RV Holding Tanks
RV holding tanks are an essential part of having a toilet in your camper. Without them, you will have a very stinky campsite.
These
tanks are built onto the structure of your camper to hold water and waste
products. Your toilet flushes and goes into the holding tank. Your kitchen sink and shower drain into the gray water tank. And the water for those activities comes from the fresh water tank.
Here are some essential details camper owners should know about their holding tanks:
1. Understand the Tanks:
- Fresh Water Tank: This holds the water you'll use for cooking, drinking, and washing.
- Gray Water Tank: This collects water from the sinks and showers.
- Black Water Tank: This is where your toilet empties into and, as a result, this tank has sewage or human waste matter.
2. Maintenance:
- Regular Drainage: It's important to frequently drain and clean your tanks to prevent buildup and blockage. Never let the tanks sit full for long periods, especially if not in use. After a camping trip, the tanks should be emptied and cleaned before you park your travel trailer or RV.
- Appropriate Chemicals: Utilize RV-specific chemicals to help break down waste and prevent odors in the black water tank.
- Safe Disposal: Always empty your holding tanks at approved dump stations.
3. Health and Hygiene: Gloves should be used when emptying the tanks, and hands should be washed thoroughly afterward. You might even want to wear protective clothing and face protection, just to be safe.
4. Monitoring: Many RVs have monitoring systems for the tanks to prevent overfilling. But these systems can sometimes be inaccurate, so it's good practice to know your water usage and have an idea of when the tanks will be nearing capacity.
5. Weather considerations: In freezing weather, tanks and pipes should be insulated or heated to prevent freezing, whereas in hot weather, tanks should be drained more frequently to prevent odors.
6. Avoid Contamination: Don't cross-contaminate fresh water hoses with waste water hoses. Use different hoses for each task and drip-dry them completely before storage.
Remember, proper holding tank care is essential not only for the longevity of your RV but also for a pleasant and sanitary camping experience.
Managing RV Holding Tanks
When a holding tank is full, you need to empty it.
You can either unhook your camper and take it to the waste dump or empty it into a portable holding tank and just empty that at the dump station. It is much easier to take the portable tank! It will save you much time and effort.
Be sure you use a deodorizer in your system. If you don't, you will not be able to endure the stench. Just one tablet or ounce of deodorizer in the sewer system and you will still have a smile on your face when it comes time to dump your waste.
Your RV holding tank on the camper is what all the waste matter from the toilet, shower, and sink drain into. These liquids go into two different tanks.
The shower and sink water go into the gray water tank. It doesn't need any deodorizer. This is fairly clean water with the exception of dish water and shower water.
The toilet water goes into the black holding tank. You WILL need some deodorizer in it. Every time you flush your toilet, it goes into the black water tank. These essential deodorizers come in several different forms. Some are tablets and some are liquid. Either one works and both are easy to use.
Make sure you rinse out the sewer system when you are through dumping. A clean tank will welcome you next time you venture out for a camping trip.
Don't forget to keep some on hand. When your supply is getting low, get some reordered. You certainly don't want to leave home without RV holding tank supplies.
Don't forget to add the deodorizers before you begin using the water.
Use the proper kind of toilet tissue, also. Biodegradable tissue is specially made for sewer systems. It breaks down easier and faster.
It is recommended by all RV manufacturers. Keep some extra on hand, too. You never know when you will pull out the last roll.
Find the one that meets your needs. If you have a favorite kind, share it with us. I want to show the ones that work the best.
