Black Tank

[herbc]

I have a 2003 Allegro Bay 37DB and am having a problem with the black tank under the toilet. Can someone tell me about the tank directly under the toilet, its shape and how large the outlet from this tank is going to the larger black tank on the drivers side? When the toilet stops up and I plunge it the water is forced back up around the bottom of the toilet onto the floor. A professional installed this toilet last year with hew seal. I am thinking it is a small pipe taking the water to the larger tank and it is getting stopped up. When I look down the toilet hole I can see paper standing there. Any help appreciated.

Herb

[luvlabs]

You have an approximately 40 gallon tank that is rectangular and is about 1/3 your wetbay width, nearly the width of the motorhome long, and probably about 10-12" high.

The inlet pipe from the toilet should drop straight down (or nearly straight down, there may be a 45 degree el at the bottom to help prevent mounding).

It sounds like a couple of things are going on - 1) you need to using a lot more water to flush; and 2) you might need to do some drain and black tank cleaning to get rid of all of the clogs and probably a giant mound of poo. If the toilet seal is leaking, then that needs to be replaced as well.

Happy Camper makes some great products that you can use on a regular basis to treat your black tank but they also make an Extreme Clean product to help clean really dirty tanks. If you don't have a local source, Amazon the products are available on Amazon. Happy New Year and happy cleaning!

[mel s]

Originally Posted by herbc

I have a 2003 Allegro Bay 37DB and am having a problem with the black tank under the toilet. Can someone tell me about the tank directly under the toilet, its shape and how large the outlet from this tank is going to the larger black tank on the drivers side? When the toilet stops up and I plunge it the water is forced back up around the bottom of the toilet onto the floor. A professional installed this toilet last year with hew seal. I am thinking it is a small pipe taking the water to the larger tank and it is getting stopped up. When I look down the toilet hole I can see paper standing there. Any help appreciated.

Herb

herbc
IMO, if plunging the toilet forces "water back up around the bottom of the toilet onto the floor" the "professional" did not install the toilet correctly.
Tightening the bolts holding the toilet to the floor MAY correct the problem.
However, most likely you will have to remove the toilet, replace the seal and reinstall the toilet.
Good luck.
Mel
'96 Safari

[RVluvin]

I keep a metal rod used to pull a manual awning in our restroom to clear the tp clog often found down the shoot into the black tank. My DW and daughter tend to use too much tp. I used to buy the Scotts RV tp, because it's thicker and more like normal home tp. Once forced to purchase the Thedford tp, which is not so thick or nice like the Scotts, but also didn't clog the toilet. Less tp and more water may be your solution.

[bobandshaz]

Seems like a problem in many MHs. I do agree the water coming out of the bottom is not good.

[lanerd]

Originally Posted by herbc

I have a 2003 Allegro Bay 37DB and am having a problem with the black tank under the toilet. Can someone tell me about the tank directly under the toilet, its shape and how large the outlet from this tank is going to the larger black tank on the drivers side? When the toilet stops up and I plunge it the water is forced back up around the bottom of the toilet onto the floor. A professional installed this toilet last year with hew seal. I am thinking it is a small pipe taking the water to the larger tank and it is getting stopped up. When I look down the toilet hole I can see paper standing there. Any help appreciated.

Herb

You have TWO black tanks? Haven't heard of this before...but of course, I'm a newbie with our Tiffin and don't know much about the older Tiffins. However, i did look up a 2007 manual for this coach, and on that year, it only had one black tank. Are you SURE you have two?

I'm with others... you need to use a LOT more water each time you flush the toilet and also after the tank has been drained.

[Bfmorgan]

If they have a double bathroom then they are quite likely to have two black tanks, one for each bathroom.


Brad and Bonnie Morgan
2007 Monaco LaPalma
Sent from my iPhone using iRV2 - RV Forum

[jroan]

I think the two black tanks are the color of the tanks which set side by side over the fresh water tank which is white. The forward black in color tank is black water and the aft black in color is for gray water. At least that is the case with my RV.

Jroan

[paz]

Originally Posted by herbc

I have a 2003 Allegro Bay 37DB and am having a problem with the black tank under the toilet. Can someone tell me about the tank directly under the toilet, its shape and how large the outlet from this tank is going to the larger black tank on the drivers side? When the toilet stops up and I plunge it the water is forced back up around the bottom of the toilet onto the floor. A professional installed this toilet last year with hew seal. I am thinking it is a small pipe taking the water to the larger tank and it is getting stopped up. When I look down the toilet hole I can see paper standing there. Any help appreciated.

