Josh. I think you should do your own Ted Talks about RVs!!! Just saying!
I could probably count on one hand the number of time I've pooped in my camper. If there is a public restroom available I use it if possible. I do agree not to leave the valves open though.
I also use the stair step expanding setup to keep a slope from the RV to the dump and I leave a P-trap drop to ground level just before the step system with some gray water in it as my wife’s showers are so long as to overfill the tank and necessitate leaving the gray valve open! My shower just flushes the black and fills the P-trap!
First upgrade was a Rhino Flex hose system. 2 lengths because your sewer hookup may be quite a distance away. And don't forget the donut sewer seal ring! Some campgrounds require them! Another good way to keep your black tank clean"er" is put a 3rd tank of water and a bag of ice in before a trip and empty when you get there.
Josh, regarding the clear tube, I use a 45• one with a hose attachment (I have a separate hose for this purpose). When both tanks are dumped, I make sure both valves are closed and then open the clean water hose to clean the stinky slinky. Makes packing up easier as well. Worth the investment.
I think in a list of your best videos, this one is definitely number 2.
I see what you did there😅
Now that's a Crappy joke 🤣
😂🤦♂️
I'm groaning yet laughing at the same time.🤣🤣
@@muzerhythm2242 mission complete
I'm thinking the sewer scene from the movie RV!
That entire movie is a treasure
I have seen plenty of sewer hoses left on the ground at camp grounds, why, because they sprung a leak. One of the main reasons sewer hoses degrade, is many RV'ers use the rear bumper to store their sewer hoses. After all, that is where many RV'ers are told that is where they are meant to be stored. While it is true, the rear bumpers are designed to fit sewer hoses. That is the worse place to ever store them. The metal slinky in the sewer hose is a dissimilar metal to the metal the bumper is made of. This causes electrolysis between the dissimilar metals and results in catastrophic failure of the sewer hose. The metal slinky in the sewer hose basically reacts to the metal bumper and kind of pickles itself, swells and degrades until it starts cutting the plastic of the sewer hose. Then when you need to use the sewer hose to empty your tanks, holy s- - t, it springs a leak. You are lucky if you notice it when it might only be pin holes. Other times it massively shreds itself and you can guess or know the results. Many RV'ers just constantly replace these sewer hoses, some of us just do it yearly.. The way to avoid this problem is to store the Sewer hose in a plastic tube under your RV. You can purchase plastic tubes made specifically for this at places like camping world or you can make one and save a couple of bucks by using a large piece of PVC pipe or PVC fence posts from places like HDepot. My last RV I sold had the original 11 year old hose that was used a lot. That hose was like new when I got rid of that RV. I will never store an RV sewer hose any other way but in one of those plastic tubes mounted under the RV.
Those tubes really are great and the bigger ones can easily fit things like your hose fittings as well
@@JoshtheRVNerd Hi Josh, People just do not realize that the sewer hoses (at least the quality ones) are made for longevity, but that the square tube rear bumpers actually destroy them. Also it is a waste of time to keep replacing them. I hope people read this. Thank you.
I made a big PVC storage tube for my Rhino! So far so good!
@@Joe26003 Great idea
@@arlenewolf5260 thanks! I’ll investigate, Dave!
I will agree with your video.. LOL
In all but ONE regard, which you didn't touch on here, and it's really not within the scope of the "valves open".. but I'll toss it in here anyways...
If your using a 12V External MACERATOR.. do NOT use the RhinoFlex coupling at the tank outlet! Sadly, the fitting on the rhinoflex 90 degree coupling is NOT rated for any back pressure that a Macerator may cause, and it WILL separate. Trust me, I learned this the hard way, and poop showers are NOT fun! If, like me, you want to be ready for anything and you bought a macerator to fill up your "schwaggon".. use the Valterra clear 45 degree elbow, it's ONE PIECE, and rated to handle far more pressure than your Macerator could ever cause to back up when dealing with the tank. The discharge side of your 12V Macerator is very low pressure, even at 25', so you CAN use the RhinoFlex there without any major worries.
