Black Tank Won't Drain

[olcoon]

We have a 2011 Elk Ridge 27RLSS. We are currently work camping, and really can't take the 5er to a dealer. Today I went to drain the black tank, it started to drain & then stopped. I checked the valve, and it will open & close. Called Heartland & they suggested using a snake to try to unclog it. I got a snake, and used it, but only got about 2 gal. to dribble out. I don't really think that the snake was reaching the valve, but twisting up/doubling up inside the plumbing. I'm kind of at wits end. Two things I've been thinking about are:

1. The campground has a mobile pump & tank they use to pump out the septic tanks, and they have used it to pump out RV's with. I'm kind of thinking about trying it to drain the tank. I'm kind of concerned that the suction may cause problems/damage to the plumbing or the tank.

2. Hooking up and driving a few miles and "hopefully" the sloshing around will break up the clog.

The campground has low water pressure, and the black tank flush doesn't work properly, water just dribbles in. We have to keep the fresh water tank full & use the pump to take showers. Whenever I have drained the tank in the past, I'll drain the tank, then use the tank flush to refill the tank, & drain it again. Then partially fill the tank again to avoid the "poop pile". Also when I drain the tanks, all 3 tanks will show 1/3 full when drained. I don't know if this is due to the sensors, or if they are actually are 1/3 full. There is a slight list away from the the tank drain pipe. Anyone got any ideas, suggestions?

 

[JohnDar]

You should carry one of these in your sewer kit. Best way to knock a logjam out of the valve. I think that solids collect at the lip of the valve in the tank and create a dam. The tank flusher may eventually fill the tank enough to push it out, but this gizmo shoves it back in and helps break it up.
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/product/rv-hydro-flush/2096

 

[Jcullipher]

You could drive around in the park, ask any campers if they have a "flush king", which is another brand name of the device that John linked. I know lots of people carry them.

 

[brianharrison]

I have had troubles feeding a snake back "up" a drain line as well - seems to need gravity to help move the snake along with the twisting motion.

I have had success with a rigid electrical fish tape and feeding that back into an up sloping drain.

I assume you are confident there is fluid in your waste tank and you do have a blockage. I have been fooled before with thinking I had a full tank and it was only 1/4 full.

Take care,
Brian

 

[lmcclure]

Be very careful of a pump that uses vaccum as I have seen tanks implode. Honey wagons are the worse as they sometimes don't realize the strength of vaccum. I use a product called Unique which seems to break up solids fast.

 

[danemayer]

Add a gate valve where the sewer hose hooks up. CLOSE the new valve while the built-in black tank valve is OPEN. Run water into the tank from either the black tank flush connection, or by running the toilet. Just be careful that someone monitors inside so you don't overfill and flood the RV with sewage. I have a regulator that allows about 5 gallons per minute (where the pressure is good) and I'll use the black tank flush connection for about 4 minutes - about 20 gallons added. But if you don't know how much water you're putting in, using a timer may be risky.

As you fill, the water first backs up from the closed valve, thru the sewer pipe and thru the open valve, into the tank. That creates an opportunity for the clog to move back away from the tank valve. With more water built up in the black tank, there'll be lots of pressure pushing on the clog when you finally open the new gate valve. If the clog moves back away from the valve, it'll be moving when it gets to the valve and is more likely to pass.

When I drain the black tank, I use this method 3 or 4 times to make sure the tank is clean.

The exterior gate valve also helps avoid the problem where you close the main tank valve on a wad of toilet paper, creating a "leak" where the water you think is preventing the poop pile is actually slowly draining into the sewer, allowing the poop to pile, making it progressively more difficult to empty the tank. And when you do get around to relocating, it lets you attach the sewer hose without spilling sewage onto the ground or yourself.

 

[Rrloren]

I've read that some have used a bag of ice thrown into the black tank then ride around for a few miles to breakup the solids. Never tried it myself but they claim it works. Good luck.

 

[olcoon]

Thank's for the replys!!! Especially the one from imcclure, I was seriously thinking about using the honey wagon we have here, thinking it would suck the plug out. I was afraid it may cause more problems than I've got. I think I'll head to CW or Wally World & get the Flush King or one like it. I'm pretty sure that the light is correct. We have very low water pressure here, and have to keep water in the fresh water tank & use the pump to take a shower. With just the pressure from the city water inlet, when the shower is on, & the shower head is pointed up, the spray only goes up about 3"...about 1 notch above a dribble! I'm afraid to put more water in the tank until we get the problem resolved as we won't be able to use the bathroom at night. DW for some reason doesn't want to walk or drive about 1/4 mile in the middle of the night. I'm thinking what the problem is that I had to put about 6" of boards under the door side to get the 5er level. All 3 tanks show 1/3 full after I drain them, and all 3 lights were pretty accurate before we got here. When I drain the black tank, I'll refill it using the tank flush until the tank is full then drain it again. It takes a long time to refill it, and there isn't the spray noise like usual when doing this. I'll usually do this at least once, usually 2 times.

 

[JohnDar]

Rather than waiting on low pressure to fill the tank via the flusher, try using a bucket at the spigot and dumping it into the toilet. At least you'll be bypassing the restrictions of the trailer plumbing. Try the first bucket with the tank drain open. The sudden influx of several gallons down the toilet might dislodge the blockage, if there is one.

 

[TedS]

olcoon, get the Flush King and maybe if the pump tank truck has an onboard water pump for flushing and cleaning up they might hook it up to the Flush King to backflush your tank if the park water pressure is too low.

The 'clog' could be the drill out blank(s) that fell into the tank after the holes were cut in the tank.

 

[2psnapod2]

The 'clog' could be the drill out blank(s) that fell into the tank after the holes were cut in the tank.

If there was one thing that I think the factory should do to stop this issue is remove the darn piece that is dropped into the tank!

 

[newbie]

While at the beach this summer, my black tank did the same as your when I tried to dump into my portable tank. I had enough room to make it two more days until we checked out. The short trip out of our camp site to the dump station provided enough agitation that it emptied completely when I dumped. I would hitch up and go for a short bumpy ride and see if that will do it.

John

 

[olcoon]

Thanks to everyone for the responses!!! I finally got it drained. I tried the "sewer sucker" but it didn't work. Gave the coach an enema, one of the other work campers had the flush king with a gate valve on one end. Hooked it up to the 5er, and the "stinky slinky! It took several times of closing the gate valve on the flush king, & turning on the water to let it build up pressure, then turning off the water & opening the gate valve, but it finally made it through the clog. I then filled up the tank 4 times until "clear" water was coming out. Now DW is happy so that means I'm happy. We won't have to go to the campgrounds restroom in the middle of the night!

 

[mlburst1]

Roy,

That's good news - no fun hiking in the dark....

Mike