What Does Full Hookup (FHU) Mean in an RV Campground?
The definition of Full Hookup vs Partial Hookup vs Dry Camping, plus how to properly manage sewer valves on FHU sites.
Full Hookup (abbreviated FHU) means a campsite provides all three primary utility connections directly at your individual site: fresh pressurized municipal water, electric power (30A or 50A), and a direct sewer drain inlet. It allows you to run water and shower without filling waste tanks.
#1Hookup Types Compared
Full Hookup (FHU): Water + Electric + Sewer directly on the campsite pad. Maximum convenience for multi-day stays.
Partial Hookup (W/E): Water + Electric only. You cannot leave a sewer hose connected. When your gray or black tanks fill up, you must hitch up and visit the campground dump station, or use a portable tote tank.
Dry Camping / Boondocking: No hookup utilities provided. You rely entirely on your onboard battery, solar, propane, and fresh water tank capacity.
#2The Critical Sewer Valve Rule on FHU Sites
The number one mistake made by beginners on Full Hookup sites is connecting the sewer hose and leaving the black tank valve open full-time.
When you leave the black valve open, liquids immediately trickle down the drain, while solid toilet waste and paper accumulate on the tank floor directly below the toilet pipe. Over several days, this forms a hardened mass known as the "poo pyramid", which is expensive and difficult to clear.
Rule: Keep the black valve firmly CLOSED on FHU sites until the tank is at least 2/3 full, then dump and close it again. You may leave the gray valve open while taking showers or doing laundry, but close it 24 hours before departure to save rinse water for your final dump.
- Leaving the black tank valve open while connected to campground sewer.
- Connecting to high-pressure city water without an inline brass water pressure regulator (can burst interior PEX plumbing).
- Assuming all FHU sites include 50A electric (some older Florida parks offer FHU with 30A only).
Staying 5 nights at an RV Resort near Daytona Beach with FHU. You connect water, 50A electric, and the sewer elbow. You leave the black valve closed. On day 4 when the monitor reads 3/4 full, you pull the black valve, flush with gray water, and reseal it for the rest of the stay.
- •FHU = Water, Electricity (30A or 50A), and Sewer at your specific site pad.
- •Never leave the black valve open on sewer connections.
- •Always install an RV water pressure regulator (40–50 PSI) at the city water spigot.
- •Check whether the electric service is 30A or 50A before booking.
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Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) Camping Practices • RV Industry Association Guidelines