toilet troubles
#16
08-10-2009, 07:24 PM
I can`t add anything at this point as bowl is still1/2 full of misc.Drain at bottom of tank emptyied what it could (i guess) but when you go inside Rv toilet bowl is still 1/2 full and won`t drain. Hooking up drain tube at valve and trying to empty(nothing else will come out)It`s like 2 diff bladders are workin here
#18
08-11-2009, 12:18 AM
#19
08-11-2009, 07:14 AM
OK - we're getting to the disgusting part here....
The "brown mountain" blockage is probably in the middle to curb side portion of the black tank.
This blockage of solids builds up over time due to a lack of water and enough water velocity during dumping cycles. Compare the solids build up to a glacier - it is dynamic and flows to a certain degree, but it is "solid" enough to block the water on the toilet side of the tank and not let the water flow to the dump side of the tank.
What you need to do is to find a cleanout wire of some sort - like a piano wire plumbers snake or a stiff wire (or several threaded together) that is flexible enough to make the curve to the driver's side at the bottom of the toilet....make sure it is disposable.
Contitue to work the snake through the obstruction - eventually you will get the snake through to the other side of the mountain, and repeated back and forth action will allow a bit of water (lubricant) to make it through also. Each time the snake works through the "glacier" it will hopefully take a bit of the solids with it, and work enough water into the mountain to disolve a bit more of the solids, eventually creating an area of "mud" which will slowly flow to the drain. Continue to work it until you get the water to go down in the toilet. Hopefully enzymes will be working through this entire (days long) time period. Perhaps it is also time to purchase one of the "magic wands" mentioned earlier - just remember that the "magic wand" will add water to the toilet side of the blockage. The 'Wand" will help to break up the solids, and it would certainly be better if you were hooked up to a dump station so when the mountain starts to move it will continue down the chute to the sewer.
When the first clump of the mountain moves and flushes away, rest assured that there will be more to follow - continued action with a wand (or better yet, stick a hose down the toilet to REALLY get some washing action going) will eventually wash the thing clean.
If you can point a finger with any accuracy here to the perpetrator of the mountain (daughter #1, #2, #3, or wife, girlfriend #1, #2, or #3) then, by all means get the load dumper involved in the cleanout - nothing helps as far as prevention goes as a bit of "hands on" work during the solution portion of the problem. At the minimum, have the perp wash the snake during the cleanup phase of the operation.
Even after this first cleanout is effected, a long soak with the black tank 50% full of cleanish water and enzymes may be required to soften the rest of the blockage. Long flushes with a water hose down the toilet AND a "magic wand" may be in order for several camping trips in a row to totally eleminate the problem.
As mentioned earlier, never store the trailer with the black tank totally empty - always leave a few gallons of water in it.
A last resort (this means really expensive) option would be for a sewer service company to come in and suction the tank clean - lots of bucks, and a really disgusting job in itself.
Please post back what worked after you get it clean....
As an aside, I find it revolting that I am old enough and have been exposed enough to these types of situations that I am dispensing expertise to clean out crap. Ain't no crap like old crap and crap that don't flow.
The "brown mountain" blockage is probably in the middle to curb side portion of the black tank.
This blockage of solids builds up over time due to a lack of water and enough water velocity during dumping cycles. Compare the solids build up to a glacier - it is dynamic and flows to a certain degree, but it is "solid" enough to block the water on the toilet side of the tank and not let the water flow to the dump side of the tank.
What you need to do is to find a cleanout wire of some sort - like a piano wire plumbers snake or a stiff wire (or several threaded together) that is flexible enough to make the curve to the driver's side at the bottom of the toilet....make sure it is disposable.
