Has Anyone Tried Power Washing The Black Tank?

[CWSWine]

This guy has way to much time on his hands but he has a series of YouTube videos that are interesting to say the least.



Here is test of different tank flushers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfTd0Slt_cU

Here is how well Ice Works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH6acEmqvcw

[Roger G]

I pressure wash the inside of my tanks about once per year. I bought a 1/8 ID pressure washer hose with a rotating nozzle on the end, it is made to snake through sewer drains to clear clogs. I use a clear elbow with a water hose fitting at the discharge hookup. I run the PW hose through the water hose fitting and past the valves into each tank from the bottom. I just work the hose in and out until clear water runs out through the clear elbow. Be prepared, the gray tank is a lot nastier than the black.

[BigLar368]

Originally Posted by RROLDSX

If you want to clean your tank, put some Dawn dish soap into a half full black tank and go for a ride. It will be clean as a whistle after you dump.

Well I have tried everything else but Dawn dish soap. Yesterday I drained and filled it a couple of times yesterday before we left on a 250 mile hike to another camp. Filled it halfway and poured about half a bottle of dawn. Got to the next park and dumped. Wow....I was astonished at what came out. It looked like I had never even flushed it before I left. It made a ton of suds but I don't care. I rinsed it couple times and there is absolutely no smell. In fact I accidentally left the flush valve open on the toilet in maintenance mode and couple hours later my wife asked why it was open and commented there was no smell.

[iluvuk]

Originally Posted by BigLar368

Well I have tried everything else but Dawn dish soap. Yesterday I drained and filled it a couple of times yesterday before we left on a 250 mile hike to another camp. Filled it halfway and poured about half a bottle of dawn. Got to the next park and dumped. Wow....I was astonished at what came out. It looked like I had never even flushed it before I left. It made a ton of suds but I don't care. I rinsed it couple times and there is absolutely no smell. In fact I accidentally left the flush valve open on the toilet in maintenance mode and couple hours later my wife asked why it was open and commented there was no smell.

This is a great report! Thanks for sharing with us. I will try it if I ever have that problem.

[RROLDSX]

Glad it worked out for you. I only used about 3 or 4 good squirts. I learned that trick at a Good Sam rally so I can’t take credit for it.

[grindstone01]

On travel day we flush 2 packets of dish washer soap and 3-5 gallons of water into the black tank. When we arrive, I dump the tanks again and always see lots of residue being flushed out.

[Wundertaker]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

This guy has way to much time on his hands but he has a series of YouTube videos that are interesting to say the least.



Here is test of different tank flushers.

Here is how well Ice Works.

Don't put any stock into either one of these guys... I'll stick with what I've been doing for years. Do what makes you comfortable. The one thing I can't understand is the TP in the wastebasket trick...

[iluvuk]

Originally Posted by Wundertaker

Don't put any stock into either one of these guys... I'll stick with what I've been doing for years. Do what makes you comfortable. The one thing I can't understand is the TP in the wastebasket trick...

Those really aren't real world tests. Real waste goes in in stages and over a few days and soaks, dries, etc. The tanks are generally dark, and can get very hot, etc., etc. I don't think the YouTube "test" are that reliable but that is just my opinion. Use what works for you!. Great ideas on this site. I love the dishwasher soap idea. Is it "Dishwasher" soap or hand dishwashing liquid??

[grindstone01]

Originally Posted by iluvuk

Use what works for you!. Great ideas on this site. I love the dishwasher soap idea. Is it "Dishwasher" soap or hand dishwashing liquid??

Wife gets the dish washer soap packets from "Dollar Tree". I think there are 10-12 packets in a bag for $1. These are the packets you drop into the dish washer and they dissolve in the water. They are easy to store and we just put a couple of packets on the bathroom floor the day before we travel for a reminder. They even have "no water spot" packets!

[RROLDSX]

I use Dawn dishwashing liquid soap you use for hand washing dishes. One drop of Dawn and grease is gone. I use Dawn in a dishwashing scrub brush to degrease/restore car parts too. It will remove heavy automotive grease as well.

[High Roller]

Both my black and grey tanks are mounted just inside the left rear cargo door so they're easily accessible.
I installed some ABS elbows on the side of each tank at the top and bottom and joined them with a clear 1/2" plastic tubing on each tank. Now I have sight a glass on each tank and I can see exactly how full they are. I don't worry about gauges & sensors at all.

I know there are other ways to tell when the tanks are full, but this way I can better estimate how many days I have left before I have to dump, and can plan for it instead of just seeing the tanks are full and have to go dump immediately.

[FatChance]

We wash the dishes in a plastic pan that fits in the sink and use Dawn detergent. When done, I dump the dish water down the toilet so the black tank gets all the Dawn it needs on a daily basis.

[Dyrodrigues]

Originally Posted by smlranger

Get some Happy Camper. Put a good dose down the toilet then add water. Drive around, dump and flush. Best stuff I've ever used in 30 yrs of RV ownership.

What is the “dose” ur referring to?

[Edmarquardt]

You could try Tank Blaster from Thetford. A lot less work than taking the toilet off or trying to go up through the plumbing. Look at the video on Youtube. Tank Blaster by Thetford.
Ed Marquardt