Warning To New Bh Owners! Read!

ChopperBill

Well-known member
Just got back from a week long boondocking trip with the new BH. Had to look into compartment behind the docking station for reasons I will post in other headings. I found a pipe fitting going in from outside the docking station that had no hose or anything going to it. I looked to the outside of the docking station and found it was for the BLACK TANK SANI-FLUSH!! Can you imagine what would happen if you were to connect a garden hose to this open fitting? Water would have sprayed all over the inside of the compartment and shoot over to the converter and other electric components! Can not imagine what kind of havoc it would have caused before I would have figured out what was going on! I found a loose hose behind the hodge podge of hoses and wires and assumed it was intended to go to the black tank flush system. Screwed it on the naked pipe fitting and found out later when I dumped the tank that was its intended use. Made this post as soon as I got home so all new owners could take five minutes and check theirs out.
 

Trap

Well-known member
Other than that scary fact (still leary about QC problems at heartland) how was the rest of your trip. I'm sure you found a few more problems but hopefully nothing that interferred with trip.

Trap
 

jpmorgan37

Well-known member
Chopper Bill;
You sould post this in ask/tell the factory. They really need to know. Or do a PM to Corley at Heartland. This will help every future owner. Besides MHO, how was the rest of your trip? I'm still sorting out little nit picking things on my GC but it's no different than my last two fivers. Quality control is not one of the finer point of American industry. After working for the Japanese for 28 years, I understand why they did so well in the American automobile market.
John
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
JP: Did a short recap on our trip. Guessing I will be sorting out nit picking problems also. As of this date we still are happy with our purchase. Pretty sure the rest of the RV industry sends their offerings out not ready for the consumer. Hate to say it but you are right. Never have owned a foreign car in my 60 years and cant say I ever will. But, if the Japanese start building RV's the US industry will be put to their knees! :eek:
 

Wild Wind

Active Member
Thats why Heartland puts those petty carpeted partition/covers accross the storage compartment, they are to imbaressed to get you see the hodge podge of pipes and wires. There is no pride in workmanship at all, I spent hours & hours rerouting & wire tieing wires & piping so that I should work on things if need be. I also found then that the suction water line from the tank to the pumb was kinked and would have never worked.
I am very suprized that Japan has not come to our resque yet, and started building RV's. The best piece of equipment that, I have ever owned is my 24 year old Kubota Tractor with 6' belly mower ( it has never broken down or refused to start in the winter).
I believe that the Japanise would send out their trailers with quality tires and not play games with owners about repairs. I have never had to use a forum regarding my Kubota, and it has never been in for service!
 

jpmorgan37

Well-known member
Bill;
I read it and enjoyed the good parts and definately understand the rest. I've used inverters for about 8 or 9 years and never used an automatic switch. I plug mine in and unplug the charger and never (after the first time) leave it plugged in when I connect to shore power. I know when I need it and when I don't so it works for me. Even ran my frig on a/c while travelling once, when the propane side quit working due to a bad thermocouple. Part of the joys of life in an RV.
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
JP: Dealer put on an Auto transfer switch AFTER THEY fried a brand new Xantrex! They plugged into shore power while the inverter was on. I would have no problem with out an ATS but not sure my wife would!
 

lesjoy

Member
Did not have a problem with black tank flush in our new Bghorn fiver but found every drain fitting in the unit had only been finger tightened so had leaks from sinks and shower on first use. Agree tha Q.C. seems to take a backseat in the rush to put units on the road. Ours is currently in for replacement of an axle that snapped at the weld at the wheel hub resulting in the loss of wheel and tire, 30 min later we would have been descending a mountain pass.
 
Chopperbill
You should have found two loose hoses apparently one to the black tank flush and another hose that is used to winterize your unit. You have to really reach back but its has a valve you turn and the pump will suck the antifreeze through the water system.
I originally had to change some of the valve position to get my holding tank water to flow they weren’t in the right configuration.
 

