Black Tank Flush

[Doss]

Quick question:
I am soon to pick up a Keystone Hideout.
My previous RV had a fitting to connect a fresh water hose that would flush the black tank during the emptying process. I would pump plenty of water into the black tank, dump, close, fill, dump again and again till the water was mostly clear.

I was doing a walk around today and noticed that this one doesn't have the flush feature.

Any tips for that same process on this trailer? I think I have read that people hold the toilet in the flush position till the black tank fills up before dumping.

Is that adequate?

[Karen CA]

Perhap this thread might help…
Post #7 says, “The sprayer was on the side of the black tank, directly behind the outdoor kitchens gas valve.”

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f50/blac...ut-358649.html

Found by searching Google for: “keystone hideout black tank flush”

[Doss]

still should be a hose connection though, right?

[Old-Biscuit]

I have a 2007 5th wheel with factory Black Tank Flush.
1st RV that had that 'feature'

I found it to be a big WASTE of good water, and after few uses I stopped.

RV waste tanks are Holding Tanks......fill/dump/add some water back in so bottom of tank stays wet (and anything left behind) then Repeat

If your Hideout comes with one it would have a hose connection on side of trailer, on the water panel...somewhere close where city water connection is

You didn't post Year/Model of your Hideout but Flush System info should be in owners manual/brochure etc

[vtron]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

I have a 2007 5th wheel with factory Black Tank Flush.
1st RV that had that 'feature'

I found it to be a big WASTE of good water, and after few uses I stopped.

I disagree completely. After I dump the black tank and run the flush for a bit, I find that a bunch more crap is flushed out.

[Marine359]

I’m with Vtron.
Use the black tank flush twice for about 3 minutes each time on every other dump cycle. When water runs clear, you won’t have odors in the tank. Less chemicals. Also, for OP, if you don’t have a black tank flush, there is a sewer hose elbow, I think by Valterra that has a hose connection on it so you can shoot water up into the black drain pipe.

[Dave Pelletier]

Meh; I'm iffy on the black tank flush - I use it but my last RV didn't have one and I didn't miss it - with the proper procedures, I'm not sure it really matters. On my old RV, I would simply use the toilet to put a few gallons in the tank after emptying and flush it again. I'd also always have a few galls in the tank.

I had a wand style hose attachment for spraying into the black water tank if I really wanted to give it a good cleaning but I think I only used it a couple times in 18 years.

The downside of the black tank flush system is that there is more plumging to leak, esp. the vent valve. Many people have posted what happens if you run the black tank flush when the dump valve is closed......YUCK!

If you have one, great, if you don't I wouldn't sweat it.


Dave

[Doss]

Originally Posted by Marine359

I’m with Vtron.
Use the black tank flush twice for about 3 minutes each time on every other dump cycle. When water runs clear, you won’t have odors in the tank. Less chemicals. Also, for OP, if you don’t have a black tank flush, there is a sewer hose elbow, I think by Valterra that has a hose connection on it so you can shoot water up into the black drain pipe.

I saw that and wondered if it was worth the spend would do much good.

[Marine359]

Grandma said: Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

[hamm2018]

Originally Posted by Doss

I saw that and wondered if it was worth the spend would do much good.

I used this on our old RV:

https://www.campingworld.com/flush-k...wer-connection

It allows you to back flush into the tanks. You can even back flush the gray tank with this.

[profdan]

FWIW, I really like my FloJet macerator -- it has a back-rinse feature that does the job well. And you can use the back rinse on the gray tank, too.

Two caveats -- first, the FloJet uses a lot of water, and it takes a lot of time to get things squeaky-clean.

But it does pump uphill a little, if your home cleanout is not downhill from your RV.

Also, be sure to get one of those clear plexiglass extenders, so you can watch as the effluent gets cleaner and cleaner. More fun than cable TV!

[BcBorn]

Originally Posted by hamm2018

I used this on our old RV:

https://www.campingworld.com/flush-k...wer-connection

It allows you to back flush into the tanks. You can even back flush the gray tank with this.

I have a Camco unit and it works very well.

I met up with a guy trying to dump his holding tanks as the lights said full but he was getting nothing out. He tried his backflush, it did nothing but add more water to the tank. The issue was blockage either in the line or where the dump line meets the tank.

I loaned him my Camco flush and as soon as the water was forced into the tank via the dump pipes, the lodging let loose and it emptied the black tank as normal.

Good backup if needed.

[TeJay]

We still have some occasional odor issues even when we have a flush and use happy camper. Decided to get a power flush hose from Amazon. Doing a power flush with my power washer just a few times a year should resolve any possible odor issues from either tank. Did it yesterday for the first time. Very easy and almost seamless as far as the process. Very little if any spilled into my holding tub. The black had a lot more stuff coming out. The gray tank was not too bad.

I think it was worth the $60 for the kit. It has all the fittings to connect to any power washer.

I bought a Valterra clear 45% fitting which had the hose connection. Had to enlarge that hole so the flush hose would insert into the holding tanks. Also had to use a short 45# clear fitting to get the other fitting to a good working angle.

[BcBorn]

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-39080-R.../dp/B00T36KRS2