As for the "bare hands".. well.. some of us don't have much of a choice due to injury and/or disability in our hands making wearing gloves a huge no-no for mostly anything.. for dumping, I *ALWAYS* keep my 2nd fresh water hose handy, ( we all have a 2nd hose and a y-gate to hook up to the park water right?) , wash with bleach water and rinse off everything before starting, and when I'm done, and ALWAYS wash my hands before, multiple times during, and after. Yeah, it's not ideal, I agree.. I'd much rather wear gloves.. but when you can't feel your fingers or hands with them on, your a much bigger accident waiting to happen. Just putting it out there so that people don't look at someone not gloving up to deal with the "dooty" as well.. disgusting. I don't much prefer it, but I also don't prefer broken fingers or hands from slamming into things either, so it's the lesser of two evils really. Yes, it's not ideal.. but if you want to enjoy things, you do what you need to do.
Oh man - good point here. Didn’t think about it
This will be our 3rd summer camping. Couldn't go last year. Next week will be our 1st trip since 2019. Still feel like newbies. We learned the hard way about leaving the grey tank open. Not because things dried up. Got sewer gasses smell in the camper. And it was in the 100s that trip. Its a small 19ft. So, that smell stays with you.
Woof. Yeah. People don't realize how the grey tank can often smell even worse than the black if you can imagine that
And the one thing I always try and do is start with 5 or so gallons of water in the black tank just to have a little head start before adding solids.
Oh man
Absolutely
This all the way
Josh number 1 in a number 2 system. lol. So many people have no idea where their food comes from or goes when they are done with it. Good video helps to explain to even experienced people why the tank does not seem to empty any more.
Lol ty
Found that out the hard way. Thank God . The manager at McCall rv resort came to my rescue. Spent an hour flushing out my tank. My hero
Bet you'll never do that again!
"Boom! pink eye!" ... my new sales pitch for sewer hose kits that includes gloves
Hahaha
I just started living full time in an RV due to the lack of student housing in my area. This video answered all my questions in it. Thanks!
Here in Utah, there was a news story on TV about students buying RVs to live in while going to school due to the high cost of apartments!
Best tank treatment....Happy Camper. I also use it in my gray tanks.
I left my grey tank open and within 3 months had an incredible clog of hair grease and just nastiness. I then had to have someone come out and power wash the inside of my tanks to break the clog. So yeah keep em closed. Thanks Josh for educating the masses.
Yeah grey buildup is a nasty thing
So everyone just needs to figure out how and what works best for their individual situation! I also use paper towels and wipe out all cooking oils, meat fats, butter from all pots, pans frying pans to keep oily stuff from my gray tanks along with using Dawn dish soap that does cut through those types of THINGS
Been building a playlist of camper tips for a while now and I noticed most of the videos are from y’all. So I definitely appreciate the quality information you put out, thank you.
A little :) doesn't do the smile you just gave me justice. Thank you :)
I am also a rhino flex hose user too. A clear extension at the RV hook ups is a nice addition. I also like using the drop INS to help break down the solids and reduce the smell from the black tank. Another sanitary thing is to use a separate hose and pressure reducer For the black tank flush. Another tip for dumping the tanks is after everything is hooked up crack the Gray valve to check your connections. Cleaning up Gray water is a lot easier than the black water. Great video RV nerd keep up the good work.
Add lots of water to the black tank before using your toilet and put in some Happy Camper to break down the paper and poop, then it’s ready for use.
Good advisory here
I just saw this. This IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT video yet. 😮
Good stuff! I could care less a good hose costs 4x more- That's what I'm buying!
Yeah sewer stuff... you don't want to skimp on sewer stuff
@@JoshtheRVNerd been there done that with my grandpa whos always trying to save a buck it's no fun when that cheap hose or fitting fail and they almost always fail when dumping the black tank.
Thanks Uncle Josh you didn't poo pooh the subject. You stepped right in it and your shoe is still clean. Right to the point thats why we enjoy watching and learning from you. Keep up the great videos and the rving tips and tricks. By the way it hot here in Dallas.
Some mighty fine ten ton punnage there
Josh your a national treasure,u call a spade a spade thank you
TY Steve. I try buddy! :)
Everything you say is true, Josh. The other reason not to leave your tanks open, is if your camper has a sewer roof vent, you stink up the entire area, don't do it......
