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Black tank clean

Yahoo Message Number: 109606
After full timing for 7 years my holding tank burps. I suspect a mountain. Any suggestions on how to clean it. Toilet drain pipe is offset to the tank.

Thanks

John Shankland

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109609
John, there are several professional tank cleaning outfits that will come to the coach and clean the black tank. I can't remember the one I used 4 or 5 years ago in the Phoenix, AZ. area.

Jock Vargo

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109611
John, search on Google for "Geo Method". It is a method that uses water softener, and dish soap to clean your tank. I use it every couple of months to clean the tank and all my sensors still read correctly. If you do have the "mountain"it might take a couple of treatments to clean things out. I use the cheapest softener and dish soap I can find.

Don

'02 Intrigue 11427
'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109613
Try some ice and cleaner; let the drive help to clean your tank. Works best when you have lots of winding road or turns and bumps. Not perfect, but it worked for me.

Alex Ritchey.

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109615
To fix it: put a couple of bags of ice down the toilet, then immediately go for a nice long drive on a winding road...

To keep it from happening again: Use enzymes in the tank, and NEVER dump the black tank until it's empty. Leaving the black tank valve open while hooked up is a disaster waiting to happen.

Don Hutchins

'08 Allure 470, 40' tag, Cat C-9 w/ Cat tranny
Don Hutchins
'08 Allure 470 #31613
40' w/tag, Cat C-9 & Cat tranny

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109618
Not sure if I have a mountain, but my sensors always read full since buying from PO. I am going to try a bacterial approach and report back to the group. The GEO solution didn't work for me. This is the stuff I am going to try.

Amazon.com: Unique Natural Products Marine Digest It Holding Tank Treatment,... - 128oz for $29 on Amazon and said it will dissolve everything and turn to liquid in 24 hours. Also says it will be Ok to use regular toilet paper as well. 

2005 Intrigue Suite Sensation #11890
Cummins 400 ISL
As an Amazon Associate Country Coach Owners Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109619
Don, that is a very interesting solution with using the bags of ice.

To Clarify on your comment about dumping the black tank to empty...  Are you saying that when you dump the black tank, to leave some in? I am not sure I fully understand the comment.

Forgive me, as I am a newbie, currently in the mode of gathering as much intel as possible before I start my journey this season.

Dave.

2004 Intrigue

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109621
Best way to clean out a black water tank or for that matter a grey water tank is to fill your tank about 2/3 full of warm or hot water put a half to full bottle of cascade dishwasher soap in it(pre-mix with water) and take a 200-mile drive. This is an old trick we use on the large boats, you'll get the cleanest tank ever. You just turn your tank into a dishwasher and it works. When storing your motorhome I fill my tank about half full to 3/4 and put a gallon of vinegar in the tank after using the Cascade coming home. By the way your grey water tank is a bigger odor problem than your black tank, so don't forget to clean that one

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109622
Brian is right, this is a great way to keep both the black and grey tanks crystal clean. I add a tad of Calgon too, drive off down the road with the dishwasher action. I am amazed when I dump, bright clean water. However, I have always been perplexed what to do in storage, say for about 3 months. Sometimes I leave empty, just 2 gal of water and the chemical. So the ¾ full with vinegar is intriguing… What is the theory behind the vinegar solution? What does the vinegar do? I wonder if that is hard on the slide valve seals? I guess not, being that they are rubber product and vinegar is acidic product. Do you put it in both black and grey tanks?  I wouldn’t want to open up the coach after 3 months in storage and smell vinegar…
 
Greg
06 Magna 6642
2006 Magna Rembrandt C13
2016 Jeep GC toad

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109624
The vinegar neutralizes the soap and odor, it also has calcium cleaning characteristics. I never smell any vinegar after it's sat for a few days. Your tank indicators will love it and read correctly. In the 10 years I traveled, when I knew I was traveling for a couple hundred mile trip, I would drain my tank clean it as best I can with water and fill the tank up half full with a half bottle of Caskade. I did that about every two to four weeks or when the opportunity for travel began. The worst thing in the world is a coach with odor. And I found grey tank the bigger offender.

