For non-RVer folks, I'll set the scene. Larger RVs have 4 tanks: fresh water, shower and bathroom sink used water, galley used water, and black (toilet) used water. Those larger RVs have 2 water inlets to which you connect a hose: one to fill the fresh water tank, and one to flush the black water tank. In our fifth wheel, those two water inlets are right beside each other.
When flushing the black tank, the gate valve must be open and the sewer hose connected to allow the flush water and filth to escape. If the gate valve is closed, one or more of three things will happen: the tank will burst, the filthy water will escape through the ceiling vent, or it will fill the toilet and overflow onto the bathroom floor.
Pendleton, OR 2 days ago, tired from driving, I intended to fill the fresh tank. By now, you can guess what happened: I connected the hose to the black tank flush inlet instead of the fresh water inlet. And let it run for 5 minutes. Was the black tank gate valve open? No. Did the filthy, stinking, toilet water overflow the toilet? Yes. Did it create one helluva stinking mess? HELL YEAH!
Not only did it flow on the bathroom floor: down the heat vent into the duct, and into the basement. Trish was less than totally delighted, loudly proclaiming my stupidity, while cleaning up inside, as I worked on the basement and outside. Afterwards, deep six the stinking mop-up towels, bathroom rug, gloves. Spray 409 on everything, wipe hands with alcohol.
Once was more enough for this 'adventure'. Never again.
On the bright side, I think the tank didn't burst. We'll see.
