User Tag List
Results 11 to 20 of 25
-
05-22-2019, 03:04 PM #11
Hi Mark (@boyscout)
The vacuum break is a high mounted valve in the black tank flush line. As long as there is water pressure (during flushing), it remains closed. When the water pressure is released, the vacuum break opens to atmosphere allowing air in so that the water in the flush line drains in two directions. Half of this fresh water continues on into the black tank and half comes back out the pressure line connection point. The flush line is now dry and cannot become a siphon action or water path for bacteria out of the black tank.
If a hose is left connected to the black tank flush, it is possible that the vacuum break remains closed and there is a water path for bacteria from the black tank back to the T connection to the potable water line. Bacteria can migrate through stagnate water in a connected flush hose.
A back flow preventer at the campground spigot is protecting the campground water supply from a siphon action through a hose left connected to an RV black tank if the park loses water pressure. It is not doing anything for the downstream hoses or connections. The inlet connection to the RV water system has a check valve that stops the supply hose from drawing water out of the RV system if the campground loses water pressure.
RobCate & Rob
2015 Reflection 303RLS
-
06-05-2019, 03:14 PM #12
- Join Date
- May 2019
- Location
- New Jersey
- Posts
- 41
- Mentioned
- 0 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
-
06-05-2019, 05:11 PM #13
- Join Date
- Jan 2018
- Location
- NorCal
- Posts
- 1,457
- Mentioned
- 14 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
I have a question. I have an orange hose for the black tank flush and a blue one for the fresh potable water. I never connect both at one time. I do my backflush at the end of our stay after I've disconnected the blue fresh water hose.
But while I of course disconnect the orange backflush hose from the campground when I'm done, I don't disconnect it from the Nautilus panel for convenience sake. Is the simple act of disconnecting that hose from the campground enough for that vacuum break to open and allow for the water column to drain in both directions?2017 Ford F450 - our kids call her "Big Red"
2018 Grand Design Reflection 28bh
-
06-07-2019, 11:24 AM #14
- Join Date
- May 2019
- Location
- Central Texas
- Posts
- 3
- Mentioned
- 0 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
My wife and are one-year newbies with one of the smaller fifth-wheels (a Reflection 273MK). As I was working out in my mind how I might implement your "one hose" set up I realized it might not work for those of us who from time to time empty our tanks at a dump station that supplies only non-potable water for rinsing tanks and hoses. Am I seeing this correctly?
Thanks,
Mark
-
06-07-2019, 01:43 PM #15
Hi Mark,
This could present a problem no matter how you do it, if you are switching back and forth between non-potable water at a dump station and potable water at a FHU site for flushing your black tank. Even if you use a dedicated "dump station hose" you still have potential contamination at the trailer flush connection the next time your use (or Y to) your potable water hose.
I would suggest deciding on one or the other (depending on your primary style of camping) and either always flush the black tank with a dedicated hose for use at a dump station non-potable connection . . . or only use the black tank flush when you have a potable water source.
We choose the latter, since we very seldom have to use a dump station and if we do, I use their non-potable water hose to rinse the sewer hoses, but leave black tank flushing until the next FHU site.
RobCate & Rob
2015 Reflection 303RLS
-
06-08-2019, 09:16 AM #16
- Join Date
- Oct 2018
- Location
- Tucson, AZ
- Posts
- 691
- Mentioned
- 10 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
@Cate&Rob - did you find quick connects that remain pressurized like air lines? Link pls?
So I keep thinking about how all it takes is one careless or ignorant camper in the RV park ahead of you to contaminate the hose bib. I often see a dedicated black tank flush hose kept in the same container as the elbow or other black water items. This will cause cross contamination issues that I assume will carry over to the hose bib. I use sani-wipes on the outside and inside of the hose bib but I can see how that would not be enough. Your thoughts? Am I being too paranoid regardless of a one or two hose strategy?Last edited by JColeman; 06-08-2019 at 10:43 AM.
Jeff and Jen
2016 F250 CC Lariat 4x4 6.7L, Firestone Airbags, Pullrite Superglide
2017 Solitude 310GK, a little solar, a little lithium, disc brakes and a few suspension mods
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin
-
06-08-2019, 10:28 AM #17
- Join Date
- Oct 2016
- Posts
- 1,539
- Mentioned
- 13 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
-
06-08-2019, 11:00 AM #18
Hi Jeff,
I use Gardena brand hose quick connects. https://www.gardena.com/ca-en/produc...hose-fittings/ Not very common in the US stores, but very common in Canada. I have tried the other brands of brass quick-connects, but find the Gardena plastic ones to be more durable. All the manufacturers make quick connects that are open flow and also ones that stop flow when disconnected.
Regarding "being too paranoid" . . . A lot depends on whether you drink the water coming through your RV system. Either tank or campground. We never do. When we are on the move, we won't even cook with campground water, since there is no way to know the quality of that "potable" water. As you note, you also have no idea what hose or what flush system might have been connected to that spigot before you got there. I am amazed at the number of campgrounds that don't have back flow preventers on the spigots. Most are just a faucet. There is no way to know what might have been pushed back into that system from the campsite you are on, or any other one.
We have an onboard "water quality test system". (I have mentioned this before ) When we get to a new campground, I put down a bowl of water directly from the spigot, for Molly and Angel (border collies in my avatar) If they will drink it, it is reasonably safe. If they won't touch it (and often they won't), we don't even hook up to water unless absolutely necessary.
RobCate & Rob
2015 Reflection 303RLS
-
06-08-2019, 11:01 AM #19
We spray everything down with Lysol before and after hooking up.
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkResistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.
-
06-08-2019, 11:28 AM #20
- Join Date
- Oct 2018
- Location
- Tucson, AZ
- Posts
- 691
- Mentioned
- 10 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
I was just looking into that as a simple and cost effective answer. Unfortunately the bleach only lasts ~24 hours in water so I would have to remix and refill the spray bottle for the beginning of each trip. Not that big a deal but one extra thing I'd have to remember to do.
Spray Lysol makes some sense to me as DMB suggested.Last edited by JColeman; 06-08-2019 at 12:44 PM.
Jeff and Jen
2016 F250 CC Lariat 4x4 6.7L, Firestone Airbags, Pullrite Superglide
2017 Solitude 310GK, a little solar, a little lithium, disc brakes and a few suspension mods
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin
Victron 100 amp Autotransformer...
Today, 12:14 AM in Electrical System and Wiring