toilet concerns

llawton · 07-09-2017, 05:47 PM

We went out two weeks ago and forgot to add water to the black tank for flushing and also forgot to add chemicals. We were out three day, left the camper for a week and returned for another weekend. Toward the end of that time, when the valve was opened during the flush, I could see the water. Assuming it was full, I didn't give it another thought. Soon after we left to come home, we stopped to buy some chemical and flushed at a dump station two hours later when we got home. Here is my concern …. I added a gallon of water with a bucket and more chemical and tried to flush it down. I wouldn't flush … today we added more water with a hose thinking the chemical had dried and the pressure from a hose would help. Still, it just sits there. My husband thinks the poo hardened when there wasn't any water or chemical in the tank for the two weeks it was out, and we just need to wait for the chemical to start breaking down in the water. I am not too sure. Any thoughts? Thanks

Fr8Train · 07-09-2017, 06:04 PM

Just add a mess of water and possibly some rid-x. And let it soak. If you have a way to do it add hot water.

Jagiven · 07-09-2017, 06:06 PM

Sounds like the old poop pyramid.

Add liquid fabric softener, or water softener, both will work the same. It changed the water's surface tension, and it will soak into the poo faster, it will soften faster.

Lots of water in you black tank is your freind. After dumping, I like to add at least 10 percent water back into the tank, and then add a lot of water with each flush, or periodically dump you dish water down the toilet.

May need a stick, to push/break past the pyramid, to get the water into the tank.

Good luck.

Magnolia Tom · 07-09-2017, 06:07 PM

You have a couple of options.
Add 5-10 gallons of water and some calgon along with some dawn soap. This will help soften the pyramid and loosen it so it will be able to get dumped. Let it sit until your next trip. Then use toilet as normal and flush when full. Use plenty of water. Then repeat. You're probably not going to get it all at once.
You could also try a spray wand that goes down into the tank on the end of the garden hose if you have access to dump.
Third option would be to get some RV Digest it, fill tank full of water with the chemicals and let sit for 48 hrs. The microbes will eat the solids and allow everything to be able to be dumped.
Good luck

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oldmanAZ · 07-09-2017, 06:27 PM

It sounds like you are correct: The dreaded 'poo pyramid' or as I call it 'the tower of terror.'

If keeping the black tank full of water and waiting doesn't do it, you may need to buy or make a black tank 'wand' to direct water in a stream to break up the solid tower of poo. Search for info in forums and on YouTube for more details.

DMRGMC · 07-09-2017, 06:48 PM

It is the volume of water that does the trick. After every use hold the flush for a minute to make sure you are adding lots to the black tank. For your immediate solution once you can get water down the toilet in to the black tank, I would put lots of water in the tank using a 5 gallon pail, that provides immediate volume that disturbs the mountain. Let it soak. You can use the additives suggested to help break it up. Then when dumping the tank once again use copious amounts of water with a 5 gallon pail that will create a tidal wave to move the brown down. When I winterize I use the black tank flush but it doesn't reach all corners, then I pour 7, 5 gallon pails of water down the toilet with the valve open. Only then does the brown colour stop running. As well before leaving a site to move on to the next campground I will occasionally pour a gallon pail down to help topple the mountain.

llawton · 07-12-2017, 04:45 PM

Thanks for all the info. We are giving several solutions a try and I will let you all know the final result. Happy Trails!

Packerbacker_TX · 07-12-2017, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMRGMC

It is the volume of water that does the trick. After every use hold the flush for a minute to make sure you are adding lots to the black tank. For your immediate solution once you can get water down the toilet in to the black tank, I would put lots of water in the tank using a 5 gallon pail, that provides immediate volume that disturbs the mountain. Let it soak. You can use the additives suggested to help break it up. Then when dumping the tank once again use copious amounts of water with a 5 gallon pail that will create a tidal wave to move the brown down. When I winterize I use the black tank flush but it doesn't reach all corners, then I pour 7, 5 gallon pails of water down the toilet with the valve open. Only then does the brown colour stop running. As well before leaving a site to move on to the next campground I will occasionally pour a gallon pail down to help topple the mountain.

We just started our camping adventures and one of the fist topics to come up was black tank chemicals. We tossed in a bottle of chem (1 use) and added a gallon of water or so to get things started. Then we use a bit of water with every use and pre-fill for #2. When it came time to dump, I opened the black tank valve first, then ran the black tank flush for 5 min before dumping the grey water tanks to clear the lines. I don't see any problem with having extra water in the black tank as long as you dump it regularly. You wouldn't want any stinky goodness waiting on you the next time you go camping.

Jagiven · 07-12-2017, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Packerbacker_TX

We just started our camping adventures and one of the fist topics to come up was black tank chemicals. We tossed in a bottle of chem (1 use) and added a gallon of water or so to get things started. Then we use a bit of water with every use and pre-fill for #2. When it came time to dump, I opened the black tank valve first, then ran the black tank flush for 5 min before dumping the grey water tanks to clear the lines. I don't see any problem with having extra water in the black tank as long as you dump it regularly. You wouldn't want any stinky goodness waiting on you the next time you go camping.

It's all about tank health. 1 gallon of water with the chemicals is not enough unless you have a 7 gallon black tank, like some of the really small tt's have.

The fluid in the tank allow the healthy bacteria to thrive, this in turns keeps the odors down. Also the high volume of water sloshes on the sensors as you travel. When you do poo, the poo slides down and around the tank verses a pyramid of terror.

Before we dump, we fill the black tank with as much spare water as we can, so it just flows down and out of the pipe.

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