Black Water Tank

[Nj1963]

I am a new travel trailer owner and to this forum. I have a question. I took my first camping trip and just returned last week. I used the drop in cleaner/deodorizer tablets. They worked well. The day of departing I flushed out the gray and black water holding tanks with a Camco Dual Flush. It worked well as I flushed the tanks several times until the water was clear. I then put enough water on the bottom of the black water holding tank and dropped a packet of cleaner/deodorizer in the tank. I don't plan to go back out until the end of May. Is it ok to do this? I do not have any smell and the gauges are working fine. I was told that I should do this. Thanks.

[awarnes]

Welcome to the forum. You should be just fine.

[RickO]

Yep, that's fine... especially if you did all of this before you towed it home, therefore allowing the packet of powder to mix well with the water you added.

Rick

[NLOVNIT]

That's pretty much what we do. It keeps stuff from smelling when it's hot out just sitting between trips.

Lori-

[Nj1963]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLOVNIT That's pretty much what we do. It keeps stuff from smelling when it's hot out just sitting between trips. Lori-

Thanks. I am so new to all of this and have much to learn!

[wa8yxm]

I agree with the tablets in the tank during long term parking/non use, Being as wire and I now full time I don't normally use anything in the tank but water.

I drop in some biological product (I'm trying a new one this week) when I'm "off the grid" for extended periods because then I rely on that tank sensor and as you know they don't work well save for right after cleaning.

So last Sunday, Since the site I was on (Full hook up) had a hole in the ground (Sewer inlet) far away from my outlet I used the macerator.. I packed that Saturday and Sunday pulled up to the dump station where I could use the 3" hose... Blasted the walls of the tank clean using my home made "Master Blaster" and sure enough the sensors showed EMPTY (Let me tell you that blaster works)

It's 2/3 now but that's to be expected (in fact full is about right for now normally but we are not using the macerator toilet)

I won't know till I either dump or pump out if the tablets kept the sensors clean.

[Nj1963]

I am curious as to what a macerator is and whether or not I would benefit from one. Thanks.

[NLOVNIT]

A macerator is an add-on that chews up everything. Think of it like a garbage disposal for your black tank. It allows you to have a little-bitty sewer hose instead of the big diameter one you have now. I don't have personal experience with a macerator, but a member I know used to have one & it clogged up more than it worked & the last thing you want to have to do is unclog a macerator.

IMO, save your money & just use plenty of water.

Lori-

[JimM68]

Our knight has a sanicon macerator, and also a Tecma macerating toilet. I like em a lot. Very easy and clean to use, and no smell ever. With our old rig, my wife was always very concerned that we never "travel with poop"
With the new setup, it doesn't matter.

[wa8yxm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nj1963 I am curious as to what a macerator is and whether or not I would benefit from one. Thanks.

IN the very basic terms it is a sewage pump.. As someone else said it chews things up a bit but in basic terms it's a sewage pump.

The advantage of the macerator is this: The hole in the ground I pumped into was a sewer clean out pipe, now during the dry spell I could have driven up next to it and used the 3" stinky slinky, but as it's been a bit.. er, damp, out lately I did not feel like calling a tow truck to get me out of the mud (not to mention digging up the lawn around it) so I parked on the pavement some 45 feet from the hole.. My "Black hose" (It really is black, rubber, 3/4" garden hose) for the macerator outlet is 50 feet long, I had 5 feet to spare.

(I have color coded hoses. Care to guess what the GRAY garden hose is for? You only get one guess, and yes, that's it)


Oh, as for the Nature-Zine tablets I tried... No improvement, the stupid sensors still show 2/3 on the black and 1/3 on the gray,, Same as always, less I blast 'em

(I blasted 'em before I used the tabs cause I new it would be a long time (Sun morning to Sat Morning) between holes in the ground) In that period (six days) we did NOT get the full sensor wet.. Not bad water conservation wise.

[revdean96]

My black tank monitor continues to show about 2/3 full, even after emptying? It has a built in flushing system that sprays water into the tank after emptying, and I've used it regularly. Would you guys recommend doing more? I'm new to thus. We have a 2010 heartland Northtrail and have been loving it.

[wildcat30]

Quote:

Originally Posted by revdean96 My black tank monitor continues to show about 2/3 full, even after emptying? It has a built in flushing system that sprays water into the tank after emptying, and I've used it regularly. Would you guys recommend doing more?.

I have the same issue with mine. When draining I always have the tank flush running. I have even tried adding extra water and towing with tank 3/4 full to get things mixed up before dumping at our storage facility. I think I need to fill tank nearly all the way with water and then empty. Any other ideas?

Keith