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109625
Do you let it sit for a few days or a few months? I am interested in how to leave it in storage for 3 months...
2006 Magna Rembrandt C13
2016 Jeep GC toad

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109627
Can't wait to try.

On another note, any suggestions on the water holding tank. I am always concerned about the quality of the water after it sits in the tank. Even if we flush the tank, I'm sure there is bacteria's and other nasties that grow. How do you clean that tank? Any suggestions are welcome
Thanks,
Laura,

Magna 2008 #6954

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109630
If the tank has sat a week or two, add 2-3 oz. of bleach, fill at least half full then wait for a couple hours. Run all the faucets until you get a slight bleach smell. Drain and rinse the tank a couple times. Fill tank with freshwater. Run faucets to remove the remaining bleach water. Your tank/lines are now sanitary. Any low level remaining dilute bleach is not harmful. Finicky water drinkers can drink bottled water until the next fill.

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109631
Make sure and remove/bypass drinking water filter or replace after treatment as it will collect the bleach.

Ray

They say wine improves with age! As I enter my golden years, I say age improves with wine! The Born Loser

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109632
They make a variety of things to do this with. You can even buy it at Walmart, That was where I bought my last. Camping World also. Or you can fill it up with water then add two cups of Chlorine Bleach( Clorox) drive several miles and then flush the system.

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109633
2 ounces Clorox added to a full tank, set two hours and drain, refill
Robert McClernon
2000 Intrigue
40 one slide cummins 375

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109634
Where do you guys drain 100 gal of fresh water? Poor optics ...
2006 Magna Rembrandt C13
2016 Jeep GC toad

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #18 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109637
My Bad! I meant, don't dump it until it's full, or at least more than half full. "The Mountain" results from the stuff hitting the bottom of an empty tank, because the valve has been left open and connected to the sewer. You should never leave the black tank valve open, and there should always be liquid in the black tank. After emptying it, put a couple gallons back in with the new dose of tank chemicals. Sorry for the confusion. Brain working faster than fingers can type...

Don Hutchins
Don Hutchins
'08 Allure 470 #31613
40' w/tag, Cat C-9 & Cat tranny

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #19 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109638
Laura,

There should be comprehensive instructions for sanitizing the fresh water tank on the inside of the medicine cabinet door.

If they're not there, email me your cell phone # and I'll send you a photo of mine...

Don Hutchins

'08 Allure 470, 40' tag, Cat C-9, Cat tranny
Don Hutchins
'08 Allure 470 #31613
40' w/tag, Cat C-9 & Cat tranny

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #20 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109639
Todd,

The Calgon approach will be a LOT cheaper, and just as effective, I'd guess. Your sensors are giving false readings because there's "junk" stuck to them from lack of cleaning. A significant part of "Junk" is bits of TP, which can also quickly foul a valve, resulting in chronic leakage. NOT fun..

The best method for preventing those problems is to put NO TP in the tank. Our rig, and most boats I've been on, have a strict rule that "nothing goes in the tank except what you've already eaten or drunk". There's a small covered trash can under our sink, lined w/ a plastic bag, that the TP goes in. This may sound disgusting, but you'll quickly get used to it and your black tank sensor and valves will be a lot happier. BTW: this procedure is SOP in a lot of places in Europe where the septic systems are also very sensitive to debris.

Don Hutchins

'08 Allure 470, 40' tag, Cat C-9, Cat tranny
Don Hutchins
'08 Allure 470 #31613
40' w/tag, Cat C-9 & Cat tranny

Re: Switch for steps

Reply #22 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109642
Don,

I need a replacement door switch for my steps. The old wires broke off and I can't find a replacement. Can you tell me what switch to order?

Received David

Re: Black tank clean

Reply #24 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109649
Also true in virtually all of Latin America. Only first-world countries have had the money to invest in better sanitary systems.

Nonetheless, I do put TP in the tank, but I have a macerator that makes short work of any TP that comes its way, and by using the gray tank to help flush the black tank, I seem to have no real problems.

Ken, 2004 Allure #31035