Journey 34' 2002 Toilet Stoppage Problems

[GAGypsy]

Journey 34' 2002, have continuous problems with drain under toilet getting stopped up. Apparently the 3" drain makes a 90 degree turn about a foot under the toilet to get to the tank. The horizontal line to the tank seems to be at least a foot long and tends to accumulate toilet tissue and get stopped up. The only way I can clear it is to carry a snake to push waist into the tank.

Anyone else have this problem? Other than not putting toilet paper in, has anyone else resolved this problem?

Any assistance would be appreciated!

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by GAGypsy

Journey 34' 2002, have continuous problems with drain under toilet getting stopped up. The horizontal line to the tank seems to be at least a foot long and tends to accumulate toilet tissue and get stopped up. The only way I can clear it is to carry a snake to push waist into the tank.

Anyone else have this problem? Other than not putting toilet paper in, has anyone else resolved this problem?

Any assistance would be appreciated!

There's your problem, you can't push your waist into a drain line! It sounds like you need to use more water. Perhaps the line has something dried and stuck in it hanging up new waste as it goes down the pipe. I'd suggest dumping black tank, add a cup or two of bleach, and flush it out. Then using Calgon Water Softener and Dawn detergent in the tank, fill it up until it backs into the drain pipe, and let it sit a day to 'wet' and loosen everything. Then with a garden hose in toilet, drain black tank and flush the line with lots of water. That should blast it clean. If you've rinsed the tank after the last dump station visit, draining black tank into a sewer shouldn't be an ecological disaster.

[MJ56]

Sounds a lot like a similar problem I had.
Often referred to as the Black Hill, after my experience, I would name it the Brown Crown.
The best solution is a spray rinse nozzle in the side or top of the tank. I snaked it every way I could and got most of the water to drain, but it was still plugged.
This also caused waste to back up through the slip fitting, onto the top of the tank.
I had to remove the toilet and floor pedestal and remove a horizontal pipe as you described, to get to the rubber slip fitting where it goes into the tank.
What I discovered was a cone shaped pyramid of dried, built-up paper and waste, right up to the pipe, acting as a plug.
I had to break it up and flush it out.

If you have a rinse setup, use it. If not, I suggest installing one before you have to do what I did.
There is access to the side of my tank, at the point where it drops into tank.
I will install an aftermarket spray nozzle with hose attachment in that spot, to keep the tank bottom clear .

To make the situation worse, my tank bottom is 2 levels. The pipe drops it onto shelf and then runs down into lower part of tank. I think this causes the paper to stick there because all the fluid runs off.

[FIRE UP]

GAGypsy,
Or, you could simply put a small mirror on a stick or, use one of those extension mirrors and a flashlight and take a look down that extension pipe. I know, it's not a pleasant job but, it should, in a matter of seconds, tell if you've got any obstruction in that pipe.

Now, as for a possible remedy to future similar situations. Here's what we do. We conserve water if and when we boon dock or dry camp as much as possible. But, even when boon docking and, camping at full hook-ups, when we use the toilet and do the dirty business, we fill the toilet with as much water as we dare. Then, when it comes time to flush, we open the flush valve/blade with rapid force.

That allows for much higher velocity of the entire mass to not only travel whatever distance it has to travel with greater speed but, it also solves the problem of the "Sea-mount" that will start to appear by really conserving on water during the "number 2" operation. It allows for that mass to hit the bottom of the tank and disperse itself into a more spread-out composition.
Scott

[BFlinn181]

If the issue is the pyramid of poo in the tank where the toilet line goes into the black tank, (very possible) then I suggest a homemade tool. A short piece of 1/2" PVC pipe and connections to the end of a hose, plus an end cap. The PVC pipe must be short enough to make it around the elbow of the drain. Drill a small hole in the cap so water will jet out the side. I also have a hose end shut off on the end of the hose, 4' piece of garden hose, and then the PVC blaster. The shut off and Glue the pieces together and fasten on the end of an old garden hose. (Not the one used to fill water tank!) The short 4' piece of hose is the only part in contact with the drain instead of contaminating the whole hose.

Push the contraption down the toilet and turn on full force, twisting and moving the hose around to blast the pyramid loose. This works best if you've done as I said in previous post, Soak tank in Calgon Water Softener and Dawn to wet everything down. You could also try the bags of ice in the tank trick and a vigorous drive around many curves, but it is an iffy solution at best.

[Pusherman]

Originally Posted by GAGypsy

Journey 34' 2002, have continuous problems with drain under toilet getting stopped up. Apparently the 3" drain makes a 90 degree turn about a foot under the toilet to get to the tank. The horizontal line to the tank seems to be at least a foot long and tends to accumulate toilet tissue and get stopped up. The only way I can clear it is to carry a snake to push waist into the tank.

Anyone else have this problem? Other than not putting toilet paper in, has anyone else resolved this problem?

Any assistance would be appreciated!

Yep. Had the same problem on my 34' Journey a few years ago. The toilet waste plumbing on mine is just as you describe.

I had purchased a 'new' 2-ply toilet paper and proceeded to get a clog in the waste pipe. I got rid of that paper and went back to single ply toilet paper (I use the Aqua-soft stuff available in RV stores).

I found the easiest way to unclog the pipe was to use a piece of water hose with the male end cut off. It can be used as a drain snake, is soft and flexible, and it can also (once you get the clog cleared just by plunging) then connect it to a water supply and flush the drain line. I now carry about a 4-5' section with only the female end on it for this exact purpose. I carry it in the sewer compartment thereby not confusing it for potable water purposes.

We also use lots of water to flush, and dump our sink water from a sink basin down the toilet when dry camping, as the black water tank likes lots of water. Helps conserve the gray tank capacity, as that tank always fills before the black tank.

I'm a believer that the type of toilet paper DOES matter on this coach, and believe in using lots of water when flushing solids.

Since following this procedure, I have not had another clog.

P.S. I do recommend doing a thorough flush of the black tank at least annually. Mine has a fresh water inlet to flush the black tank. At the end of each season I use Calgon water softener and about 1/4 cup of laundry detergent in both black and gray tanks to give it a good cleaning with lots of water, drive, and then drain for the season with another flush. Keeps the tank monitor probes working as they should. I don't recommend bleach. Not good for valves and seals.