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06-20-2019, 12:22 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 64
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Storing with some in Black Tank
Hi, we are newbies! Just took our TT out for the first time for two days. Now we have to fly back to midwest for a reunion. My question, and I seem to get a lot of different responses... but since we were only in the trailer for two days and I have heard you should not empty your tank until it is 2/3 full, can we store it for a couple weeks with some in the black tank???? I put extra water in the tank every time I flushed... I just don't want to come back and have wrecked the thing!! I also put some chemical in there so it wouldn't smell. Are we going to have a problem??
quick answers would be appreciated since we are taking it back today and I would like to know what you all think.
THANK YOU
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06-20-2019, 12:26 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 290
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Add a bit more water and you should be fine.....
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06-20-2019, 12:28 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 10,309
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Best to dump it and flush it and put a level of fresh water in it........sitting and stinking will attract sewer fly's/gnats down from your roof vent.........I just went through it, did not dump after coming home from down south, used the bath after a month or so, flushed and small flys came up out into the bath. Dumped and flushed.......gone.
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2012 Essex 4544 2011 Jeep JK, M&G Braking, 2014 MTI 27' Hog Hauler, Wireless brake control, 2006 Ultra & 1989 Springer, 2003 Harley-Davidson
FLHR Road King Anniversary
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06-20-2019, 12:48 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Rigby, Idaho
Posts: 3,902
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I bought my rig consigned to a really lousy dealer (Darren Bideoux RV Ogden Utah)by the bank that had repo'd it. The lousy dealer had tis rig for nearly 2 years. When I first looked at it, the black tank showed full; I just figured the sensors were bunk, normal ops for these things. NOPE!! The black tank had been full for two years; the ousy dealerhad not even emptied the tanks as part of their consignment duties. IT STUNK UP A FLYING J when I emptied it, that takes some doing!! But no gnats or flies, and once I drove away from the Flying J, no smell...
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Cheers,
TonyMac
2006 Monaco Safari Cheetah 40PMT
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06-20-2019, 01:10 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Liberty, NC
Posts: 829
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You don't have to wait till 3/4 full to dump. That's someone being confused between dumping with a lot of water vs the tank filling up. I would not let mine sit long unused with any debris in the tank, that's just asking for issues. It only takes a few minutes, dump it, flush it, leave it with about 5 gallons of water and a cup of liquid laundry detergent in it to slick it up.
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2016 Keystone Outback 328RL
2019 Chevy 3500HD DRW
1 Slobbering English Bulldog for ballast
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06-20-2019, 01:30 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
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….length of time, weather conditions [heat], and chemicals used, all contribute to how long you can "hold." Generally speaking, you can go about a month before things start to turn south on you. You can dump anytime, just use lots of water to flush. So holding for a couple of weeks with chemical treatment will be fine....Having said that, when possible, I prefer to dump rather than "hold"......
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Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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06-20-2019, 01:41 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Watertown NY USA
Posts: 6,440
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I would fill and dump the tank before letting it sit. You might as well start off by doing it right, right from the start.
Store with 5 gallons or more of fresh clean water.
Chemicals are optional. Personally I do use chemicals for added odor control.
Lynn
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2002 Fleetwood Storm 30H on Workhorse P32 chassis 8.1 gas.
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06-20-2019, 01:57 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 681
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DUMP IT. Takes only a few minutes. Add THETFORD chemical to the toilet with
some fresh water. At least a cup of the chemical. You will not have to worry about what might happen.
16 years of doing this while traveling in all the lower 48 states.
Regards,
JimB
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06-20-2019, 02:48 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1,211
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I also vote to dump it. It's not fun, but it's better than coming back to learn that your gate valve didn't quite seal and you now have a teepee of sadness to deal with. Just give it a good flush then add 5 gallons of water and enjoy your reunion.
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2014 F350 DRW 6.7L CC FX4 King Ranch Ruby Red Metallic 158,000 Miles 4,450 Hours
2018 Cherokee Grey Wolf 29TE | Because I'm home, no matter where I am.
2018 Honda CB650F | Because the truck leans the wrong way when I turn.
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06-20-2019, 02:58 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 5,314
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If you have used plenty of water as you say, have used control chemicals, park it and don’t worry about it. Have a nice trip. Some of us can go several weeks without dumping the black tank. Grey a little more often.
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Tom
2016 Newmar Bay Star Sport 3004
2021 Jeep Gladiator Sport Willys
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06-20-2019, 04:35 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,539
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You will be fine no matter which way you go but the more water you use with each flush the better your luck will be. And always start with at least 5 gallons after each dump. I add 10 gallons since my black tank holds 40. You don't want a dry tank ever.
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2020 F28 RKS Titanium
2017 Creekside 23 RBS Sold
2016 F250 Super Crew XLT Overworked
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06-21-2019, 10:07 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,081
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Fast Flush
The purpose in waiting until full to dump black tanks is to provide a fast flush action during the dump. This tends to flush out solids.
The same effect can be achieve by filling the black tank with fresh water just before dumping.
The dreaded poo pyramid is the thing to avoid. Solids can build up into an immovable pile on the bottom of the black tank if not flushed out.
The other bad thing is when poo is left for a long time and dries in the tank. A special power washer will probably be required to remove it. Making sure there is plenty of water in the tank for storage helps to prevent this.
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Paul Bristol
Kodiak Cub 176RD
Nissan Pathfinder 2015
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06-21-2019, 04:24 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Palm Coast Florida
Posts: 12,995
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Storing with stuff in the black tank sounds like a bad idea. I have never done that as dumping the black tank and flushing the black tank was always a priority. I stored for 2 weeks with fresh water and chemicals in the black tank with no problem.
You can add fresh water thru the commode to fill the black tank before dumping if you want to. I have dumped 1/4 full black tank without any problem.
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06-22-2019, 08:40 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,081
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Dumping short
You can dump a black tank short and not have any problems. You can dump a black tank short a few times and not have any problems. You can dump a black tank short many times and not have any problems.
Do you feel luck?
How many times can you dump short?
When your 30 gal black tank only holds 15 gallons, what are you going to do about it. See old posts on iRV2.
When you flush one more time and the drain plugs solid, what are you going to do about it. See old posts on iRV2.
Many folks dump short. No question about it.
__________________
Paul Bristol
Kodiak Cub 176RD
Nissan Pathfinder 2015
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