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Old 08-14-2019, 11:04 AM   #1
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Black Tank Flush and pressure regulator?

Been reading some posts and saw where someone suggested using a pressure regulator on Black Water Flush system? I totally understand why you would use this on your City Water Supply, to never over pressure your plastic lines or blow any fittings on the plastic trailer plumbing. However, seems to me the BWF system does not have any shut off valves and should be free flowing when the supply water to that is turned on, and not build up all that much pressure? So, is it really necessary to use a regulator on the BWF system?

And also read "do not use the same regulator on this system that is used on Fresh water, unless you want Ecoli in the fresh water system."

So, opinions? What are you doing with your Black Water flush?

Thanks!
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Old 08-14-2019, 11:11 AM   #2
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Never layed eyes on mine but read here and commons sense says there are fittings/connections from Black Tank inlet connect to the tank. (5-8 my guess) So for the same reason you regulate pressure on the city water side, you would regulate pressure on the tank flush side. Would guess fitting into tank I suppose, the flush tip fittings,, a check valve with an IN and OUT fitting, and then my guess some type of fitting for the hose inlet connect. Same plastic hose as on city water side.

And yes I do use a seperate pressure regulator.

Just my thoughts.
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Old 08-14-2019, 11:28 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by gbaldwin View Post
Never layed eyes on mine but read here and commons sense says there are fittings/connections from Black Tank inlet connect to the tank. (5-8 my guess) So for the same reason you regulate pressure on the city water side, you would regulate pressure on the tank flush side. Would guess fitting into tank I suppose, the flush tip fittings,, a check valve with an IN and OUT fitting, and then my guess some type of fitting for the hose inlet connect. Same plastic hose as on city water side.

And yes I do use a seperate pressure regulator.

Just my thoughts.
Some of us don’t have the same “commons sense” that others do. My black tank flush spray head is always OPEN ... nothing there to hold the pressure as all my other fixtures have. If I hooked an open ended garden hose to my city water faucet, I wouldn’t regulate it, either.
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Old 08-14-2019, 11:32 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by gbaldwin View Post
Never layed eyes on mine but read here and commons sense says there are fittings/connections from Black Tank inlet connect to the tank. (5-8 my guess) So for the same reason you regulate pressure on the city water side, you would regulate pressure on the tank flush side. Would guess fitting into tank I suppose, the flush tip fittings,, a check valve with an IN and OUT fitting, and then my guess some type of fitting for the hose inlet connect. Same plastic hose as on city water side.

And yes I do use a seperate pressure regulator.

Just my thoughts.
Thanks much for sharing. guess a second regulator is not a big expense anyway, after three short uses and the July 4th, need to dump the Black Water finally!
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Old 08-14-2019, 12:22 PM   #5
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I had a problem with my BWF after it started flooding the floor of my TT.
I was told the cause is a cheap, plastic leaking one way valve under my bathroom vanity.
In any event, it is not just a direct water line to the tank due to the valve.
I haven't been back to my TT to hook up a supply line to it to verify the leak.
That valve is needed to prevent black water from going back into the fresh water system.
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Old 08-14-2019, 12:50 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Captain Jim View Post
Been reading some posts and saw where someone suggested using a pressure regulator on Black Water Flush system? I totally understand why you would use this on your City Water Supply, to never over pressure your plastic lines or blow any fittings on the plastic trailer plumbing. However, seems to me the BWF system does not have any shut off valves and should be free flowing when the supply water to that is turned on, and not build up all that much pressure? So, is it really necessary to use a regulator on the BWF system?

And also read "do not use the same regulator on this system that is used on Fresh water, unless you want Ecoli in the fresh water system."

So, opinions? What are you doing with your Black Water flush?

