Black Tank Flush Hose

Packerbacker_TX · 09-26-2017, 12:01 PM

So I'm new to camping with RV's and I'm watching some youtube videos. One in particular shows the process of emptying and flushing the black tank. The person in the video had two separate hoses (white/fresh & orange/black) they used. Instead of using the same white hose to flush, they disconnected and used orange hose for flushing the black tank. Being a newbie, I ordered two hoses to do the same thing.

The orange hose came with a separate screw on black back flush valve to prevent something from coming back. I'm not clear on what you'd need that for but it's on there just in case. So I used this a few times to flush my black tank and I'm thinking about the process.

* Attach hose
* Turn on water
* Fill/flush black tank
* Turn off water
* Disconnect hose

Based on this, I'm wondering WHY I need two hoses? Obviously the black tank is dirty but the water used to flush is clean and coming through a clean line. The only way water MIGHT come back out is to overfill the black tank and I think that's more of an issue than what might come back out the flush connection. That said, all you're doing is adding water to a tank to flush it. The result is debris out the pipe and down the drain. Why not just use the same white hose you use for city water? It's not like anything dirty is touching the hose.

Bonus question/related: When I empty the black, I flush with clean water (black flush). Once it runs clear, I dump the galley (gray) behind it to flush that. I have rubber gloves but wonder if those are overkill as well. I'm touching the outside of the hose and stuffing it in the back bumper. Do I still need gloves?

DonaandDon · 09-26-2017, 12:14 PM

In case the backflow preventer fails. Your black tank connection is different then your city water connection. Due to the nature of it cross contamination is possible.

**norty1** · 09-26-2017, 12:36 PM

I have always fed by black tank flush with a T on the same water line to the fresh inlet. I added a inline turn off valve on the black sprayer inlet as a precaution if case the black flush fails. It is closed except when water is flowing through it. When I open the valve the water in it will drain out and I have checked it to see if it was contaminated. Just the smell test.

I used to go the separate hose route but this has worked well for me and it's one less hose to stow. I still carry a spare white hose and a spare green hose for other uses.

Mopar_Earl · 09-26-2017, 12:56 PM

I use two separate hoses when I have full hooks. I use a pressure regulator on my city water and I hook the flush hose with no regulator. That way I can get full pressure for flushing. Also to prevent cross contamination.

Earl

oldmanAZ · 09-26-2017, 01:03 PM

Add to that, you don't know what dirty hands etc. were on what when you are dumping. Why take the chance of getting contaminates in/on your fresh water hose? I only use my fresh water hose (white) for fresh water.

I have an ordinary garden hose (green) for flushing or, rarely, washing the TV/TT, and it is handy to keep connected to douse the campfire. Also, where allowed, the garden hose and a gray water adapter could be used to drain the gray water tank a distance away from the TT (haven't had this happen yet).

Because of my water filter setup, at the spigot I have a tee with shut offs; one for the fresh water and one for the garden hose. When flushing, I put a shutoff between the garden hose and the trailer. Like norty1, I am right there when flushing; I hear water flowing into the black tank flush or the valve is off.

BTW, I also spray the fresh water spigot with a bleach solution before I connect my fresh water hose to it and wear disposable gloves when dumping. Not a germaphobe - I have seen disgusting procedures by some campers.

**norty1** · 09-26-2017, 01:31 PM

I'm gonna start a thread about that!

wags999 · 09-26-2017, 01:57 PM

The possibility of getting black tank water backing up in your hose is small, but possible. Say you pressurize the system and some nozzels are blocked, creating a back pressure. When you turn the water off the pressure built up COULD cause contaminated water (small amount) to back flow into your hose.

I use to connections and two hoses and as others have said I am there while flushing the black tanks. I do it almost every time I dump and feel confident my nozzels are operating properly. I turn the water off, disconnect the hose and allow the water in the hose to drain. I then cap the end of the hose till next time.

I use the blue (stronger than the white) fresh water hose, keeping it connected to its self when not in use. (two ends screwed together).

It's amazing what you see at campgrounds...nothing surprises me..absolutely nothing

**norty1** · 09-26-2017, 02:05 PM

People who don't know their outside speakers are on and make the whole campground listen to their movies.

troutslayer · 09-26-2017, 02:29 PM

Yes. You should still use gloves. Harbor Freight has some disposable ones on sale from time to time for 5 or 6 bucks per 100.

**norty1** · 09-26-2017, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutslayer

Yes. You should still use gloves. Harbor Freight has some disposable ones on sale from time to time for 5 or 6 bucks per 100.

I carry a box at all times. I use a stick on dispenser on the inside if the utility door to store a hand full.

bansai · 09-26-2017, 03:53 PM

When my best friend had stage 4 lung cancer, I was at the hospital every other day for about 5 months. I have about 14 boxes of the blue, hospital grade nitrile gloves. Should keep me set for the next 40 years. I always use gloves. I want to retain my position in the family as being always, slightly cleaner than my dogs.

NC Roamer · 09-26-2017, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

I also spray the fresh water spigot with a bleach solution before I connect my fresh water hose to it and wear disposable gloves when dumping. Not a germaphobe - I have seen disgusting procedures by some campers.

I keep a container of disposable Clorox wipes to wipe the potable water hose ends, the FW inlet connector on the Greyhawk, my pressure regulator and the campground yard hydrant as I connect everything. Only takes a few seconds total and helps keep potential contamination out of the RV water system.

2nOZ · 09-26-2017, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonaandDon

In case the backflow preventer fails. Your black tank connection is different then your city water connection. Due to the nature of it cross contamination is possible.

[QUOTE=Mopar_Earl;570094]I use two separate hoses when I have full hooks. I use a pressure regulator on my city water and I hook the flush hose with no regulator. That way I can get full pressure for flushing. Also to prevent cross contamination.

As stated above. I use the white hose for city water and a green hose for the BT flush.

Packerbacker_TX · 09-27-2017, 12:16 AM

While the topic is relevant, I get the feeling some of you may be germaphobes. I don't have any problem using inexpensive gloves or using a second hose but bleach, clorox wipes, etc. seems a little over the top for what we're discussing here. We're talking about using water hoses that provide clean water flow and nothing else. We're not talking about using the same hose to syphon feces and then use it for drinking water later. It's simply a means to provide fresh water down a tube and into a black water tank that will probably never reach full capacity. Then we have the dump hose - used for black and gray water. We add a small packet of chemicals to the black tank on every trip/use to treat the water and sewage. The dumped material never touches anything but the dump hookup on site, then it's flushed and flushed again. The odds of something funky inside it are minimal and non-existent on the outside. I'm just trying to keep it real, considering what we're exposed to day in and day out in the real world. - Thanks

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