TexasCHLforum.com

If it hasn't been mentioned, run a couple bowls of water into your holding tank once you get set up before the toilet is used. The solids will need the water to break them up so that they'll flow out at dump time.

Ask me why I mentiond this...

Couple more suggestions:
1. Get some latex gloves (Doctor gloves) for when you handle that sewer line. When new, the line isnt bad but it doesnt take but 1 mishap and you will certainly appreciate having them.
2. I used to use that cardboard thingy in the middle of a roll of paper towels to store those WalMart bags in and it made it nice and neat. And free. They do sell them but I just took the cardboard roll, and stuffed those bags in there. Handier than a pocket on a shirt.
3. Even though mine had a heater (propane and thermostat) I found a little $ 40.00 ceramic space heater was more than efficient to heat the MH. I slept better knowing the space heater (in my mind anyway) was safer. I wasnt crazy about a fire in a TT or MH. It had a safety switch to shut it off if tipped over and was small enough to put out of the way.
4. I also kept a small generator on hand. Although mine had a generator built into it, I found more uses for that small generator than I ever imagined. And a small electric chainsaw is handy as well. No gas fumes.

Speaking of dumping. . . for others with experience. . .when set up and a "full sight" do you leave your gray and black water valves open or do you leave them close until 1/2 or so full and then empty them?

Mxrdad wrote:Couple more suggestions:

3. Even though mine had a heater (propane and thermostat) I found a little $ 40.00 ceramic space heater was more than efficient to heat the MH. I slept better knowing the space heater (in my mind anyway) was safer. I wasnt crazy about a fire in a TT or MH. It had a safety switch to shut it off if tipped over and was small enough to put out of the way.

We did the same in our other 5th wheel. What is nice about our new one is it has one of the electric fire places in it.

Not a great picture, but this is ours now. It is short enough I am not so nervous pulling it.

carlson1 wrote:Speaking of dumping. . . for others with experience. . .when set up and a "full sight" do you leave your gray and black water valves open or do you leave them close until 1/2 or so full and then empty them?

Mxrdad wrote:Couple more suggestions:

3. Even though mine had a heater (propane and thermostat) I found a little $ 40.00 ceramic space heater was more than efficient to heat the MH. I slept better knowing the space heater (in my mind anyway) was safer. I wasnt crazy about a fire in a TT or MH. It had a safety switch to shut it off if tipped over and was small enough to put out of the way.

We did the same in our other 5th wheel. What is nice about our new one is it has one of the electric fire places in it.

Not a great picture, but this is ours now. It is short enough I am not so nervous pulling it.

Black closed until dump time. Grey open for showers, etc. If I think about it, I may close the grey the day before dumping to have rinse water for sewer hose.

10-4 on the ceramic space heaters !

carlson1 wrote:Speaking of dumping. . . for others with experience. . .when set up and a "full sight" do you leave your gray and black water valves open or do you leave them close until 1/2 or so full and then empty them?

I leave mine hooked up but close both grey and black tanks in order to prevent gases coming in from main line into the trailer. It's pretty simple to do a quick dump every day or two and drop in another tank treatment. (My wife says the lavender ones are the best

Some people make an makeshift P trap in their sewer hose by raising it and making a drop in a segment but I'm afraid of it coming undone.

Plus, before leaving I want my tanks to be fairly full for the "last" dump. I have no scientific proof but based on what I read and have experienced, a full tank creates a little suction or momentum to drain the black tank thoroughly and as mentioned before more water = better waste processing. Then, a full grey tank does a great job of cleaning the hose.

My black tank has the internal flush connection so I can get it very clean regardless but it's best to get that final good dump from the tank and make quicker, more efficient work for the little internal sprinklers.

Man, am I glad I started this thread. I am learning a ton of stuff from you veteranos.

Texsquatch wrote:
Plus, before leaving I want my tanks to be fairly full for the "last" dump. I have no scientific proof but based on what I read and have experienced, a full tank creates a little suction or momentum to drain the black tank thoroughly and as mentioned before more water = better waste processing. Then, a full grey tank does a great job of cleaning the hose.

My black tank has the internal flush connection so I can get it very clean regardless but it's best to get that final good dump from the tank and make quicker, more efficient work for the little internal sprinklers.

That is what I have been doing for years, but the last RV placed I stayed at a while back the owner help hook up everything and he opened my drains and said that was the best. When he went back to his place I shut the valves again and didn't open them until time to leave.

The Annoyed Man wrote:Man, am I glad I started this thread. I am learning a ton of stuff from you veteranos.

Me Too!!!

Edit: We need to all meet up at a State Park or RV park for a couple of days and of course it needs to be close to a range.

The Annoyed Man wrote:Man, am I glad I started this thread. I am learning a ton of stuff from you veteranos.

There are tons of videos in the national archives (YouTube). That's how I learned lots of good tips. There are idiots out there but you'll quickly realize who is and isn't a credible source. And some are just dang funny...

carlson1 wrote:We need to all meet up at a State Park or RV park for a couple of days and of course it needs to be close to a range.

Now THAT would be fun. If I don't go to the CAF airshow in Dallas this weekend, I'll be down at ETTS getting some rifles zeroed. I'm going to ask Patrick, the owner, if it would be cool to have a smallish group of RV campers there to dry-camp overnight some weekend. There's no hookups, but the place is a couple of hundred acres, so surely there's room to park a few RVs. That would be fun.

The Annoyed Man wrote:Man, am I glad I started this thread. I am learning a ton of stuff from you veteranos.

And I have been using one for 9 years.

Lake Catherine SP in AR may be the nicest State Park we've ever stayed in. Just sayin'....

Oldgringo wrote:Lake Catherine SP in AR may be the nicest State Park we've ever stayed in. Just sayin'....

I used to dive in Lake Catherine back in the 80's. Also Lake Quachita in Arkansas is beautiful also. About 20' down it became real cold and crystal clear. That is a beautiful place. Someone just told me this week that Arkansas had the best parks and I should try Little Daisy. I know I love Beavers Bend in Broken Bow, OK.

carlson1 wrote:

Oldgringo wrote:Lake Catherine SP in AR may be the nicest State Park we've ever stayed in. Just sayin'....

I used to dive in Lake Catherine back in the 80's. Also Lake Quachita in Arkansas is beautiful also. About 20' down it became real cold and crystal clear. That is a beautiful place. Someone just told me this week that Arkansas had the best parks and I should try Little Daisy. I know I love Beavers Bend in Broken Bow, OK.

Lake Catherine is way ahead of Beavers Bend.