Total IDIOT alert!

[woggy718]

TOTAL IDIOT ALERT!!!!!

Please feel free to laugh and call me a total dumb a&!. I hope this story saves a new RV owner from making the same mistake.

I just got my new to us 2018 Jayflight out of storage to dewinterize it. I was testing all my systems before we hit the road for the first time.

I get to the last test. Testing the water pump and flushing and sanitizing my water tanks. Well, I unhook my hose from the city water connection on the rear of the unit and hook it to the fitting right next to it. Seems logical to a new RV owner until I can’t figure out why the water tank isn’t filling up. Next thing I know I have water dripping from the under belly of my trailer but I can’t seem to figure out where it’s coming from.

I check my tank readings and see that the fresh tank is still empty but the black tank is full. I finally put two and two together and realize I hooked the hose to the tank flush and filled my black water tank to the point it was coming out somewhere.

Here’s my question. There is no water to be found IN the RV anywhere. It didn’t overflow the toilet, however, the toilet bowl was full. Is there some sort of overflow protection on the toilet? Or did I break something and have diluted black water spilling underbelly somewhere?

Please be kind in your pointing and laughing. As long as I didn’t break anything, Im laughing about it now. If I did break something, I’ll be laughing about this later.

[Nature Ist]

woggy: You were very lucky if your toilet bowl filled but did not overflow onto the floor!
There is no overflow prevention that I know of, only a back-flow preventer on the line feeding your city water into the tank flush to prevent black water from getting siphoned out into the city supply line.
There is most certainly a leak in the underbelly. You may well have put enough pressure into the tank to break the seals on the plumbing lines where they connect to the tank: your large 3" main waste drain, the toilet drain, or the vent pipe that goes up to the roof vent.
It's not totally out of the question that you already had a small leak at the vent pipe seal where it connects to the black tank. Since it is on the top of the tank, you may have never know it wasn't a good seal...or you have now separated the sealant at that joint. (MY bet is the leak is at your vent pipe connection)
It will be difficult to know exactly where the leak is unless you can gain access to visually inspect the tank. If the leak is coming from the top of the tank, you may have to drop the tank and re-seal the vent or the toilet inlet. That may well be something you will have get done at a service center.
You must have caught it just in time. It would be possible to blow it all the way up and out the roof vent as well as all over the bathroom floor!

[mharrison]

I'm not going to laugh but I am going to run outside and see if our new TT has the black tank flush.

[woggy718]

Originally Posted by Nature Ist

woggy: You were very lucky if your toilet bowl filled but did not overflow onto the floor!
There is no overflow prevention that I know of, only a back-flow preventer on the line feeding your city water into the tank flush to prevent black water from getting siphoned out into the city supply line.
There is most certainly a leak in the underbelly. You may well have put enough pressure into the tank to break the seals on the plumbing lines where they connect to the tank: your large 3" main waste drain, the toilet drain, or the vent pipe that goes up to the roof vent.
It's not totally out of the question that you already had a small leak at the vent pipe seal where it connects to the black tank. Since it is on the top of the tank, you may have never know it wasn't a good seal...or you have now separated the sealant at that joint. (MY bet is the leak is at your vent pipe connection)
It will be difficult to know exactly where the leak is unless you can gain access to visually inspect the tank. If the leak is coming from the top of the tank, you may have to drop the tank and re-seal the vent or the toilet inlet. That may well be something you will have get done at a service center.
You must have caught it just in time. It would be possible to blow it all the way up and out the roof vent as well as all over the bathroom floor!

The black tank was bulging pretty good. It wasn’t leaking out of the bottom. It was dripping from the top of the tank and from the underbelly lining. Through where the fresh water hose comes through.

[RAurand]

I used a label maker and labeled both my valves. Stuck it on the siding under the valves.
CITY WATER ------- BLACK TANK FLUSH

Then when I hook up my hose, I ask myself..... Is this the one I want to connect the hose to?

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by mharrison

I'm not going to laugh but I am going to run outside and see it our new TT has the black tank flush.

Yes you do — it’s about a foot above the FW inlet. Like RAurand, I used a cheap label maker to mark the black tank flush. Never mixed them up but no use taking a chance if I’m distracted.
Woggy: No laughing here. Thanks for sharing; we all learn from others!

