The dump station up here close for the winter around the end of October. A few years ago I got caught with about 1/3 tank of black and about 1/2 of Grey. We were going to go out one last time and dump after the camp trip but didn't. I spent a day driving around the dump stations and camp sites, I finally hit one that was in the process of sucking out the dump tanks. I paid the vacuum truck driver $20 to wait for me then paid the camp ground for using their dump station.

The next year I installed my own dump station at home. I use about a foot of flex pipe to a solid 3 inch pipe with a 90 deg on the end straight into a 4 inch pipe, no leaks, no mess, no smell and no worries about frozen tanks.

 

Here in WA state they tack a $3 fee on RV registration each year to pay for dumpstations at the rest areas. Some close for the winter and some don't, it just depends on the location. I have also seen them that were open but the water was turned off. Fortunately I had a 5 gallon jug and was able to get some water near the restrooms and flush the worst of it out.

 

" but I handle that by stepping back when I open the cap"

This is another use for the awning rod. Stand back and use the to push and pull the valve.

I dumped at a Camping World once. Biggest mistake I ever made. They had a hose that was "built in" Had to use thiers. The hose came off the connector about three seconds after pulling the valve. It's amazing just how fast a full 40 gallon yuk tank can empty into a pair of tinny shoes. Any other time you can close the valve in 1/2 a second. When it's open throttle into your shoes, it seems like it take a day and a half to close it off.

Sure got some funny looks from the folks in the restroom as I washed my feet in the sink. BTW. If anyone is ever heading up I-35, going bu the New Braunsfels Camping World, and suddenly needs some tinny's, look in the woods just beyond the dump area in back. You might not have to look. They are probably still stinking.

Here's my rule about rv's. Every owner has either had a black tank nightmare or is going to have a black tank nightmare.

A guy I work with borrowed an rv once. It was his first time. He opened the valve, removed the cap and was going to then put the hose on. Mistake. Then he got the valve closed, put the hose on, open the valve, and realized the end of the hose was still between his feet. I would have like to have been been there to see that.

 

I rodeo and have a Living Quarters horse trailer. Thank good ness we are allowed run our Grey tanks OPEN in most places. Shower water just hits the ground... I live on a long dirt road. I open up the Black tank at the end of the long bumpy drive! LOLOL

 

I have a separate valve for grey & black, but a common "tee" manifold with the cap. When I transfer water from my grey to black it leaves about a quart in the "Tee".
No nightmares on the black water. I did leave the winterizing a little too long last fall so I had thaw both tanks to dump them.
I did have a grey episode. Wife was using the kitchen sink to dump the wash pan instead of finding a corner of the campsite. She learned her lesson after dumping a pan in the kitchen and it geysered up the bathroom basin.

 

Oh...and in case you don't have the experience, do NOT leave your dump valve open when hooked up to a campground site. Just go out once a day or so and open the valve and let her dump.

I use the campground facilities, too, when weather and distance allow, and rest areas along the route. Most black water tanks are not very large, and they can fill up quick. It would be nice to have a mascerator that just chops everything up (and I heard some even burn it up on the engine exhaust), but my wallet doesn't expand that far....

 

That's were I used to go.

 

Hopefully your first "dumping" goes better for you than it did for Robin Williams in RV.

 

I used to own a sail boat. Nothing finer than the sound of the person in the next slip firing up the macerator to sling there s-s-s-stuff in the water.