Oh, horror of horrors! This surely must be the worst nightmare of any RVer short of a serious traffic accident. We sincerely hope you have never experienced a sewer dumping failure, but it does happen.
We saw a video once where a man told of how his black tank valve had malfunctioned, and as he drove down the highway the sewage backed up against the cap covering the valve. When he arrived at his campsite and removed the cap to attach his dumping hose, the crap (literally) gushed. “I was knee deep in it,” he said, although we are pretty sure he was exaggerating at least a little.
Anyone who has spent time around an RV dump station has probably witnessed at least one small disaster. A loose connection, a forgotten valve, or a hose that decides to pop free at exactly the wrong moment can turn a routine chore into something unforgettable. It’s the kind of situation where nearby campers suddenly find something very important to do… somewhere else.
Most holding tank mishaps are not so serious or dramatic, but whether they are only a wee little drip or an eruption, they are not fun.
So our messy poll question of the day is about whether something like this has happened to you. We’re hoping most of you say no. But if you answer yes, please take a moment to fill us in on the details in the comments below.
MORE POLL QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- Do you have vision or hearing impairment(s)?
- Do you like pickles?
- What would you fear stumbling upon most in the wild—a bear, rattlesnake or alligator?
- Do you currently have a National Park Service America the Beautiful Pass?
- What’s your preferred length of stay at a typical campsite?
RVT1252
Due to poor design at RV park, the hose did not want to stay in the dumo. Had to put a foot on the noozle. Spelling is not my strong suit.
Tom, we used to do the foot trick too until I bought the Camco 3 in 1 Sewer Adapter.
I used to think it was just a gimmick of more “stuff” to carry along but I tell you what, I use it far more often than I ever, ever, ever envisioned.
It’s the best $8.00 I’ve spent for waste handling and I am embarrassed for how long I mocked the thought of buying one.
I’ve had one for 8 years now!
HI Vince: My late wife would come out and hold her foot on the slinky – a job she truly hated, but did it anyway! I’ve looked at that 3-1 adapter but just didn’t see the need – now, if I travel anymore, I will have to get one as I can’t open the valve and get my foot to the slinky fast enuf! Thanks for the advisory!
Had a cheap hose develop some pin holes, not enough to cause a mess on the cement slab, but enough that I bought a new one when we got home.
I chose NO, but it should have been NOT YET.
Also, it should not be just while using a ‘dump’ station. It can happen anytime.
I’ve had it all. Flange ears cracked at the elbow causing a dribbling seepage, pin holes in the slinky, T-handle getting accidentally pulled by a demonic water hose and the ever popular, “elbow hop out of the non-threaded drop”.
The good news is I ALWAYS test my connection by cracking the grey tank first. A slight grey water spill isn’t fun but it beats a black water spill.
From a Plumber; that is what I do .
Rushed and missed a bayonet lug on the under side of the connection. My hand was still on the gateway handle so not much escaped and I quickly flushed and sanitized the location.
In 50+ years of RVing, it was bound to happen and has. There’s an expression that says, “If you haven’t had a dump failure, it is just a matter of time.”
Anyone who responded NO is a LIAR. Comes from a Plumber with 30 years RV experience.
I said “yes and it was a big mess” because the entire dump valve assembly came off in my hands! Talk about a mess–I was covered, the dump pad was covered, and I couldn’t shut the flow off. But there were some positives–I was in a swimsuit and river sandals because I had just been kayak fishing, there was no one else around, and I was on a very well-designed, concrete dump pad that drained toward a flush drain pipe. I was able to wash me and the pad off for 15 minutes using my non-potable hose to get everything cleaned up, then tied up the valve with a rope off my kayak. That sufficed to get me home so I could repair the valve assembly. Cause: poor design of the assembly connection!
Wow!
Surprise that only 14% responded to Yes, like I did . I thought bad ” dump” experiences was part of the RV lifestyle.
Nope, and it never will, because I do not have an on-board bathroom and I do not want one!
No holding tanks, no problems!
I answered no but we did have a mishap not caused by our equipment. At a small private park in Iowa we started to dump the black tank when the campground connection began to backup. I was able to shut the RV limiting the mess at the dump station and used their water hose to rinse our slinky. I walked over to the office and reported the problem.
Actually the issue was that there was NO valve. Bought an RV super cheap sight unseen based on a relative recommendation. Spent a couple nights at his place, using the toilet at night, then moved on. Next day we realized there was NO black tank. Next morning realized there was NO VALVE, either. Found a secluded dump to empty it, then learned how to get & install the missing parts. That rig was a high level learning experience in many ways.