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05-16-2016, 11:06 AM
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#57
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Issaquah/Grand Coulee, WA
Posts: 1,073
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Just an update...
We plan on hitting the road fulltime in a couple weeks, and so I did a really deep clean of the black and gray tanks. Including filling half full of fresh water, and adding a little bleach to the mixture.
Gray tanks, no problem.
Black tank, i have never been able to get it to drain to EMPTY, and it always registers 1/3 inside at the control panel. Even when it stopped draining, 1/3. I often run the fresh water into the tank while rocking the trailer, and usually, a clump of paper comes out, then a little more water, but today nothing but water. We have not put anything into the tank except flushed urine, since Christmas.
Well, after adding half a tank of fresh water and a couple cups of bleach, I started to drain it and a couple of wet wipes came out, and then of course, more water. We have not put a wet wipe in, except for maybe one or three times "accidentally", otherwise we wrap them up in clean paper and put in the garbage. So these 2 wipes have to be since November or December, and still not dissolved. So now I know how bad anything in the tank is if it isn't completely dissolvable.
Gauge now reads EMPTY.
New rules are only #2 paper goes down. #1 paper goes into trash, as well as wet wipes if used.
Been doing this at home, on septic as well. Seems to be good practice.
__________________
2015 24' Rockwood UltraLite 2304DS w/Equal-I-Zer 4-Point 1000lb sway control.
2014 39' Montana 3402RL (full-time)
Towing with 2018 Ram 2500 and 2014 Ecodiesel Grand Cherokee
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05-16-2016, 12:57 PM
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#58
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Varies Depending on The Weather
Posts: 8,517
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Sounds to me like those wet wipes were hung up on the sensors giving you a false reading.
I like to use Happy Camper Extreme to thoroughly clean black and grey tanks with of course LOTS of water. Bleach is great to use in fresh water tanks for sanitizing BUT all it accomplished in your grey and black tanks was to destroy all of the "good" bacteria that is used to breakdown the waste.
Dr4Film ----- Richard
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05-16-2016, 01:38 PM
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#59
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: High up in Arizona
Posts: 2,050
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottandanna
Just an update...
New rules are only #2 paper goes down. #1 paper goes into trash, as well as wet wipes if used.
Been doing this at home, on septic as well. Seems to be good practice.
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This is how we have done it for many years and never have had any problems. You can save a lot of space in the tank just by not throwing #1 TP down the trap. Glad your wipes decided to break loose and come out.
__________________
2019 Allegro Bus 37AP towing a Jeep JK Rubicon Wrangler
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05-16-2016, 03:32 PM
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#60
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Issaquah/Grand Coulee, WA
Posts: 1,073
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We will have had this trailer (our first) for one year on 5/22, and we have learned SO much in this time.
Mostly by error. And not necessarily "trial" and error. Just error...
But, we took a year to figure out what we could make go wrong, and how to fix it, so in a couple weeks when we hit the road for a 3 month pacific northwest-glacier-yellowstone tour, we should be able to fix just about anything that is thrown our way, while sitting on the side of the road.
It is amazing how my original tool box has changed, what tools have been weeded out, and what special tools and materials have been added over the year.
__________________
2015 24' Rockwood UltraLite 2304DS w/Equal-I-Zer 4-Point 1000lb sway control.
2014 39' Montana 3402RL (full-time)
Towing with 2018 Ram 2500 and 2014 Ecodiesel Grand Cherokee
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05-16-2016, 03:42 PM
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#61
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: FL
Posts: 1,355
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Even "safe for septic tank" wipes really aren't. Don't use them in your black tank. The only time I had a black tank clog was when my DW and kids thought they were okay; NOT!
__________________
--2005 F350 Superduty Crewcab, 6.0, 4wd, short bed, 3.73 gears
--2016 Montana 3711FL, 40'
--SOLD 2014 Wildcat 327CK, 38'
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05-17-2016, 11:58 AM
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#62
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Senior Member
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Palisade CO
Posts: 3,588
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The FEDs (FTC) has given wipe manufacturers a grace period for items already manufactured and are requiring them to test the breakdown of the wipes per a test protocol. If they don't pass they will not be allowed to label them as flushable. Sewer districts all the country have been having problems with them .
See HERE
__________________
Clay WA5NMR - Ex Snowbird - 1 year, Ex Full timer for 11 years - 2004 Winnebago Sightseer 35N Workhorse chassis. Honda Accord toad.
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05-18-2016, 02:53 PM
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#63
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 5
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I have a friend who has a septic pumping business and showed me pics of systems that the homeowners flushed wet wipes down the drain.....bad idea! I would never put them in my tank or toilet at home again. I believe the wet wipe companies are now required by law to state that on their packaging going forward.
