How to drain water tanks?

C

Casey F.

Newbie
What accessories do Camp-Inn owners use to drain their water tanks? Specifically, how would you go about draining the clean tank (say during sanitization) and the gray water tank in a way that you can capture the water for re-use (e.g. watering plants) or proper disposal?

I've read about some using shutoff valves and hoses, but I don't recall seeing links to the parts. How do you capture the water? If you have a link for a catch basin that works well, I'd love to see it.
 
I have a 12” hose with a shut off valve that directs the water into a collapsable water carrier. I then take it to the toilet or dumping station.
 
I actuall
SethB said:
I have a plastic shutoff valve on each tank drain. If I recall they are from Camco, but I don’t see them for sale now - theirs is now brass.

I have something like this

Or this

I drain via a hose, or into an oil change drain pan like this

If you have a short hose you can drain your gray water at an RV dump station.
Click to expand...

I actually think they came from home depot or lowes. I just looked and don't see them at the big-box shop I use. But these are just garden hose fittings. The larger the inner diameter of the valve you can find the better, to allow the tanks to empty quickly.

I have a brass one (my plastic was damaged) and its OK but the cheap plastic one was better. Check tractor supply, bomgaar your local ace....

The number I found is "GC5143L" which comes up in searches.

Be careful if you are using anything with metal threads --- they will "cut" new threads and cause a world of hurt when they won't seal with the tanks any more.
 
I replaced the yellow drain caps with these ball valves. They are threaded so one could attach a hose or hose quick release.

Randy

full
 
Tour 931 said:
I drain mine directly to the driveway. There isn’t anything in it but water, food debris and a little suds.
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Me too. Or a gravel road somewhere.
It's not like draining a blackwater tank.
Just for the record I'd never drain my graywater tank in a rental type campground or heavily used boondocking site, when its so easy just to attach a hose and drain in the campground dumpstation.

However enuff s4itbirds apparently did that during COVID that land manager are cracking down. I noticed one FL campground refuses reservations to rigs with any kind of tank in dry camp spots because of midnite dumpers...some people.
 
How do I put this....

My method may not be popular.....but I leave mine open. After I do dishes there may be a few ounces that make it to the ground. At home, gallons do and it runs down my driveway into a stream. It is just dawn soap, emulsified fats, and some enzymes. I doubt any of that is going to need a superfund cleanup effort.

Someitmes -- just drop my grey on the ground as I drive. Most of it "mists" behind me -- and what makes it to the ground is sanitized by UV light....

As for dishes, the plates are wiped clean into the trash. Then I followup with Dawn Power Spray, a slight scrub with a sponge then a rinse with clean water. 8 gallons easily lasts me 4-6 days. Then, when I get home, I run a copious amount through the system. I also use an enzymatic tank treatment to get the rest -- I do keep my grey "full" sometimes to allow the enzymes to do their work.

The only hard thing is when I do something special like "Mississippi Pot Roast" for something where there is a lot of cooking juices. Then I punt 2 liter bottle and a funnel into the dumpster. For what it is worth, people get jiggy about black tanks in RV's. I can tell you with 100% certainty, the gray tanks are a LOT worse. I'm going to try that again this year at the CICO.....

Just for full disclosure, I know the owner of this company. I use it as a tank cleaner. it may be the best stuff available for grey and black.

Try this....

Tell ya, I'd rather deal with a black tank than a foul gray one....
 
Oh...FWIW...there are SOME places you just don't do what I do. Texas for example. If a drip hits the raod, its a couple hundred dollar fine....Know what you're doing...know the risk....we're all adults here.
 
Sweeney said:
How do I put this....

My method may not be popular.....but I leave mine open. After I do dishes there may be a few ounces that make it to the ground. At home, gallons do and it runs down my driveway into a stream. It is just dawn soap, emulsified fats, and some enzymes. I doubt any of that is going to need a superfund cleanup effort.

