If you own an RV, the time will inevitably come when you have to dump your blackwater tank. It’s one of those unavoidable parts of life, like taxes. To make the dumping experience moderately less miserable, it helps to know when to empty the black tank. How often should you do it?
Your black tank should reach two-thirds full before dumping it. How frequently you’ll have to empty the tank depends on the tank size and how many people live in your motorhome. No matter how often you dump the black tank, always do so at a designated dump station.
Today’s article will peel back the curtain on a rather unpleasant subject but shed valuable light so you can begin better maintaining your blackwater tank.
How Often to Dump Your Black Tank – The Factors That Influence Emptying Frequency
RV tanks come in all shapes and sizes, and for that reason, there’s no one standard answer for how often to dump your black tank.
A good rule of thumb to abide by is the timeframe I mentioned in the intro, which is whenever the tank gets two-thirds full. That can take between three and five days.
However, that depends on a couple of factors, so let’s talk about them.
The Size of Your Tank
In a smaller motorhome, the black tank might only be 15 gallons. If you have a larger RV model, perhaps your tank has a capacity of 60 gallons or more.
The larger the blackwater tank, the greater its capacity to hold waste.
That still doesn’t mean you want to push your tank to its limits, though. After all, the larger the tank, the more sewage that could seep out in a worst-case scenario!
Instead, you should appreciate that you can go longer without dumping your black tank and leave it at that.
How Many People Use the Bathroom
The other important consideration for how often you’ll dump your black tank is how often you have people in and out of your RV bathroom.
If you’re traveling alone, you can go the longest without having to dump the tank even if your tank isn’t that big.
Perhaps it’s just you and a spouse or partner. Adding a second person doesn’t contribute that much more to the tank’s contents, so you can again wait longer to dump the blackwater tank, even if you have a smaller tank.
However, if you’re traveling by RV with a bigger group of four, five, or more people, expect that you may go fewer than three days between dumping the tank. It will fill up that much faster, even a larger, 60-gallon tank.
The Benefits of Dumping Your Black Tank
Okay, but is it really such a big deal if you go a day or two too long and don’t dump your black tank? Yes, definitely!
This is one of those things that only sounds good in theory, not in practice. To prove it, let’s look at the advantages of regularly emptying the blackwater tank.
Fewer Odors
Who likes the smell of sewage? That’s right, absolutely no one.
Even if you flush your RV toilet, that doesn’t mean the waste magically disappears. Your RV toilet doesn’t connect to a septic system the way your toilet back home does.
Instead, the contents transfer to the blackwater tank, where they sit and sit.
The longer the contents remain in the tank, the smellier they’ll become.
While only opening the black tank when you need to dump it will prevent smells from spreading to an unfathomable degree, you’re still going to smell it if you’ve waited too long to dump.
That’s not sanitary for you and your fellow travelers, be those friends or family. No air freshener, opening the window, or running the air conditioner will completely dispel the odor.
Instead, you need to dump the tank and stay on top of it!
Keeps Sensors Working Well
Newer RV tanks use sensors to gauge how full they are. This benefits you, as you don’t have to continually open the tank, poking your head into a stinky environment to gauge whether it’s time to dump.
However, sensors are imperfect technology. If they get blocked, they don’t work. That’s just like going without, which leaves you in a bit of a pickle.
The more muck floating around in your black tank (and I’m using muck to be nice), the greater the chances that one or more sensors end up blocked and not working.
Prevents Waste Accumulation
You know what goes in the blackwater tank: bathroom waste. With that waste can come the accumulation of residues such as oils and grease. These contaminants can cover the sensor and gunk up the tank’s walls and floors.
To save yourself the hard work and time of removing all the residue accumulation later, get into a habit of dumping your black tank frequently now. Your future self will thank you!
Reduces the Risk of an Overflow
I saved what’s by far the most convincing reason for last.
Keeping in mind what’s in a black tank, you don’t want anything to do with the contents. Well, if you push your blackwater tank over its capacity, you might not get a choice in the matter.
An overfull tank will overflow, sending gushing, raw sewage water (and all the solid waste in the tank) rushing into your RV.
Forget, for a moment, how unsanitary this is. Think about all the damage a tank leak can do to your motorhome.
You’ll have to replace the flooring, furniture, walls, electronics…the list can go on and on. Spare yourself the mess and dump your tank when it needs it, and not a moment too late!
Where to Empty Your Black Tank?
The time has come to empty your blackwater tank, but the question is, where can you do it?
You should never dump a black tank anywhere you want. Remember, you’re emptying raw sewage, so you need to make smart, conscientious decisions about where you’ll release that into the world.
Without further ado, here are some spots to dump your black tank contents.
RV Dump Stations
By far, the best and most reliable place for emptying sewage from the blackwater tank is an RV dump station.
