How many gallons per flush?

[vinmaker]

I was perusing the forum and came across a thread where one asked how many gallons of water to add to the tank before adding chemicals. Most posters felt like 2-3 gallons was good to start things off. Many posters agreed and said 2-3 full flushes. So it got me thinking about gallons per flush.

My pop up has a TT type toilet in it and the black tank is only 12 gallons. Am I to understand that I would only get 12 flushes before the thing is full? Less if I add water to pre-treat.

I am concerned because I plan on using a waste water tote most times as I prefer to be in wooded w/e sites. Would hate to have to visit the dump station every day.

My old pop up had a cassette toilet which had a chemical holding tank where when you flushed the blue stuff would swirl in the bowl as it went down. It only seemed to use a few ounces and I could go 3-4 days before I had 6 gallons of black.

Anyone know about this stuff?

Thanks,

Vin.

[Rugged Brown]

Less flushes mean more solids... I have a bigger black tank and I like to use a couple of flushes for every use. keeps my tanks cleaner.

[Herk7769]

You control how much water you use "per flush"; just remember that if you don't use enough water, you will eventually get a "pyramid of doom" at the bottom of your soil pipe.

You will not be able to drain your black tank until you have a VERY expensive service.

[Campin Cajun]

How many gallons does your black tank hold? What ever the amount you need it to be at least half full to start a camping weekend. I have gone 5 days on a trip starting with half a tank and didn't dump until we left on the last day.

How many people using the toilet? This is another thing to consider. Figure each person to take one #2 per day. Several #1's per day but the #1's add there own water to the system.


2013 Berkshire 390 BH

[vinmaker]

Originally Posted by Campin Cajun

How many gallons does your black tank hold? What ever the amount you need it to be at least half full to start a camping weekend. I have gone 5 days on a trip starting with half a tank and didn't dump until we left on the last day.

How many people using the toilet? This is another thing to consider. Figure each person to take one #2 per day. Several #1's per day but the #1's add there own water to the system.


2013 Berkshire 390 BH

My tank is 12 gallons. We are a family of 4.

So are you saying I need to pour in 6 gallons of water to begin? I would then dump around 3/4 full? Is that the conventional wisdom? So that is after 3 more gallons are added? That would be three flushes? I was thinking one should dump prior to it reaching the toilet seat.

This black tank stuff is almost overwhelmingly complicated. I am in awe at how hard it is to figure out.

Vin.

[AquaMan]

1/2 full is overly excessive. You only need a couple inches on the bottom of the tank. For a 12 gallon tank, I would think that a gallon would be sufficient. You will add water each time you flush, but you can control it by how much you fill the bowl before use.

[Campin Cajun]

There's lots of different schools of thought on black tanks. This is why they don't print an operations manual on it. Try different methods and see which one works best for you. There's thousands of campers out there. We all don't do it the same way. I believe one gallon per flush is excessive. Especially after a #1.

Also realize if you are hooked up to sewer you don't have to completely clean the black tank until you are packing for home. Just dump a few gallons if it gets full. Then when packing up do a complete flush and rinse.

The biggest cause of the brown mountain of doom is not having enough water in the tank.


2013 Berkshire 390 BH

[vinmaker]

Thanks everyone.

I did not know that you choose the amount of water that goes into the bowl. I figured it was more like a residential toilet where you hit the switch and a set amount of water goes down.

So let me ask this. Do people ever use it like an outhouse? Can one open the trap and pee straight down into the tank? Then hit the switch to water swirl the bowl then close trap to keep the smell out? I realize that conventional wisdom is too keep a bit of water on the top of the trap to keep the gases out of the camper.

I guess I will just have to figure it all out when I can.

Vin.

[markb5900]

You want some water "on top" not only for smell but it keeps the seals moist.
When you winterize, put about a cup of anti freeze in it also so your seal won't dry out over the winter.
As for how much to put in. I honestly don't put any in if I am dumping very day or so and have never noticed any smell.
If I am going for more than two days, I put a packet of the "stuff" into the tank.
The day before we are leaving/dumping, I run A LOT of water with each use and then just run water to get quite a bit in the tank before I dump it.
So far, it has worked for me.

[Campin Cajun]

If you hold the trap open water will flow into the bowl.


2013 Berkshire 390 BH

[vinmaker]

Originally Posted by Campin Cajun

If you hold the trap open water will flow into the bowl.


2013 Berkshire 390 BH

Interesting. So that is what makes it work. It is the flush action that sends the water to the bowl.

Ok. Got it. Thanks.