Big Ol' Bug Smacker

What’s the Big Stink About?

Tim R. Enright

Your RV’s black tank can be a stinky subject. Maintenance of this tank is one of the most misunderstood areas of your RV. The black tank is simply used to store your toilet waste. This tank takes a bit more effort to maintain than your grey or fresh water tanks. If maintenance is done properly this tanks will provide you with years of trouble free performance.

Solids in the black tank are what make maintenance of this tank the most difficult of all the tanks. The solids, which can accumulate in the black tank, tend to plug the drain valve and accumulate along the tank sidewalls quite easily. You should always use proper black tank chemicals to help aid in the decomposing of these solids. If left untreated the tank will build up with sludge. This build up restricts the proper drainage when flushing the tank. Once this sludge builds up on the inside of your tank the odor is extremely difficult to control and may not go away without replacing the tank.

There are several different types of black tank chemicals on the market. Some of them deodorize, some help decompose, while others do both. These additives come in liquid, dry powder and drop-in pouch type. They come in large containers or pre-measured amounts. Do not use common household chemicals. The use of these non-RV products can have adverse effects when used in combination with RV solutions. The Black Tank is definitely not an area of the RV we would like to see explode.

Many people recommend enzyme-based chemicals, which use live bacteria to breakdown and digest the odor causing waste. Other people like the more traditional formaldehyde type chemicals. There has been a lot of controversy on this subject. Formaldehyde has taken a lot of heat in recent years, but from what I have found there is quite a bit of hype with very little substance. Some people state that formaldehyde hinders with the performance of biological sewage treatment systems. I have researched this topic extensively and found that if used properly, formaldehyde will NOT adversely affect these systems. Between the two types, formaldehyde has proven to do a better job in controlling odors and does at least as good a job of breaking down solids.

A couple of times a year you will want to flush your tank. This can be done with a hose attached to a tank cleaning spray wand. You place the wand through the toilet into the tank while holding open the flush valve. The wand allows you to rinse down the tank and sidewalls when draining the tank. If you are lucky enough to have a flushing system built into the tank, then the entire procedure is much easier.

Black Tank additives should be included with a few gallons of water following the draining of your black tank. You want to make sure there is an inch or so of water covering the bottom of the tank prior to reusing it. This liquid layer will help prevent solids from building up on the bottom of the tank and aid in the breakdown process.

Black Tank chemicals need to be replenished every few days or so according to the label to stay effective. Outdoor temperature can also shorten the life span of these additives. This routine should be repeated throughout the entire camping season until you flush your tank and prepare your RV for winter storage.

With just a little extra work on your part, your black tank can do its job without raising a big stink about it.

Article Courtesy of : www.BugSmacker.com : Copyright © 2009

RV Black Water Tank Maintenance

Tim R. Enright

Maintaining your RV’s “Black Water Tank” is one of the most daunting tasks for either the new or the most experienced RV’er. The black tank or “potty” water tank can be both difficult to empty and hard to determine when it has been emptied.

Let’s begin with tank usage. There are two styles of camping, full hookups and all others including: primitive, semi-modern, or even boon docking. With full hookups your campsite will provide you with a sewer connection. With the others you will need to take the RV to a sanitary station to drain the tank. In cases where it is not feasible to take the unit to the station (i.e. extended park stays) you can purchase what is called a honey wagon. This is a portable disposal tank on wheels. They come in various sizes.

This brings us back to the problems at hand. Black tanks constantly plug and the gauge that monitors the levels is notoriously incorrect. There are however a few things you can do to ease the pain.

Follow these tips:

Always dump your Black tank first, then your Gray tank. The gray water will have soap and also be a much more forceful flow to clean the hose. Follow by cleaning everything with water. Most sites have a special hose marked for this purpose.

Never empty the black water tank unless it is full or at least near full. This allows solids and tissues to partially break down. The tank will also flow out much better if there is sufficient force behind it. That means that if you are at a site with full hookups it is ok to hook up the hose but DO NOT open the flush valve until the tank is full. If the tank is not full, you can always add water to fill the tank sufficiently.

It is much better to leave your campground and head to another location before draining your tank. This will allow the solids in the tank to be agitated and break down while traveling. The rougher the road the better. The tank will then drain more easily. Another trick is to flush the left over ice from your cooler. This not only helps stir the tank but also aids in the cleaning of your tank sensor.

Never trust your tank sensor. And if, while draining, your tank is stops, that does not mean the tank is empty. Take it from me, THEY PLUG! Also never, I mean never try to unplug the drain from the valve without the hose attached. You will never do it again. One of the greatest gadgets in my arsenal of RV devices is called the “RV Hydro Flush”. This device goes between your tank valve and drain hose. It allows you to attach a water hose to the fitting. This gives you the ability to spray into the tank loosening any obstructions without ever removing the drain hose, thus keeping the flow directed toward the septic where it belongs. It is also made of clear plastic allowing you to see what is going on.

Larger RV units may have a spray system like the one described above built into the tank itself. There are aftermarket spray attachments you can buy if you would like to add one yourself. Keep in mind that you must be able to access the tank itself in order to add one of these.

Black tank treatment additives should be added every few days while the tank is in use. I have not found one type to be any better than the other in controlling odors. I personally like the liquid individual bottles for their ease of use.

Every so often you should rinse your system out. If you have a built-in sprayer that is a snap. If you do not, you can purchase a tank wand which will allow you to flush the tank and sensor out with water. Remember a clean tank is a happy tank.

Hope this eases some of the difficulties when it comes to the black tank.

Article Courtesy of : www.BugSmacker.com : Copyright © 2007