Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > MH-General Discussions & Problems
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-19-2011, 07:32 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
fxdave's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: jacksonville fl
Posts: 443
Send a message via Skype™ to fxdave
how do you clean your black tank ?

ok ive been dumping my black tank as per outing ! i have tried the back flusher also ! yesterday i decided to run a hose down the toilet and fill the tank let it sit over night then i pulled it this morning wow ! i was shocked at what was still in there ! now im doing it again ! here i thought i was getting it all before but im definitely was wrong ! what do you do ?
__________________
97 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 275 Cat powered
fxdave is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 05-19-2011, 07:50 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Nuge's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Hammond, IN
Posts: 353
I've read here that the trick is to use Dawn dish washing liquid and ice cubes then take a drive. Dawn to loosen it all up and ice to knock the rest loose!!
__________________
1982 CrossCountry - NW Indiana
Ford Electrician
Built WITHOUT your tax dollars!!
Nuge is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 08:00 AM   #3
edj
Senior Member
 
edj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 416
Why the concern with having a 'squeaky' clean black tank? As long as it is emptied after it is at least half full (or more) and then flushed for a short time, there will be no buildup. Those who put soap and various other cleaning chemicals in the tank are just wasting their money and time. The first time one sits on the toilet and flushes, it is cruddy again....
__________________
Ed J - Summer->Vestal, NY Winter->Melbourne, FL
1999 Dodge 2500 diesel, 6-spd manual
2007 HitchHiker Discover America 329RSB
edj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 08:20 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
John H...'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Johnstown, PA USA
Posts: 3,326
I only clean mine out well when I know it's being parked for a while or before I put it away for winter. I have a place to dump into the sewer system at home . I use a garden hose and Simple Green. Open the flush valve and hose the tank from the toilet side. Water is coming out clean.
__________________
John, Deb; & our dog, Benji, Forever in our hearts.
2014 Coachmen Leprechaun 319DS V-10
2011 Jeep Liberty Jet & 2014 Jeep Wrangler
John H... is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 08:27 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
RJay's Avatar
 
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 4,589
I'm a fulltimer and usually stay in one spot for a month or more so when it comes time to move I'll put a 2 or 3 oz. of Dawn and the same amount of Calgon water softener in both black and gray water tank with 5 gallons of water and dump when I get to my next destination. It's probable not needed in the black tank since I have a fresh water flush system in that tank but the gray water tank seems to accumulate more sediment and grease and the combination of the Dawn and water softener gets rid of it and eliminates odor. I also close the gray water tank valve about ever other time the tank is emptied to further prevent build up since that tank has no flush system. The only time I get odor from the drains is when the gray tank valve is open and water is running in the sink.
__________________
2007 Newmar DSDP 4023
Discovery is seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought.
If you want to see what man made go East; if you want to see what God made go West.
RJay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 08:28 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Mcdonough, Ga.
Posts: 5,927
I always fill my black tank to full after each trip. I let it sit for 24 hrs. Dump and then put in about 8 gals and dump. I repeat 8 gals one more time. The reason I do this, is because it cleans the probes and keeps the tank from having a foul smell.
ga traveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 09:15 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Doc Mark's Avatar
 
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Orange Park, FL
Posts: 813
+1 for RJay. The Calgon is an amazing surfactant and the Dawn really does cut grease.
__________________
Mark & Sheila Heilman & The 3 Fur-Ball Princesses - Nikko, Mai-Thai & Andy
'07 MADP 4523, 2012 GMC Terrain SLT 2 wd
Blue Ox Alladin Tow Bar, M&G Engineering Dinghy Braking System

Doc Mark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 11:05 AM   #8
Junior Member
 
yoopertim's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12
One trick I've used is after emptying & flushing the holding tank, pour a bag if ice down the toilet. The ice slides around in the tank as you travel to your next destination & loosens any sediment that may be sticking to the tank walls & sides. Once the ice melts, of course, the water pours out with the next dump.
__________________
Yoopertim
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 40QTH, 2011 Ford Escape Toad
Freightliner XCR Chassis, Cummins ISC-360, Allison 3000 MH Auto Trans
yoopertim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 11:30 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
radams's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 398
Quote:
Originally Posted by yoopertim View Post
One trick I've used is after emptying & flushing the holding tank, pour a bag if ice down the toilet. The ice slides around in the tank as you travel to your next destination & loosens any sediment that may be sticking to the tank walls & sides. Once the ice melts, of course, the water pours out with the next dump.
Isn't that how they make ICBM's?

(Sorry guys, I saw that in a post one time and couldn't help myself. I totally plagiarized it)
__________________
Bob Adams
2013 Winnebago Aspect 27K
E450, V10, CRV, Blue Ox
radams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 11:57 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: somewhere in the west
Posts: 1,168
I've been in my RV for 8 years and have never cleaned my black tank. I just do not understand the need.

However, those that do find the need, you are doing it just right.

Edward J. Sommers
Ed-Sommers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 02:19 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
fxdave's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: jacksonville fl
Posts: 443
Send a message via Skype™ to fxdave
Quote:
Originally Posted by ga traveler View Post
I always fill my black tank to full after each trip. I let it sit for 24 hrs. Dump and then put in about 8 gals and dump. I repeat 8 gals one more time. The reason I do this, is because it cleans the probes and keeps the tank from having a foul smell.
this will be the way i do it too !
__________________
97 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 275 Cat powered
fxdave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 02:26 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Chuck 1935's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shadow Hills,CA 91040
Posts: 3,038
I only dump every 4 or 5 days, and then only dump when I arrive at my next stop. That way everything is dessolved and there is no buildup. Never had a problem.
__________________
NOTE; I am not responsible for typos, poor grammer or misspelled word !
04 Itasca, Meridian 34H, 330 Cat/2003 CR V Toad
1933 Ford 3 Window,as seen in Bye Bye Birdie
Pvt. E1 Retired, Shadow Hills,Ca.
Chuck 1935 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 04:31 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
njs42's Avatar
 
National RV Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Federal Way, Wa.
Posts: 2,901
I clean mine--(pick your method) to keep the senders clean that tell the level in the tank, If I do not clean they get clogged and register full all the time. My vote would be for cleaning, it really waste no time because you do it when you travel any way and the cost is minimal.
__________________
I do all my own stunts
03 Dolphin LX 6355, Workhorse W22, 8.1 vortec, 04 CR-V, Blue Ox, Brake Pro----Norm, Barb and
Doc(He's a PhD)
njs42 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2011, 08:17 PM   #14
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Clermont, FL
Posts: 15
We've started using about 1/4 cup of spic-n-span and filling the tank about a quarter full when driving to our next destination. This keeps the tank clean enough to register correct levels for for a while. I read that you should not use any cleaner that is anti-bacterial because the bacteria is what breaks down the waste.
bilcol81 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Replacing Black Tank Sensors CoCoDave MH-General Discussions & Problems 5 06-10-2017 01:10 PM
The Geo Method / Black and Gray Water Holding Tank Maintenance Geometricenigma Technology: Internet, TV, Satellite, Cell Phones, etc. 33 10-29-2011 10:34 AM
Black tank cleanout spray problems Traveler123 Class A Motorhome Discussions 6 10-29-2010 12:47 PM
Black tank valve open!?!?!? lp5151 RV Systems & Appliances 12 04-29-2010 12:00 PM
Black Tank Odor chasfm11 MH-General Discussions & Problems 6 05-15-2007 10:41 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:14 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.