Black Water Flush

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by Anazeteo

Universal rule: never use sanitary ( clean ) hose for waste tanks. I use a white hose for my clean water and a black hose for my septic tank. That way you won’t confuse the two hoses.

I do two more things on top of that. When the hose is coiled up, I connect the ends, to keep from accidental spills. I also isolate my sewer items in a separate storage tote from my clean water items.

[Gaffer75]

I would use a separate hose. You don't want to risk a backup of black water into your drinking water hose. You don't have to have a special type like you do for drinking water. Just an ordinary garden types okay.

[Cujonaut]

I always use a separate hose to flush my black water tank, but if I didn't think it was unhygenic to use the same hose i would still use a separate one. Reason being is when camping for any length of time I have to dump my black tank periodically. It would be inconvenient to depressurize my water hose and reconnect it to the black tank flush. It's way easier to attach a splitter at the spiggot and connect a separate hose for the black tank flush. That way whenever i have to dump the black tank i just turn on the flush line at the splitter. Separately, if you are at a dump station you can use the hose that is already there. If there is not a hose present i wouldn't use your water hose because that water is typically not potable.

[29BHS ECO]

cujonayt must have read my mind, it's an easy read trust me.

[Pamtha]

As we have the outdoor shower there in the "convenience center", we connect that blue coiled hose from the outdoor shower to the black flush inlet and turn on the shower faucet. That feels safe, do you guys see any massive hazard in that?

[Florida Ranger]

Newbie RV camper 2 campsites away from us , hooked up hose to black tank flush, turned on water hose and went back inside camper. A little while later we saw him running around camper . Roof and side of camper had crap and black water running off of roof, he smelled up the whole campground. Yes he had black tank water coming out of roof vent. He was lucky that toilet valve was sealed really good. He had to wash off entire camper sides and roof. He a crappy mess....

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

Separate hoses for aesthetics if nothing else. I usually spray camp bib with lysol before hookup just in case as well. 'Just in case' is often a good, easy, safe bet.

[CBCOCRBO]

Never do that for obvious reasons. I may be on overkill but I also use a vacuum breaker back flow preventer on my rig and only hook up my hose when dumping the black waste tank. Here in Ontario they are a Code requirement on all exterior hose bibs including those in garages or accessory buildings etc. It may never occur but if a back siphonage issue came up the potable water system would get contaminated. I would also add that if you keep your back flush hose connected at all times when at camp then you should seriously consider putting one on. Having a separate hose will not prevent back siphonage. Don't forget, you are not the only one using the potable water system. Cheers

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Florida Ranger

Newbie RV camper 2 campsites away from us , hooked up hose to black tank flush, turned on water hose and went back inside camper. A little while later we saw him running around camper . Roof and side of camper had crap and black water running off of roof, he smelled up the whole campground. Yes he had black tank water coming out of roof vent. He was lucky that toilet valve was sealed really good. He had to wash off entire camper sides and roof. He a crappy mess....

Wow, I think someone said that would happen pages ago, the water would come out of the vent, before it moved backwards into the water hose and contaminate it, because of the 40+ psi water pressure. Who said that?

[CBCOCRBO]

As a retired and fully qualified building official I have had extensive training in back flow prevention. Back flow preventers are used for many applications from sprinkler systems to industrial plants where hazardous substances are present. Back flow is one part of the equation. Back siphonage is another. A simple garden hose left hooked up and unattended in an area where say animal excrement is present can be hazardous. For instance if there was a need for a fire pumper truck to hook up to the fire hydrant on a municipal water system the extreme draw of the pumps can cause a back siphonage situation and draw contaminants into the municipal water supply. Not good. Hook up your hose only when doing a back flush and use a vacuum breaker.

[Rvorbust]

Separate hose. Don’t drink your poop.

[Bluesky46]

I would use a separate hose. The hose you use to flush the black tank does not have to be potable water compatible. Any old hose is fine. I use quick connects on the end of my hoses to attach to the RV and I use a different brand connect on the black water hose than I do on the fresh water hose, so I don't accidently connect them backwards.

[drmike961]

Originally Posted by Florida Ranger

Newbie RV camper 2 campsites away from us , hooked up hose to black tank flush, turned on water hose and went back inside camper. A little while later we saw him running around camper . Roof and side of camper had crap and black water running off of roof, he smelled up the whole campground. Yes he had black tank water coming out of roof vent. He was lucky that toilet valve was sealed really good. He had to wash off entire camper sides and roof. He a crappy mess....

I have personally witnessed this. I felt really guilty for quietly laughing at the old guy because I knew some day that old guy would be me.

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by CBCOCRBO

As a retired and fully qualified building official I have had extensive training in back flow prevention. . For instance if there was a need for a fire pumper truck to hook up to the fire hydrant on a municipal water system the extreme draw of the pumps can cause a back siphonage situation and draw contaminants into the municipal water supply.

I have actually seen this. At our last home, there was a fire down the block. Our water pressure is horrible (36 psi at the hydrant per the city). The fire department pumped the water out of the hydrant. Our next door neighbor's water heater imploded. As soon as I found out, I closed my shutoff valve at the meter.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by RetiredOne

Wow, I think someone said that would happen pages ago, the water would come out of the vent, before it moved backwards into the water hose and contaminate it, because of the 40+ psi water pressure. Who said that?

But what happens when dude goes and turns off the spigot? Then all the black water up in the vent and all the places above the outlet in the tank has to go somewhere. Then you're depending on the backflow preventer in the tank wash (which we all know to be unreliable at best) to keep that stuff out of your hose? Of course if you're in that situation, you're probably going to get rid of that hose anyway... and maybe take a torch to your whole camper while you're at it...

Sure, I agree it may be unlikely, but there's still a chance.

And for me, it's more convenient to use a separate hose anyway. Like I and others have mentioned, I use that hose for other stuff around camp when needed. It's a "utility" hose. If it happens to get contaminated, I don't really care all that much. My drinking water hose is for that purpose only.

Do I think you should be "scared" to use your drinking water hose? No, absolutely not. If you're comfortable using your "white" hose for that task, more power to you. It's your life, you do what you want. OP asked for opinions, and opinions were given, with valid defenses for either side.

[Jack2014]

I always use a hose splitter with a separate hose so I can turn on the black water washout anytime. I always run it whenever I dump the black water & a few minutes longer when leaving a site.

[2KOOL4U]

If you have a separate water intake to your black tank, I flush forever until I can drink it

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

But what happens when dude goes and turns off the spigot? Then all the black water up in the vent and all the places above the outlet in the tank has to go somewhere. Then you're depending on the backflow preventer in the tank wash (which we all know to be unreliable at best) to keep that stuff out of your hose?

That's why I use one of these puppies, shuts off the water right at the connector on the outside of the rig. Problem solved, never gets into the hose!


But to the second part of your point, in that case, all the crap comes out of the backflow preventor, which in my case, is INSIDE a wardrobe cabinet.. nice planning Jayco.

Which is why I cut that backflow preventor out....

[2KOOL4U]

I have something like that on my intake hose. If you don't have one of those you'll be eating ****. How can any RVer not have one of those.

[Weatherman1]

Agreed
The fresh water tank should be filled at your site not at the dump station!