Flushing the black water tank on my 276 HW

[bowgar52]

I have a new Rockwood 276 HW pop-up. I would like to know if anyone knows how to flush the black water holding tank. I don't see a hose connection like on most RV's or Trailers. Any help would be appreciated.

[huizarr]

Going to have to get an external wand and stick it down the toilet. Here is a link for an external wand I use. Amazon.com: Camco 40094 Swivel Stik Holding Tank Rinser with Shutoff Valve: Automotive

[kinma13]

I use a hydro flusk from valterra. Valterra F02-4100 45° RV Hydroflush. Its clear so you can see the tank water is clean and it connects between the stinky slinky and the pup drain connection. It back fills the tank so you can do it without raising the pup. So far it works great. Even helps if in tank has a clog.

[w4drr]

Unfortunately, using anything like a hydroflush, you have no visible indication as to how full the tank is when you are back-flushing. You can only guess you have not overfilled, and guessing wrong is not a pretty sight. But this is the only method to flush the tank without raising the roof, unless you want to cut a hole in the flooring to access the tank and install a quickie flush sprayer. As for me, I just use the good ol' wand, and clean it out through the toilet while the roof is still up.

[kinma13]

W4drr yes I agree if you use the flush king that uses a gate valve between the flush n hose but a valterra hydroflush does not so any water in the tank has only the hose to go at the same time as you spray a jet of water ip bak into the rank. But yes the wand is vest either way.

[bleurt]

I also use the valterra f02-4100 on my 256HW. I first dump the tank when there is nothing else coming out then i put the water on for about 30secondes to a minute then stop the water and let the tank dump again. then repeat the process till water that is dumping out of tank is clear. It usualy takes 2 flushings to be clear.

[IonicBrick]

I use a flush king on mine. Yes, I heard the warnings about over filling, but I've never had a problem. My tank is 12 gallons, and with the sprayer inside the FK I let it go about 2-3 minutes before I open the valve again. Usually 2-3 flushes gets clear water out of the pipe. I put new chemical into the tank on our first use of the next trip, and my tank is always clean.


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[vinmaker]

I currently have a cassette toilet and do not own a black tank. But I am very interested in this subject because this is gonna be a huge change for me when I replace my current HW.

From what I can see on the videos using the hydroflush, the blade valve in the black tank must be open to enable the water spray jet to reach inside the tank. My problem with this is how does one fill the tank up? Does it not just stream out as I spray into it? I get the whole assumption that the spray is hitting all parts in the tank and carrying out the waste. But I am not so sure about that. Would it not be better to fill up the black tank with fresh water and dump the tank a couple of times? Or do people do a combination of all this?

I also like the whole ice cube in the toilet thing while one drives. That seems like it would work really well. lol.

Vin.

[IonicBrick]

On my flush king, there is a blade valve as well as a turning valve for the fresh water. The turning valve has tank, hose, and off. Here's how I use mine...
Connect everything and open both the valve on the camper and the FK. Then I close the FK valve only and turn the water on tank for about five minutes. I open the blade valve while the water is running and note the 'color' of the water coming out. I do this until clear water comes out, usually 2-3 times. Then the last time I'll turn the water off and open both blade valves to completely empty my clean tank. Then I close the valve on the camper, turn the FW valve to 'hose', and I'll give the hose some work around to make sure it's all clean. And that's all there is to it.

The kit comes with a back flow preventer, so you can use your FW hose for other things, like washing down the camper.


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[vinmaker]

Originally Posted by IonicBrick

On my flush king, there is a blade valve as well as a turning valve for the fresh water. The turning valve has tank, hose, and off. Here's how I use mine...
Connect everything and open both the valve on the camper and the FK. Then I close the FK valve only and turn the water on tank for about five minutes. I open the blade valve while the water is running and note the 'color' of the water coming out. I do this until clear water comes out, usually 2-3 times. Then the last time I'll turn the water off and open both blade valves to completely empty my clean tank. Then I close the valve on the camper, turn the FW valve to 'hose', and I'll give the hose some work around to make sure it's all clean. And that's all there is to it.

The kit comes with a back flow preventer, so you can use your FW hose for other things, like washing down the camper.


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Ok. So if I understand your post correctly. You never fill the tank. You blast the water in and let it flow as you blast until it runs clean. You will blast and fill it up as best you can then drain and repeat for 2-3 times until clear? Ok. I get it.

Thanks.

Vin.

[IonicBrick]

Well, kind of. I mean, I could fill the tank full, but that may cause leakages and I don't want to deal with that...When I do empty the tank between filling it with fresh water, there's maybe 4-5 gallons of water that comes out.


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[kinma13]

well after looking underneath the pup i see that the black drain line goes straight to an 90 elbow, i use a hydro flush that sprayes water in to the tank but if water is sprayed in the water would just go up it the top of the tank and then straight back down the drain hose, so it really dont clean the tank that great. should i use a flush king that has a gate vale between the flush and the hose that way you can atleast fill the tank the drain it. that is when not using a wand with the top up. which if there is a line at the dump you really cant raise the top. anyone know if the hydro flush does really clean or am i wasting my time and need to get a flush king?

[vinmaker]

I have the same reservations Kinma13. It seems to me that anything I spray up the 3" outlet is just gonna begin to start flowing back down.

The only sure way I can see of cleaning it out is from the top down with the sprayer and/or lots of water.

I plan on always finishing up my camping at a sewer site. Columbus Day is my last trip up here in New England as that tends to be when they all shut down. I plan on giving it a good cleaning when I pack up. That is the only way I can see.

If the above were not possible, then I think I would just spend the last hour cleaning the tank from the top into a portable tote and making trips to the dump station. Would be a pain in the butt. I just would want to make extra sure that the tank was absolutely clean of solid waste prior to closing up the camper for 8-9 months.

Vin.

[kinma13]

Yeah vinmaker I wish FR would have just put a tank rinser in at time of build. Would have make it much easier. Or at least made it that we could have. I havent camped at a full hook yet but a local rvshop has a dump station. So maybe thats my saturday.

[stryke-force]

I use the flush king with gate valve. I can fill the tank then let it flush out. I do it 4 or 5 times. I'm satisfied with how it works.

[kinma13]

Stryke force about how long do you run the water into the tank? I was looking at the FK but was afraid that I would over fill the tank and not know it till it came out the vent then right on your head.

[itat]

IF you have an elbow between the black tank and the outlet, you can either install a flusher like this one into tank:
http://www.amazon.com/Camco-40126-To...ack+tank+flush

or you can use a wand type like this this one I use:
Amazon.com: Valterra A01-0184VP Master Blaster Tank Wand: Automotive

The flusher would be better if you don't always have a full service site or a portable tank to flush into. If you're going to flush into a portable tank, you should empty and flush long before the tank is full because of the volume of the portable tank. Having a full service site is much more convenient but its not always available.

[stryke-force]

Originally Posted by kinma13

Stryke force about how long do you run the water into the tank? I was looking at the FK but was afraid that I would over fill the tank and not know it till it came out the vent then right on your head.

The way I see it is that it's not that powerful of a stream of water filling the tank up. It's 12 gallons and I'm picturing two five gallon home depot buckets being filled, I'd say no more than a minute. I've yet to have the tank overflow. Hopefully I never do.

[itat]

If the water isn't shooting directly into the black tank, it won't have enough force to do a lot of good.


2010 Rockwood Roo 23SS
2009 Ford F-150 XLT SuperCrew with Max. Towing
10K Equal-i-zer

[stryke-force]

It's just used to back fill the black tank. Then you open valve to empty. Do it a few times and you'll see that the water is clearing up.