Camper rentals, and motorhome rentals certainty are an idyllic way to take a vacation. With the wind to your back and the open road ahead, it’s easy to feel like anything is possible!
What’s not so idyllic: dumping your RV’s holding tanks. Unfortunately, though, it needs to be taken care of on the regular if you want to keep having those picturesque experiences your rental lends you. Since it’s your camper rental’s compartment for holding waste (yes, we’re talking in part about what you flush down the toilet), difficulties aren’t something anybody in their right mind wants to experience.
Luckily, with the guidance from your local Fractional Toys below, you’ll learn all you need to know about dumping RV Holding tanks before you hit the road, making this unpleasant chore manageable and painless.
Understanding Your Tanks’ Purposes
Of course, before you learn about how to dump the tanks and why it’s important, it’s necessary to understand the function of your holding tanks in the first place. If your camper rental or motorhome rental has running water, it more likely than not has three separate tanks used for holding water and waste:
- A freshwater tank which contains clean water, used for washing your hands, showering, and the like.
- A blackwater tank, which contains toilet refuse along with chemicals that help break up the toilet paper and waste.
- A gray water tank, which contains dirty water from the sink and shower.
Knowing When to Flush
The one downside to having holding tanks is that the space used to contain your waste is finite; its contents will need to be disposed of at some point, unless you want some nasty splash-back and an even nastier stench. Take it from us: there’s no better way to ruin a vacation than dealing with an overflowing tank!
All campers and motorhomes will have an indicator panel, giving you peace of mind that your fresh and waste water tanks are ready to go. In addition, if stuff starts to smell, you know you’ve got to get to a dumping station fast.
One important point to note is that, since your camper or motorhome rental’s waste tank is treated with chemicals that break down the toilet paper and waste, you’ll want to avoid emptying the waste tank until necessary. Keep in mind that most RV waste tanks hold 30 or more gallons of black and grey waste, so they should not fill up within just a couple days.
How Do I Flush?
First, take a deep breath; it’s relatively simple once you get the hang of it. The one thing you need to know before you start, though, is to always dump only where you’re given explicit permission. Emptying your RV into a ditch or waterway is not only unethical, it harms the very nature you’re probably on your trip to enjoy.
Once you’ve found your designated dumping station, ridding your camper rental of waste is almost as easy as attaching a garden hose to a spigot. You’ll need a sewer hose, protective gloves, and a little pinch of chutzpah.
- Locate your tanks’ emptying spots. These are on the exterior of your vehicle and labeled in no unclear terms. Most waste tanks are located in the left, rear side of the vehicle, but some larger campers have a secondary gray water tank closer to the front of the vehicle.
- Hook one end of your sewer hose to your RV’s valves.
- Attach the other end of the hose to the waste hole in the ground.
- Double check that both ends are secure.
- Start with pulling the blackwater tank valve. This allows your gray water tank to clear out anything stuck in your sewer hose as it drains. Close the black valve once it’s drained, then move onto the gray valve, opening it until empty.
When the job is complete, you’ll close up your vehicle’s valve, store the sewer hose in the tub provided with the RV and get back on the road.
Fractional Toys: Great Vacations at a Fraction of the Price
No matter if you’re looking for camper rentals, ATV rentals, boat rentals, or something else entirely, our Oakdale and Rogers teams are devoted to renting the right kind of fun for you. Give our Oakdale location a call today at 651-360-1617 or reach us in Rogers at 763-265-6891.