Thanks!
Never used a pressure regulator on my black tanks flush hose . 5 yrs never an issue . since it's open ended it's always flowing and more psi to clean the tank . the weak link is the back flow but if it's working properly then it will flow well . to little psi can cause these back flows to leak since they are atmospheric allowing any back flow to spill out around it so not enough psi and it won't seal well . jmho
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Old 08-14-2019, 01:12 PM   #7
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I've experienced occasions when connecting the flush hose at a dump station to my tank flush inlet where too high of pressure blows the hose off the threads of the tank flush inlet. Nothing dirty mind you, just fresh water splashed. But I can't help but wonder if that high of a pressure is greater than the black tank inlets can handle. Hadn't thought about regulating it before, think I will now.
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Old 08-14-2019, 01:18 PM   #8
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Yep, the blackwater flush line is open-ended....sort of. As mentioned previously, there is a cheap, plastic anti-siphon valve through which the blackwater flush water flows; and too much pressure can cause that valve to fail big time. When it does, you are likely to have a lot of water coming into the area housing that anti-siphon valve until someone notices the "leak." Sadly, you can have similar issues without running too much pressure through the line - that anti-siphon valve WANTS to fail. And yes, I have had the unfortunate experience of a major water mop-up and anti-siphon valve replacement while on a camping trip. Cost us about a dozen rolls of toilet paper as well, since the anti-siphon valve on that TT was under the bathroom vanity. As for a second water regulator, I do not use one; but I do add a check valve to the outside connection in case the anti-siphon valve fails. Thankfully, have not had any issues with that aspect of the blackwater flush.
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Old 08-14-2019, 01:24 PM   #9
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Black Tank water pressure regulator does nothing to control your flooding or overflow of black tank goodies into your camper. When doing a flush and wash out of black tank I want all the pressure available going into that tank sprayer.
Having a pressure regulator on the black tank doesn't hurt anything, but it will cut your wash out pressure down. The only thing mine passes on the way in is a built in inline backflow valve.
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Old 08-14-2019, 01:29 PM   #10
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The instructions that came with my black water flush specifically said to NOT use the regulator when flushing the tank. I don't remember the brand I had and I realize some manufacturers may say something else. As for the use of the same regulator you use for fresh water, SOP is to not use the same hose for drinking water you use for the flusher. There apparently is a risk of black water backing up into the fresh water hose. So it would make sense to not use the same regulator. That's one reason some RV parks use a vacuum breaker (check valve) on their campsite fresh water spigots. BTW, I just purchased a vacuum breaker to use if the hose I reserve for my black tank flusher is too short. This way I can use the vacuum breaker between the black hose and the fresh water hose to prevent black water from getting into the fresh hose. The thing just costs about $5. Of course that means I'll need to remember where I put it if and when I need to use it.
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Old 08-14-2019, 02:10 PM   #11
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I use a separate black water flush hose, one of those collapsible hoses so it doesn’t take up a lot of space. I never use a regulator but I do carry an anti siphon valve. As another poster mentioned, many parks have anti siphon valve, but some don’t, then I use mine. I don’t want to create a problem for the next RVer. Those parks without an anti siphon valve is one other reason I never drink the water from my fresh water tank.
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Old 08-14-2019, 02:52 PM   #12
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Sorry Dano' if I Insulted anyone with "common sense". Mine not always common to others! Just saying when I first used my black tank flush, my train of thought (common sense) told me that pressure regulator is used on the city water side to help minimize blow out of fittings, connections, and such from excessive water pressure. The same people using the same tools, fittings and supplies assembled the BWF side.... and there ARE connections and fittings on that side apparently. It is always open but can still have excessive pressure. Dont know exactly how the spray tips restrict flow or could be blown off??? I figure it is safer to do it. Never had a problem either.

I can see in the Jon that the pressure is high at the tip.

Another preference thing where 50/50 say yes or no. I dont haul water either!!! ha ha....
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Old 08-14-2019, 03:18 PM   #13
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Another good thread on what to worry about if you just need something to worry about
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Old 08-14-2019, 03:24 PM   #14
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Another good thread on what to worry about if you just need something to worry about
Amen!
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Old 08-14-2019, 03:30 PM   #15
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Black water

I would use a different hose and anti-back flow connection. Most dump stations already have the anti-flow attachment on the faucet.
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Old 08-14-2019, 03:55 PM   #16
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This is what the spray end of the flush looks like.

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Old 08-14-2019, 03:56 PM   #17
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Some of us don’t have the same “commons sense” that others do. My black tank flush spray head is always OPEN ... nothing there to hold the pressure as all my other fixtures have. If I hooked an open ended garden hose to my city water faucet, I wouldn’t regulate it, either.
The question is if the plastic piping can handle the pressure - maybe yes, maybe no. Pressure will exist if the nozzles "spray" the tank.

The vacuum breaker prevents water from back flowing to the water source. This issue is separate from the water pressure issue.
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Old 08-14-2019, 03:59 PM   #18
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Black tank flush

The cheap plastic one way valve, located in the vanity cabinet of our 2016 2304KS leaked. I removed it entirely. I use a dedicated, grey colored, garden hose with one way valves at both ends and no pressure regulator. As mentioned above, I want the maximum pressure possible to wash down the inside of the black tank. I only wish that they had included a back washing system for the grey tank as well, as we’ve been getting false, half full, readings for the past 2seasons. I’ve tried additives down the drains with no luck.
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Old 08-14-2019, 04:31 PM   #19
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The question is if the plastic piping can handle the pressure - maybe yes, maybe no. Pressure will exist if the nozzles "spray" the tank.

The vacuum breaker prevents water from back flowing to the water source. This issue is separate from the water pressure issue.
Maybe 'some' since the nozzle holes do cause a small amount of restriction but it is still open ended.
I'm guessing it will be way less than any regulator being used.
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Old 08-14-2019, 05:21 PM   #20
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I never bother with a pressure regulator for the black tank flush, but I am careful to crack open the source valve very slowly. I do the same with the fresh water hookup (different hose of course ) because I've had a few cases where the valve releases the pressure too suddenly. Any damage to the trailer's plumbing would likely occur during that initial shock, once the water is flowing the risk is much lower.
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