Black Tank Flush Question

[62_inrightlane]

Originally Posted by pkeene

I set the timer on my phone since its always in my pocket when moving around doing other things during the flush.

Same here. 5 minutes seems to be a good amount of time to get a good flush out.

[dalford]

Originally Posted by LTRVing

Fresh water, 2nd rinse. No smell at all, lucky, bleach cleaned all we could see. I normally babysit the process, however, just as I started I got an important phone call and got distracted for a few minutes too long. As soon a you think you've got this RV thing figured out, wammo, live and learn. Fortunatly no small animals were harmed during this screw up. ;-)

Here is my thoughts on the water you saw spilling from your RV. First of all leaving the flush process or being distracted is a no-no... Put that aside for now. My thoughts are about the water that spilled from somewhere. If it was from the black tank system then I would think you would have a sewer smell. I don't care if it was the second or third flush, the smell in the black tank does not flush out. If water came out of your black tank system then sewer gases should also be coming from that same breech in your system. Do you smell any sewer odors? If no, then I would suspect your flush system plumbing. Just my thoughts...

[brandon 2]

We only add a bit of water to the black tank "after it is emptied " then add a shot of dawn. If someone told you it would come up thru the toilet and flood the floor of your camper the tank must have been full and there fore it would be of no benefit to add anything to the tank.

Brandon2

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by HATCHET19

When I flush my black tank I never walk away. I'm just too forgetful to take that chance. So I just stand there drinking my beer and listening to the tank fill.

hatchet

And they say camping isn't exciting!

[172av8r]

+1 on never walking away or getting distracted!!

Had that happen to me before. I used to use a timer, but the water pressure / flow at this one campground was a lot more than I was used to. Filled the black tank (2nd flush, so was "mostly" clean) and the water came out of the toilet all over the floor and out of the roof vent.
What a mess!

I have since purchased one of these.. inexpensive and I can know exactly how much water I'm putting into the tank for each rinse!!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1



By the way, I don't have a tank wash, so I use this to back fill/drain the black a few times til the water runs clean.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by flagstaffman

I was told that if you were to do what you did that the water would come up through your toilet and flood your bathroom floor in your camper.

That is also correct. Before flooding, It will also build pressure in your black tank that will be forcefully released when you step on the toilet pedal.

Don't ask me how I know

[TandSH]

I also recommend the water meter suggested by 172av8r. In fact, I have two of them. One for the fresh water hose that I meter water when partially filling the fresh water tank, and the other on the black tank flush hose to know exactly how much water I'm using for the tank flush. I would never trust the tank level sensor system for this critical task.

[LTRVing]

Appreciate the comments, need to agree that water came from flush line, as there was no smell at all, now and since. Have run the process twice since this happened, to double check things, no problems at all. Water meter looks like a good idea.

[Martsing]

I was flushing my BT this weekend at Streetsboro KOA. I went into the camper to check the level on the board and got distracted. I literally RAN around the camper to turn the water off. It was close.

Marty

[texasbuckeye]

What I take from this post is that it was a senior member who did the damage. This is a good lesson for each of us. You don't have to be a newbee to make mistakes. That's why checklists and repetitions are good. Of course, you can checklist yourself to death . . . but it's good to be reminded to think about each task you do. Don't get in a hurry . . . even breaking down camp . . . enjoy it. You're in the great outdoors. You and the spouse have jobs that are done each time. Sometimes, I help and jump on something of the wifes. That throws her routine off. And then there's visitors while you are doing things. Life is good ! !

[aemail4sue]

I have read all the comments and still want to know....how the tank flush works. I left the tank valve open as it says, screwed in the hose turn water on and let run for 10 min or so and never saw any water coming out the black tank, so got a little paranoid, disconnected water hose and ended up using the clear back wash that is attached to the end of black tank

[dalford]

Originally Posted by aemail4sue

I have read all the comments and still want to know....how the tank flush works. I left the tank valve open as it says, screwed in the hose turn water on and let run for 10 min or so and never saw any water coming out the black tank, so got a little paranoid, disconnected water hose and ended up using the clear back wash that is attached to the end of black tank

Sounds like yours does not work... There is a one way check valve or anti siphon valve installed into the black tank flush line. Sometimes when they build these rigs they install them backwards and thus no water can enter the black tank. Did you actually hear the water flowing? You should be able to hear it from outside but go inside and see if you can hear it. If you don't hear anything I bet yours is in backward.

If you ran water for 10 mins it should be pouring out somewhere if it was not getting to the black tank..

[5picker]

Originally Posted by aemail4sue

I have read all the comments and still want to know....how the tank flush works. I left the tank valve open as it says, screwed in the hose turn water on and let run for 10 min or so and never saw any water coming out the black tank, so got a little paranoid, disconnected water hose and ended up using the clear back wash that is attached to the end of black tank

Could you have possibly been hooked to the wrong port?
You wouldn't be the first.
A fellow asked me for help in a campground once when he seen me flushing my tank.
I walked over and he had the hose hooked up to the antifreeze inlet.

[aemail4sue]

Dalford I ask DH and he said he didn't hear anything but I am not sure because it was a while back. I agree water has to be going somewhere but without finding out the hard way how would you find out if check value is backwards

[youroo]

No need for "Timer/smart phone/water flow meter/running in and out looking at inaccurate gauges" install a Clear outlet fitting on black tank and when discharge is running at Clarity you desire,Your done! If you want to add additional water with the valve closed,just use the Old Method,1000-1,1000-2,1000-3 then Open the valve! Youroo!!

[dalford]

Originally Posted by aemail4sue

Dalford I ask DH and he said he didn't hear anything but I am not sure because it was a while back. I agree water has to be going somewhere but without finding out the hard way how would you find out if check value is backwards

I think you already found that out. When you hooked up and ran for 10 minutes and saw no water coming from your black tank and no water coming from under your RV then no water was flowing. This is somewhat of a common problem and you can probably search for reversed anti-siphon valve or something like that. Maybe someone will chime in and tell you where you might find it on your unit.

[Twice]

Originally Posted by texasbuckeye

What I take from this post is that it was a senior member who did the damage. This is a good lesson for each of us. You don't have to be a newbee to make mistakes. That's why checklists and repetitions are good. Of course, you can checklist yourself to death . . . but it's good to be reminded to think about each task you do. Don't get in a hurry . . . even breaking down camp . . . enjoy it. You're in the great outdoors. You and the spouse have jobs that are done each time. Sometimes, I help and jump on something of the wifes. That throws her routine off. And then there's visitors while you are doing things. Life is good ! !

Well said TexasBuckeye!

[loly50]

OMG... First time in our trailer husband hooked up both hoses n openned both lines sewer n regular water. Flooded one side of the camper. HELP. is it major damage?....