Contitue to work the snake through the obstruction - eventually you will get the snake through to the other side of the mountain, and repeated back and forth action will allow a bit of water (lubricant) to make it through also. Each time the snake works through the "glacier" it will hopefully take a bit of the solids with it, and work enough water into the mountain to disolve a bit more of the solids, eventually creating an area of "mud" which will slowly flow to the drain. Continue to work it until you get the water to go down in the toilet. Hopefully enzymes will be working through this entire (days long) time period. Perhaps it is also time to purchase one of the "magic wands" mentioned earlier - just remember that the "magic wand" will add water to the toilet side of the blockage. The 'Wand" will help to break up the solids, and it would certainly be better if you were hooked up to a dump station so when the mountain starts to move it will continue down the chute to the sewer.
When the first clump of the mountain moves and flushes away, rest assured that there will be more to follow - continued action with a wand (or better yet, stick a hose down the toilet to REALLY get some washing action going) will eventually wash the thing clean.
If you can point a finger with any accuracy here to the perpetrator of the mountain (daughter #1, #2, #3, or wife, girlfriend #1, #2, or #3) then, by all means get the load dumper involved in the cleanout - nothing helps as far as prevention goes as a bit of "hands on" work during the solution portion of the problem. At the minimum, have the perp wash the snake during the cleanup phase of the operation.
Even after this first cleanout is effected, a long soak with the black tank 50% full of cleanish water and enzymes may be required to soften the rest of the blockage. Long flushes with a water hose down the toilet AND a "magic wand" may be in order for several camping trips in a row to totally eleminate the problem.
As mentioned earlier, never store the trailer with the black tank totally empty - always leave a few gallons of water in it.
A last resort (this means really expensive) option would be for a sewer service company to come in and suction the tank clean - lots of bucks, and a really disgusting job in itself.
Please post back what worked after you get it clean....
As an aside, I find it revolting that I am old enough and have been exposed enough to these types of situations that I am dispensing expertise to clean out crap. Ain't no crap like old crap and crap that don't flow.
#21
08-11-2009, 09:45 AM
I don't know how your tank got so full that it backed up into the bowl - but that is the first thing I would work on. Get yourself one of those hand drill powered pumps that go on garden hoses. Stick it down the toilet and suck as much liquid out of the tank as possible. That will at least gain you some working space in the tank.
I've noticed that NO ONE has volunteered to come over and help.
I've noticed that NO ONE has volunteered to come over and help.
#22
08-11-2009, 10:30 AM
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I still say you need to add water storage to the tank....borrow one of these from a nearby camper. http://www.amazon.com/Camco-39463-Se.../dp/B000BQKBP2
#23
08-11-2009, 12:49 PM
Once you get this thing started and can use it again, look at this:
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...ush-king/20522
This is what I use and it works great as I only weekend camp and 2-3 days is not enought time to fill the black water tank enough for it to empty itself clean. I empty, use this to backflush, empty again. If I still see TP coming out at the end of the dump cycle, I refill it again and repeat until I no long see TP draining out the tank.
The people waiting for me to take THEIR turn to empty are twiddling their thumbs for a while, but I don't like it any better than they like waiting....When I can, I like to get a FULL-SERVICE site so I don't have to wait to empty, but all parks don't have sewer hookup at all sites.
There IS a more expensive system to do this.... more automated.... they have the descriptions on the Camping World web site.
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...ush-king/20522
This is what I use and it works great as I only weekend camp and 2-3 days is not enought time to fill the black water tank enough for it to empty itself clean. I empty, use this to backflush, empty again. If I still see TP coming out at the end of the dump cycle, I refill it again and repeat until I no long see TP draining out the tank.
The people waiting for me to take THEIR turn to empty are twiddling their thumbs for a while, but I don't like it any better than they like waiting....When I can, I like to get a FULL-SERVICE site so I don't have to wait to empty, but all parks don't have sewer hookup at all sites.
There IS a more expensive system to do this.... more automated.... they have the descriptions on the Camping World web site.
#25
08-12-2009, 06:03 AM
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I do not know if they make a T for the hookup at the dump connector or if one could be modified to work. If you could it would allow you to work from the top of the T and allow for a pass thru and keep you out of the line of fire. Maybe a short piece of hose and clamp a T into it? and connect it to the dump line and use a wire snake (much smaller than a standard sewer snake, available at Lowes / Home Depot, fairly cheap). Just a thought. $.02 added
Good luck!