You can find dump stations throughout the United States in every state. Here’s a great resource for tracking down a dump station near you.
Dump stations might be standalone stations or part of a park or campsite. You’ll often have to pay to use a dump station, but the fee is a couple of dollars per dump, so it’s not terrible.
Some dump stations don’t charge you, and that’s always great.
RV Dealerships
Where did you buy your motorhome? Many dealerships do more than sell RVs but maintain them too. That often means dealing with blackwater and graywater tanks, so a lot of dealerships have the facilities for dumping.
Make sure you ask before you empty the tank!
Rest Stops
RV-friendly rest stops will also feature dumping stations. Expect to have to pay to use them, but at least you won’t have to wait any longer than necessary to empty your black tank.
Gas Stations
Not every gas station has amenities for RVers, but those that do may offer dump stations. You can kill two birds with one stone at a gas station, as you can empty the black tank and fill up your gas tank.
RV Parks
RV resorts, parks, and communities have got you covered when it comes to emptying your blackwater tanks. You may or may not have to pay to dump.
You get some great peace of mind that you’ll have a reliable place to empty the tank for the duration of your stay.
Campsites and Parks
To prevent waste dumping across parks, many campsites and parks offer black tank dumping stations. However, you shouldn’t venture to a park expecting this feature, so always check their website or call ahead.
Approved Sewage Systems
Last but certainly not least, if you have a bit of foresight, you can contact a city, town, or municipality and request sewage system access. You’ll likely have to go through the nearby sanitation district headquarters for your request.
Oh, and you will have to pay if you select this avenue.
How to Dump Your Black Tank
Have you found a dump station? Great! Now it’s time to empty your blackwater tank.
Here’s how it’s done.
Step 1 – Gather Your Supplies
You need a handful of supplies to dump your black tank. They include a 45 or 90-degree sewer hose elbow, a garden hose you only use for dumping the tanks, a sewer hose, and plenty of rubber gloves.
You might also want goggles or a face mask, but I’d consider those supplies optional.
Step 2 – Access the Black Tank Gate Valves
Now it’s time to get started.
First, you need to ascertain the location of the gate valves. Your blackwater and graywater tank will have their own gate valves, so make sure you don’t confuse one for the other.
Many RV manufacturers will label the gate valves, but if yours aren’t labeled, you might want to consider adding your own.
The valve has a pull handle for opening and closing, but don’t touch anything quite yet.
Step 3 – Connect the Sewer Hose
Beneath the gate valve, you should see a lid. Check that the gate valves are both securely closed and then open the lid.
You’ll probably have to turn the lid clockwise to get it off so you can attach the sewer hose. Angle the hose uphill to help the flow of waste when the time comes.
Step 4 – Attach the Sewer Hose Elbow
Next, grab your sewer hose elbow and screw that onto the sewer hose on the RV end.
Step 5 – Open the Gate Valves
Go back to your sewer hose and double-check the connections. When you’re confident they’re secure, open up the black tank gate valve.
That will release the tank contents, which will begin to flow through the hose. Let the tank empty in its entirety.
When you’ve emptied the tank, close the gate valves again.
Step 6 – Clean the Hose
Funnel clean water through the sewer hose until it’s spotless again. If you have time, you can clean the black tank using your garden hose.
However, if you’re at a dumping station, keep in mind that other RVers will want to dump too. Don’t waste their time by spending forever on your tank.
Black Tank Maintenance Tips
To keep your black tank usable throughout the RV season, follow these handy tips!
Use RV-Friendly Toilet Paper Only
When shopping for toilet paper, you usually focus on factors like softness, brand, and price, right?
Well, it’s a whole different ballgame when buying toilet paper for your RV. You have to add another consideration to the mix, dissolvability.
If toilet paper doesn’t break down, it’s going to end up in the black tank, floating around in small chunks. Those soaking wet chunks of toilet paper block up the sensor and can lead to blockages that can impede how well your blackwater tank works.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want anything to limit my black tank’s functionality.
Biodegradable, flushable, or dissolvable toilet paper brands should all be fine for your motorhome. I’d recommend buying RV-safe products just to be on the safe side!
Try an Enzyme Tank Treatment
To break down solid waste, enzyme tank treatments will make a huge difference. Like toilet paper chunks, solid waste can cause logjams in the black tank and blockade the sensors.
Oh, and on top of that, the solid waste smells too, and not anything like roses!
Clean the Tank
Maybe you don’t always get a chance to clean your black tank when you empty it at a dump station, but you can’t put off this task forever.
At least once a month (more infrequently if you don’t spend as much time in your RV), give the tank a thorough cleaning.
If you can clean it in between refills, that’s even better!
Conclusion
No RVer likes talking about their black tanks, but it’s not a subject you can afford to ignore. You should dump the tank each time it reaches two-thirds of the way full. This will control odors and prevent potentially catastrophic leaks!