Community Forums

wanderso · 10-05-2014, 10:59 PM

Part of our purpose for our Class B in addition to camping and day trips is to also use it for winter activities and trips. While we likely will be minimizing our travel in freezing weather, an overnight can always have a cold snap.

I have a member of the family that has a medical issue that can result in more frequent use of the bathroom that can be an immediate concern to address.

I will be Winterizing the rig soon.

What I've wondered about is if anyone has attempted to use the black water tank for winter use but to do so using cassette toilet chemicals (if needed), thus keeping the fresh water system empty. In this case, the water to "flush" would be limited to those chemicals and perhaps a gallon jug with a mix of concentrated RV antifreeze to keep the bowl clean after use and enough to help the TP to dissolve. Camco has -50 degree antifreeze available as a concentrate on Amazon.

I have a cassette toilet already from my tent trailer days, but the size of a Class B limits its use to not be in the bathroom.

I have access to an RV dump site right after each trip and a spray wand to clean the black tank. Worst case typically would be for the black tank to have this in it for 24-48 hours.

Oh - I also have tank heaters already, but don't know yet how much they drain the battery when parked. (First winter with this -new to us rig and I've not had tank heaters in the past)

Why do this? My preference here would be to avoid the need to keep water in the potable water tank and have to rewinterize after each day trip.

Thoughts?

AFChap · 10-06-2014, 07:25 AM

We have done what you describe, but used no chemicals ...just water in gallon jugs for flushing. Refill jugs from campground supply if needed. Our tanks are enclosed and get some heat from furnaces, and the black tank has a flush system when it came dump time.

kayakcrazy · 10-06-2014, 07:56 AM

DW and I started camping a whole month earlier this year using one of these portable toilets Amazon.com: Sanitation Equipment Visa Potty Model: 268 24 Liter with 2-level Indicators: Sports & Outdoors. We didn't use any of our RV's water systems and got by quite well. We set the Porta Potti up in the bathroom using an old electric kettle to warm water for washing in a plastic basin. If the power or propane failed the most I would lose is the $100 for a new potty.

tomwalt · 10-06-2014, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFChap

We have done what you describe, but used no chemicals ...just water in gallon jugs for flushing. Refill jugs from campground supply if needed. Our tanks are enclosed and get some heat from furnaces, and the black tank has a flush system when it came dump time.

I do this as well every winter. Winterize fresh water system, use jugs of water to flush, and dump tanks upon leaving. I keep a gallon of RV (or windshield) anti-freeze handy to put in the black water tank in case the temps drop real low and it stays below freezing for the entire day and I can't dump. I don't use the grey water system - I use wipes a lot; also keep a plastic container in the sinks to catch water from brushing teeth/hand washing/wash cloth baths and dump it somewhere outside.

mojoracing · 10-06-2014, 09:59 PM

We do it all the time. Flush with blue windshield washer fluid. If you look you can find it for 99 cents a gallon. Flush with that and dump the tanks later. Your tank heaters are most likely 110 volt not 12.

mrt_1111 · 10-06-2014, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojoracing

We do it all the time. Flush with blue windshield washer fluid. If you look you can find it for 99 cents a gallon. Flush with that and dump the tanks later. Your tank heaters are most likely 110 volt not 12.

I use the blue windshield wiper fluid also.

DogNPonyshow · 10-07-2014, 02:16 AM

Yup I use our MoHo all winter with jugs of water and add a gallon antifreeze to the blk tank. I put a dish tub in kitchen sink and dump that water down toilet. I dump blk tank after each use and dump some antifreeze down it to be safe.

OldDoggy · 10-07-2014, 02:49 AM

I always keep a jug of windsheild washer by the pot and start winter with another gallon of it in the tank. I do put a tablet of the treatment in to help keep the odor down. A little bit of blue stuf will flush the nasty away. Dump as you would normaly, then start with another gallon of it in the tank with another tablet after the dump and all is well. Blue stuf is a lot cheaper than the pink stuf for sure.

Just Another Old Doggy, Don

Murf2u · 10-07-2014, 06:00 AM

A note of caution here.

If you flush with windshield washer antifreeze, do NOT leave it in the tank ant longer than absolutely necessary. The alcohol in the WW AF is there to speed evaporation and does that very well. With as much surface area as a BW tank has the alcohol will evapourate very quickly leaving you with straight water.

dvmweb · 10-07-2014, 09:56 AM

Use lots of pink af to flush.

2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B

Bondad · 10-09-2014, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrt_1111

I use the blue windshield wiper fluid also.

Make that me 3.

Bondad · 10-09-2014, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murf2u

A note of caution here.

If you flush with windshield washer antifreeze, do NOT leave it in the tank ant longer than absolutely necessary. The alcohol in the WW AF is there to speed evaporation and does that very well. With as much surface area as a BW tank has the alcohol will evapourate very quickly leaving you with straight water.

So THAT'S why my toilet was empty after a few days. I put ww fluid in the bowl one cold Sunday and it was gone by Friday. That never happens with water in the hot summer. I'll have to consider using pink instead of blue.

mrt_1111 · 10-09-2014, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murf2u

A note of caution here.

If you flush with windshield washer antifreeze, do NOT leave it in the tank ant longer than absolutely necessary. The alcohol in the WW AF is there to speed evaporation and does that very well. With as much surface area as a BW tank has the alcohol will evapourate very quickly leaving you with straight water.

Wonder why it doesn't evaporate from the window washer storage tank. Read on the web 52 to 81 percent is water.

mojoracing · 10-10-2014, 12:59 AM

Exactly, it won't evaporate completely. Never have had a problem. Like someone said its over 80% water and when in an enclosed tank, it won't evaporate at any great rate nor will you lose its antifreeze capability . You will get at least a week out of it as you are constantly replenishing with every flush. Keep in mind its for weekend runs and that kind of thing.