Black tank sag and popping sounds - thoughts?

[RonandJacki]

Scenario: in an effort to clear the black tank sensors that always displays 2/3 full, I did a 4x full tank flush. A lot of residual stuff came out, mostly paper. But, my major concern was some major popping sounds and the underneath sag. I realized that the black tank appears to be laid in across the coach from frame rail to frame rail. This is in a 36 foot Big Country 3155RLK. Any idea what might have been going on? No fasteners were popped through the underseal.

 

[cookie]

There may be a sheet of OSB under the tank. It's possible that it was cracking under the weight.
It might be time to remove some of the under belly corrugated plastic material (Coroplast) and take a look.

Peace
Dave

 

[RonandJacki]

There may be a sheet of OSB under the tank. It's possible that it was cracking under the weight.
It might be time to remove some of the under belly corrugated plastic material (Coroplast) and take a look.

Peace
Dave

So I'm guessing that the safest way to flush the black tank is to leave the valve open because the undertank support will not support a full tank. How difficult would it have been at construction to use a sheet of 1/2 inch marine plywood to support the tank? Eventually this may be my after market update. Thanks Cookie for your reply.

 

[danemayer]

So I'm guessing that the safest way to flush the black tank is to leave the valve open because the undertank support will not support a full tank. How difficult would it have been at construction to use a sheet of 1/2 inch marine plywood to support the tank? Eventually this may be my after market update. Thanks Cookie for your reply.

Not every trailer's tanks have wood underneath. Mine don't.

 

[RonandJacki]

Not every trailer's tanks have wood underneath. Mine don't.

Is there any support underneath? Strapping? Does your underneath sag all the time, what keeps your tank from just dropping out? That's crazy.

 

[danemayer]

Is there any support underneath? Strapping? Does your underneath sag all the time, what keeps your tank from just dropping out? That's crazy.

There are angle-iron supports running side-to-side supporting the front and rear edges of the tanks. I think there are loose straps as well.

Over time my tanks have expanded and gray #1 sags quite a bit in the center. I also have foam board and extra insulation between the coroplast and bottom of the tank. So the coroplast under gray #1 sags quite a bit. On my floor plan, the black tank is above gray #1. And gray #2 appears to have more space underneath, so they don't press on the coroplast (or the foam board/insulation). And gray #2 has probably never been full since gray #1 always fills first.

 

[RonandJacki]

So, we keep gray tank #1 open all of the time. Gray tank #2 is drained after the black tank is drained to flush out the sewer hose(recommended by friends). We drain those tanks every three days as we are stationary in a park. How often would it be recommended to do a flush of the black tank? I'm sorry, I know these are rookie questions, but they would be so much easier to be answered if Heartland provided a printed owners manual with this information readily accessible.

 

[danemayer]

So, we keep gray tank #1 open all of the time. Gray tank #2 is drained after the black tank is drained to flush out the sewer hose(recommended by friends). We drain those tanks every three days as we are stationary in a park. How often would it be recommended to do a flush of the black tank? I'm sorry, I know these are rookie questions, but they would be so much easier to be answered if Heartland provided a printed owners manual with this information readily accessible.

Nothing wrong with rookie questions.

You probably want the black tank closer to full before dumping. A partially full tank won't have enough water volume to get all the solids and paper out. Some may be left lying across the black tank valve. If you close the valve that way, you'll jam the material into the mechanism leading to slow leaks from the valve. That usually creates big problems. A lot of us wait until the toilet "burps" before dumping the black tank. Based on historical usage patterns, I dump the black tank weekly. I'll run the grays open (except in winter), and close them 2 days before the black tank is going to be dump. That builds up enough water in the grays to rinse the outlet and hose.

Take a look at our owner-written Water Systems Guide for more detailed tips and techniques. We have a collection of user guides that augment the Heartland manual and provide detailed information in a number of areas.

 

[Shortest Straw]

So, we keep gray tank #1 open all of the time. Gray tank #2 is drained after the black tank is drained to flush out the sewer hose(recommended by friends). We drain those tanks every three days as we are stationary in a park. How often would it be recommended to do a flush of the black tank? I'm sorry, I know these are rookie questions, but they would be so much easier to be answered if Heartland provided a printed owners manual with this information readily accessible.

