Does your RV have 2 sewer connections? Do you know the best way to connect them at a full hookup campsite? The key to connecting 2 sewer hoses at once is the Y-Connector. I have been using the Rhino Sewer Y-Connector. This makes it possible to connect all of my waste tanks to the sewer at the same time instead of moving 1 sewer hose back and forth.
Jul 15, 2018 Step 1: Get the adapter into the RV along with the rubber hose. Step 2: Pipe cutting and joining. Step 3: Connect the elbows. Step 4: Raise the piping. How to hook up RV sewer at home: Usage tips. Practice makes perfect. Keep your hands cleaned. Pay attention to the state of the components. Full hookups mean you will have electricity, a sewer hookup, water, and a lot of times cable tv. What do partial hookups mean at an RV park or campground? Many campgrounds and some RV parks will also have what’s called “partial hookups.” This means you will have electricity and water but no sewer.
May 17, 2021 For example, privately-owned, resort-style campgrounds usually offer the full monty, including water, power, and RV sewer hookups, too. More modest public campgrounds may offer some, but not all amenities, or only offer 30 amps of power (as opposed to the 50 amps a large Class A motorhome might draw). Nov 05, 2021 Full RV hookups mean electric, water, and sewer can be accessed at your site. You will likely pay a bit more compared to a campsite with limited amenities. Aside from the hookups, many high end RV parks provide other amenities such as cable TV and WiFi. Full-hookup - at specific sites, there is sewage, water, and electric hook ups, the amperage may vary at each park/site Pet-friendly - only at designated sites For exact information on current campsite prices, look at the state parks price page.
Now that you have the quick answer I’ll share my full setup with you and a few more tips for your sewer system. Even if you only have 1 sewer connection on your RV you will still find some useful information here so keep on reading.
If your RV has more than one bathroom, there’s a good chance it also has 2 sewer connections. This is because RV manufacturers like to locate the black tank directly below the toilet (I’m sure you can figure out why). If you have 2 toilets the only way to do this is to install 2 black tanks. This usually results in having 2 gray tanks as well. In my RV, the kitchen and rear bathroom sink share a gray tank. In the front, the main bathroom sink, and shower share a gray tank. Each bathroom also has its own black tank.
Having dual sewer connections can be useful when you are boondocking or staying at a water / electric site because you likely have 2x the capacity of a comparable RV with only 1 sewer dump connection.
The following tips will apply for any RV whether you have 1, 2 or more sewer connections.
Obviously, you need a sewer hose, but there are a few other items you should have to keep everything flowing smoothly if you know what I mean.
To use the support just set it out on the ground with the tall end at your camper’s sewer connection and stretch it out until the short end reaches the sewer drain in the ground. Then set your hose on top.
After your connected you will need to dump your tanks. For more tips on how that is done read this article.
Technically nothing, for the first year I had my 5th wheel I would move the sewer hose back and forth between the 2 dump locations every time I needed to empty the tanks. This got old fast, the last thing I wanted to do while camping was play with a sewer hose every day or two. For 1 night stays I still do it this way, but if I’m staying longer I have a better solution.
If you want to connect both hoses, you need a few more things.
The picture below shows my typical setup It includes all the parts listed in the 2 sections above. In this case I used the 3rd sewer hose.
This picture shows the setup with the 4-in-1 Elbow attached directly to the Y-adapter
Here are a few more tips for your RV’s waste tanks.
Leaving the valves open seems convenient right? You will never have to worry about dumping your tanks, everything will naturally flow to the drain.
Leaving your gray tank valve open is usually fine, but don’t to this with the black tank. You need a decent amount of water to get all the solid waste out of your black tank. You also need water in the tank to allow that solid waste to bread down so it can flow more easily. If you are going to leave your gray tank open you should also avoid putting solids down the kitchen sink, otherwise you will have the same problem. Once solids dry in the tank they will be much harder to remove.
If you are camping for a few days, it’s fine to leave the gray tank open for a while. When your black tank starts to get over ¾ full, close the gray tank valve and let the sink and shower water build up. That way you will have “clean” water to flush your sewer hose with after dumping the black tank.
Simply draining your RV’s black tank isn’t always enough to flush all solids out of the tank. This is where tank flush systems come in. One way to know you tank needs flushed is if your tank monitor reads full immediately after draining it. When it’s possible I flush my tank every time I empty it.
There are several ways to flush an RV’s tank.
Each of these systems works, but some are better than others. I prefer tank mounted sprayers over the other options. If you don’t have one of these, you can install it yourself. I did that on my last RV and it only took about 30 minutes to get the job done. I like the Camco Quickie Flush it doesn’t have any moving parts and sprays in all directions.
Wands like the Camco Flexible Swivel Stick also do a good job of cleaning your tank, but they are more of a hassle to use. You need a longer hose that will reach into you camper’s bathroom and then you must store the wand when you are done.
My least favorite is dump valve mounted sprayers. I would only consider versions that have a shutoff valve like the Valterra Flush King. The problem with this type is they don’t really spray into the tank, there are just too many twists and turns between the sewer connection and the tank itself. Using one with a valve you can fill your black tank in reverse and then drain it out. Repeating the process several times may remove most solids, but it just isn’t as effective as the other methods.
Yes. I use the TST Orange tank chemicals. Using a chemical in your black tank will reduce odor and help break down tissue and others solids in the tank. The “single serving” sized containers are easy to use, but I just get the 1 gallon size and pour a few ounces in after each “dump”. It can also be used on your gray tank if you start to develop an odor there, but I usually don’t.
These last 3 items aren’t directly involved in your sewer connection, but play an important role.
Hopefully this article helped you understand a little more about how your RV’s sewer system works and how to hook it up. If you still have questions about how to do something or about any of the products I mentioned please leave them in the comments below. If you found this article helpful, can you help me out and share it on your favorite social media platform.
Looking for more tips, check out this page with over 100 tips for new RVers.
Thanks for reading and Happy Camping,
Jason