Black Tank Issues

Mike4401

Member
We are in our 3rd campground with the new trailer now, and today I wanted to empty and flush the black tanks. At the other campgrounds, when I pulled off the sewer cap, both times, I got a couple of cups of brown water. This tells me one of the black valves is leaking or has crud in it already. This is on a Newport, so 2 black tanks.

So, before I went to dump the black tanks, I put on a twist on Valterra valve to eliminate the cups of brown water till I get that sorted out. Glad now that I did this.

The front bath tank drained normally, flush hookup was the front one in the docking center. It flushed normally also.

When I went to drain the downstairs bath black tank, I got a little bit of brown stuff, a little TP, and not much else. I turned on the tank flush, and it soon became clear that it was not flowing water. I also cannot close this black tank valve now, since "stuff" is completely blocking it. Tank is clogged solid....no flow. I put a 32 oz bottle of RV clog buster down the toilet, and it is in there now. I can also see a fair amount of liquid down in the toilet.

I have read about the backwards install of the anti siphon valves behind the shower, and that may be one of my problems now. I looked, and I have 2 anti siphon valves back there. On both of them, there is a red pipe going in to the side with the elbow on it, with a blue pipe going to the other side. Although I can see these valves, and will be able to tell which one is working by listening to them, I cannot imagine being able to cut pipe and work in that small space.

We leave for an 8 hour drive in the morning.

Any advice for me?

thanks, mike
 

Mike4401

Member
OK, I got the clog busted with the old fashioned tank flush....garden hose down the toilet.

Now, I am left with the one internal flushing system that doesn't flow water, and I know help is on the way with that one!!!

mike
 

BobTheBuilder

Active Member
We lived on sailboats before RVs and black tanks are a lot more difficult on boats. Our rule was to not put anything in the toilet you had not eaten first! We kept a small closed-top can and put all of our paper in it. We do that now on our Bighorn and never have any clogs (or smells).
 
Top