Ah, good call
7:59 🙏🏽 Thanks Josh the RV Nerd for this #WordFromTheNerd segment❗️👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👍🏽👍🏽🙌🏽
Let’s just say ‘I’m RELIEVED you shared’❗️🚽💩😉❗️😅😂🤣😆
Glad we were able to help you lighten that load off your shoulders
I usually put about 2 gallons of water down the toilet when we set up to avoid the poo pyramid..
You should put a gallon or two of water in the tank with the chemical at the start.
IT'S A DIRTY TOPIC BUT SOMEBODY GOT TO TALK ABOUT IT. Good tips for the people MR JOSH
Josh thank you!! Someone tried to tell everyone in an Rv group “you can leave the valves open and put a “pee trap” bend in the sewer line.” No. No you can’t. He said I was crazy. My response was “Okay go ahead and keep doing it, your Rv service dealer will love handing you a giant service bill.”
Some people just want to see the world burn..
And backup with dookie
@@JoshtheRVNerd Their just doing it all for the dookie.💩
All excellent advice from someone who knows! Newbies take note! Oldies relearn!
ty ty
Love the Rhino flex. I replace the whole kit every year instead of waiting for something to fail. Also, before opening any valves, double check all your connections! The force of the water/etc. will spin open a loose connection and create much panic!
Oh man.. great tip
Camco makes a bayonet valve that connects to the end of the outlet then you can put the cap on that, it's like a fail safe incase a valve leaks.
Use good quality chemicals in the black tank, take a flash light and look in during the clean out. Flush, flush again. I usually flush 3 to 5 times and look inside. After cleaning, put some water and chemical in the tank. I also put chemical in the grey after flushing. I want my tanks clean and no issues, a little extra effort goes a long way to pleasant camping....
You won't regret flushing too much.. but you may well regret flushing to little!
Thanks Josh. I heard from a most unreliable source that leaving the grey tanks open was ok. So tonight, mid video, I paused, put on my headlamp and went outside to close them. (2 grey tanks)
So thanks, josh the buzz killing RV nerd. 👍
Read thru the comments here. You'll find a few folks who had left their grey tanks open & didn't like the result
It's a MUCH slower buildup in the grey tank. Extra water when flushing is your friend
I love watching the poo go through the clear elbow. Show of hands--are ya with me?
I mean this with all sincerity, thanks for taking me there. (It actually was very informative.) Tony
TY for joining us :)
I like to test out things so pull the gray and make sure everything looks good. Then close the gray open and the black drain, black water flush, reopen the gray and clean the hose.
That's such a good idea
Thank you for the info. Was not aware of the gray tank threat
It's very minor by comparison but "theoretically" should be treated the same
Toilet paper recommendation: test it yourself. I ran a small experiment 2 years ago, put two squares of three different brands of TP in identical Tupperware dishes with the same amount of water and gave each a small shake. Let them sit for an hour. Guess which one broke down the slowest? The "RV" brand. Our Sam's Club TP broke down the best. It's what we've used ever since
Great tip!
Yrs ago when I bought my first camper, a older long time RVer told me just what you went over in this video plus he said after he dumps both tanks & is about to pull out to go home, he pours a bag of ice in the black tank & a bag in the grey. He said the sloshing done wonders for any build up ! And the more curvier & stop/start the better. I have done this since & he was right.. never had a build up issue & its amazing what will still come out next go around without even adding any poo to the tank.
Yeah the old ice trick still works well
WOW, that's a great idea! 💡
Some manufacturers tell you not to use ice due to the potential of damaging your level sensors. Curious if you’ve had sensor issues with the ice?
We dry camp almost exclusively at race tracks and in-between races and rely heavily on our sensors since we do not have the luxury of dumping anytime necessary.
@@Live_Concepts no I have not had any issues at all. I could see how big chunks of ice or way too much ice could damage them tho.
@@Live_Concepts Does your RV use the older style probe sensors for 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full or do you have a sonar system that reads your level as a percentage? Also, if you're using the older style probe sensors; does your monitor panel allow you to fine-adjust the levels to properly calibrate them to your tank size?
