Community Forums

dphillipssr · 05-09-2019, 03:41 PM

I have a class A motorhome. Last fall I totally emptied my black water tank and flushed it out two or three times, before putting the RV up for the winter so it should have been totally cleaned and emptied. I always use a TST treatment after each time I had emptied the black water tank. I was getting ready to use it this spring and found out the toilet will not drain. It took the first bowl with TST chemicals of water OK, but not the second toilet would not drain or at least at least very very very slowly. I tried snaking a old water hose down the toilet and it would only go down about 10 ft and then stop. When I opened the black water tank some semi clear water would come out then stop. What could be the problem or fix.

450Donn · 05-09-2019, 03:48 PM

Maybe a piece of construction debris blocking the drain. How much water do you use per flush? Especially people not using enough after number 2 can create the dreaded poo pile. You might take a bore camera and go down through the toilet and look around. Bore cameras that can be used by a cell phones are pretty cheap now day.

dphillipssr · 05-09-2019, 03:53 PM

we use a full bowl of water when we flush.

clifford j · 05-09-2019, 04:12 PM

One bowl of water per flush,,,NOT enough. Especially if there's lady's in the RV who use wad's of paper. (I have that issue) :>).
If a 10 foot hose didn't get to the blockage a bore camera won't tell much of a story. Since you did see some water going down I'd boil some water and dump a huge amount at one time hoping to dissolve the blockage. Chemicals may work but if there is some water passing thru so will the chemicals. When you said garden hose did you have water going thru it or was it just being a snake.

CLIFFORD

dphillipssr · 05-09-2019, 04:22 PM

I used the garden hose as a snake. I had turned the water on it flowed so fast it would have backed up and flooded very quickly. Like I said it drains very very very slowly. I the four winters I have stored the motorhome over the winter using the same cleaning methods prior to storage I never had a problem with the blackwater system in the spring.

Rubirose · 05-09-2019, 04:23 PM

So how do you get rid of the dreaded poo pyramid?

dphillipssr · 05-09-2019, 04:39 PM

I always fill and then emptyout the back water tank two or three times until I get clear water running our of the black water tank the last time I empty the tank for the last time before buttoning it up for the winter.

FatChance · 05-09-2019, 05:43 PM

The hose went 10 FEET down through the toilet before stopping?

Have you checked the black tank vent?

What does the black tank level gauge read?

If there is a clog, Happy Camper Extreme is probably what you need.

irishguy · 05-09-2019, 09:05 PM

Agree on the "Happy Campers Extreme Clean".

charli3 · 05-10-2019, 06:16 AM

You don't by chance let black tank drain valve open during storage? Heard of critters making nests.

dphillipssr · 05-10-2019, 06:22 AM

no I kept it closed.

BillJinOR · 05-10-2019, 06:37 AM

Something is blocking the drain. Sending a hose down the toilet only sends the hose into a 50+ gallon tank .. hows the end of the hose going to find the 4” drain hole? It isn’t a straight pipe like house plumbing. Your just sending hose into the tank until no more will fit .

Unpleasant as it is you need to work from the bottom .. your system needs a enema .. open the drain and with the water on shove the hose from the drain up into the tank .. all the better if it’s a pressure hose blasting away the clog.
There are companies that have a fitting that makes this less messy and do it for you. A drain elbow with a hole for the hose to go through.
When you break the clog be prepared .. have someone ready to shut the gate valve as soon as you can pull the hose back out. I had a guy I knew who had a piece of land ( field ) he took the rv out in the middle of so when the clog broke .... well let’s say it wasn’t in his driveway ! [emoji4]

dphillipssr · 05-10-2019, 10:28 AM

I solved the problem, there was a switch on the wall I had not turned on the pump that takes the water flow through the grinder and into the black tank. I have flushed the toilet several times with the switch on and there is no back up of water into the to toilet and flushes normal. Something so dumb that I overlooked.