Random Thoughts

Dump Stations - An Essential of RV Camping

One of the biggest differences between tent camping and camping in a recreational vehicle (RV) is the availability of a bathroom. And one of the worst things about RV camping is having to dump those bathroom waste tanks.

Fred's first time dumping his waste tanks is a memory that we still smile over. Fred pulled into a dump station with very full waste tanks. Having paid close attention to the RV rental folks' instructions, Fred pulled up to the dump station, connected the sewer hose, inserted it in the pipe, and opened the sewer value on the RV. The pressure from all the "stuff" caused the sewer hose to leap out of the dump station's pipe and begin to whip back and forth high up in the air, showering the area with bits of this and that. What the instructor failed to tell Fred was to place a weight, either a rock or the pipe's cover, on the sewer hose before pulling the lever to prevent such an event.

After all our years of RV camping, I doubt there is a mistake we haven't made when it comes to dumping our waste tanks. Here are some suggestions from the lessons we have learned:

• Plan ahead - don't' wait until your tanks are overflowing to look for a dump station.
• In case your first pick is unavailable or unaccessible have a backup dump station in mind.
• Attempt to be as level as possible before dumping, this will facilitate faster flow of waste.
• Always use a dedicated sewer hose and proper connections when dumping.
• Don't mix fresh water hose and the hose you use for clean up after dumping.
• The use of rubber or latex gloves is highly recommended.
• DON'T dump anything into a RV dump station except black and grey water waste tanks.
• Use nonformaldehyde-based tank chemicals. Formaldehyde kills those little poopy muncher in septic systems putting the whole thing out-of-order.
• Put trash and gloves in the provided receptacle or take them with you.
• If someone is waiting, skip flushing your tanks and pull forward or away from dump station before adding chemicals to your tank.
• Bookmark www.RVdumps.com - it's a great source for finding a dump station near you.
• And put something heavy on your sewer hose before you pull the lever to dump.