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Old 07-15-2010, 09:49 PM   #21
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I saw a fellow once put down his leveler blocks (Lego blocks) on the curb side at the campground dump site. It put quite a tilt on his 5th wheel. I suppose this caused his tanks to drain better or more completely. He and his wife had it down to an art and didn't take but a few seconds longer to deploy and gather up the levelers.
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Old 07-17-2010, 02:58 PM   #22
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sounds like they have it down to a science, we however, are on a permanent site and just the thought of having to pull that to the dump site is more that I would want to get it to,, we have planted around the hitch and all around the site, have a deck to contend with and lastly, we probably would never get it back in the exact place it came out of, being that the trailer was first and then came all the extras, so I will keep trying to find a solution for the stinky problem....
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Old 10-18-2010, 03:56 PM   #23
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Black tank odor

Had the same problem, but the camper I bought was owned by a moron, and came with 2/3 full black tank that apparently had been in there all summer in north Alabama, and was most likely not treated at all.
Repeated through cleaning of the tank with the wand helped, but the problem returned over and over again.
Having exhausted every possibility, I noticed the dump valve was a couple feet from the tank, so the one gallon of water with the chemicals was only treating the drain line...
I changed my procedure to 5 gallons of water and chemicals as directed.
Now I only have a slight odor during long term use (week or so) which is to be expected.
Give this a shot. It won't cost very much!
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Old 10-18-2010, 04:24 PM   #24
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Please Folks

Water softener salt is NOT water softener.

It is SALT. NaCl - Sodium Chloride

It is used in water softener ion exchange columns to FLUSH OUT the resin.

It does NOT soften water at all.

Calgon Liquid is sodium polymetaphosphate
sodium polymetaphosphate - PubChem Public Chemical Database

It coats the sides of the tank with "slipperiness" to keep poo and grease from sticking to the walls. Period.
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Old 10-20-2010, 05:54 AM   #25
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we closed up for the winter with basically still the same problems that we have had all year long, we tried and tried to flush the tank with repeated application, still no success. We can not get this tank to completely empty out. After repeated flushes, we still had about 2-3 inches of water that was left in the tank. This was measured by dropping a stick directly down the toilet. We are at wits end about this mess. There is nothing suggested here that we havent tried,, still with no success...
We will have to look into more options this spring..Just filled the tank with some antifreeze so that we dont have any problems with freezing and we will get back into it this spring.
Someone suggested that maybe there is a trap that is directly under the toilet, which is why I am measuring that water level that is left behind.,,doesnt seem likely, We obviously have a problem here, just dont know how to tackle it..
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Old 10-20-2010, 07:17 AM   #26
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The other problem that bothers me is that the tank NEVER empties completely out. I think that could have some play in this also...I have posted this question before and am finding out that it is a common problem among some of these models...Dont really understand why, and it doesnt seem to matter which way the trailer is leaning, we have tried different methods of leveling up but still cant seem to get it to empty completely.
blue eyes, did you ever check the to see where the drain comes out of your black tank ?? Mine comes out the of the rear in the middle. The only way I can dump completely is to have the trailer level side to side, and the tongue way high. If the dump station isn't busy, I will go to the trouble of driving my truck up on blocks and using the tongue jack to make that position happen. After that, I have to try to get the tongue down by raising the trailer tires via blocks with the port side high, so that I can completely drain the gray tank.......that drain comes out the front starboard side. If the dump station is busy, then I try to do all of that at home......I have a conveniently located sewer clean-out.
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Old 10-20-2010, 07:17 AM   #27
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Sorry, we have not been able to help so far.

Are you saying you have or have not used RV Digester and waited 48 hours prior to dumping?
RV-Digest-It.com - RV-Digest-It

I have heard good things about it clearing stubborn clogs and buildups at the drain opening. Once there is a pile of composted poo at the valve, only time, bacteria, and a hard flush will help.

As a last resort there are companies that specialize in turbo power washing RV tanks. They are not cheap, but they are cheaper than replacing the tank.

For Mtnguy: He is in a permanent site and can not move easily.
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Old 10-20-2010, 08:28 AM   #28
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I had a similar problem, I used RV Digest-it and then I had a professional company clean out the tanks. Have you tried the RV Digest-IT? use the entire bottle and leave it in the tank atleast 24 hours I would also add fresh water to the tank to help soften anything that may be in there.
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Old 10-20-2010, 05:50 PM   #29
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yes, we have used the Rv Digest, the whole bottle, filled it to the top on a Sunday, they pumped on Tuesday, and all was still the same. We placed a stick directly down the toilet and there was between 3 and 4 inches of liquid still in the tank,, I am sorry mtnguy, but I have never checked when the outlet is on the tank, I know that being permanent is also causing a problem, we just cant flush out the way that we need to..However, we have ran MANY tanks of water through and still havent had any success. I am at wits end..
I have tried every suggestion that you all have recommended,,and I greatly appreciate all the help..just cant seem break it loose...FR had told me that it isnt necessarily uncommon for water to be let in the tank after pumping.....I dont think 3 to 4 inches is standard...
Are these tanks all made to be a straight down drop from the toilet? Is a build up most likely what we have going on here...very frustrating..
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Old 10-20-2010, 07:47 PM   #30
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y I am sorry mtnguy, but I have never checked when the outlet is on the tank, I know that being permanent is also causing a problem, we just cant flush out the way that we need to..However, we have ran MANY tanks of water through and still havent had any success. I am at wits end..
Oops, I didn't know your trailer is on a permanent site. That would negate the tipping the trailer thingy.
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Old 10-20-2010, 08:47 PM   #31
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This may sound simple but my brother in-law had the same problem and it was due to not having used his bathroom sink so the trap allowed sewer gasses into his trailer.
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Old 10-20-2010, 08:54 PM   #32
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If toilet holds water in bowl smell cannot enter from interior. Either fantastic fan is drawing odour from roof vent or smell is coming from undr sink breather.
I had awful smell in our trailer and it was worse with fantastic fan running for some reason. Replaced under sink vents and smell went away.
Try replacing them as cost is minimal (kitchen and bath)
Worth a try
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Old 10-20-2010, 10:14 PM   #33
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ohh also check the toilet. mine is a 2 piece. the pedestal is on part and the bowl is another. maybe its loose?
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Old 10-20-2010, 10:15 PM   #34
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If toilet holds water in bowl smell cannot enter from interior. Either fantastic fan is drawing odour from roof vent or smell is coming from undr sink breather.
I had awful smell in our trailer and it was worse with fantastic fan running for some reason. Replaced under sink vents and smell went away.
Try replacing them as cost is minimal (kitchen and bath)
Worth a try
I actually don't hardly ever use the fan for that reason. When you flush with the fan running it pulls air from the vent through the toilet. Make up air for the fan has to come from some where.

