Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > MH-General Discussions & Problems
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-26-2013, 11:33 AM   #1
Member
 
jiaandus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 74
Toilet clog

Traveling after different guest have stayed in mh at our residence. On the road a day or two and toilet won't flush. Snaked and it seemed o.k. then clogged again. Toilet is in a separate room across the mh from where I believe it goes into holding tank. My snake was a 3' and may not have reached all the way. Looks like a 45 street coming out of the bottom of the toilet heading to tank. Any suggestions? On the road today, will check back tonight.
__________________
Wayne and Jacque 1999 Pace Arrow 34N and Jia, the spoiled Shih Tzu
jiaandus is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 02-26-2013, 11:45 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
EZDZIT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SoCal
Posts: 689
Your guests may have not known to use lots of flush water. Travel with lots, lots and lots of water in the black tank and it should dump next time. If the blockage is in the down pipe you may have to sacrifice a water hose to clear. A plunger may work if the pipe is blocked. If the blockage is at the outlet valve the plunger will not work because the air pressure will go up the vent pipe.
Once you have it cleared be sure to always use lots and lots of water!
__________________
Fred & Mary RVM135
2012 Dutch Star 3735 ISL 400
2012 GMC Sierra Ext Cab 4x4
EZDZIT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2013, 11:59 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 1,202
Try putting some detergent in the tanl, and filling it at least half full with water. If there is a build up in the tank that has hardened because of a lack of water. If you can drive around a while that would help also. This should soften it up and allow you to flush it out.

Another possible solution might be to take a hose , put the end down int eh tank and try to use the water flow from thehose to break up the clog.

Good luck.
__________________
Jim and Lynda, (Sophie, Jake, attack trained killer Shi-Tzus :-))

2003 Fleetwood Expedition 38N 2005 Saturn Vue
jlfbatonrg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2013, 01:53 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
BFlinn181's Avatar
 
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 19,925
I'd try a longer snake. If you have a Harbor Freight near, they are far cheaper than most other tool stores. You could also rent one. This is a 10 footer: 10 Ft. Spring-Steel Drain & Trap Cleaner

Another useful tool is an inflatable bladder that swells to block the line and then applies water pressure: Large Drain Cleaning Bladder

I use the snake first and then a bladder (in an appropriate size) to clear drains in my home and RV.
__________________

Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
BFlinn181 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2013, 02:33 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Max Hubrich's Avatar
 
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Pikeville, NC
Posts: 1,775
If you had young girls in the RV, and they weren't briefed that nothing goes in that toilet unless it was human made waste, you could have a big problem. They must also use "septic safe", one ply toilet paper.

Here is a gadget that is supposed to handle problems that occur from extensive, non use, sitting of the motorhome over a season or two, or not enough water being used for normal everyday operation.

As mentioned, a snake can help some cases also.

Good luck, and please update this thread on your solution to your problem so that we all learn from it-- Thanks
__________________
Max H,
2002 Newmar Mountain Aire, 37', 3778, W-22, 8.1 Vortac, Ultra Power upgrade, CAI (cold air intake), Taylor wires, colder plugs, Koni shocks.
Max Hubrich is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2013, 04:27 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Larry & Rita's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Tulalip, WA
Posts: 946
We (I) have found that paper is paper, wife uses a lot of paper and I don't try to correct that.
I found a "Flush King" is great to back flush the lines from the outflow side, what I have found is that the paper or whatever glombs up at the drain hose end, just back far enough to be hard to reach with an auger (I never used any metal augers.) I hook up the Flush King and back flush sometimed 3 times, but you can tell from the flow if you have unclogged it.
It's the greatest problem solver I have found.
__________________
Don't pray for a blessing--Pray to be a blessing.
2006 Holiday Rambler Endavor 40 footer
Tulalip,WA
Larry & Rita is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2013, 04:38 PM   #7
Registered User
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Silicon Valley, CA
Posts: 1,857
Hose VS Spring

I prefer to use an old garden hose with the bib cut off. I keep one in a special bag just for 'clot busting'. It's easier to clean than a spring.

