How to Use an RV Sewer Donut: Step-by-Step Instruction

After using travel trailers or RVs for a long period, their grey and or black tanks fill with waste. You need to empty it into the communal or campground septic or sewer tank with a waste hose and/or an RV sewer donut.

It’s one of the most inelegant tasks to perform before putting your RV away and you wouldn’t want to ruin that by using the wrong sewer hoses or fittings.

In this article, you will know step-by-step instructions on how to use an RV sewer donut without damaging it, and more details about the grey, black and fresh tanks in your RV.

What is a Sewer Donut For RV?

An RV sewer donut is a technical device that goes into the campground’s sewer hole. It is placed into the sewer hole firmly and has a hole of its own that acts as a chamber, in which the sewer hose thread can be placed securely.

The seal of the RV sewer donut is tight and water-resistant. This rubber shaped device seals annoying gases and the sewer hose in and keeps water and other weather factors out.

What Exactly Is a Camping Sewer Donut?

RV sewer donuts have a tight seal that prevents any or more foul odors from escaping and keeps the surrounding area and the tank’s storage area smelling nice. It can also be spelled as ‘sewer doughnut‘.

What is an RV Sewer Adapter?

A sewer adapter allows you to connect your RV’s drain hose to the RV’s sewer outlet, and the end of the sewer hose to the campground’s dump station.

It creates a tight fitting sewer connection at both ends of the drain hose and reduces smell and spillage. Your RV’s drain hose may or may not require more adapters depending on the type and some other factors.

What Exactly is an RV Sewer Ring?

An RV donut is also known as an RV sewer ring. It’s a round rubber device that is used to seal off any ground sewer connection between the communal sewer and a threaded sewer connection with the RV sewer hose for the expulsion of waste from RV tanks. Many RV parks demand sewer rings to be used for emptying waste tanks.

Is a Sewer “donut” obvious?

A sewer donut acts as a campground sewer connection between the sewer hose and the sewer tank. It’s almost impossible to notice after connections, just like any gases that would disturb the environment without them!

What Does a Sewer Donut Look Like?

A sewer doughnut, like its name, looks almost like a regular donut pastry or ring. The doughnut’s tight seal and hole in its middle allow a threaded connection or a straight connection between asewer hose and a communal waste tank.

RV Sewer Donut Options

Camco Sewer Donut

One such device is Camco which is one of the most trusted brands for sewers and sewer products. It is a thickened rounded rubber-shaped device that stops any form of stink while emptying your RV black tank.

It is easy to use and doesn’t retain moisture, making it very easy to clean. The Camco donut has a tapered end that creates a secure seal because it fits into most sewer holes you may encounter.

In my opinion, it’s a must-have product that should be part of any emptying sewer tank process because it performs its job and saves you from bio-hazards in an almost perfect manner.

Sewer Donut With Clamps

Biohazards and/or annoying smells can also be stopped by using sewer donuts with clamps. They are usually made of stainless steel and are rust and waterproof making them very durable.

They are also pressure resistant and can easily prevent liquid and effluent or sewer gas leakage. All you need to do is connect them to the flexible connector then a waste line or a hoses’ threaded end to the other end.

Unfortunately, you’ll have to do some digging to find these because they aren’t easy to find even on Amazon.

How does the sewer system work on an RV?

RV’s have about 3 tanks installed in them; the freshwater, greywater, and blackwater tanks. After they fill up, it is necessary to take the RV to a waste dump.

Freshwater tank

Freshwater tanks are used to hold clean fresh water that can be used off campgrounds or sites, ranging from 3 to more than 25 gallons. They have an inlet from where it can be filled by connecting it to hookups with a hose.

At RV parks or sites, you can decide to leave your tank hooked to the freshwater source, until it’s time to hit the road.

Grey water tank

This is where all water used in the RV accumulates. Water from the shower sinks, and washing machines meet up here. They range from 40 to 95 gallons depending on the RV type.

It’s great to have cause it can make use of recycled water. If it gets too full it can contaminate other water sources, so it’s good to drain it out when that happens.

Black water tank

This ranges from 15 to 50 gallons tank and is located under the RV. It collects all the waste from the RV toilet, becomes full, and then is emptied. These RV sewer hoses come in. The tank must be connected to a communal sewer tank and emptied once every month.

How To Use an RV Sewer Donut

Step 1: Check Sewer Valves

Check the sewer hole and the RV inlet and valves for the black and grey tanks. Remove any drip caps that you might have used to store the sewer hose.

Step 2: Connect RV Sewer Hose

Connect one end of the sewer line or hose to the RV and the discharge end the to plastic or rubber ring, which will keep any or more foul odor from escaping the communal tank.

Step 3: Drain the Black Water Tank

After doing the full hookups, checking the threaded fitting, and making sure there are no air gaps, use an RV sewer hose support to lift the hose in a downward motion. then turn on the black water tank valve and allow it to empty.

If there are any leakages, stop emptying the tank, readjust the connections and open the valve again.

Step 4: Drain the Grey Water Tank

If You have no way of flushing out the sewer lines or hose after emptying the black water tank, you can turn on the grey water tank to flush out the remnants or residue left. If you’re using a clear elbow adapter, the water should be clear on the end connected to the waste hole.

Step 5: Close the RV Sewer Waste Valves

After emptying the tanks and making sure there’s nothing left in the hose, you can then close the valves for emptying the tanks.

Step 6: Spray Down, Clean Up

After closing the valves you should put on the black water tank sprayer to remove any more gunk on the walls of the tank. After a few minutes open the valve and empty the tank again. It is advisable to watch this process carefully because pressure might build up in the tank and cause the toilet to overflow.

Step 7: Disconnect RV Sewer Hose

After spraying, disconnect the hose, waste line, or waste pipe and the donut for RV or sewer adapter.

Step 8: Disinfect

Disinfect everything used to this point and gather them all for putting back into storage.

Step 9: Put Everything Away

Put the caps back on the sewer hose and put everything that you’ve used to empty the tank back into storage.

RV Sewer Hose Tips & Tricks

Have a universal adaptor that works for any sewer hole

One of the things that might happen to you when trying to empty your tanks is that your hose might not fit the campground sewer hole. This happens to everyone. The pipes are usually 3 to 4 inches in size and it may be a smooth or even threaded version you might be dealing with.

The best thing to do is to get a universal adaptor that can fit all 3-inch to 4-inch sizes, or a sewer donut with a tapered end.

Drip caps

Another thing to do is to make sure you have your drip cap for the bayonet-style fittings on your hoses. This will stop any leaks from the pipe in the storage area.

Compress the hose

Compress the hose before putting it in storage. This makes storage easier, and also creates room for other items cause it’s less messy.

Focus on the task

This is a very overlooked important part of emptying tanks. You have to pay attention to the task without distractions to avoid any accidents. For example, toilets may overflow because of the pressure from the black water tank when spraying.

Disinfect items after use

Ensure you disinfect everything after use. This helps to maintain a healthy environment, keep you and your family safe, and lastly, the items in good condition.

FAQ’s

Conclusion

RV life is an amazing one to live. It offers you a different sense of freedom you wouldn’t have in a regular home. It’s great, but at the end of the day it is still camping, and some tasks need doing whether you would prefer to do them or not.

If you decide to do some RV dumping make sure the rules and regulations for that campground have been researched to avoid unwanted fining. Ensure you always have a universal adapter or a donut with a tapered end and follow the steps and tips for RV dumping above.

Do you have any questions concerning RV donuts? What type of donut style would you prefer? Do tell us in the comment section below!