# Black water clog.. advice pls.



## Webmosher (Jun 28, 2004)

Hello all,

Took a long camping trip over the labor day weekend, and ended up having problems with a clog in the black water tank. To make a long story short, its still clogged, and I am getting little result getting it to dump right. So far, this is what I have done:

1) Drove around a bit on gravel roads to try and loosen the tank.
2) Rocked the trailer (gently) to loosen tank.
3) Tried jiggering the black tank valve to release the clog.
3) Used hose in the toilet to try and add water/loosen debris.
4) Took a big risk, and tried to push a running hose up the drain while the valve was open. I was hoping for a big mess, but did not get one.
5) Added some more chemical to try and break down the clog.

All in all, very little resulted. I get a basic trickle, but I can see solids in the tank when it is tilted right, so I know its not draining all the way. The meter is showing 2/3 to full and I have added some more chemical again to see if it will break it up some more. Based on experiences my dad has had, I expect this is likely paper based, so am considering buying a paper digester.

I am also considering Geo method if I ever get this thing dumped. Anyone have better experiences with that?

Any other ideas?

Thanks much,
Fred


----------



## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

You may need a FLUSH KING or something to backflush the tank. Many clogs come from not using enough water.


----------



## hyewalt34 (May 9, 2004)

This is what I did once: With the drain cap on, open the valve and then drive around for a while. This way, the stuff has a place to go, that is in the drain pipe.







Then close the valve and open the cap ( be careful). Good luck!!!

Walter


----------



## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

Agree with pete, you will need a flush king to help break that up. By backfilling, you will hopefully push the clog back up into the tank and be able to drain it.

I camp with three women and tell them to go easy on the paper and use plenty of water.

I've been using calgon water softener (geo method) in the tank and it seems to help out. I've been getting a lot of scaly stuff rinsing out of my tank with the quickie flush.

Mike


----------



## dmbcfd (Sep 8, 2004)

It is possible that the tank monitor is giving a false reading of 2/3 full. With your water pump and city water turned off, look down the toilet with a flashlight. The tank is black so 1/2 inch of water looks deeper than it is. Try using a dry stick as a dipstick to check liquid level. The tank is about 6 or so inches tall, so 2/3 would be about 4 inches on your stick. If the tank does not have enough water, it won't empty all the way. You need the rush of 30 gallons moving all at once to carry solids away. Try filling the tank with buckets of hot water (to soften things up) until you get about 5 inches on your stick. Remember to keep the dump valve closed until you have a full tank.

Once the tank is empty and if you're not going camping for a while, you can power wash the tank with a wand made for this purpose. It is available at any RV store and has a nozzle at a right angle on the end. I've had better luck connecting the wand via a long hose directly to the water spigot without a regulator for more pressure and not going through the camper water system. This will also remove any paper or other solids which may be confusing the sensors for the monitor panel. I do this wash with the dump valve open and sewer hose connected. You will be able to tell which direction the outlet is by watching the current. Try to push everything in that direction. Use clorox disinfecting wipes on your all your tools when you're done. Good luck.

Steve


----------



## KellerJames (Jan 19, 2004)

Fred, 
I too have experienced a couple of minor clogs when dumping. The wand with strong water pressure has cleared it each time. Make sure you rotate it and angle it in every direction you can to scour the tank and especially where the tank outlet is. The water jets should break through the clog. Hopefully. Just what I've experienced. Good luck.


----------



## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Try adding ice cubes and driving around. The ice cubes help break up clogs and then melt. sunny

Good luck

Thor


----------



## kjp1969 (Apr 25, 2004)

dmbcfd said:


> Once the tank is empty and if you're not going camping for a while, you can power wash the tank with a wand made for this purpose.


I made one of these from some stuff I had lying around: A 3' section of Sch 40 pvc sprinkler pipe, a cap and a threaded connection that fits the hose. I capped one end, and in the bottom 6" of pipe I drilled a bunch of holes that point sideways and down. When you connect the hose and turn it on, it blasts high pressure water in all directions, and will fill the tank in 5 mins or so. All *sorts* of stuff came out when I drained the tank next.









Kevin P.


----------



## Webmosher (Jun 28, 2004)

Thanks all for the info, as always Outbackers forums help me validate my ideas and come up with new ones. I had just thought of the idea to leave the valve open while driving. This is actually how my dealer provided me the trailer. That was an interesting first dumping experience, but seems like a good idea at this point.

