Going on our first outing, have a question

[Montana_2821]

Ok, we are going on our first trip, just for the weekend, but our first trip.

I have a question, the place we bought our Montana gave us a starters kit with a hose for the black water dumping, a white hose, treatment for the toilet and toilet paper. The paper is marked special for RV usage, or something similar. Did I read somewhere that what is necessary is for it to be septic tank friendly, or is it truly special for RV's?

[vickir]

Don't waste your money on RV tp ... this was told to us by the service manager at the dealer where we bought our first Montana. Just buy "regular" TP and read the package to make sure it's safe for septic tanks ... which pretty means all of them.

[paulrem]

I have always been told to use the "special" tissue made just for RVs. But I have also been tod that you can use single ply tissue if it breaks up easy in the blackwater tank. The double tissue has some type of "glue" to keep the layers together, and won't dissolve. One way that you can tell if it is okay to use is to put a sheet or two of it in a quart jar of water. Shake it up some and if it dissolves then it will be all right to use in your RV. I am also open for other suggestions as well.

[OntMont]

A long time ago someone on the forum reported on tests they had done on TP. I think Angel Soft was the "winner". That is what we use when we can get it while in the US. In Canada, we use Charmin, which is labeled as septic tank safe. As long as you flush your tank well, it probably does not matter to you, it is the campground's septic system that really bebefits.

[patodonn]

The tanks in the RV are not septic tanks, they are only "holding" tanks. The "septic tank safe" concerns for TP are more for the RV park than your individual RV.

We have been using single ply TP from WW and other places for over 2 years without any problem, even as "full timers". That is LOTS of TP!!

Hope that is of some help,

Best,

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Forget the HIGH price RV paper. We use Scott single ply without problems.

paulrem's suggestion "put a sheet or two of it in a quart jar of water. Shake it up some and if it dissolves then it will be all right to use in your RV." is a good one. If it breaks up and begins to dissolve it is safe.

OntMont also made a good point "As long as you flush your tank well, it probably does not matter to you, it is the campground's septic system that really benefits." It is also not a good idea to use any strong chemicals such as drain cleaners or harsh detergents as these are all bad for the cg's septic system. Take this from someone who operated a camp that had 2- 1,000 gallon septic tanks that had to be maintained and pumped at least once a year. The paper would clog up the leach fields and the chemicals/detergents destroyed the bacteria that broke down the solids.

[padredw]

All good replies. I'd especially like to second paulrem's point. The problem with "regular" toilet tissue is simply that it sometimes "blocks" the proper dumping of the black water holding tank. It blocks because it does not break down, but forms into heavy 'lumps', and prevents the black tank from completly emptying. The unfortunate part is that this can happen without the operator knowing that the tank has not been completely emptied.

Now, as Glenn points out, with the flushing procedure provided for in the Montanas even that problem can be overcome. Still, it does help to use toilet tissue that breaks down more easily. Let me just end my part of this discussion by saying that our Montana is the first of three RVs we have owned that even had that flushing provisions built in. That's why I know whereof I speak about what the problem is.

Salient point: 'rv toilet tissue' has nothing to do with septic tanks. It contributes to clean flushing of the holding tank.

[CountryGuy]

As a reminder, the MORE water you use, the LESS problems you will have. Now, when you are boondocking, that might be a problem, but for those of you on a full service campsite, use LOTS and LOTS of water. We do not use RV special paper, and do not use single ply. We also do what many boaters do, which is to not deposit all that paper in the toilet. Gently used paper goes in the trash can beside the toilet.

[sreigle]

We use Quilted Northern double ply paper. I found my bottom doesn't much care for the single ply stuff. The Quilted Northern says septic safe. It also passes the put-it-in-a-jar-of-water-and-shake-it test. I've yet to find a paper that says septic safe that does not pass this test. We've been using non-rv-specific paper without a single problem with it. This Montana is 31 months old including almost 23 months of fulltiming and we've not had any problem using this paper. So, my opinion based on that is that if it passes the wet-shake test and says septic safe then I'm not going to be afraid to use it. Just my opinion and everyone else should do whatever they are comfortable with. This doesn't mean I disagree with the septic safe comments, it just means I've found the septic safes also pass the shake test, which is the key point to me for the reasons others stated.