If the down pipe is clogged you'll notice a tendancy for the water in the bowl to 'spit back' when you flush it. I don't know how else to describe it.

The air being displaced by the water, or whatever, has nowhere to go but back up. Hint: don;t stick your face down there to observe it.

Otherwise you probably have the 'Dreaded Pyramid of Poo'.
Muddypaws is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2013, 05:49 PM   #8
Member
 
jiaandus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 74
Thanks folks. Forgot to mention I had used a plunger first and then the snake. I drained today so we will see. Was just at CW and looked over all of the back flush choices, thanks for the suggestions on that approach. the hose idea could work for me on the road because I carry one for odd ball uses. It has been spitting back at us as was mentioned but now we will see. I sell Flush King at my hardware store.Thank you all so much, headin' for central Oregon Coast tomorrow.
__________________
Wayne and Jacque 1999 Pace Arrow 34N and Jia, the spoiled Shih Tzu
jiaandus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2013, 05:52 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Monaco Owners Club
Thor Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 761
we had the same problem..bought the Wand at Walmart and use it everytime we empty the black tank...we use it until the green/clean light comes on. Make sure you hold the flapper/slide open or you could damage it and have another problem....
lenkerb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2013, 06:10 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Easyrider's Avatar


 
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Baraboo, Wisconsin
Posts: 1,728
Reading your original message it sounds like your toilet won't drain properly into the holding tank and not that you can't dump the holding tank. And that your toilet is across your rv from the holding tank. So the clog is somewhere in the pipe that connnects your toilet to the holding tank? Sounds like a longer snake to reach all the way from your toilet to the tank will help. Snake it out good, then if you are able to stay hooked up to a sewer connection either at a dump station or a campsite with hookups I'd keep your dump valve open and using a black water garden hose continue to run lots of water down the toilet to try to wash out whatever may be left in the pipe between the toilet and tank. Good luck, not having a properly functioning toilet is no fun- as I'm sure you're aware!
__________________
Steve & Nancy
2005 Itasca Sunrise 33', W20 Chassis, Ultrapower, Henderson Trac Bar
2012 Chevy Captiva Sport AWD, ReadyBrute Elite Tow Bar, Blue Ox Base Plate, Protect-A-Tow
Easyrider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2013, 08:03 PM   #11
Member
 
jiaandus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 74
I believe you are correct, we dumped today with no problem. I will be on full hook-up tomorrow and plan on doing a lot of flushing. I agree on the longer snake which I have at home in a few days as well as the ability to do the hose thing which I may try and sneak at full hook-up tomorrow. Thank you. Cold up at your place?
__________________
Wayne and Jacque 1999 Pace Arrow 34N and Jia, the spoiled Shih Tzu
jiaandus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2013, 10:47 AM   #12
Registered User
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Silicon Valley, CA
Posts: 1,857
Another clog

When we had a clog in the toilet to tank pipe it also clogged the dump pipe when it came out.

Now I carry a back flush adapter with an additional gate valve so ALL the water goes into the tank, cut off hose, extra gloves, and an extra change of clothes.

What can you say, it's a crappy job she SHE'S not going to do it.
Muddypaws is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2013, 01:27 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 463
You do know to leave the black tank valve CLOSED when in hookups? Right? Dump when at least 2/3 full.
OldChief7155 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2013, 07:38 PM   #14
Member
 
jiaandus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 74
So today moved to new rv park and still experiencing problem so used my hose and stuffed several feet of hose down the toilet as my wife turned on water and kept pushing back and forth as water level continued to rise, but fortunatley in the nick of time it broke loose and I believe it is all good. I do however wonder if the air vent may be clogged. Will check out that at home in a few days. Thanks to all for the info.
__________________
Wayne and Jacque 1999 Pace Arrow 34N and Jia, the spoiled Shih Tzu
jiaandus is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:51 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.