Filling black waste tank before dunping.

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regval

regval

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 4, 2015
Posts
426
Location
Lawrenceville, Georgia, USA
I'm sure there are many methods travelers use to fill their black waste tank prior to dumping.
I grew tired of holding the flush lever open waiting while water flowed into the bowl and down the drain so I modified an empty 20oz Gatorade bottle to use to block the valve open. Works on my Thetford toilet.
Just cut the top third of the plastic bottle off, remove the cap and insert nose down into the toilet drain hole while holding the flush valve open. It's too big to fall into the tank but blocks the valve open. Yeah, I know you can purchase one made for this purpose, but this cheap method fits my purpose.
 

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I am guessing you do not have a black tank hose connection used for rinsing out the tank, in which case seems like a good solution.
 
Though our trailer has a black tank flush hose connection, quite a few of the campsite dumps we use don't have a screw on connector handy enough to attach to it. We just fill the tank by using the toilet. However I just can't stand to leave the valve open - it stinks up the whole trailer after a few minutes. I fill the bowl, open valve, close valve, fill the bowl. Maybe ours takes longer since it is a forty gallon tank and there are just two of us. We always like going into a new dry camp with empty tanks if possible, even if we have only been using the tank for 3-4 days, not nearly enough to fill it up.
 
Gizmo said:
I am guessing you do not have a black tank hose connection used for rinsing out the tank, in which case seems like a good solution.
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It's a travel trailer without the external flush the option found on most 5vers and motor homes. I also have a Sundance 5vr that has 2 black tanks (bunkhouse model) and both tanks have the flush option thank goodness.

UTTransplant, I hate the stink too but kicking on the vent fan seems to solve the problem. I just keep an eye on the sensor and peek in the bathroom every few minutes. Ahhhh the joys of camping.

Reggie
 
UTTransplant said:
Though our trailer has a black tank flush hose connection, quite a few of the campsite dumps we use don't have a screw on connector handy enough to attach to it. We just fill the tank by using the toilet. However I just can't stand to leave the valve open - it stinks up the whole trailer after a few minutes. I fill the bowl, open valve, close valve, fill the bowl. Maybe ours takes longer since it is a forty gallon tank and there are just two of us. We always like going into a new dry camp with empty tanks if possible, even if we have only been using the tank for 3-4 days, not nearly enough to fill it up.
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It sounds like you have a poop pyramid. You should not get an odor when keeping the valve open.
 
They sell a round plastic thingy that drops into the hole to keep it open so you can fill with water. I have two of them.

I have two black tanks and when I return home after a trip I fill both tanks to the top and let it sit that way for at least 24 hours. Then I dump.

That has worked fine for 12 years and my sensors continue to work although I'm a guy who looks down the hole with a flashlight.  Seeing is believing. 
 
SeilerBird said:
It sounds like you have a poop pyramid. You should not get an odor when keeping the valve open.
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Disagree with you there. We get the smell because we have poop and pee in the tank while filling it before we dump it. Our trailer has a straight drop from the toilet to the tank, no nice bend that might trap smells, so of course it smells. Once everything is dumped and rinsed, the smell goes away.
 
One thing I've heard about is using the exhaust fan in the toilet is a bad idea as it creates a draw from the black tank.  Sounds like a positive pressure fan would help with the smell as it would drive the exhaust up the vent pipe instead of drawing it into the RV. 

Anyone have experience with this type of fan?
 
Fyrediver said:
One thing I've heard about is using the exhaust fan in the toilet is a bad idea as it creates a draw from the black tank.  Sounds like a positive pressure fan would help with the smell as it would drive the exhaust up the vent pipe instead of drawing it into the RV. 

Anyone have experience with this type of fan?
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Exhaust fan in the water closet will pull air under the door. Reversing that would push the air into the rest of the RV. :eek:
 
srs713 said:
Exhaust fan in the water closet will pull air under the door. Reversing that would push the air into the rest of the RV. :eek:
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I agree. The fan in my bathroom vents out the roof drawing air from both under the door and from the open toilet. I spend as little time as possible with my head over the toilet :) . Just start the flow and step out of the room.

Arch,
Yep, you can buy a thingy to do the job of holding the valve open but I wanted a quick solution while camping out in the sticks and ..... Well the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey says.
 
If the toilet is held open and not simply flushed the exhaust fan will draw gases from the area of least resistance:  the largest opening, the toilet and its vent.  Reversing the fan to inside will positive pressure the structure and force the air OUT the path of least resistance:  the toilet and vent (when held open). 

That's how we force smoke out of a burning house.  Put a fan on the front door of a house and then open the windows, then no more smoke inside. 
 
I fill my black tank by filling the toilet to max and flushing.

My thinking is that rush of water into the black tank tends to mix things up.


May take a dozen fillings depending on how full the tank was before filling.
 
For the RV Forum' most popular topic.. ?  ;) :)

My .03's worth ?  :D

1. During Setup, I dump 3-4 bowls of water (w/chemicals) into the tank.

(with just the two of us, we don't generate that much Black Water, in say, a 3-4 day stay)

2. During Breakdown, I dump 2-3 bowls of water in the tank. Tow it home. Towing it (my thinking).. gives it a Dang Good Sloshing, breaking everything down to a Slurry.

3. At home.. I Dump & Rinse.. until I see [reasonably] clear water. Close the valve and dump 2 bowls of water in the tank.

When we're on the road, I only dump the Black Tank after 3 or 4 days of travel, and doing step 3. 

During an extended stay, I dump & rinse every 4-5, maybe 6 days. (step 3 too)

Werks fer me (us) ? And has for many, many years.



All the above is done with the occasional use of a Macerator.

 

 

   

 
Recently my neighbor had to replace a black tank.

After seeing how they are constructed and held in place on the trailer most of us would think twice before towing very far with a near full black or gray tank.

The tank is much like a very large oil can.  Remember the ones that had a bottom that you pushed to get the oil out.


https://goo.gl/images/RXZx4A
 
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