[azstar]

Hello, Bill & Jeanne,

We've been using Scotts for many years now after seeing a test done by an RV Mag. You can find it just about anywhere and if you look at the outer wrap it specifically says RV and Septic Systems safe. Or somthing like that.

Happy Camping

[trukdoc]

I think the TP subject has been done very well.
I recieved the starter kit as well. The sewer hose is probably just long enough to make you mad.
I suggest getting two to three sections and use couplers to lenghten hose as needed. The shorter the hose the better it drains. But too short of a hose is worthless.
I also suggest an actual dry run before your trip to limit suprises. Hook everything up and see how much connection leeway you have in sewer and fresh water.
I used the hose from the dealer and what I took out of the Motorhome and still did not have enough.
I had a blast taking our new 5er out the first time. We had a few suprises but it went pretty well. After all it is supposed to be CAMPING is'nt it?
Have fun!!!
Rick

[sreigle]

Trukdoc, we carry sewer hoses in three different lengths, just because I don't like having to couple two of them together. Actually, it's uncoupling when they're not really very clean that I don't like. I'll couple them if I have to but having three lengths sure reduces the frequency of that need. I added a second carrier under the Montana and someday will had a 3rd and maybe a 4th.

[trukdoc]

Oh yeah.... and bring rubber gloves and I keep hand cleaner in the front storage compartment.

[sreigle]

Absolutely. I have a box of cheap walmart latex gloves next to the dump valve handles in the basement.

[Sunshine]

The only trouble with the exchange of information on this forum is that my shopping list for the Montana keeps getting looooonger!!! Will add the Wally World gloves to the list - hubby says he's never had a sewer hose accident yet, but I say, "be prepared!" Is there room in the outdoor shower compartment for a small bottle of liquid soap? - I've got to go look!

[Montana_2825]

Can't resist one more TP comment. Since we pump our tanks with a macerator hooked to a clear plastic elbow hooked to the black water outlet, we get to see what the TP (and everything else) looks like as it exits the RV. We have always used TP from the dollar store since it did the best on the quick dissolve test that we ran. Even the quick dissolve stuff comes out in big lumps, but the macerator grinds it into a fine pulp and pumps it through a 1/2" hose to the sewer. The suggestion to use LOTS of water is a good one.

wingnut

[sreigle]

Sunshine, the gloves I get from Walmart are in the Health and Beauty area. It's around 3 or 4 bucks for a box of 50 gloves.

There may be a little room in the outside shower compartment for a small liquid soap container. You might have to transfer the soap to your own small container to store in there but it should work. I never thought of that. We have a small plastic basket, actually 2 or 3 of them, sitting in the basement storage area next to the dump valves. The gloves are there so soap could go there also.

[jrgwdenner]

You might want to try one of the antiseptic hand cleaners, too. They do not require water or rinsing. Doctors in the hospitals are using them instead of a three minute sterile scrub so they are effective. Just put them on your hands like hand lotion.

[smc]

We mounted a piece of perforated sewer pipe by the back jacks, it holds our long sewer hose, and we use the pipe to hold the hose from the sewer connection to the campground sewer. Before doing this we lost quite a few sewer hoses to pesky birds pecking holes in them.

[sreigle]

Vicki read SMC's post and reminded me of another "tip" we probably should pass on. At least this is what we've experienced.

For years we periodically had to replace sewer hoses because they occasionally sprung pinhole leaks. But we've now not replaced a hose because of leaks in more than a year and a half. I was outside dumping the black tank when I noticed how the hose "shimmied" back and forth as the effluent ran through the hose. As we were watching, the hose sprung a leak. The hose was laying on a blacktop surface at the time. It finally dawned on me the movement of the hose against the pavement was grinding off the plastic where the spiral inside the hose touches it. This could happen on pavement, concrete, gravel, anything other than soft grass. So, we started using the sewer hose supports any time the hose is not on soft grass. And we've not had a hose spring a leak in the last year and a half. And we've been fulltiming that entire time so our sewer hoses get a lot of use.