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06-12-2013, 11:22 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Holland, MI
Posts: 114
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Black Tank Flush - am I doing it right?
We really are enjoying our new 335 ds, but one mystery still eludes us - the black tank rinse.
I empty the tank, leave the valve open, connect the hose where indicated, turn on the water and await the "rinse". No water flows in or out. What am I doing wrong?
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06-12-2013, 11:26 PM
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#2
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Burton, MI.
Posts: 4,520
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My self I close the valve and allow the tank to fill back up then I open the valve and let it flow until the water is clear. I also use a clear elbow so I can see the color of the water.
__________________
Scott & Vicki
2018 Silverado 3500HD Dually 6.6L Duramax/Allison
2018 Columbus 366RL 1492 Edition
Camped 2012 19, 2013 110, 2014 129, 2015 97
2016 93, 2017 79, 2018 84, 2019 59, 2020 0,
2021 4 reserved
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06-13-2013, 07:35 AM
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#3
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,890
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Sullivan
We really are enjoying our new 335 ds, but one mystery still eludes us - the black tank rinse.
I empty the tank, leave the valve open, connect the hose where indicated, turn on the water and await the "rinse". No water flows in or out. What am I doing wrong?
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When I leave my valve open, I can see the water running out (not super hard) of the sewer connection. I have a clear elbow and am pretty sure I can see it because of that- not sure I'd be able to tell it was working if I just had my sewer hose hooked up. Do you have a clear elbow?
If you do, you should definitely see water making it through the tank and back out of the valve.
Otherwise, I do it like the previous poster- close my valve for 6 minutes and then dump it, then repeat for 5 and 4 minutes. By the time it's done- it's basically just clear water running out.
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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06-13-2013, 07:57 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bronston, KY
Posts: 734
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You may have a bad check valve on the tank flush connection. I can hear the water flowing on mine. Try closing the slide/dump valve for a minute and see if water flows then.
Bill
__________________
Life is a journey, not a destination.
2005 Georgetown 359ts
Bill & Virginia, Kentucky
Nights camped in 2011...78 , 2012...73,
Nights camped in 2013...123, 2014 ...101
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06-13-2013, 08:02 AM
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#5
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by syencer
My self I close the valve and allow the tank to fill back up then I open the valve and let it flow until the water is clear. I also use a clear elbow so I can see the color of the water.
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Use great care using this method. There is a warning sticker and a blurb in my trailer manual to not do this.
Having said that, I also open and close the valve several times during my 15 minute flush procedure.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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06-13-2013, 09:11 AM
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#6
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769
Use great care using this method. There is a warning sticker and a blurb in my trailer manual to not do this.
Having said that, I also open and close the valve several times during my 15 minute flush procedure.
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I do the same, close the valve for about a minute and then open it and repeat until clear water is flowing. Then I will close it for a minute and then remove the fill hose. If we're staying there, I'm finished. If we are getting ready to leave, I will put about a cup or 2 of SuperClean down the toilet, fill the bowl, put in 2 caps of Pine Sol and dump it. Shut off the water pump, wash my hands and do the final walk around.
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06-13-2013, 09:27 AM
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#7
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Denver, CO
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 2,102
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not to hijack but related question..
My vacuum breaker on the flishline raises a holy racket with I flush, and weeps a little. It looks like a pretty cheap unit. should I replace it with a better one from HDepot or just live with it?
for the OP, the flushing system should make some water flowing noise that is easy to hear and if not the check valve or some other blockage is occurring. you may need to trace and check the flush line, with the caution that the area between the check valve (or vacuum breaker) and the tank is contaminate with you know what...
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2017 Fuse 23T
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06-15-2013, 01:56 AM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: England. That's the one in United Kingdom
Posts: 15
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Sewer Tank Flush
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Sullivan
We really are enjoying our new 335 ds, but one mystery still eludes us - the black tank rinse.
I empty the tank, leave the valve open, connect the hose where indicated, turn on the water and await the "rinse". No water flows in or out. What am I doing wrong?
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My 2005 375XL has a major problem with this in UK. If I connect my water hose and turn the tap on, I hear nothing. But when I then disconnect, a lot of water comes flowing back out of the connector, so I obviously have a blockage at the orifice in the tank. Once, when I had access to a hose with good pressure, I did try, and succeded in getting water to flow, but I couldn't follow through with it due to time and location problems. My RV had stood for about two years at the dealers before I bought it and I have lots of problems associated with that such as duff tank level indicators.
As fulltimers, we do sometimes have to live with difficulties until opportunities surface. I feel a major stripdown is called for! Unfortunately, most of the problems require a full dismantling of the water centre(ter!).
Hey ho - soldier on!
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06-15-2013, 04:39 AM
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#9
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"On the road again"
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Parker County Texas
Posts: 1,152
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My Columbus 320RS came from the factory with the check valve installed backwards - thus, it would not allow ANY water from the hose into the black tank to rinse it out. Our dealer fixed that along with a half-dozen other tweaks and tightens after our first trip out.
I understand they had to remove the shower stall completely in ours - so it was a pretty good job evidently.