Are you keeping your tank at least half full of water after dumping it?

Always put water in the bowl before going, and don't run the fan while flushing.

If you are going to run any fan you should crack a window to provide make up air.

Forget the chemicals and odorizers they make it worse. I don't move my trailer and I dump the black tank about once a week and don't really start having any odor issues till 7-8 days.

Luckly my trailer came with a blank tank rinse hook up and it works quite well. I have a clear adapter and I can see the additional stuff being removed by the rinse. I also use this for putting water back in the tank after I'm done cleaning it. It would take forever trying to put water back in the tank with just water from the toilet.
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Old 10-20-2010, 10:39 PM   #35
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I think I see a disconnect here.

I re-read this entire thread several times and I just picked up on the word "pumped" not "dumped" when Blue Eyes talks about emptying the tank.

When we "dump" our tanks we use the low point outlet and shutoff valve on the tank to drain it into the sewer or blue boy wagon. This way (in a perfect world) there should be NO water left in the tank after dumping.

However, When your tank is "pumped" I assume you mean the same way they empty "Johnny on the Spot" portable toilets. The guy comes with a hose and drops it into your toilet and sucks out the tank.

Is that right? Is that how they do it?

If so, perhaps there lies the problem. When he shoves in the hose, the hose could be laying on its side in the tank. If it is a 3 inch diameter hose, the hose will start sucking air when the water level drops below the UPPER side of the hose and lose suction. As far as the operator knows, the tank is "empty", BUT our tanks are only 8 inches or so thick! This could leave quite a bit of liquid behind.

If he tried to get the hose opening flat to the bottom of the tank, the hose would suck itself to the bottom of the tank and not pump at all.
Perhaps a screen cage on the end of the hose might help get more water out.
Lou
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Old 10-20-2010, 10:55 PM   #36
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if its like herc says, get a plastic barrel, chop the bottom 1/3 off, dumb from the black valve into the barrel and get the guy to suck it out from there. thats what i did when i was parked at the rents.
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Old 10-21-2010, 05:23 AM   #37
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We have done both, the dump and the pump...Still end up with the same result, water lying in the bottom of the tank. I cant really say if one left more than the other, I just checked recently on how much was still left in the tank after being pumped...
yes Herk,
you have gotten it correct,,However, I am positive that when WE do the dumping, there is still fluid that is left when we look into the toilet. We ran the water hose, with an attachment that spins the water around, down through the toilet, and up the outlet vent from the outside, the water did seem to run clear, we figured that the problem was solved,,,but after checking the toilet, water was still evident.
I know that alot of the suggestions were about the odor coming from another source, such as the sink, but it is very evident, that the odor is coming from the toilet, as soon as you flush, it is there,,,
I dont have the smell until I flush, I dont use the fantastic fan alot, I do keep the Lil Stanker on at all times, but there was the question as to why when removing the vent cap off of the vent on the roof, there was no smell to be found,,I dont know how many issues we have going on here..A smelly tank for one, and a tank that doesnt completely drain,,for the second problem.
Once again, FR told me there is not a problem with water being left behind, I am not convinced..I dont know if the previous owner created a problem that we are now having to correct, or is this a bad set up..
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Old 10-21-2010, 07:43 AM   #38
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Can you photograph the Black piping from the toilet to the tank? I am having a hard time visualizing the drop. My set up has 2 45 degree elbows in it so I can't see water until it is already up the stack.

Here is what the tanks look like inside the floor:

The right tank (as you look at it) is the black tank. The white hose is the water flush. The larger hole on top is the pipe for the toilet and the smaller one is the stack vent.




I can not imagine a way for there to be that much water left in your tank without a significant blockage at the tank and valve.

I fear at this point you will need to drain the tank as best as you can; mind the snakes; open up the belly covering; unbolt the valve; and look inside the tank.

Another thought is to rent an "in wall" camera and snake it in there and try to see the blockage. I say rent cause they are not waterproof. You could try wrapping a clear plastic bag over the camera lens.

Good Luck
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Old 10-21-2010, 08:54 AM   #39
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I don't think a little water being left in the tank is a big deal as you should be putting much more water back in the tank. Could just be the way your trailer is is sitting that is allowing some water to puddle.

You are leaving your tank closed and partially (1/2) filled with water at all times, correct?

Alot of plumbers have camera too. Could just pay for a service call. Might check your vent line in the wall as well. Could have come apart inside the wall.
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Old 10-21-2010, 09:06 AM   #40
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is it possible you have a sagging tank and there is low spot in the tank that is collecting the water and preventing it from reaching the dump valve?
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