HELP! Black Tank slow to dump-2010 North Country 26BH

[copcarguy]

Hey all!

I have a 2010 North Country 26BH and the black tank simply does not drain 100%. It is veeeery slow to drain and leaves a few inches of "stuff" on the bottom of the tank every time. I am not new to the RV lifestyle, I make sure it is 100% full before dumping to get the maximum drain effect. I have tried using double the dose of chemicals, I am using RV toilet paper, etc. It simply does not drain all the way. The only way I can get it clean and all dumped is that I bought one of those tank swisher things that sprays water into the black tank through the toilet. It is a pain taking the screen out of the lower bunk window and running a hose through the camper into the bathroom. The external black tank flush does nothing and is useless. It just sends a small trickle into the black tank that couldn't push a feather out of the way lol. Is there something wrong with my camper? I have read in Trailer Life in the past about tank vents being blocked that will cause slow draining.

I absolutely love my 26BH except for this "crappy" situation lol. Please help!!

 

[JohnDar]

You may have some debris hung up at the opening to the drain valve. Could be construction debris, or maybe somebody used more paper than they should have. I had to help an older couple last summer when they could not get their obviously full tank to empty...at all. Connected my DrainKing to their sewer and back flushed it a few times until this big wad of TP came flying down the pike. At the same time, I had the gent inside using my toilet wand on a hose to help push it. Told the missus it was the double bean burritos for breakfast, but she admitted to being a little too liberal in her paper use.

On our previous TT, I used a sink faucet adapter to connect a short hose to it and run the toilet wand. It's just a threaded adapter you can get at the hardware store that you replace the faucet aerator with, temporarily.

 

[slmayor]

I think it may be your black tank flush, ours has a definite noise and you can hear a ton of water spraying around. Our tank does take awhile to drain, but the exterior flush works well. I'd also get one of those clear adapter elbows so you can see when it's clear.
In the mean time, we've had good luck using calgon water softener and some dishwashing soap with a few gallons of water and traveling that way. Really sloshes the stuff around and the softener helps unstick whatever might be stuck.

 

[ziggy]

Ditto on the Calgon and dish soap. We've never used standard chemicals without the Calgon combo. Our tank has no odor and drains fine. We did have a little debris when it was new though, so you might want to check that out.


Kristy

 

[wdk450]

2010???

Use the warranty you paid for and let the professionals fix it.

 

[SouthernNights]

Are you sure that the gate valve is opening all the way? I dont know if yours is operated from a cable you pull or you have direct access to the handle of the valve. If it is cable operated, check to make sure it is opening the valve.

On the flush, there is anti syphon valve (check valve) that is installed in the black tank flush line. I think some people have found that their valve was installed backwards which in turn would not allow the water to go through the to the tank.

Or you could do what Bill said

John, you sure seem to have alot of experience with sewer hoses...First sewer trout and now double bean burritos for breakfast.. Interesting Do the sewer trout eat the burritos for breakfast????

 

[copcarguy]

Hey all...

Thanks for the replies so far... I bought my camper from Wilkins RV in Bath, NY which is an almost 6 hour ride for me one way. If worse comes to worse I would tow it back there for warranty service, but I am trying to figure if there is anything I can do before I go that route.

 

[wdk450]

Call Heartland Service

Hey all...

Thanks for the replies so far... I bought my camper from Wilkins RV in Bath, NY which is an almost 6 hour ride for me one way. If worse comes to worse I would tow it back there for warranty service, but I am trying to figure if there is anything I can do before I go that route.

Call Heartland Customer service, and explain that you believe that you have blockage due to a manufacturing defect, not black tank input. They can direct you to a local RV servicer they have on their approved list. You can also go to any RV servicer you like, but you need to get prior approval from Heartland ahd have the servicer call Heartland service before work is begun.

Heartland Service: 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030

 

[JohnDar]

Hey all...

Thanks for the replies so far... I bought my camper from Wilkins RV in Bath, NY which is an almost 6 hour ride for me one way. If worse comes to worse I would tow it back there for warranty service, but I am trying to figure if there is anything I can do before I go that route.

Get yourself a DrainKing or HydroFlush attachment (with valve) and try backflushing the tank via the sewer line a few times before running to the dealer or demanding warranty work. If that doesn't help the situation, then take it in. You can pour all the chemicals in the tank you like, the "stuff" does not dissolve instantly.

 

[JohnDar]

Are you sure that the gate valve is opening all the way? I dont know if yours is operated from a cable you pull or you have direct access to the handle of the valve. If it is cable operated, check to make sure it is opening the valve.

On the flush, there is anti syphon valve (check valve) that is installed in the black tank flush line. I think some people have found that their valve was installed backwards which in turn would not allow the water to go through the to the tank.

Or you could do what Bill said

John, you sure seem to have alot of experience with sewer hoses...First sewer trout and now double bean burritos for breakfast.. Interesting Do the sewer trout eat the burritos for breakfast????

I'm not sure. It might be akin to the chicken or the egg analogy. Oops, sorry about the anal-o-gee reference. Seriously though, I had a lot of experience with our TT. The FR GS272 was designed to ride low to the ground, so the sewer drain was fairly horizontal, not much vertical drop (and the underbelly was enclosed). Backflushing and toilet wanding was a way of life. The times we camped at the state park, with no sewer hookups, I had to dig a shallow pit to get the ToteTank under it to connect the hose so it didn't run uphill.