__________________
Robert & Estha Shiflet
Georgetown XL 378TS
Jeep Gladiator Willys Tow Vehicle
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06-16-2013, 07:16 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Apple Valley, CA
Posts: 361
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I recently had a post regarding this. In my case, the line was plugged with something (toilet paper was suggested by readers). The fix was to introduce air into the inlet valve from an air compressor. I used a portable tank with about 30 or so pounds, and after about a second, I heard a "pop" in the tank, and then the air flowed freely. After that, it worked fine.
I also experienced the backflow when I released the pressure on the backflow preventer at the inlet valve.
By the way, that post and all of the suggestions and responses are still there, several pages back.
Good luck, and Happy Trails
Forrest
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Happy Trails
fbconsults
(Forrest and Donna)
2011 Georgetown 378TS
2011 Ford Escape V-6 4X4
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06-16-2013, 07:25 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Apple Valley, CA
Posts: 361
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The thread I started is now on page four near the top of the page.
Forrest
__________________
Happy Trails
fbconsults
(Forrest and Donna)
2011 Georgetown 378TS
2011 Ford Escape V-6 4X4
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06-16-2013, 07:52 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,645
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The way to clean out the black holding tank is to dump then close the valve and allow the cleanout input (water) to almost fill the tank (watch your level indice for the amount in the tank). This will take sometime because the spray nozzle in the tank typically has small holes. Open the valve with the input still flowing and if you have a clear adapter at the discharge you will see if the procedure should be done again. If not then a couple times of refilling and draining will probably sufice. The black tank is VENTED TO THE OUTSIDE and therefore no tank expansion will occur. There will be no damage to the tank. Typically, when you are finished and have closed the valve for the last time and shut the water off and disconnect the hose there will be residual water in the line from the input side of your unit backflow preventer. This water is not coming from the black tank. This water is from the closing of the backflow preventer. Another thing, your backflow preventer is typically mounted high above the black tank and this perhaps would suggest the backflow preventer may not even be needed.
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06-16-2013, 08:11 PM
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#13
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbles
The way to clean out the black holding tank is to dump then close the valve and allow the cleanout input (water) to almost fill the tank (watch your level indice for the amount in the tank). This will take sometime because the spray nozzle in the tank typically has small holes. Open the valve with the input still flowing and if you have a clear adapter at the discharge you will see if the procedure should be done again. If not then a couple times of refilling and draining will probably sufice. The black tank is VENTED TO THE OUTSIDE and therefore no tank expansion will occur. There will be no damage to the tank. Typically, when you are finished and have closed the valve for the last time and shut the water off and disconnect the hose there will be residual water in the line from the input side of your unit backflow preventer. This water is not coming from the black tank. This water is from the closing of the backflow preventer. Another thing, your backflow preventer is typically mounted high above the black tank and this perhaps would suggest the backflow preventer may not even be needed.
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Caveat Lector in this case. There are warnings on the camper itself (stickers) and the truboflush manuals not to use the system with the dump valve closed. You, of course, are free to do what you want with your camper.
As to the backflow preventer, there is the Venturi effect to consider. Air flowing along the camper wall will produce a low pressure at the opening of the inlet. This low pressure would suck out the black tank water if a vacuum break was not installed. This effect is seen more often at the gravity fill port on the fresh water side when campers depart with a full tank and yet arrive at their campground with half their water gone (sucked out of the vent line, also above the tank).
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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06-16-2013, 08:11 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
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I have one of these and can easily see after a few full tanks and flushing it is clean inside.
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06-16-2013, 08:16 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,570
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Sullivan
We really are enjoying our new 335 ds, but one mystery still eludes us - the black tank rinse.
I empty the tank, leave the valve open, connect the hose where indicated, turn on the water and await the "rinse". No water flows in or out. What am I doing wrong?
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Lots of good hints here, however I have to agree with (?) post #8 plugged tank nozzle. It should be obvious sound and hose that mucho water is entering the tank. It sounds new, should have dealer unplug it next trip in for warranty repairs. If the vac valve were bad, you probably would have water all over the compartment its located in.
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06-17-2013, 06:32 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,645
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Google "how to clean rv black water holding tank" and watch one of the available video's.
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06-17-2013, 07:09 AM
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#17
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 85
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If you turn on the flush hose and close the black dump valve and forget it the water comes out the roof vent and runs on top of your head!!
Jack
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06-17-2013, 07:21 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,645
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Like I said, tank is vented and therefore closing the dump valve while hooked up to cleanout is not an issue. If your driving your MH down the interstate and decide to go get yourself a cold drink from the fridge...
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06-17-2013, 07:32 AM
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#19
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jacksum2
If you turn on the flush hose and close the black dump valve and forget it the water comes out the roof vent and runs on top of your head!!
Jack
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It will sure guarantee making sure your toilet is not leaking anywhere and maybe some other places you don't expect.
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06-17-2013, 07:38 AM
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#20
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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I have a friend (Former O-6 C-130 Navigator and Astronomer) who routinely used BUBBLES technique for flushing when in full hookups (after weeks in dry camping) at Navy Key West.
He was called away "momentarily" by a neighbor while the tank was filling and when the tank filled water (mostly anyway) filled the vent stack and was running on the roof. The problem came when the stack filled and the incoming water had to push against the water filled vent. His tank burst and the repair cut short his winter vacation.
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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