Recently found your channel, like this morning. Great content. We have been RVing since 91. Started with a fifth wheel, and were trained by the Service Department Manager how to take care of our unit. Class room setting for an hour, and then 2 hours hands-on with unit. Fast forward 5 units later, have never had instruction offered with any new ones. As trained, we keep valves closed, when ready to dump tanks, we use rhino hoses, of course, I take 5 gallon bucket of water to restroom. Going back outside, I dump black water tank, once complete, going inside I dump 5gl water down toilet. Going outside I close black water valve, then open grey water valve, thus flushing hose. Once complete I place 5gl water in toilet, toss in a cleaner packet. I pour 2gl water with 2 tablespoons of dawn dish soap down the shower. We leave campground, our tanks are cleaned as we drive down the road. Never have had a problem, even with tank sensors. Thanks
I use the Rhino Flex 15' dump hose and also carry a 10'
By the title, I originally thought the question referred to when you are driving down the road. Like "can I leave a snail trail of black tank sludge while rolling down the interstate?" Glad you specified that you meant it while hooked up to park sewer.
that's a mental image I don't care to revisit any time soon
@@JoshtheRVNerd people this past weekend didn't shut there valves after they dumped there tanks and proceeded to drive off with crap still pouring out.
For my end of season, I take the shower hose (if it reaches) and fill the black water tank with hot water through the toilet. Helps to break down the chunks.
Video is a great example of what you should do, great going Josh
TY Richard :)
On my Dad’s camper the Rino flex works great. The only thing it didn't stand up to was a black bear, but i’m unaware of any poop-chutes that are Black Bear resistant.
LOL yeah.. bears > rhinos?
I have learned more watching your videos then from any of the others I’ve seen. I’m sort of a fabricator/mechanical builder/do it yourself guy with a pretty good grasp of physics and this was a good eye-opener. Much obliged Josh.
And thank you very much for the kind words tonight
We have a septic tank at home so we use the "septic safe" TP from the grocery store. Never had a problem.
I personally use a 45deg elbow right where the hose connects to the ABS. Doesn't slow the flow down as much as a 90, and easier to see what's coming out, especially when the sewer end is 20ft from your tanks. I also use a combination of the tank flush and a PVC wand. PVC wand can direct spray where you need a jet, and fills the tank up decently quickly for flushing.
Also not sure how picky folks are about flushing but after camping, I always flush the tank several times until the water coming out of the black tank is clear and has no signs of solids in the water. Surprised me a few times where I thought the tank was clean and all of a sudden, a wodge of TP goes rushing past, one less contribution to the pyramid.. :-)
I tend to also subscribe to the belief that the better to over flush than under
I leave the gray water open all the time, no issue. def not the black, and I flush it every week. Full timer here. Also get drain covers for the shower and sinks, keeps the sewer fleas from coming up.
Well I'm one of the newbs...at least to RVing. I have had houseboats and it's similar but I had better access to my systems than I do my new fifth wheel. Thanks for this video because I wasn't sure about this and now I know better. :) You earned my sub on this video. Thanks for putting out solid (no pun intended) info.
My pleasure! Bunch more videos like this for you
@@JoshtheRVNerd thanks Uncle Josh!!!
Great video. One added suggestion, I use a straight 3" clear section connected at the end of the RV pipe that I never remove. It does 2 things. 1. Should one of the valves leak, I can see it before I take the cap off and be properly prepared. 2. It's easier to see the if the solids are fully flushed from the tank. I also use a clear elbow as you suggested.
good tip. ty
I have one of those on my 192RBS. For my KZ 130RBSE I use a Rhino Blaster, which in addition to being clear, allows me to flush the black tank as it does not have an onboard black tank flush.
@@AlaskaErik we use the blaster also with our Wolf Pup 16FQBL since it doesn't have a built in flush also
Had the Pyramid issue in new 5th wheel in 70’s on the road to Colorado from Ohio. We didn’t know. Some Dealer guy came onsite and explained the problem.
Was a real job getting it to clear out. We learned the Lesson.
