Community Forums

franktr · 10-23-2016, 09:55 PM

Mistakenly a 8 oz empty bottle of Auqa Kem got flushed down the toilet. Should I worry? Can I get it out?

vsheetz · 10-23-2016, 10:01 PM

Gravity drop or macerator toilet? If gravity drop, and if a straight drop into the tank you may be able to retrieve it. If not, I would not worry about it. If macerator toilet need to disassemble and remove.

awol50 · 10-23-2016, 10:05 PM

If you think you can float it out hook up your hose, fill black tank part full and drain. Repeat a few times. Who knows.

franktr · 10-24-2016, 04:12 AM

it does not have a cap so it most likely will not float and the pipe from the toilet to the tank is S shaped.

Kiawah · 10-24-2016, 05:24 AM

That's undoubtedly going to be a problem, it's plastic so it's probably going to float even without a cap. The problem is going to be the problem it causes in draining.

To drain the black properly, you need a lot of water so when you open it you get a really good flow going which allows the paper and solids to get sucked out by the flow. That bottle is going to make it's way to the drain outlet, and probably won't make the bend and float near the pipe entrance, partially blocking it. Paper will clog on it, and will probably start to trickle as opposed to getting a nice whoooooosh. You won't be clearing out your tank when it drains, just the liquids. Given enough time, a major problem.

I'd make it a priority to get it out of there.

franktr · 10-24-2016, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiawah

That's undoubtedly going to be a problem, it's plastic so it's probably going to float even without a cap. The problem is going to be the problem it causes in draining.

To drain the black properly, you need a lot of water so when you open it you get a really good flow going which allows the paper and solids to get sucked out by the flow. That bottle is going to make it's way to the drain outlet, and probably won't make the bend and float near the pipe entrance, partially blocking it. Paper will clog on it, and will probably start to trickle as opposed to getting a nice whoooooosh. You won't be clearing out your tank when it drains, just the liquids. Given enough time, a major problem.

I'd make it a priority to get it out of there.

I agree didn't want to face the issue but most likely need to take it apart. Not a nice job.

mhbell · 10-24-2016, 09:34 AM

How long is the Bottle? If it is a short one, It just may traverse the bend. Is your pipe 3 or 4 inch? If you cant fish it out of the tank, I would try lots of water and flush the tank several times before taking it apart. You could always use a snake from the outside if it gets stuck in the pipe. I had to do that once for a bad clog, rather than removing the tank. If you fill the tank up to the brim you just might float it to where you can grab it with a grabber with the toilet open.
Mel_B

MSHappyCampers · 10-24-2016, 09:37 AM

You may be worrying for nothing! I would just dump the black tank and flush it good (hope you have a flusher), then put about 5 gallons of water down the toilet and dump again. Repeat a few times and chances are your bottle will wash right out! Think positive!

franktr · 10-24-2016, 04:13 PM

Best possible outcome. Drained the tank, it just had water and blue chemical. Flushed and flushed. When I removed the drain hose and the elbow the bottle was in the elbow..Perfect

BigBadDad · 10-24-2016, 05:22 PM

If you don't find an answer try a highly respected plumber. They often have some amazing borescope that could possibly locate it and hook onto it. There is some amazing tools in the hands of the pros.

MSHappyCampers · 10-25-2016, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franktr

Best possible outcome. Drained the tank, it just had water and blue chemical. Flushed and flushed. When I removed the drain hose and the elbow the bottle was in the elbow..Perfect

Great news! Sometimes we try to make things more complicated than the really are!

twogypsies · 10-25-2016, 08:24 PM

OP: Glad the bottle came out on its own!!!

We full-timed six years with a fork in the black tank with no problems. Evidently it came through by constant dumps and the rush of water or it just settled there.

No, we don't make it habit of eating in the bathroom.

We boondocked a lot and to conserve grey water space we dumped our dish water in the toilet as we all know that black tanks can always use more water. It happened in an instant.

Thereafter, we left the inside toilet valve closed when dumping the dish water and if we didn't hear a clang we then stepped on the pedal!!

As another precaution we then devised our toilet brush with a rope to go around our wrist when cleaning so it couldn't drop in by mistake. We found a great small stiff brush to clean the valve grooves but you need the valve open to do this. We read a year or two ago about someone who dropped the brush in the tank...don't recall how he got it out.