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05-18-2016, 04:32 PM
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#64
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: High up in Arizona
Posts: 2,050
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottandanna
We will have had this trailer (our first) for one year on 5/22, and we have learned SO much in this time.
Mostly by error. And not necessarily "trial" and error. Just error...
But, we took a year to figure out what we could make go wrong, and how to fix it, so in a couple weeks when we hit the road for a 3 month pacific northwest-glacier-yellowstone tour, we should be able to fix just about anything that is thrown our way, while sitting on the side of the road.
It is amazing how my original tool box has changed, what tools have been weeded out, and what special tools and materials have been added over the year.
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Sounds like you are going to have a fun journey, 3 months, wish we could do that. Will that cute Boxer be riding along with you? Love those dogs.
__________________
2019 Allegro Bus 37AP towing a Jeep JK Rubicon Wrangler
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05-18-2016, 04:39 PM
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#65
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Issaquah/Grand Coulee, WA
Posts: 1,073
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 530ktm
Sounds like you are going to have a fun journey, 3 months, wish we could do that. Will that cute Boxer be riding along with you? Love those dogs.
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Yes, that boxer and our cat. We sold our home, and have been planning on moving to Oregon for a couple years. We are finally biting the bullet first week of June, and heading out full time, touring the pacific North West until we find the next place we want to live and work.
Both of us are now licensed to work in OR, and we are throwing out resumes and applications along the way. Already had a couple of decent phone interviews, so we are feeling pretty confident that we can relocate within those three months.
But the first 6 weeks will be mostly touring and checking out all the different metropolitan areas, up and down the coast, along the Columbia River, and some of the larger interior towns, such as Bend, Salem, and Eugene.
__________________
2015 24' Rockwood UltraLite 2304DS w/Equal-I-Zer 4-Point 1000lb sway control.
2014 39' Montana 3402RL (full-time)
Towing with 2018 Ram 2500 and 2014 Ecodiesel Grand Cherokee
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05-18-2016, 06:48 PM
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#66
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,846
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Are you kidding?
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05-18-2016, 06:59 PM
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#67
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Port Orchard, WA
Posts: 4,217
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr4Film
Bleach is great to use in fresh water tanks for sanitizing BUT all it accomplished in your grey and black tanks was to destroy all of the "good" bacteria that is used to breakdown the waste.
Dr4Film ----- Richard
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Grey and Black tanks are NOT septic tanks, they are merely hold tanks to transport waste until it can be dumped. Very little digestion of waste materials happen in your holding tanks, therefore, bleach is a great sanitizer to kill bacteria until the waste can be dumped in an approved sewer system.
If dumping in your home SEPTIC tank, I would be hesitant to use large quantities of bleach for the reason stated above, but if going into municipal sewer system, or campground sewer system, bleach is just fine IMHO
__________________
Scot & Laura Kellersberger, U.S. Army (ret)
Newmar 4 wheel drive Dutch Star 3891, SOLD
Now RV'ing on the water in a Trawler!
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05-18-2016, 07:02 PM
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#68
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Port Orchard, WA
Posts: 4,217
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 09 harley
Are you kidding?
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No I'm NOT kidding . . . what are we talking about?!? Context would be helpful!
__________________
Scot & Laura Kellersberger, U.S. Army (ret)
Newmar 4 wheel drive Dutch Star 3891, SOLD
Now RV'ing on the water in a Trawler!
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05-19-2016, 10:27 AM
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#69
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Full Timing
Posts: 751
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hit_the_Rhod
Grey and Black tanks are NOT septic tanks, they are merely hold tanks to transport waste until it can be dumped. Very little digestion of waste materials happen in your holding tanks, therefore, bleach is a great sanitizer to kill bacteria until the waste can be dumped in an approved sewer system.
If dumping in your home SEPTIC tank, I would be hesitant to use large quantities of bleach for the reason stated above, but if going into municipal sewer system, or campground sewer system, bleach is just fine IMHO
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I've heard this line of reasoning before, but I don't agree with it. Septic systems don't hold waste water for long periods of time. The rule of thumb is to size the septic tank large enough for the average daily use to fill 60% of the tank capacity. The tank is constantly draining as waste water enters.
My black tank holds waste for 7 to 10 days on a regular basis. Plenty of time for bacterial action to breakdown solids. I can see this when I drain it - paper is broken down.
__________________
Mike
2003 Alpine Coach 40MDTS - 400HP Cummins ISL
Can Am Spyder Roadster
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05-19-2016, 01:10 PM
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#70
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: High up in Arizona
Posts: 2,050
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 09 harley
Are you kidding?
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Great post, very informative and helpful.
__________________
2019 Allegro Bus 37AP towing a Jeep JK Rubicon Wrangler
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