What Happens When Black Tank is Overfilled???

RickO · 10-10-2007, 10:11 AM

This hasn't happened to me yet, but I wanted to know what to expect when the black tank becomes overfilled. I'd rather find out on this forum than on my coach.

I NEVER get the black tank over about 1/3 full through usage but sometimes when using the San T Flush, I get distracted.

Any war stories to share???

RickO · 10-10-2007, 10:11 AM

This hasn't happened to me yet, but I wanted to know what to expect when the black tank becomes overfilled. I'd rather find out on this forum than on my coach.

I NEVER get the black tank over about 1/3 full through usage but sometimes when using the San T Flush, I get distracted.

Any war stories to share???

Route 66 · 10-10-2007, 10:27 AM

If you are talking about from usage, it backs up into the bowl if the seal is good, as the tank is full.

If you are talking about back flushing an empty tank, one of two things will happen, or maybe a bit of both.

If the toilet has a good seal then the water will fill up the vent pipe and overflow onto the roof and down the side of the motorhome.

Happened to a friend of mine. He was very lucky.

If you are very unlucky, because the seal is bad, then the overflow leaks onto the bath floor at the minimum, and may flood quite a bit of the motorhome floor and probably the basement.

s\

Heard first hand reports on option 2.

NEVER abandon your post or try to do anything else when backflushing.

Richard 34A · 10-10-2007, 10:48 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RickO:
This hasn't happened to me yet, but I wanted to know what to expect when the black tank becomes overfilled. I'd rather find out on this forum than on my coach.

I NEVER get the black tank over about 1/3 full through usage but sometimes when using the San T Flush, I get distracted.

Any war stories to share??? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

See the movie 'RV' with Robin Williams for further details...

Route 66 · 10-10-2007, 11:01 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">See the movie 'RV' with Robin Williams for further details... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's very similar to what happened to my friend, but not nearly as dramatic.

SCVJeff · 10-10-2007, 12:02 PM

And when you need to drain, see Randy Quaid..

RickO · 10-10-2007, 12:31 PM

Thanks all. That helps.

Ironically, the movie RV was on this morning!

Also, I don't think I can call Randy Quaid because I think I AM Randy Quaid!

rgrstndgby · 10-10-2007, 12:56 PM

OK, if you have a good seal, and you think you are starting to push water up the vent, DONT open the flush valve, as a pressure head is forming in the tank, and you may get a closer look at "how you are doing" than you want.. ......Dont ask. ........ FWIW, at about 45# water pressure, it takes about 7-8 minutes to fill mine where I want it before dumping. Your experience may vary.. ..rgr...

SCVJeff · 10-10-2007, 02:07 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I think I AM Randy Quaid!

</div></BLOCKQUOTE> Well that definitely ain't the same Winnebago you drove to Cousin Clarks house in! You get it painted?

AFChap · 10-10-2007, 08:20 PM

If you have a Winnebago coach (the bathroom sink is plumbed to the black tank), the #1 most likely scenario is that your bathroom sink will back up and overflow.

Yep, I've seen it up close and personal, but fortunately caught it pretty quick. The interesting thing is that the water flowed down the front of the bathroom counter and filled ALL three drawers completely full of water before it started hitting the floor and under the cabinet (where it ran out the top of a storage compartment and alerted me!!! Wife had hair dryer and lots of hair bows and such in those drawers = unhappy wife!!!

FLYTYER · 10-11-2007, 05:25 AM

AFChap you said

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">If you have a Winnebago coach the bathroom sink is plumbed to the black tank </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

This is not fully correct. It depends on the model and floor plan.

With regular maintenance of the tanks and probes/sensors plus routine use of the monitoring panel it is possible to stay far away from a stinky mess !!

rvcarpenter · 10-11-2007, 06:18 AM

I know On mine it is very evident that the black tank is getting full when you look down the toilet when you flush. On one occassion I had to discontinue use of the black tank because it was filled up almost to the toilet . But that was after 5 days with 6 people dry camping.

BBBEEBOP · 10-11-2007, 06:34 AM

Well, I hate to admit it but I was flushing my black tank while in Florida several years ago on my 02 Adventurer 35U. I had flushed the tank once by filling thru the flush system and had dumped. I was in the process of flushing it again when I got pre-occupied with another chore. Thank God the tank was fairly clean when disaster struck. The black tank overflowed into the Grey tank and filled the bottom of the shower which then flooded the Bathroom floor and ran out thru the plumbing bay and the floor heater supply. I couldn't believe I only got water on the Bathroom floor and the edge of the carpet by the door. I got curious and checked the plumbing diagrams on the Winny site and sure enough the two tanks are connected thru the vent stack. Wow! a couple of hours later and lots of towels I had it cleaned up with no residual damage. Kept the rig for at least one more year after the incident and never noticed any further damage or smell. I sure am glad I was on my second flush cycle. My advice stay by the plumbing bay when flushing and don't go anywhere.

codgerbill · 11-12-2007, 02:28 PM

I have a 2000 Winnie Adventurer 35U (new to me this year). It seems to me that I heard a gurgling sound and can't remember if it was from the grey or black water tank. That told me it was time to empty the holding tanks. The indicator lights seem to indicate 2/3 full after a few flushes. I have a friend that has a 2006 Pace Arrow and we were at a campground in the Door County of Wisc. He had emptied both tanks and connected the hose to flush the black tank. I would guess he muse have closed the dump valve on the black water tank because he left to do some other things while the black water tank was supposidly flushing out. His wife began screaming that the coach was flooding and that green colored water was comming out of the shower drain. It only occured to me after reading a privious post there is a common connection on the vent pipes and so I suspectthat was the culprit. When I flush the black tank I leave the black water holding tank valve open and I am wondering if it should be closed and a watchful eye kept on the process?