Got a Clear, Valved Backwash twist on for our 28 ft trailer while we had it. Still have all the Gear, need a new Rig to put it on. 😉
I know a few people that could assist you with that 😉
Actually I live in my toy hauler full time! I leave my gray tank valve open all the time! Keep my black tank closed til 2/3 full then drain, my trailer is set up with black tank sprayers, have separate hose connection to sprayers, I personally flush my black tank 3-4 times until I see totally clear water in clear elbow into ground sewer line! This way I know my black tank is TOTALLY CLEARED OUT and clean! I do ever so often close gray tank until 2/3 full and drain, but then at I have a washer dryer in my toy hauler that actually fills my gray tank up very fast!
I think they key there is your aggressive flush-out routine likely making the big difference. This is great info though. TY for sharing!
I agree with black tank but not Grey. I had so much backup with Grey that I just leave it open with NO problems.
I am new to life in RV and I have a vintage( old) RV that serves as my home. Thank you for your simple and good information.
Enjoying the tips. Just got my first travel trailer this year.
Congrats! Hope you make some great memories. We have plenty more to learn from on this channel!
I run an expandable hose into the camper with a nozzle and open the toilet and give it a good flush. Works well
Great educational video! We do everything you mentioned - winner! 🏆
Awesome! Ty for watching
My hose is Titan gray and lime green, very durable. I obsessively rinse and dump. People prob make fun of me, but my trailer doesn’t stink.
Thank You for another awesome tutorial. Over a 10-year period we spent approximately 1650+ days living in our 5th wheel trailer while work camping in Wyoming. We wish we had access to these videos back there and then.
Due to the harsh conditions of living mountainside at 8,000 asl, we had to keep the water running 24 hours a day to keep from freezing the water lines of the camper and campsite. Hence, the gray water tank drain remained open until we could be sure of the weather. Flushing the gray tank after being open for months proves you to be correct. We were luck not to have clogged the gray water drain with the despicable buildup. (5º F after a 10" snowfall was our coldest night and with ingenuity nothing froze up.)
Thanks again!
Ty for sharing some real world experiences with everyone
Sewer hose storage tips, tricks & ideas.
Especially on toy haulers that don't have a storage tube for sewer hose.
I mean the first thing I thought of is "add the tube"
They're readily available aftermarket
@@JoshtheRVNerd I was thinking of that also but wasn't sure if it was available or not.
Thanks much.
If I'm camping for more than a weekend, I leave the grey tank open until the last day or so. Your sinks and shower have traps, so as long as they have water in them, they're sealed to the sewer. The last day or two gives me enough water to adequately flush the grey tank.
Also, opening grey after black, with black still open, creates a bit of a siphon against the black tank, helping to pull remaining debris out.
First trip out, great info especially the poo pyramid, never looked at it that way. Great info.
Hopefully you never have to look at it that way 😆
We learned this the hard way! 😳😳
Man.. bet you don't do that again
It's so easy to do. On the surface level it just makes sense
Then, once it's too late you're like "oooh noooo"
Great video. We learned the hard way about not keeping the valves open. We didn’t get a Pooh pyramid, we got to sit outside wondering what the smell was wafting thru the air. Yup black water and solids sitting in the drain hose stewing in the sun. Glad we learned that lesson early.
Man.. never fun but glad you know differently now!
All drains connected to the gray tank should have water loops in the plumbing to hold a water seal to block smells from the tank???
I think I can tell if a tank is empty the main purpose of the see-through connector is to see if any solids are still coming out or if it is Clearwater
Trip over a sewer hose at night? Wrap several pieces of reflective tape on them, same for water hose, and electric, easily seen at night. Works very well.
Brilliant. Super simple
Thank you
It’s also Recomended to not leave the valves opened when hooked at a site because nasty bugs from the camp site tanks can crawl up your tanks and work their way up your plumbing. Great video. Thanks.
Hey Josh one thing people should always due with their black tank is flushed at least 2 to 3 times so that when you see the water that's coming out of there is almost clear doesn't have to be perfectly clear but almost clear not dark like it was when you 1st opened your black tank is black cake that will also stop your gages if you don't make sure it's clean enough aint none of your gages will come up and then they won't read right then you need to do the Eco flush Which is barraxel and dawn dish soap And it's not a bad idea to do the ecosystem on your way home it'll help keep your tank cleaner with about 3 gallons in 3 gallons in it and a 1/2 a cup of barraxel and a 1/2 a cup of dawn do soap And let it slosh around in your black tank and maybe dump it when you get closer to home Or if you're not winterizing yet you can keep it in there till your next time out and your tank should be clean
Is "barraxel" a brand name? I've heard of Borax and Dawn dish soap.