I also was wondering about the water level and if it really was full. I will use that stick method to try that out. I'm starting to think I am probably only 1/2 full. When I am dumping, I see liquid, but when I am parked, I can see actual solids on the bottom. Yes, this worried me alot, since I realized that since nothing was coming out, someone was not putting enough water into the tank in the first place. Looks like I need to have a major re-education session.

I am very seriously looking at a flush king as well. I especially like the fact that it does both the backflushing and acts as a see-through to the dumping process.

Who knew that owning a trailer would make me so obsessed about sewage.

Thanks again, 
Fred


----------



## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

Those 'in the tank' gauges are notorious for inaccurate readings. Once they get gunk on them...it's over.

I've used the system for over a week, and still have never had the black tank full. (and I put tons of water in there!)

I wish someone would invent a tip for the end of my pressure washer.


----------



## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

There's your ticket to easy street Pete, a black tank cleaning tip for pressure washers!!!!! Just think of the royalties on your invention.







\

Swimming pools, fancy cars and movie stars, or something like that.









Mike


----------



## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

You know after putting in the No-Fuss Flush (Quickie Flush) its been the greatest thing. My tanks are clean, so clean that even leaving them empty in 100 degree heat and then opening them I cant' say I'm hit by a foul stench at all and the gages read normal now too. After installing this I wouldn't be without one and if I ever upgrade I'll install it first thing or have it installed.


----------



## KellerJames (Jan 19, 2004)

I'm sure this question has been asked at some point in time, but I'm too lazy to search for the answer. 
What is the 'package' name on this no fuss flush or quickie flush? Is it the same as flush king? Finally, what's the cost and level of difficulty to install it?
Sounds like a decent investment in convenience.


----------



## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Quickie Flush at Camping World There is an image suggesting the installation of the system on this page.


----------



## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

Kellerjames,

The no fuss flush and the quickie flush are basically the same device made by two different companies. They are installed in the side of the tank and spray water in all directions to clean the tank out. They are different from the flush king in that the flush king backflushes up thru the drain line to loosen debris where the quickie flush and no fuss flush spray the inside of the tank clean. I find the quickie flush to use much less water and takes less time than the flush king to clean the tank out.

I paid about 20 dollars for the quickie flush at camping world. I would rate the difficulty of install about a 5 or 6 on a scale of 1 to 10. If you are relatively handy, you can do it. The worst part was getting the underbelly down and working in the tight quarters.

I did the install as well as y-guy, there's a description of how it went on this thread
http://www.outbackers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1186
and this one too
http://www.outbackers.com/forums/index.php...wtopic=1253&hl=

Mike


----------



## jallen58 (Oct 27, 2003)

I also installed the Quickie-Flush on my 28BHS and wouldn't be without it on any other TT. Well worth the effort and money.

Jim


----------



## CamperDC (Oct 30, 2003)

I am interested in this mod so I went back and read the posts by Y-guy and Steve. BTW Steve and Mike, thanks for sharing your experience with this Mod. I printed you pics Steve and that was a clean job. Why don't you swing over here to Indiana and install mine?









Anyway, I noticed at Camping World that the charge for installing the Quickie Flush is $55. Seems worth it to me, what do you guys who have made this mod think? I am by no means as handy as some of you here but feel I could handle this on my own. Problem is, looks like I could spend close to $55 if not more on tools and supplies and that's not counting time. I have a CW close by and am wondering if I should go that route. Anybody used a CW to install aftermarket stuff? If so, are the charges listed on the net true?

Thanks


----------



## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

CamperDC after doing the mod I would pay them the $55 no questions asked. But see if that fee is for a camper with an underbelly cover like the Outbacks. The install is easy but the underbelly makes it tougher, my comments about the edges are key, took my arms a couple days to get rid of the red lines. But last time we camped it was great, I hooked it up and kept taking down the outback for a few minutes and by then it was done and I was ready to finish up - sure made it easier.


----------



## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

Not to be indelicate but...

Has anyone been putting things down the toilet that shouldn't be there. Specifically, look for Hot Wheels Car, old t-shirts, and the all time worst thing you can put down the toilet, tampon applicators. Those babies are the absolute scourge of septic tanks everywhere. They stick together and fuse into an inpenetrable clog.

In my teenage years I pumped septic tanks for a plumber. The money was OK and I just told girls I worked for a plumber.

Reverie


----------



## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Don't forget baby wipes....those things have a half life of about 90 years I think. I'll never forget the day I caught my wife flushing them down the toilet. Called the pump service that afternoon. She grew up in a neighborhood with city sewers, and never had to worry about flushing things.

Tim


----------

