Blackwater Nightmare

[Chuck1957]

Many thanks to the OP

I have left that hose hooked up on a few occasions never thinking that there would be implications had it been left inadvertently on for a time

Thanks for saving me from a shittie nightmare

[rogelling]

I have used this connector and it works great. Also, the warning label says it all.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Old Crows

The problem is not the black tank or it's design.

The problem is you hooked a 'flush' system up to what is essentially a 'nearly' closed system that is not designed, or intended, to be 'flushed.' Not only have you crapped up your RV, very likely you have crapped up the potable water system IN your RV. Not to mention very likely polluting and contaminating the camp ground's potable water supply. Back flow of sewage & non-potable water into the potable system endangers everyone.....

Never...EVER... connect a potable water supply to a septic system! Unless you have take very special care and installed and regularly inspected/tested equipment to prevent back flow into the potable water system.

Which also points out the stupidity of hooking up a potable water supply at the campsite to one of those 'flush kits' installed in the waste water system.

You are very lucky that the campground doesn't send you a bill for cleaning up a potentially crapped up potable system....... maybe they should.

You really need to check out a factory installed waste tank flush system.

First off....
The flush system has an 'anti-siphon backflow vacuum breaker' device to PREVENT cross contamination from black tank water from flowing backwards into supply source water system.
Also supply water system was ON feeding OPs flush system continuously so even if a 'backflow preventer' was not used it it really hard for water to flow backwards against incoming pressure

Secondly....
There is NO connection between 'flush system' and RV portable water plumbing system. NONE!


Therefore OP only caused a mess inside his RV from black tank being overfilled and it backing up DRAIN lines into bathroom sink.
NO possible cross contamination with RV plumbing OR CG water supply.

[Old Crows]

Originally Posted by rogelling

I have used this connector and it works great. Also, the warning label says it all.

Sorry.... That is a bad "do!" like all the other cross connected jury rigs shown here. You are at erious risk of cross contaminating your water supply and the public water supply with pathogenic bacteria and virus.... Direct connections without back flow preventers or air breaks are NOT acceptible. A "valve" is not an acceptible substitute. You are putting yourself and others at serious risk....

If you want to "flush" your tanks... Lord knows why you would want to..... Run water from sinks & shower and flush the hell out of the toilet to fill it.... To avoid a cross connection to your septic system.

[Old Crows]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

You really need to check out a factory installed waste tank flush system.

First off....
The flush system has an 'anti-siphon backflow vacuum breaker' device to PREVENT cross contamination from black tank water from flowing backwards into supply source water system.
Also supply water system was ON feeding OPs flush system continuously so even if a 'backflow preventer' was not used it it really hard for water to flow backwards against incoming pressure

Secondly....
There is NO connection between 'flush system' and RV portable water plumbing system. NONE!


Therefore OP only caused a mess inside his RV from black tank being overfilled and it backing up DRAIN lines into bathroom sink.
NO possible cross contamination with RV plumbing OR CG water supply.

Anti-syphon vacuum breakers are not acceptible substitutes ...no matter what your coach maker says.

And Imdo understand the system was under pressure. As soonmas it is turned off while connected you will run the risk of contaminating the potable system... Its not a smart idea.

[brobox]

Originally Posted by Old Crows

Anti-syphon vacuum breakers are not acceptible substitutes ...no matter what your coach maker says.

And Imdo understand the system was under pressure. As soonmas it is turned off while connected you will run the risk of contaminating the potable system... Its not a smart idea.

In my coach I am very comfortable with that system in addition the backflow preventors I have added to my back flush system. I think we are all big boys and can make our own decisions what RVIA says is a safe building code, because every coach manufacture that installs back flush connections uses that system.

[Ourrvtrip]

Originally Posted by Old Crows

Sorry.... That is a bad "do!" like all the other cross connected jury rigs shown here. You are at erious risk of cross contaminating your water supply and the public water supply with pathogenic bacteria and virus.... Direct connections without back flow preventers or air breaks are NOT acceptible. A "valve" is not an acceptible substitute. You are putting yourself and others at serious risk....

If you want to "flush" your tanks... Lord knows why you would want to..... Run water from sinks & shower and flush the hell out of the toilet to fill it.... To avoid a cross connection to your septic system.

Please note that if you zoom in on my jury rigged system (captioned earlier), you'll see a backflow preventor pressure regulator at the hose connection to city supply. Works well for my use.