@@kevinnorris1567 I'm sorry I didn't prove read it I talked to Text and I said borax and that's what it put in was borraxel
For those without the black tank flush can use the Rhino Blaster. That’s what I had when I had my Jayco 184BS.
Thanks Josh, more great tips! Much appreciated, your in a class all by yourself, Aye!
Wow. Ty Bruce
There is a video on here were a guy shows how 2 ply septic safe paper is quicker to bio degrade faster then rv/marine paper
Link?
The clear Rhino blaster 45 elbow at the camper connection since our Wolf Pup doesn't have a black tank flush. Also have a hose flush connector for when we're done dumping and flushing
I like the Rhino Flex also!
Josh, you are so eloquent. I have two bathrooms on my new Class A so I'm learning the Twin Twig Rig with the Stinky Slinkys. Due to the angle between the discharge of the tanks and the cut-out in the compartment floor, I've attached a 90 degree CLEAR elbow then the hose. This is great because in addition to the clear 90 at the sewer drop, I can tell when its clear water entering the hoses so I know when its safe to break the connection and lift the hose watching it flush on down. I add a dash of 40 Mule Team borax periodically to facilitate breakdown and evacuation of the effluent. I put a 45 ell on the black tank flush connection with a shutoff then a vacuum hose breaker before attaching the hose. If there was some event that caused a sudden drop in the water pressure in the park it could try to siphon out of the water hose and you don't want it sucking on a straw connected you know where.
Whether on the intake or discharge of the hose, those plastic ells are very important for the next guest. We've all seen the guy who ASSumed it was flushed and broke the connection only to create an EPA Superfund site next to you.
Keep up the vids and thanks.
TY :)
My grandpa did that once years ago he didn't have a clear adapter and assumed the black tank was empty so he disconnected the hose and got a very unpleasant shower next camping trip he bought a clear view adapter and has had 1 on every RV since.
I have also put a black tank chemical pod in the gray tank... I also put a 3rd pull valve on thr main hook up befor the cover to prevent spillage from what does not drain after valves
We use pretty much all the rhino stuff to Josh , dealer recommended and just years of good luck with their stuff !
Awesome ty
What a great video. I knew about pulling the gray tank second but i had no idea about letting the black tank fill up. I just figured keeping the b tank open all the time was better. But your explanation now makes perfect sense. Thanks for explaining this crappy topic.
THANK YOU SIR ...YOUR SIDE BAR INSTRUCTION OF SEWER ACCESSORIES AND WHAT TO DO MAKES ALOT OF SENSE...(WHEN I GET A RV, THAT IS)
Facts about the sewer hose , I have a rhino flex 15 ft and I ended up needing a 10 ft extension I went cheap from. Walmart ,well I found out what cheap does when golf ball size hail came flying down on my rv. It completely destroyed that Walmart sewer hose and the rhino flex was absolutely unharmed lesson learned!
Valterra Flush King 45 Degree Reverse Flush Valve Attachment. Great way to keep your tanks flushed out
love your tips n tricks n honsety great job n the quirky comments are hilariious
Ty Terry :)
I love the clear elbow lol. I’ll open the black and unfortunately just stand there and watch it to be sure it’s done. Then I’ll run the gray through. Then I have my wife stand on the toilet flusher for several minutes until I see the water looking damn near drinkable lol. But it’s amazing how much more comes out by just continuously flushing as a final step.
Plus I’m the kinda guy I don’t even hook up the hose until I’m packing up JUST to be safe so it’s not just out there.
Thanks for the info, we are going from a boat to an RV and I was thinking of just leaving the hookup open. I did not think it thru. Been watching a lot of your reviews on RV's and tips videos. A huge thanks for all the great information you are sharing. Having a youtube channel, I know how much work and personal time it takes to put all of this together.