Good luck!
#26
08-12-2009, 06:29 PM
Postmaster
In the future, make sure you don't drain the tank dry unless you plan to use it soon. Otherwise the solids will dry and make a nice pile of cement.
Let your tank get to at least half full before you get tempted to drain it and then add some water to keep things wet.
Ditto the ice.
Most tank additives have a little lubricant for the valve so you let some sit in the bowl along with a little water to lube things up.
I have a dump adapter that is like a big "J" pipe fitting that attaches to the dump outlet. You hook up a garden hose to the adapter and it will spray water up into the black water tank(assuming a straight shot). It is clear plastic so you get to see the yummies flowing out. Keep spraying and dumping until the water runs clear and has no chunks.
I forget where I bought it. Maybe GI Joes in Oregon?, Oh yeah kind of like the one the other guys mentioned from Camping world. Works great. My inlaws saw mine and immediately got one since they had the same problems as you.
On second look, mine is more like the one further down the webpage listed above, it is the RV Hydroflush. The key is the one I have sprays a straight shot up the drain pipe to the black water tank, the hose connector angle is different from the Flush King. The Flush King is fancier but doesn't shoot straight up the black water pipe and tank.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Let your tank get to at least half full before you get tempted to drain it and then add some water to keep things wet.
Ditto the ice.
Most tank additives have a little lubricant for the valve so you let some sit in the bowl along with a little water to lube things up.
I have a dump adapter that is like a big "J" pipe fitting that attaches to the dump outlet. You hook up a garden hose to the adapter and it will spray water up into the black water tank(assuming a straight shot). It is clear plastic so you get to see the yummies flowing out. Keep spraying and dumping until the water runs clear and has no chunks.
I forget where I bought it. Maybe GI Joes in Oregon?, Oh yeah kind of like the one the other guys mentioned from Camping world. Works great. My inlaws saw mine and immediately got one since they had the same problems as you.
On second look, mine is more like the one further down the webpage listed above, it is the RV Hydroflush. The key is the one I have sprays a straight shot up the drain pipe to the black water tank, the hose connector angle is different from the Flush King. The Flush King is fancier but doesn't shoot straight up the black water pipe and tank.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
#27
08-16-2009, 05:36 PM
Like Jim above, I use the RV Hydro Flush http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...dro-flush/2096
I just dealt with the same problem. Hook up the water hose (with anti-siphon valve attached) and start the water flowing at full pressure. If you don't see the solids starting to move you can pick up on the drain hose forcing some water into the black tank and then drop the hose after a few seconds to rapidly dump the water you forced in. I had my wife watch the bowl inside
so I didn't push too much water in. Ended up doing this about 10 times to get it all out.
There is no mistaking once the brown mountain starts to move.
I just dealt with the same problem. Hook up the water hose (with anti-siphon valve attached) and start the water flowing at full pressure. If you don't see the solids starting to move you can pick up on the drain hose forcing some water into the black tank and then drop the hose after a few seconds to rapidly dump the water you forced in. I had my wife watch the bowl inside
so I didn't push too much water in. Ended up doing this about 10 times to get it all out.There is no mistaking once the brown mountain starts to move.
#29
08-19-2009, 01:50 AM
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I am missing something here guys. This is a simple blocked tube problem. open the black water valve and stick a standard snake up the hole until you bust through. Sorry if I'm oversimplifying (but not by much) this but the schematic of my black water system is: toilet, nearly straight down tube, 50 gal. tank plastic tank (which you can beat on from under the rig) and about a four foot long 2 or 3 inch pipe in front of the valve. I use a garden hose on full blast with a 90 degree sprayer attachment right down the toilet as I am emptying the tank. I leave 5 gal give or take in the tank with a drop in and no smell, no clogs and happy camping.
#30
08-19-2009, 09:21 AM
Yes, it's that simple, as long as you don't mind about 50 gallons of human waste gushing out on you and your property. I think the key here is trying to clear the clog without making a mess.