Neutral: Black tank warranty

[saltyisle]

We are interested to know if anyone else has been told by their RV dealer that the manufacturer will void the warranty on their black system if they are being pumped out by any kind of a pumping system such as a "honey wagon"?

[crocus]

Makes sense to me, as I wouldn't warranty it either if I were them.
I would bet that most people would be too dense to open the toilet valve when having their tank pumped out.

[wneise]

Wouldn't the stack pipe pull air in from the top?

[LadyWindrider]

What kind of warranty is on a black tank? Either it holds stuff, or it doesn't. Who can say or prove it was damaged by having it pumped? If it is a Forrest River product, it is covered for 12 months, after date of purchase. Now the real question, was the dealer trying to sell you a blue boy sewer tote, or something similar?

And what about the gray system? If you are having your trailer pumped, wouldn't you want to pump both? The gray fills much faster than the black.

The other thought that comes to mind, in defense of the dealer, if you neglect the black system, and have to have it cleaned and pumped, then maybe yes, would void warranty.

[Herk7769]

If they use a power pump to suck the liquids out and it has a clogged vent; you could easily collapse the tanks (black or gray). I would think you would need a "double failure" to damage your system if the "Honey Wagon" was correctly sized for the job.

Or perhaps they worry that "Bubba's" homemade "Honey Wagon" system has an 8 million horse power pump and just turning it on will collapse the tanks.

[wneise]

If the stack pipe was clogged, no one would want to flush the toilet and the owner would take to a RV shop to get it fixed. Second, would a campground want to take the liability on an over powered pump damaging someone else's rig and dumping poo on their site? I have never had to sign a waver to get a honey wagon to pump my rig out, so I wouldn't be responsible for an imploded black tank.

[LadyWindrider]

OK, I made some ASSumptions. New owner, joined in August, but first post now in January.

Now, as a tech, when you get a new camper, you have one year warranty, standard. This is assuming you do the required maintenance, like dumping the tanks, and caulking the roof if needed. You are also required to get problems back to the dealer, at your expense. Even if the dealer took it and parked it for you, it is your responsibility to get it back for problems.

Now the original post, "pumped out by a honey wagon". Why pump what camper sewer systems deliver by gravity? The few campgrounds we stayed at that offered sewer service, brought a blue tote, gravity filled the tote, the took it to the honey wagon to be emptied. There may be more to this story than we see.

[Herk7769]

I had a free "pump out" with a 5 day stay and they used a pumped system towed by their tractor. They had to lift the black water up and into their tank. Gravity did fill the hose, but the pump was needed to get it up and into the tank and then they pumped the gray water afterwards.

They seemed to have no problems and the tanks still work just fine.

[jimh]

interesting...has anyone actually had a tank collapse?
if the pull was severe enough to damage the tank, i would think u could tell.

[Fire Instructor]

A number of years ago, while leaving a NA$CAR track, they had a line of honey wagons pumping the RV's as they left. Many of these were the vacuum trucks, designed to lift sewage through a 3" or 4" suction tube, 15-20' (designed for cleaning manholes). The guy runnig the truck had me go inside and open the flap on the toillet while he pumped, so that air could enter there, as well as from the vent.

That kind of strong suction, with a typical RV having only a 1.25" or 1.5" vent could easily cause a problem with the tank, and if the vent is at all clogged (with "stuff" or by mud wasps) it could very conceivably cause a collapse of the tank.

From that track, we went on to a coastal CG that had a tractor drawn honey wagon and used a 12v macerator pump. Those pumps create very little (if any) suction, and are completely dependant upon gravity to get the effluent from the tank to the intake side of the pump.

[jackhartjr]

I wonder how the subject even came up!
Jack

[jrlehr]

I drive a honey wagon and they have very strong suction. I would not pump out any unit. I can be 4-5 hoses out with each hose being 30' long and the suction would still pull the glove right off my hand. Even the blue storage totes, If they don't allow air while pumping, they will collaspe that as well. Just my .02

[wneise]

Is it one of those trucks that has a the tank mounted on the back and the pump is driven by the engine so kt can evacuate something like a grease tank at a fast food joint? Typically what I see at campgrounds are small trailer mounted pete tanks powers by a B&S engine so I wouldn't think they have the power you are talking about.

[jrlehr]

Yes, I drive a 4500 gallon truck. Even the smaller ones that do the port-a-pots have very strong pumps on them. Either way, I suggest not to do it. Their at the races to make $$, do you think they care what happens to your tanks?

[wneise]

Campgrounds are not. As I said before, they don't want to run the risk of a tank imploding and leaving crap all over one of their sites. BTW, here is another scenario. What about a family who thinks that the gray tank would stink up the place (don't know what a J trap is for) and plugs up the tub and sinks and then calls the honey wagon? Why should the issue be just with the black? My point has always been that the stack pipe should be able to let enough air back into a tank to overcome any honey wagon. Or how about this? What about the hose that runs from the take to the pump? Would it not collapse first? If not, someone should invent a vacuumed switch that will kill the pump when suction is to great. Then the wagon driver can tell someone to open the loo and let air in.