Holding tank smell-blockage and a solution

[Lynn1130]

I would guess that we all have struggled with keeping our holding tanks clean and odor free. I certainly was one of those and had tried most every cleaning method available including the Geo Method. Some worked ok and some did not. Recently on a camping trip we developed sewer odors and about three days into the trip we had a full black tank when there were not enough people using the toilet to fill the system that quickly. Since we were about done on that trip we closed things up and came home. I suspected that we either had a blockage that had not allowed the tank to completely drain out previously or had a "poop pile". I decided that it was time to have the tanks cleaned by a professional. I called my local RV repair shop that I trust and have used for many years with several different rigs. They referred me to a local company who does their work.

I am not going to do a plug here for that company but I will refer those interested to a product that is their (Don's) and a Web page (http://tanktechs.com/) that has some very interesting info on what causes RV odors, blockages, and non working gauges and how to remedy those issues. If you Google the product and company you will also find a number of YouTube posts on results and successes.

So, I am going to stop using tank chemicals for awhile and try the TankTechs RX probiotic and see what happens but from what I can tell by reading the documentation that I have and what is on their page this stuff should work. Time will tell. Additionally, from what Don tells me, this works very well for full timers as it has more time to do it's thing.

 

[olcoon]

Sounds good, please keep us posted!

 

[Gaffer]

Use a lot of water for number 2 and always as little paper as possible.

 

[johnpsz]

I like the ice trick before a long trip, I get 2 bags of ice (roughly equal to 2gallons of water) and put the ice in just before leaving for the trip. As your driving around the ice (hard solid) scrapes the inside of the tank and breaks down and poo piles or stuck on paper, and as it melts the roughly 2 gallons of water keeps it from piling back up. Depending on the trip we either dump the black tank later that day at a rest stop or when we get to the campground. At least that's what we did with the older camper, haven't done that with the new one yet, but plan to.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

 

[Lynn1130]

That probably works in places where the outside temps are not 100+ (thus the tank is already 100+)and the ice melts before you drive a block down the street as you start your journey.

 

[JohnD]

I bought one of these (I think I got mine at Walmart in the RV Accessories Department):

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/flexible-tank-wand/14497

I used it for the first time at the end of our last camping trip and it cleaned the heck out of the sewer tank in about 10 minutes!

I didn't have to worry about finding a dump station on the way home.

Leaving tomorrow morning for another fun-filled week in our camper up in the mountains!

 

[ILH]

This discussion of black tank maintenance and related issues reminds me of a brief stop I made last summer in Michigan. Two women in their late 30s were in a state of constant inebriation. They had borrowed a small camper and came looking for help when their toilet began to overflow.

Turns out nobody had explained to them that the tanks need to be emptied from time to time.I'm not sure where they thought the poop was going!?