In the past our toilet in the Master Bathroom has gotten stopped up. I go no longer than 2 weeks to dump, flush and treat my black tanks. RV has been in shop for this issue a couple of times. Last 2 times I use a plunger and clog goes down. This last time it does not budge. I tried Google "You Tube" says pour boiling water or 5 pounds of ice. Nothing seems to work. Any suggestions?
Bighorn - Master Toilet Clogged
- Thread starter dannyjo83
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Hi dannyjo83,
One possible cause is a problem with the pipe connecting the toilet to the black tank. If that pipe doesn't go straight down - takes a sharp bend for example, you could have a problem with stuff building up in that pipe. If that's the problem, you'd know because to clear the obstruction, you'd be pushing a short snake or other object down the toilet to clear the obstruction. Correcting this type of problem would require some examination with the toilet removed, to see what's going on in the pipe.
Another possibility is a buildup of solids on the floor of the black tank because of lack of water. This can happen if you are trying to conserve water when flushing. It can also happen if you have a slow leak from the black tank gate valve. If you're not using lots of water with each flush, you can fix that problem pretty easily. If you have a slow leak, you can work around it in the short term by installing a twist-on external gate valve on the end of the sewer outlet, and keeping all the gate valves closed. You'll probably have to dump the gray tanks every few days. But the external gate valve will keep all of the water you flush from going down the sewer. If the tank valve is leaking, eventually you'll need to have that cleaned or replaced. Btw, it's pretty common to cause leaks by closing the gate valve while there are solids lying in the valve due to an incomplete cleaning of the tank. A clear adapter on the sewer outlet will help with that. Many of us dump and flush the tank 2 or 3 times to make sure it's clean.
Here's a twist-on valve on Amazon. Another choice would be a combination gate valve/clear adapter with backflush fitting.
One possible cause is a problem with the pipe connecting the toilet to the black tank. If that pipe doesn't go straight down - takes a sharp bend for example, you could have a problem with stuff building up in that pipe. If that's the problem, you'd know because to clear the obstruction, you'd be pushing a short snake or other object down the toilet to clear the obstruction. Correcting this type of problem would require some examination with the toilet removed, to see what's going on in the pipe.
Another possibility is a buildup of solids on the floor of the black tank because of lack of water. This can happen if you are trying to conserve water when flushing. It can also happen if you have a slow leak from the black tank gate valve. If you're not using lots of water with each flush, you can fix that problem pretty easily. If you have a slow leak, you can work around it in the short term by installing a twist-on external gate valve on the end of the sewer outlet, and keeping all the gate valves closed. You'll probably have to dump the gray tanks every few days. But the external gate valve will keep all of the water you flush from going down the sewer. If the tank valve is leaking, eventually you'll need to have that cleaned or replaced. Btw, it's pretty common to cause leaks by closing the gate valve while there are solids lying in the valve due to an incomplete cleaning of the tank. A clear adapter on the sewer outlet will help with that. Many of us dump and flush the tank 2 or 3 times to make sure it's clean.
Here's a twist-on valve on Amazon. Another choice would be a combination gate valve/clear adapter with backflush fitting.
Last edited by a moderator:
SNOKING
Well-known member
Here is the routine I have developed over many snowbird winters.
1. Get a clear sight adapter and put it between the trailer and the sewer hose.
2. I leave the black tank closed for a week at a time. Grey tanks open.
3. I form a pee trap in the sewer hose with a couple boards, one 2x and a 4x4.
4. To dump and flush, I remove the pee trap boards.
5. Close the grey water tanks.
6. Open the black water tank and turn on the hose to the built in flush system.
7. Watch the sight tube until I am down to just hose water coming out.
8. Go inside and do two full bowl super flushes. "Bomb the Pile!" Note: Full bowl means filling the bowl to the bottom of the upper rim.
9. Go back outside and view discharge.
10. Close the black water tank and run the flush water in for four(4) minutes. Do not let anyone distract you at this point.
11. Open and drain and repeat 10 again.
12. Flush a bit and verify that you have nice clear water coming out of the tank. If not go back to step 8 and start again.
13. When you have nice clear discharge, put the pee trap boards back the sewer line and fill the pee trap.
14. Close the black water tank and add about a minute worth of water to the tank with the flush hose.
15. Secure the flush hose. I have a little inline valve adapter at the side of the trailer and the other end get turned off.
16. Open the grey water tanks and go add your chemical to the tank.
I have had the burping a couple of times, however the super flushes seem to have fixed that issue.
Having piles in not good!!
