Plumbing Learning Curve

Sunday afternoon, I arrived in Kapuskasing, Ontario, and found a conveniently located dump station right on the main drag. I was very glad of this because I have to dump once a day. WHAT?! I can hear all the full-timers say. Well, I have very good evidence that the POs didn't do much research about RV plumbing systems.

Since I got Miranda, her black tank sensor has read critically full even after dumping. I finally shone a light down there and discovered that they committed two sins of RV toilet use:

1) they didn't use the right toilet paper;
2) they most likely left both valves open when on sewer hookups.

Yup, my tank was full of a solid wad of other people's human waste.

Just like Robin Williams in the movie 'RV.' If you haven't seen this movie, go rent it before continuing with this post.

So, I pulled up to the dump station fully cognizant that I was having this problem. This wasn't my first time dumping, so I felt pretty cocky. I made sure that the tank was full of water and then I got started.

I attached the hose and discovered that it was too short.

But the hose is extensible so I pulled a bit (lot) to get it to the drain.

Then I opened the black valve...

Not realising that I hadn't fully latched the hose to the drain pipe.

Sewage started to spray everywhere.

I had the presence of mind to slap the valve closed.

I sat there for a full two minutes laughing. I couldn't do anything else. Considering the foul mood in which I'd gone to bed and woken up, I was ecstatic to discover that I still had my sense of humour. There I was surrounded by other people's fecal matter and I could see how funny that was. I knew that I was going to be just fine and that Saturday's melt down was just a combination of too many stressors in one day.

Thankfully, the sewage stayed on the concrete pad that was on a downward slope to the drain, so I was able to just wash it all away without causing undue pollution.

When I was done there and had cleaned up, I completely filled my toilet to almost overflowing with water and drove off with the sensors screaming 'critically full'. By the time I pulled over an hour later, my tank suddenly claimed that the thank was just a third full. I suspect that the dried out muck is now sludge and that my next dump will allow me to flush it all away. Hopefully. :-)

So much fun. I want grand-children just to tell them these stories!