 

[Netem]

John been there, stayed at Holland state park on i think site 6 and was so uneven I had to dig down the tires on one side to level then it was to low to use my blue tank. Live and learn.

 

[cfulton]

My black tank had real slow drain as yours or at least sounds like. Then one day nothing would drain out---ouch.
Problem was a cutout had dropped in the tank during manufacture and had partially blocked, then fully blocked the drain hole. Was told by my dealer it was not that uncommon.
Might note that he did not enjoy the removal of the cutout!!!!!!!!!
Cheers

 

[JohnDar]

My black tank had real slow drain as yours or at least sounds like. Then one day nothing would drain out---ouch.
Problem was a cutout had dropped in the tank during manufacture and had partially blocked, then fully blocked the drain hole. Was told by my dealer it was not that uncommon.
Might note that he did not enjoy the removal of the cutout!!!!!!!!!
Cheers

I have not had that problem with the 3670, but with the TT we traded for it, I collected pieces of plywood, styrofoam, and a broken spade bit. Used that as "Exhibit A" to have the dealer replace the leaky black tank valve.

 

[boatto5er]

I have not had that problem with the 3670, but with the TT we traded for it, I collected pieces of plywood, styrofoam, and a broken spade bit. Used that as "Exhibit A" to have the dealer replace the leaky black tank valve.

I'm not even going to ask how you got that out!

 

[newbie]

Hey all!

I have a 2010 North Country 26BH and the black tank simply does not drain 100%...The external black tank flush does nothing and is useless. It just sends a small trickle into the black tank that couldn't push a feather out of the way lol....Is there something wrong with my camper?

The black tank flush works really well on my unit. Because the black tank is slow to drain, you really need the tank flush to facilitate the last 1/4 or so of the drain. I think either the check valve is faulty or the flush water line is kinked. See if you can get that fixed and I bet you'll be much happier with the tank drain.

Good luck,
John

 

[JohnDar]

I'm not even going to ask how you got that out!

Why with my bare hands, of course! Figured any E-coli in there would remember from whence they came and not bite me.

Without going into a lot of detail, I was having problems with fluid leaking behind the cap and spraying when I went to remove it. So, I was flushing the tank with water and dumping it slowly into a bucket on my driveway (it had been dumped previously at the state park). The foam and wood floated, but the drill bit was a surprise when it ker-plooped into the bucket. After flushing the tank a couple of times, I still could not get the leaking to stop, so I took it to the dealer. Their first repair must have been to just crank down on the bolts around the gate valve blade because I could barely operate it and it still leaked. Took it back and insisted they try again. Valve was replaced.

 

[Elder1]

hmmmmm, I am having gray water leaking out when I remove the cap, may have to do a flush to see what floats out before I take it back to be worked on by the dealer.

 

[rick_debbie_gallant]

Elder 1:

I put a dump valve on the end of my tubing and then a clear elbow with hose connection after that. That way I will not have any surprises when I take off the cap and I can tell what I have before I take the cap off. I can also watch the sewer trout going downstream and for that last one to go downstream. Bow is that fun.

 

[newbie]

Why with my bare hands, of course! Figured any E-coli in there would remember from whence they came and not bite me.

Without going into a lot of detail, I was having problems with fluid leaking behind the cap and spraying when I went to remove it. So, I was flushing the tank with water and dumping it slowly into a bucket on my driveway (it had been dumped previously at the state park). The foam and wood floated, but the drill bit was a surprise when it ker-plooped into the bucket. After flushing the tank a couple of times, I still could not get the leaking to stop, so I took it to the dealer. Their first repair must have been to just crank down on the bolts around the gate valve blade because I could barely operate it and it still leaked. Took it back and insisted they try again. Valve was replaced.

Did that fix the problem of getting sprayed when you remove the cap?

It took me a while to figure this out but 2 holding tanks are forward and one is behind the axle. The valves are at the tanks. I was getting residual liquid from the pipe runs that collected at the low point-the cap. I thought my valves were leaking but once I drained the cup or two behind the cap, I never got any more. I added an auxiliary gate valve at the end of the pipe and this solved the problem of the nasty splash when removing the cap.

 

[JohnDar]

Did that fix the problem of getting sprayed when you remove the cap?

It took me a while to figure this out but 2 holding tanks are forward and one is behind the axle. The valves are at the tanks. I was getting residual liquid from the pipe runs that collected at the low point-the cap. I thought my valves were leaking but once I drained the cup or two behind the cap, I never got any more. I added an auxiliary gate valve at the end of the pipe and this solved the problem of the nasty splash when removing the cap.

To be honest, no it didn't. That's when I went to using a clear adapter with a twist-on valve on it. After that, no more showers. It may well have been residual liquid due to the low angle of the piping, but getting two or more cups of nasty forcing it's way past the cap when you loosen it was not nice. Until I did that, I had to put a bucket under the sewer fitting at the dump station or when connecting to the sewer and carefully undo the cap.