GaryB

Well-known member
Wow - I hope Heartland takes notice of these messages and begins to take their QC efforts more seriously. The Big Horn seems to be a nice unit, but some of these problems are scary and potentially very serious. I know every RV company has some QC problems. But implementing a comprehensive QC program isn't rocket science - it just takes strong motivation and drive by the company and employees to make it work. As mentioned, too bad the Japanese haven't made inroads on this market (yet :)
 
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HappyKayakers

Well-known member
ChopperBill said:
Just got back from a week long boondocking trip with the new BH. Had to look into compartment behind the docking station for reasons I will post in other headings. I found a pipe fitting going in from outside the docking station that had no hose or anything going to it. I looked to the outside of the docking station and found it was for the BLACK TANK SANI-FLUSH!! Can you imagine what would happen if you were to connect a garden hose to this open fitting? Water would have sprayed all over the inside of the compartment and shoot over to the converter and other electric components! Can not imagine what kind of havoc it would have caused before I would have figured out what was going on! I found a loose hose behind the hodge podge of hoses and wires and assumed it was intended to go to the black tank flush system. Screwed it on the naked pipe fitting and found out later when I dumped the tank that was its intended use. Made this post as soon as I got home so all new owners could take five minutes and check theirs out.

Hey Chopper Bill,
We had a similar (maybe same) problem with our new BH. I DID try the SAN-T-FLUSH and got water leaking out of the bottom of the rig under the toilet. Not sure where the loose fittings were but the dealer fixed them. While you were looking around, did you notice a black sewer pipe that looked like it had frame crossmembers cut around it? I was looking behind my docking station a few days ago and noticed this. Haven't had time to 'ask the factory' or anybody else yet.
 

tumble

Member
Bill,
Thanks for the advice on the docking station. I own a 2007 BH and how do you see the back of the docking station? We truly love our and feww problem here and there. The dead bolt lock on the door would not unlock and the deal removed the door handle and messed up my door and they are replacing it.
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
tumble said:
Bill,
Thanks for the advice on the docking station. I own a 2007 BH and how do you see the back of the docking station? We truly love our and feww problem here and there. The dead bolt lock on the door would not unlock and the deal removed the door handle and messed up my door and they are replacing it.
In mine there is a panel in the storage bay right beside the docking station. Take the screws out of the panel and it should pull right out. My panel fit tight enough so I didn't put the screws back in so I have easy access to winterize and check things out at needed.
 

HappyKayakers

Well-known member
ChopperBill said:
In mine there is a panel in the storage bay right beside the docking station. Take the screws out of the panel and it should pull right out. My panel fit tight enough so I didn't put the screws back in so I have easy access to winterize and check things out at needed.

Mine also has 3 screws in the left rear corner of the docking station that attach to the storage bay panel and must be removed.
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
HappyKayakers said:
Mine also has 3 screws in the left rear corner of the docking station that attach to the storage bay panel and must be removed.
Mine had those screws too, but they missed there target. Take them out and put 'em in your screw bin. Those suckers are about an inch long and the point is as sharp as a pin. I looked like I got into a fight with a tiger when I stuck my arm in there! :rolleyes:
 

Uncle Rog

Well-known member
Howdy, I had to pull the docking bulk head off the first day! The water heater bypass valve was opened to recirculate the hot water back through the heater, had the same problem with a Prowler a few years ago so it was easy to figure out. I also had to use a jig saw to customize the panel to accomodate a heater line that was crushed.
 

svd

Well-known member
I tried to use my back flush port this weekend and noticed water leaking out near the closet door when you first walk in on the right side, and water running out underneath the trailer. When we got home, I found that the back flush water line from the docking station runs up along side the closet, is connected to a vacuum backflow valve, and then runs into the black tank. I removed the panel inside the closet and found the threaded connections on the piping were loose. Tightened them up and tride the back flush, and everthing was good.
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
My line seemed to run straight down to the belly which I assume went to the black tank. Do we all have those vacuum breakers?
 
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