[mharrison]

That must be something just on the 212QBW, my 212QB doesn't have one.

[woggy718]

I’m just thinking here. I did have a pressure regulator on my hose going into the black tank flush. I am wondering if the back flow pressure was greater than the water pressure going in and that prevented the water from coming out of the toilet and caused the water to come out of the back flow regulator. That’s why the toilet didn’t overflow.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by mharrison

That must be something just on the 212QBW, my 212QB doesn't have one.

Interesting. I thought they were the same with a few minor additions in the QB. Sorry about that!

[wags999]

If the toilet is sealing properly it won't come out the toilet, but, it can come out the plumbing vent on the roof !

[woggy718]

Originally Posted by wags999

If the toilet is sealing properly it won't come out the toilet, but, it can come out the plumbing vent on the roof !

I didn’t have any water coming off the room but that would have been hilarious.

[klinner28]

Black tank flushes are great, especially since it helps dislodge tissue and clogs... but thanks to this site and some of the negative results posted, I've been particularly paranoid about using it.

I can't imagine toilet water overflowing onto the trailer floor. It'd pretty much be the end of the trailer.

[ifallsguy]

Originally Posted by mharrison

That must be something just on the 212QBW, my 212QB doesn't have one.

I've got a 212QBW and there is no black tank flush on it. Wanted to have one added but was told it isn't possible.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by ifallsguy

I've got a 212QBW and there is no black tank flush on it. Wanted to have one added but was told it isn't possible.

Strange. Mine was standard equipment on our 2018. Just checked the sticker to be sure. Maybe a West vs East thing?

[Steve1152]

i turned on my shower to fill a jug up and got distracted. the gray tank completely filled up and the tub filled up and stated to overflow. thats when i noticed it and imediately went outside and opened the grey tank valve. it drained very fast and i avoided a disaster. it can happen to anybody.

[mjeronimo]

He was flushing black tank (he was in spot next to me) heard a pop, (he over filled black tank) water started pouring out of the coroplast. He cracked the black tank on top. Are you under warranty? Did you hear a pop? Hope yours is something simple.

[Crabman]

Actually we have a place to report events like this lol. The dreaded Bonehead thread.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ment-1576.html

[RAurand]

Originally Posted by klinner28

Black tank flushes are great, especially since it helps dislodge tissue and clogs... but thanks to this site and some of the negative results posted, I've been particularly paranoid about using it.

I can't imagine toilet water overflowing onto the trailer floor. It'd pretty much be the end of the trailer.

Don't be afraid to use it, It does a good job of cleaning out the tank. I just remind my family that when I am cleaning out the toilet tank to not bother me unless something is wrong. I also have a shutoff valve at that end of my hose.
When cleaning the tank, I start the water flow, then go inside and use a flashlight to watch down into the tank (I stand on the foot pedal)when it gets about 3/4 full, I go out and open the dump valve. Do this 2-3 times and you have a clean tank.
I have never had any issues.

STAY FOCUSED ON THE JOB AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING when doing that.

[michael.g]

We have 2 black tanks. Both have factory installed in-tank rinsers. When the dealer delivered the TT to our seasonal site, he insisted on helping set everything up. He wanted to make sure everything worked so he wouldn't be blamed for any issues. He grabbed the fresh water hose and connected it to the water connection at the back of the TT, above the hot water heater. When no water came out of the outside shower, I was surprised. Everything worked the previous day at the dealership when we did the PDI.

Looking around, I realized there were 2 more water connections by the outside shower. Turns out the dealership's guy attached the fresh water line to the black tank rinse for the back black tank. The front black tank is right next to the fresh water inlet. Fortunately, it was only on for a couple minutes and didn't fill the back black tank.

It can happen to anybody, don't feel too bad.

-Michael

[DaveT]

I have given serious thought to getting a piece of cardboard, cutting about a 6" hole in it, and using it as a template to paint a blue circle around the fresh water city hookup and black one around the black tank flush. They are right next to each other and could see myself confusing them in a rainstorm at night or something.



Extremely stupid design flaw on Jayco's part.