Someitmes -- just drop my grey on the ground as I drive. Most of it "mists" behind me -- and what makes it to the ground is sanitized by UV light....

As for dishes, the plates are wiped clean into the trash. Then I followup with Dawn Power Spray, a slight scrub with a sponge then a rinse with clean water. 8 gallons easily lasts me 4-6 days. Then, when I get home, I run a copious amount through the system. I also use an enzymatic tank treatment to get the rest -- I do keep my grey "full" sometimes to allow the enzymes to do their work.

The only hard thing is when I do something special like "Mississippi Pot Roast" for something where there is a lot of cooking juices. Then I punt 2 liter bottle and a funnel into the dumpster. For what it is worth, people get jiggy about black tanks in RV's. I can tell you with 100% certainty, the gray tanks are a LOT worse. I'm going to try that again this year at the CICO.....

Just for full disclosure, I know the owner of this company. I use it as a tank cleaner. it may be the best stuff available for grey and black.

Try this....

Tell ya, I'd rather deal with a black tank than a foul gray one....
Click to expand...
Thanks Sweeney.
Is this the enzymatic stuff you referenced earlier?
 
Thanks to all who responded. Just to clarify, I was asking less about where to dispose of fresh or gray water and more about how. Specifically, how do you capture water for reuse or disposal away from the trailer? Scenarios would include extended stays in bear country. Some container about 5 ga. in capacity that could fit under the gray water tank and collect the gray water for proper disposal away from the campsite would be ideal.

For re-using stagnant freshwater, it looks like I'd need to add a shutoff valve to the freshwater tank similar to that recommended by SethB. This way I'm not spilling water on myself while I thread on a drain hose to run out to my garden. But I'm still looking for the ideal container for the gray water.
 
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I keep my 550 in the upper shop where I have a dry kitchen. I use the trailer sink for washing hands and maybe rinsing out a cup. I haul the dirty dishes to the house. When the grey tank needs emptying I use a 5 gallon bucket to dump outside the shop. It works perfect.
 
Casey F. said:
Thanks to all who responded. Just to clarify, I was asking less about where to dispose of fresh or gray water and more about how. Specifically, how do you capture water for reuse or disposal away from the trailer? Scenarios would include extended stays in bear country. Some container about 5 ga. in capacity that could fit under the gray water tank and collect the gray water for proper disposal away from the campsite would be ideal.

For re-using stagnant freshwater, it looks like I'd need to add a shutoff valve to the freshwater tank similar to that recommended by SethB. This way I'm not spilling water on myself while I thread on a drain hose to run out to my garden. But I'm still looking for the ideal container for the gray water.
Click to expand...

bears change things….that is a different discussion

But water is just about our must abundant resource. Unless you’re in Arizona. If you are looking at 8 gallons of water….how much can you “save”. Maybe I am missing something.
 
Casey F. said:
Thanks to all who responded. Just to clarify, I was asking less about where to dispose of fresh or gray water and more about how. Specifically, how do you capture water for reuse or disposal away from the trailer? Scenarios would include extended stays in bear country. Some container about 5 ga. in capacity that could fit under the gray water tank and collect the gray water for proper disposal away from the campsite would be ideal.

For re-using stagnant freshwater, it looks like I'd need to add a shutoff valve to the freshwater tank similar to that recommended by SethB. This way I'm not spilling water on myself while I thread on a drain hose to run out to my garden. But I'm still looking for the ideal container for the gray water.
Click to expand...
Ok thanks for the clarification.
If you are in a campground with requirement to use the dump station, drive there.
If you are boondocking in bear country, just do like you would if back packing or car-tent camping- dump it far away, 200'.

Cary mentioned once how Rangers in Grizzly country said "dont even spit your toothpaste into the bushes in camp"

...why having the sink and gray tank is helpful, to contain the scent.

I'd use @rmbrowders collapsible method,
or if you want something flat that is rigid with a handle you could try this:
 
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