Chris
1. Get a clear sight adapter and put it between the trailer and the sewer hose.
2. I leave the black tank closed for a week at a time. Grey tanks open.
3. I form a pee trap in the sewer hose with a couple boards, one 2x and a 4x4.
4. To dump and flush, I remove the pee trap boards.
5. Close the grey water tanks.
6. Open the black water tank and turn on the hose to the built in flush system.
7. Watch the sight tube until I am down to just hose water coming out.
8. Go inside and do two full bowl super flushes. "Bomb the Pile!" Note: Full bowl means filling the bowl to the bottom of the upper rim.
9. Go back outside and view discharge.
10. Close the black water tank and run the flush water in for four(4) minutes. Do not let anyone distract you at this point.
11. Open and drain and repeat 10 again.
12. Flush a bit and verify that you have nice clear water coming out of the tank. If not go back to step 8 and start again.
13. When you have nice clear discharge, put the pee trap boards back the sewer line and fill the pee trap.
14. Close the black water tank and add about a minute worth of water to the tank with the flush hose.
15. Secure the flush hose. I have a little inline valve adapter at the side of the trailer and the other end get turned off.
16. Open the grey water tanks and go add your chemical to the tank.
I have had the burping a couple of times, however the super flushes seem to have fixed that issue.
Having piles in not good!!
Chris
Last edited by a moderator:
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
You might also try letting your grey tank get full, then use the force of the water in that tank to back flush into the black tank to blow out anything that might be clogging the black tank.
I've been doing this for years and have never once had a black tank problem.
I've been doing this for years and have never once had a black tank problem.
travelin2
Pennsylvania Chapter Leaders-retired
John, I've seen you post this procedure prior but on a BH, mine anyway, the 2 gray tanks are below the black tank. My black tank actually sits on top of gray tank #1. The tank locations in your Prowler may facilitate this but not so much in a rig with the drop frame.
I'm guessing this fellow has a poop pile from too little water.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
JanAndBill
Well-known member
Always have to chuckle at the extensive rituals people go to with their black tanks. I've used the same simple procedure for many years, and have never had a problem. I leave the black tank valve closed until the tank level reaches 3/4 or better, then open the valve and let it drain completely. Every 3 days, or when we break camp, I open the valve turn on the black tank flush and go about my business for at least 30 mins or so. Before we pull out, a tab of dishwasher detergent (not the cheap stuff) gets flushed down the toilet. If we're are headed in for any length of time chemical goes in as well. Once a year or as needed the valves all get serviced. Might add that the process works well enough that I rarely have an issue with my tank level indicators not working.
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
If your gray tanks are 3/4 to full and your black tank is empty, then the force of the grey water will still blast anything that may be blocked up at the black drain, even if the black tank is above the grey tank.
The idea is to knock that block back in to the tank so that the standard flush will run it back out.
Shortest Straw
Caught In A Mosh
If the block is right below the toilet inlet to the tank what you are describing wouldn't work IMO. Gravity fed water would not have enough of a flow to do anything but clean out the residual in the bottom of the tank. Either way I think you would have to have a pressurized grey tank to get water to do what you are saying.
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
Try it . . . you might be suprised what water can do.
And the idea is to loosen what is on the bottom of the black tank.
When I do ours it back flows for about 5 seconds . . . then you can hear the bubbling stop.
Then when I close the grey tank valve I usually see some nasty stuff flow out of the black tank, even though it was flowing clear while running the built-in tank flush.
It is worth a try, anyway . . . I'll bet it will back flow enough to get some crud out.
If it doesn't work . . . at least you tried it!
It doesn't cost anything, so why not?
Oregon_Camper
Well-known member
What is a "tab"?
Which brand of dishwasher detergent do you use?
How is this done?
Gaffer
Well-known member
5 feet or so of 3/4" non metallic liquid tight flexible conduit is stiff enough but flexible enough to pass down to the offset black tank. This should move the pile that builds up where the pipe dumps into the tank. In the future flush #2 only with a full bowl of water. No # 1 gets no paper at all and goes in the trash. Same with anything after the 1st #2 wipe.
Oregon_Camper
Well-known member
For our RV....#2 use all the TP you need....then fill the bowl 2 times and flush. Plenty of water is your friend.
#1 (for the female crowd)....use all the TP you need...fill and flush bowl 1 time.
Never had a black tank problem in 15+ years of camping.
Frosty97140
Member
Would this also work for a 2014 cyclone 4100 king? We are full timers. Our toilets plug all the time even though we "follow all the rules."
Thank you,
Frosty97140
Thank you,
Frosty97140
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
If you keep getting clogs...then you must not be doing something right!
Use more water...