Herb

I have the exact same floorplan Allegro Bay. You only have 1 black tank. It has a capacity of about 45 gals. It runs crosswise across top of the frame rails. The inlet is directly under the toilet, and the outlet is on the opposite side.

You said you can see paper sitting there, so you obviously have an accumulation of solids under the toilet. That comes from not using enough water when you flush. With the outlet on the opposite side from the toilet, the bottom of the tank has a slight downward slope toward the outlet. Unless you use lots of water when flushing and rinsing, the water will drain away toward the tank outlet and leave solids behind. When the solids build up to the bottom of the tube that runs from the bottom of the toilet to the top of the tank, the water is being forced out past the seal at the bottom of the toilet when you plunge.

You will need to get a broom handle or similar object down through the toilet to try to break up the solids. Hopefully, they will have not hardened too much yet. Once you break enough away to allow at least some water through, get one of the black tank rinse wands and keep rinsing and poking to get rid of all the solids. It will be a difficult, messy, unpleasant job; but it must be done.

[herbc]

Thank you for all the replies and I agree. I believe I am not using enough water. I do use treatments and Thedford paper. I also used the broom handle to break up the heap I was in Florida the last week and decided to have the toilet replaced since I anted to do that anyway. I had Camping World do it and should have waited and done it myself. Labor charge was $149 to replace a 2 bolt toilet and the old one was already out. Outrageous but I do like the new toilet even if they did have it in crooked. I "believe" the problem is solved. I am still curious as to the configuration of the tank. Is the tank below the toilet
the same width as the portion of the tank on the drivers side< Or is there a tube to allow the water to cross to the other side? Thanks for all the reponse.

Herb

[Czar Of Poop]

Yes you do have just one tank either straight down from the toilet or it just sweeps out to the right or left about 18" to 3ft. before it enters the tank. 45gals is about right and I do think your blockage is a mound build-up at the shallow end of the tank. Because of this blockage as you plunge your toilet you are forcing the water out of the O ring because of the pressure. When you reduce the pressure the O ring will reseal itself.
The Jan issue of FMCA mag has a good article written by the RV Doctor Gary Bunzer about high pressure water cleaning of holding tanks but if you are not close to a mobile service then this is what you can do for a GOOD FIX. Go to a hardware store and buy these items:

1) 4" straight brass spray nozzle
2) A short piece of 5/8" garden hose (It will be a throw away)

Put the spray nozzle on the end of the hose and adjust for a Wide Spray. Put the nozzle down into the toilet through the slide valve and push it in until it STOPS. You will be in about 2-4 Ft. and that will be the bottom of the tank. Pull back about 6 inches so you will be in the middle of the mound. Now be careful NOT to damage the slider valve with the hose. There is a item called a Johnny Chock that is sold by Camping World that is purple in color for $5.95 that will prevent any damage on the slide valve. The only thing left to do is turn on the water FULL Pressure and blast the mound apart. To keep from making a mess and over flowing the toilet ; this is a TWO person operation. One watching the toilet and the other manning the water source. Hope this helps.
If you need any other help just send me a PM.

[paz]

Originally Posted by herbc

...I am still curious as to the configuration of the tank. Is the tank below the toilet
the same width as the portion of the tank on the drivers side< Or is there a tube to allow the water to cross to the other side? Thanks for all the reponse.

Herb

Both the black and gray tanks are the same width all the way across the motorhome. The depth tapers with the passenge side being a little more shallow to allow a downward slope on the bottom to help provide drainage. There is no tube, narrow section or bottleneck of any kind in the middle of either tank.

[Elf111]

Trying to move a mound of poo with a sprayer takes a while, grab a bucket and with the dump valve open and of course hooked to a sewer system start dumping buckets of water down the toilet when you think it's cleaned out close the valve and fill your tank with fresh water and dump again. It helps to have a clear section between the dump valve and hose so you can see when it's running clear. After dumping always add water to your tank before using it. Weather to use chemicals or not is up to you I use a bacteria based drain cleaner to help clean tank sensors, some will say I'm wasting my money with chemicals it's my money and my sensors work after twenty years of use I'm happy.

[ernieh]

The linked item below is what you need. I made my own many years ago and it has served me well. It rinses the tank much better than any built in flush system.


Holding Tank Rinser with Valve - Camco 40103 - Sewer Flushing - Camping World