Cloged black water tank drain

JohnEd · August 25, 2007, 08:55:38 PM

No crap,

I hooked up to the drain and pulled the plunger. NADA! No crap! Really focuses your thoughts. I had 5 gallons of month old black tank and the water was up to an inch of the toilet. And, NO CRAP FLOWED OUT. A lot of things crossed my mind and falling on my swoard was not the least of it. FULL tank and cloged tight. A crowd gathered, sorta like sharks smelling blood in the water, and the park manager was eminently present and watching carefully. Ever see one of those drain caps that have the garden hose fitting in them for draining gray water into a ditch or wherever? I carry one of those. I installed it and got out my air hose, the blower nosel and a rag. I opened the garden hose fitting and inserted the air nozzel and opened the drain valve and gave it a squirt of 90 psi air. You could hear that air bubble work its way to the tank and then BURBLE-BURBLE. A couple more shots of air and a few more comments that "that air is sprayiong sh**t all over the inside of you coach. 2 inch vent with 2 45 degree angles to vent the pressure. Closed all valves and disconnected the hose drain and reconnected the sewer stuff and she flowed like normal. They cheered and clapped. File this under what to do if I EVER!

Having fun in the fast lane,

John

Nick Badame Refrig/ACC · August 25, 2007, 09:03:39 PM

Hi John,

Sounds like one of thoose "bullshitsyou" storys... along with the actual smell.

Good thinking! it could of turned out really crappy otherwise.

Nick-

Tony LEE · August 26, 2007, 12:12:40 AM

I can't imagine the circumstances that would block a 3" drain so thoroughly that nothing would come out.

TomC · August 26, 2007, 12:55:15 AM

I can think of many situations that would clog the drain. Like a big Mexican dinner the night before...

Gary LaBombard · August 26, 2007, 04:56:28 AM

Funny Stuff here guys, it made my day start with a laugh & with a smile. Good information also for newbies and all of us!!! Great story Johned.
Gary

Dreamscape · August 26, 2007, 05:08:57 AM

I had all kinds of pictures floating around in my head from reading the story. Not the pretty kind either.

Thanks for starting out my day with a smile!

Paul

TomCat · August 26, 2007, 07:04:44 AM

Good job John Ed, very nice that you didn't have a mess to clean up!

Your post makes me glad I chose a 1.6gpf house toilet for my coach...enough water goes in the tank to keep any clogging from occurring.
Of course, my fresh tank doesn't last as long as someone with an RV pot, but I'll take the trade off to keep from having to 'work' on the black tank.

Jay
87 SaftLiner

bobofthenorth · August 26, 2007, 07:05:49 AM

The story brought back memories from last summer for me. Long story short - we were camped in BC - neighbouring rig with two teenage girls and brand new trailer. Late in the day I and another neighbour got called on because the dad was gone for two weeks and mom couldn't dump the sewer. It was backing up into the toilet bowl. After much agonizing over the hose, valve, etc. we determined that the blockage was actually below the toilet in the horizontal 5' run to the black tank. Neither Don or I could believe that anyone would be stupid enough to build a trailer that way but there it was and this was no low end trailer. When we left that night the shower was full of "stuff" that we had pulled out of the line with a twisted coat hanger. I expect those girls are still doing the Mexican thing with the paper.

JohnEd · August 26, 2007, 11:13:33 AM

Guys,

I swear a holy oath that I had that experience and I resolved it as I said. You have little appreciation, I am sure, for the dread I was experiencing at the thought of 50 gallons of raw sewage up to my ankels. I am not that kind of guy and I have never been evicted from anywhere. I had an electric operated valve at the remote tank outlet in the center of the coach and another at the end of the drain for dumping. I can only assume that the think clogged with toilet tissue at the tank outlet after sitting for more than a month nearly full. I have never even heard of this happening and I have had the pleasure only once. Other than what I did I have no idea how you would "NEATLY" clear that clog as the valve was blocked with the clog and I couldn't close it. I sympathize with those that feel this is an unbelievable "yarn".....just remember it for that "unbelievable" special occasion when it happens to you or the guy parked next to you.

Its OK to poke fun at me cause I have told enuff other lies to really important Gummint people.

Stay tuned,

John

bobofthenorth · August 26, 2007, 11:26:50 AM

I don't doubt for a moment that it happened exactly as you described it John. I know that feeling of dread - try to imagine how much worse it is when it is someone else's ***t that you are expecting to come surging out of the drain valve you are trying to free. In our case we had the active support of the camp management but that didn't lessen the apprehension about getting a brown bath.

gus · August 26, 2007, 11:55:09 AM

John,

This is a good argument for using plenty of flush water and having one tank. This is no place to try to save water.

If you must have two tanks rig them so the grey water dumps into the black so it will empty easier.

It might have been better if you had hooked up the garden hose to the fitting and used water pressure plus the solvent effect of the water to break up the clog.

Also, if you clean out all the little microbes every time you dump then you lose their help in dissolving the solids.

DrivingMissLazy · August 26, 2007, 01:30:19 PM

I have seen this happen several times at campgrounds. The owner hooks up the drain hose to the sewer and the coach and then opens the drain valve. Over a period of time the water all passes thru, but the solids and paper remain in the tank. Pretty soon the tank is half full or more of waste material and no water can get thru. Sure is a mess to try and clean up.
Richard

gus · August 26, 2007, 01:50:35 PM

I see this all the time too, you would think that they would learn but they don't seem to.

When the valve of a full tank is opened the incoming air pretty much stirs things up with all the bubbling and keeps it flowing.

Chaz · August 26, 2007, 08:57:37 PM

I pray I never see it!!!! But when I was up at Ickes Surplus I seen a clear elbow that had an attachment to shoot water thru it to clear the clog and rinse the tank. Have you seen it?? It looked pretty cool and like it would more than likely do the trick. I think it was 24.00 but worth every penny if it works just once!

S**tty thought,
Chaz

JohnEd · August 26, 2007, 10:11:03 PM

Gus,

If the tank hadn't been full right up to the bottom of the toilet I would have used water. As it was I could have expected water to push it out the roof vent. Can you imagine all that s**t running down the sides of your coach and onto the ground around you. BRRRRR! Bad thought.

John

Cloged black water tank drain

Dreamscape