Campground hook ups

[John and Debbie]

I can't find this in a cursory look at the manual,  but in a campground,  can you hook up to water and drain the gray water into the site drain that each site has?   Basically,  can you bypass the holding tank? 

[Mainiac]

Not exactly sure what you are referring to as the site drain? Only thing you could drain into is a sewer outlet. If you do have a sewer outlet, you can get a sewer cap that has a hose outlet on it. Onto that you can use a garden hose to the outlet. Would recommend a different color than your drinking hose. Then just open your gray water hose only, but it will drain through the gray water tank..

OK, back up..I noted you have a tent trailer, and hence probably not gray tank. There probably might be a gray water hookup there somewhere. Maybe best to go to your brand tent trailer web somewhere, and ask there. Should be pretty basic...

[John E Davies]

Not all sites have full hookups, especially in the West and in National Parks and Monuments. Do not expect to have that convenience everywhere you go…..

There are a number of different products, you can use these two with a 3/4” garden hose to drain the grey tank into the sewer opening. In some western states, when primitive boondocking in the desert, it is acceptable, but not actually legal, to run the hose away from the site and under a sage brush. Let it trickle over a few hours to prevent erosion!

I have not used that second item, but i use the first and it works most excellently! The four ears are way more secure than the two ears on the Valterra version, those snap off if you look at it wrong. But buy a second Camco one as a spare, regardless.

Alternately, just use the big 3” stinky hose that comes with the Ollie, it works fine for just grey water, though it is bulky and you must add a support thingy to allow it to drain properly. Or go out ocassionally  and lift it up to get the trapped water to flow out. For a black tank with, errr, solids, you must wait until the tank is full, then drain it in a big rush, followed by a rinse, or all that yucky stuff will remain in the low spots.

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

[Cameron]

2 hours ago, John Welte said:

I can't find this in a cursory look at the manual,  but in a campground,  can you hook up to water and drain the gray water into the site drain that each site has?   Basically,  can you bypass the holding tank? 

Hi John,

Each campsite is different. The private RV parks will often have a sewer pipe at each campsite, as well as a 30a outlet and a faucet for water. In that case, you connect your hose from the faucet to the "city water" connection on the trailer, and you connect the big "slinky" hose to the trailer black pipe outlet inside the rear bumper and put the other end in the campsite sewer pipe. The sink/shower water will go into the gray tank and the toilet will go into the black tank. You'll then have to periodically empty the tanks into the already connected "slinky" hose and campsite sewer pipe. So, no, you can't bypass the holding tank. I'd recommend waiting until both tanks are more than 50% full to empty them out because you'll get better results due to heavier liquid flow.

Some private RV parks as well as most state and national park campsites have one or two dump stations at the entrance/exit to the campsite. So, you'll have to keep everything in your holding tanks until you exit.

Hope that helps.  

[John and Debbie]

5 hours ago, Cameron said:

Hi John,

Each campsite is different. The private RV parks will often have a sewer pipe at each campsite, as well as a 30a outlet and a faucet for water. In that case, you connect your hose from the faucet to the "city water" connection on the trailer, and you connect the big "slinky" hose to the trailer black pipe outlet inside the rear bumper and put the other end in the campsite sewer pipe. The sink/shower water will go into the gray tank and the toilet will go into the black tank. You'll then have to periodically empty the tanks into the already connected "slinky" hose and campsite sewer pipe. So, no, you can't bypass the holding tank. I'd recommend waiting until both tanks are more than 50% full to empty them out because you'll get better results due to heavier liquid flow.

Some private RV parks as well as most state and national park campsites have one or two dump stations at the entrance/exit to the campsite. So, you'll have to keep everything in your holding tanks until you exit.

Hope that helps.  

That was very helpful.   Thanks.   It made perfect sense.   

[John and Debbie]

7 hours ago, Mainiac said:

Not exactly sure what you are referring to as the site drain? Only thing you could drain into is a sewer outlet. If you do have a sewer outlet, you can get a sewer cap that has a hose outlet on it. Onto that you can use a garden hose to the outlet. Would recommend a different color than your drinking hose. Then just open your gray water hose only, but it will drain through the gray water tank..

OK, back up..I noted you have a tent trailer, and hence probably not gray tank. There probably might be a gray water hookup there somewhere. Maybe best to go to your brand tent trailer web somewhere, and ask there. Should be pretty basic...

It only has a fresh water tank that can be used to pump water up to the sink or shower.   I used a five gallon jug for gray water.   It has a Thetford toilet. 

[John and Debbie]

6 hours ago, John E Davies said:

Not all sites have full hookups, especially in the West and in National Parks and Monuments. Do not expect to have that convenience everywhere you go…..

There are a number of different products, you can use these two with a 3/4” garden hose to drain the grey tank into the sewer opening. In some western states, when primitive boondocking in the desert, it is acceptable, but not actually legal, to run the hose away from the site and under a sage brush. Let it trickle over a few hours to prevent erosion!

I have not used that second item, but i use the first and it works most excellently! The four ears are way more secure than the two ears on the Valterra version, those snap off if you look at it wrong. But buy a second Camco one as a spare, regardless.

Alternately, just use the big 3” stinky hose that comes with the Ollie, it works fine for just grey water, though it is bulky and you must add a support thingy to allow it to drain properly. Or go out ocassionally  and lift it up to get the trapped water to flow out. For a black tank with, errr, solids, you must wait until the tank is full, then drain it in a big rush, followed by a rinse, or all that yucky stuff will remain in the low spots.

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

Thanks John.   That was very useful.   I can see now that the Ollie will do either boondocking or full hook up very well.   Everyone on the forum has been very helpful.   I am getting my option list figured out.   I think next month we will be ready to order.