Help! Gravity toilet backed up after 2 nights

[LandKKnight]

On our maiden voyage with our new Isata 5 30 fw. Love it so far, BUT, a totally of gross thing happened and we are at a loss. We are out here 2 nights. Went to use the BR and the gravity toilet is backed up with toilet paper and poop. After 2 nights! Sensor reads 1/3 full. I stuck my hand/arm down there (I'm a nurse, used to having my hands in crap, don't get distracted) and dislodged a plug of grossness but I can still feel a lot of stuff in the tank immediately under the toilet. Sensor still reading 1/3 full even though it seems totally full, which is impossible after only 2 nights. It's a gravity toilet. Wtf? Are we not flushing with enuf water or what? We are using septic safe Charmin. Too thick? HELP!

Along the same vein, I'm used to cleaning the toilet with a hose and wand but this thing has a black water flush. Can someone explain how it works? The tech kind of explained during pdi but I don't really remember and now its urgent that we get this taken care of when we dump today.

Thanks!

[rebeltown]

If you don't flush with enough water in the bowl you will get a mountain of poo and paper pile up directly below the toilet opening. Your black tank flush is to be used when or after dumping at the dump station to clean out any leftover solids that remain in the black tank. You should ensure your black tank is fairly full of liquids before you dump.

[donniedu]

Not enough water.
Pee, light flush
Poo lots of water. Septic safe TP only
Never NEVER wipes of any sort.
Start with a couple gallons of water in the tank.
Never dump until at least 3/4 full.
Now to your current problem.
Cup of Dawn dish soap, cup of calgon water softener, 7 pounds of crushed ice, fill with water and go for a drive. Dump.
Hopefully your poo pile has not gotten too hard and flushes out easily.
BTW NEVER EVER leave the black dump valve open. Open only to dump.
Tank flush? Open and dump black tank. Connect wash out port to garden hose. Turn on water and let it run. If you were smart enough to buy a clear connector, watch the water running out. When it runs clear, your tank is clean. Turn off water, disconnect, close black valve, add water to tank. Hint. After dumping black tank, open the gray tank and use the gray water to flush the hose and flush stuff down the sewer line.

[youroo]

On 4-11-2018 you stated the Dealer said "take it out and use it" and bring it back! Looks like you have done your part! Please take Pics of the Dealers face when you show the Shakedown results! Youroo!!

[Decon Blue]

Gauge lights are not to be trusted ! Certainly sounds like your not using enough water. Lots of water is your freind. Never leave black drain valve open, use lots of water after each use, flush black tank after you dump tank. Use only single ply paper.

[donniedu]

Originally Posted by Decon Blue

Use only single ply paper.

Truthfully any septic safe paper is just fine. This has been discussed to death across all the RV forums. Two ply works just fine. Have used Costcos Kirkland branded 2 ply TP for years with no problems. The "RV" paper is overpriced garbage. Dont get suckered into that line.

[HangDiver]

Originally Posted by youroo

Please take Pics of the Dealers face when you show the Shakedown results!

Some RV tech working today will be quiting his/her job very soon.

[LandKKnight]

Originally Posted by donniedu

Not enough water.

Tank flush? Open and dump black tank. Connect wash out port to garden hose. Turn on water and let it run. If you were smart enough to buy a clear connector, watch the water running out. When it runs clear, your tank is clean. Turn off water, disconnect, close black valve, add water to tank. Hint. After dumping black tank, open the gray tank and use the gray water to flush the hose and flush stuff down the sewer line.

There is only one inlet connection for fresh water and black tank flush but there are valves. Hubby thinks water goes to fresh water tank first and is then pumped into black tank to flush since there is only one inlet. This makes no sense to me. I think that when u turn the valves appropriately the water goes directly to the black tank. Who is right?. And since there is only one inlet can we use the same hose for black tank flush that we use to fill fresh water tank?

[donniedu]

That makes no sense. Cross contamination would be too big a risk. My trailer has a black flush inlet on the side wall. You might want to walk around looking for a dedicated water female hose fitting.

[LandKKnight]

Originally Posted by donniedu

That makes no sense. Cross contamination would be too big a risk. My trailer has a black flush inlet on the side wall. You might want to walk around looking for a dedicated water female hose fitting.

I know, right? But that's what the guy said. And there is no other inlet, just valves

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by LandKKnight

I know, right? But that's what the guy said. And there is no other inlet, just valves

Post a picture of your valve layout and the black tank cleanout should resemble (maybe not exactly the same) this. Dedicated plumbing for just the cleanout.

[Whalenss]

Originally Posted by LandKKnight

I know, right? But that's what the guy said. And there is no other inlet, just valves

I have I5 35 DS. I can not find toilet specs for the 30. There are common systems but I know there are differences so will ask questions to help you.
- are you sure it is a gravity toilet? Sitting on top of the black tank with a straight drop down? I have macerating toilet which uses a flush button and grinds stuff up. Plumbing to the black tank.
- to get extra water into black tank trying running the lav faucet. It drains into black tank to put more water into the tank.
- In my I5 there are two ways to hook up water. A direct fill to the fresh water tank using the filler door above the tank. Second is using the connection in the waste tank bay. Connect the hose and use switch to fill fresh water tank or use black tank flush. There are also low point drains.

Pat

[The Renegade]

Originally Posted by youroo

On 4-11-2018 you stated the Dealer said "take it out and use it" and bring it back! Looks like you have done your part! Please take Pics of the Dealers face when you show the Shakedown results! Youroo!!

Now that was hilarious.

[drelec]

Is his a used unit??? No way you could fill the black tank in two nights unless you had a big party of 20-30 people!

[LandKKnight]

Originally Posted by drelec

Is his a used unit??? No way you could fill the black tank in two nights unless you had a big party of 20-30 people!

Brand new

[Flybob]

More Water with flushes.

[The Renegade]

Not sure if there is a pipe on bottom of toilet leading down into holding tank but maybe its too long and not giving room for separation into the tank??? Just throwing out ideas...

[cavie]

Put a camera down the pipe. Manufacturers have been known to leave too much pipe down into the tank.

[LandKKnight]

Just finished at the dump, figured out the black tank flush with all the valves and saw at the end that everything is clean as a whistle! Just to he sure I stuck my hand/arm down there and felt nothing but tube and tank. We put the ice down there as suggested and drove awhile and it all worked.

Thank you everyone for the advice and support. It does seem like the space between the end of the tube and the tank is very tight and I didnt feel much slope down to the rest of the tank so we'll be sure to flush with lots of water from now on!

[The Renegade]

Originally Posted by LandKKnight

Just finished at the dump, figured out the black tank flush with all the valves and saw at the end that everything is clean as a whistle! Just to he sure I stuck my hand/arm down there and felt nothing but tube and tank. We put the ice down there as suggested and drove awhile and it all worked.

Thank you everyone for the advice and support. It does seem like the space between the end of the tube and the tank is very tight and I didnt feel much slope down to the rest of the tank so we'll be sure to flush with lots of water from now on!

If it continues to be a problem the inlet pipe into black tank may have to be cut off. Plenty of water should help tremendously.