At least you are asking questions. Every three days is to often to drain a black tank. We are able to go about 8 days the two of us on the black tank. I leave the bath gray open until 3 days before the black tank drain, and I keep the kitchen gray closed and that lasts about 4 days before I need to drain. No matter how hard we try we cannot keep food particles from getting into the tank and we use the water volume to flush them out. Gray tanks can be a worse smell than the black. As far as flushing, I flush the black tank every time I drain it. I also use the gray tanks to back flush the black when I do that. I am sure you will get as many different ways to do things as comments.

 

[JohnDar]

You might check with your campground about leaving tank valves open. Some have rules that require they be closed unless actually dumping. I keep ours all closed until it's time to dump the black tank (via the "burp"), with the exception of opening Gray #1 if we're doing laundry. With experience, you'll get a "feel" for how often your black tank will need dumping and not necessarily wait for it to burp. Actually, the sound it makes when you flush the toilet will start to deepen, telling you it's getting close to burping. Learn to recognize it so you can avoid the zero-dark-thirty, tank must be dumped, and it's raining cat & dogs outside. DAMHIKT!

 

[jsmadams]

Is there any support underneath? Strapping? Does your underneath sag all the time, what keeps your tank from just dropping out? That's crazy.

I have a 2016 Heartland Wilderness 3175RE. Two years ago my black tank fell. I assume it sagged and fell between the angle supports. There was a single strap that went from side to side that broke when the tank fell. The underbelly ( colorplast ? ) was the only thing that kept the tank from hitting the ground. Poor design and not enough support.

 

[Mrsfish]

I have a 2016 Heartland Wilderness 3175RE. Two years ago my black tank fell. I assume it sagged and fell between the angle supports. There was a single strap that went from side to side that broke when the tank fell. The underbelly ( colorplast ? ) was the only thing that kept the tank from hitting the ground. Poor design and not enough support.

my friends 2018 Lance trailer just had the fresh water tank fall out. Thank goodness it happened when parked in front of her house. Her dealer drove down and installed some steel straps to support. It was sitting on 1/2 lip

 

[Oldelevatorman]

I have a 2016 Heartland Wilderness 3175RE. Two years ago my black tank fell. I assume it sagged and fell between the angle supports. There was a single strap that went from side to side that broke when the tank fell. The underbelly ( colorplast ? ) was the only thing that kept the tank from hitting the ground. Poor design and not enough support.

I don't have any sagging tanks but some parts of the underbelly seemed to be low so i took some heavy duty ratchet straps across the frame as a precaution. Cheap insurance in my mind! Are you sure the popping isn't your hydraulic jacks, if you have them?


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[tomlopez58]

Yes you should be concerned with the sagging tank, I have a 2028 Heartland 365 and a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday morning while dumping my tanks my black tank fell to the concrete breaking the pipe and dumping human waste everywhere, what a disaster. There were no straps across the bottom and only one or two screws in the two braces that hold the tank up. ( Braces have 4 holes for 4 screws )Had to call a non authorized repair company, well this run me $2000 and Heartland would only pay half of it because they said the guy took too long. I continue to fight with them, this is a brand new $120000 rig that’s 4 months old. The popping sounds aren’t your tanks it’s your front hydraulics. PS moral of this story is don’t by Heartland they were once a top brand but no more. Also my dealer told me This tank falling out is not a new problem they have had a few of them fall out

 

[esscobra]

I don't full time - but i am lucky to have a storage lot a few blocks from my house with a dump station and water - and most places i stay do not have sewer hookups at campsite- so i will usually add some water before leaving to black tank (drive home gets everything moving and loosened up ready to flow out )and then either empty when i get to storage lot and then use black flush to wash tank after dumping or will sometimes leave in tank for a week or two to give paper and solids time to dissolve- after flushing till water is relatively clean- usually dump then close valve and let tank partially fill then dump again and short rinse thru - water is clear- then i will ad about 1/2 to 3/4 full and some liquid or a drop in packet - and leave to dissolve anything left in tank- then its a quick/easy dump on way out for next trip- did this on my 2011 and on current bighorn for the last 1 1/2 years and sensors have always worked well and no dripping from valve