[DSL417]

If you don't know our rigs....

1) Our 1.5 baths have a center toilet in the half bath on some of the units that drops straight into the tank.

2) The center bathroom sink originally drained into the black to balance the waste water between the grey and black as most people use more into the grey than in the black IT IS NOT A BAD system. And there is no manufacturer designed back flow for black water lines back into the fresh water system [as one responded suggests, though, that if you use a splitter with one line coming into the wet bay, YOU SHOULD (as Brobox showed) use a back flow preventer on the line to the sprayer]. That said, the spayer hookup IS one way.

It is my understanding that later models now have all the sinks draining into the gray, but I am not positive.

As is usual, help from other brand owners can and is often helpful, but shooting bullets at another respondent when you don't know the specifics of the system probably is not. My understanding is each coach manufacturer has their own way of balancing flow into the black and grey. Also, the added single center bathroom sink does increase the amount of fluid in the black, helping the flow when emptying. Even if it didn't the manufacturer recommends using the flush, as is the case in all late models I am aware. JMHO

[phranc]

Best prevention is to not hook up any hoses and leave unatended. When connections are needed a simple garden hose quick connect works easily .
Good posts and a lesson for all , thanks to the OP for some schooling

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Old Crows

Anti-syphon vacuum breakers are not acceptible substitutes ...no matter what your coach maker says.

And Imdo understand the system was under pressure. As soonmas it is turned off while connected you will run the risk of contaminating the potable system... Its not a smart idea.

When water source is turned off
Source spigot is closed...NOTHING can't flow backwards as line is isolated and static
Anti-siphon BACKFLOW preventer VACUUM BREAKER opens to atmosphere and ANY trapped water on black tank side would drain into the INSIDE of RV (Typically in bathroom cabinet where device is installed)

Now should water system lose pressure
Source spigot still open.....only the fresh water inside the supply hose would drain back which is STILL just potable water.
The rest of water in system AFTER the anti-siphon BACKFLOW preventer and VACUUM BREAKER would again just drain inside the RV

NOTHING can cross contaminate from using a factory installed or an aftermarket installed black tank flush system because of design, safety features and SOMEONE thought about it in the first place.


A whole lot of hooey over nothing

[nothermark]

Maybe. I am not sure any health inspector would buy the argument. All things have a failure rate. Their concern is what happens if the device fails.

Given that my assumption is some park worker was testing the water supply or flushing the system after a repair and thoughtfully left the valve on assuming it was supposed to be on or it would not be connected. Going screaming to the office could get you some relief. More likely it would get you ejected from the park and sued for the cost of flushing the system. I'd just shut up and take a lesson learned. YMMV

[rogelling]

Originally Posted by Old Crows

Sorry.... That is a bad "do!" like all the other cross connected jury rigs shown here. You are at erious risk of cross contaminating your water supply and the public water supply with pathogenic bacteria and virus.... Direct connections without back flow preventers or air breaks are NOT acceptible. A "valve" is not an acceptible substitute. You are putting yourself and others at serious risk....

If you want to "flush" your tanks... Lord knows why you would want to..... Run water from sinks & shower and flush the hell out of the toilet to fill it.... To avoid a cross connection to your septic system.

It is the responsibility and now in most states the law to install a backflow preventer on the pedestal hose bib. There is nothing wrong with using campground hose bib to flush black tank and every RVer I know of does it everytime. The idea that flushing your tank with campground water connection is somehow risky is just plain loony.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by Old Crows

Sorry.... That is a bad "do!" like all the other cross connected jury rigs shown here. You are at erious risk of cross contaminating your water supply and the public water supply with pathogenic bacteria and virus.... Direct connections without back flow preventers or air breaks are NOT acceptible. A "valve" is not an acceptible substitute. You are putting yourself and others at serious risk....

If you want to "flush" your tanks... Lord knows why you would want to..... Run water from sinks & shower and flush the hell out of the toilet to fill it.... To avoid a cross connection to your septic system.

Possibly the most elegant solution is not to use the toilets in the RV. Using the campground toilets and showers should remove any chance of cross contamination.

[brobox]

Originally Posted by Gordon Dewald

Possibly the most elegant solution is not to use the toilets in the RV. Using the campground toilets and showers should remove any chance of cross contamination.

I wonder about my S&B, my toilet is 3 feet from the bathroom sink, they both use the same water supply. I wonder if I should go back to an outhouse? I have seen some crazy things on the internet.