Glad it was helpful! Welcome to the RV Nerd Herd lol
I totally believe in having the tanks as full as possible when dumping!
Josh, your viewers also need to purchase the black plastic donut that helps seal the sewer outlet pipe. Many campgrounds require them since it not only facilitates a "cleaner dump" but also keeps annoying critters, like biting flies, from breeding in the sewer system, yikes!
TY
Love the rhino flex! I would also recommend adding a gate valve to the end, nothing worse then taking the cap off and a little something comming out.
I have my clear section at the start, not the elbow. Its a 6" straight clear section. That way I know for certain when the flow has stopped.
Great idea
... a couple of additions. Good to mention that another purpose for saving the Gray water until a black flush is an aid to flushing the the hose. Also the clear fitting you show is a great addition but not typically the connection to the park pipe but instead goes on the trailer end of the hose.
TY
Thanks for all the info, learning over here! We are new to having a bathroom and have barely used it.
Thanks for the info. We are newbies to the rv world.
My pleasure!! Hope it helps
I've used Angel Soft 2-ply for years, works great and when I flush I see nothing in the clear elbow. Before when I bought the 'special' shittickets, I saw clumps of paper all the time.
I leave the grey tanks open weeks at at time. Once every month or so, I'll close the grey tank and run it full, then use it to help flush the stinky slinky after a drain.
Ty for sharing the experience!!
we found some TP at the local dollar store that was "septic safe". What I did was run a test comparing Scott RV TP with the dollar store brand and also from ALDI as well. The dollar store brand broke up slightly faster than that Scott RV TP. Also one of the ALDI brands breaks up just about as fast as the Scott's RV TP. That said, when we get a new batch of bargain TP I run the same test. The test is pretty simple. Fill a small container with plain water and then add 2 to 4 sheets of the TP to be tested. Record the date and time, and then check each day. Note when it really starts to break apart. For a control add the Scott's RV TP to another container at the same time. The reason to retest when a new batch is bought at the bargain store is that you cannot be certain that what they are packaging was made at the same factory using the same process, so always better to test again.
@@burtbicksler1676 Good ot know. TY
At the end of the RV season (for me) I like to take the flex hose and cap it at one end, add ½ cup of bleach then fill it up with water. Cap the end where I filled it and give it a good 20 minute soak.
The drain and rinse and let hang for drying!
makes sense
Use and like the RhinoFlex 15 ft drain line. Came with the clear elbow and added the straight clear attachment at the trailer outlet. No guessing. Worth the little extra cash.
Thank you so much for this information. I am new to all of this and so any good info is so much appreciated. I have been researching this stuff for a long time....so I can purchase my rv. And knowing things like is is valuable! You really do rock, Josh. I think you should do your own Ted Talks about RVs!!! Just saying!
Glad it was helpful!
I could probably count on one hand the number of time I've pooped in my camper. If there is a public restroom available I use it if possible. I do agree not to leave the valves open though.
So you're saying pooping in your camper is your #2 choice?
Great Video! Glad I caught it!
Ty for watching!!
I do have the rhinoflex hose good stuff
Soap residue in the gray tank can be nasty...
ugh.. facts
I also use the stair step expanding setup to keep a slope from the RV to the dump and I leave a P-trap drop to ground level just before the step system with some gray water in it as my wife’s showers are so long as to overfill the tank and necessitate leaving the gray valve open! My shower just flushes the black and fills the P-trap!
Very informative. Also leaving your valves open let fumes come up from the sewer. I only open my valves to dump then close them back.
Absolutely. Leaving them open is just a constant recipe for disappointment
Rhino flex best money spent
First upgrade was a Rhino Flex hose system. 2 lengths because your sewer hookup may be quite a distance away. And don't forget the donut sewer seal ring! Some campgrounds require them! Another good way to keep your black tank clean"er" is put a 3rd tank of water and a bag of ice in before a trip and empty when you get there.
Good call on that
Josh, regarding the clear tube, I use a 45• one with a hose attachment (I have a separate hose for this purpose). When both tanks are dumped, I make sure both valves are closed and then open the clean water hose to clean the stinky slinky. Makes packing up easier as well. Worth the investment.
Great tip!