First Time Flushing Tanks

[paulwadley]

To help keep the black tank smell from entering the motor home, always leave water in the toilet bowl which reduces the possibility of odors from escaping the black tank and into the bathroom.

Paul

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by kwplot34

All good advice posted above. Just watch RV with Robin Williams on what not to do when dumping your tanks.

Now you went and made me do it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHgRmR024BE

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by paulwadley

To help keep the black tank smell from entering the motor home, always leave water in the toilet bowl which reduces the possibility of odors from escaping the black tank and into the bathroom.

Paul

I think it is the processing of flushing that the aroma may come if black tank waste is dated, hot, and without the deodorant At the very end of the flush it is opened just enough to get a whiff. We used the Thetform in out boat for 15 years and it was a must as pumps outs were costly and a must. Mainly for smell although it dos help breakdown. I have NEVER had a sewer tank clog up so breakdown is not my objective. On a short trip; I may not use anything if empty before I leave and I know I will empty on return.

FWIW the way our toilet is design, you have to purpose try to let water out or it will always have some water in toilet after flush, you can optionally add more which I do only if I know a #2 is coming

[Bob Denman]

That water is there to provide a seal against tank odors.

[Travelin' Texans]

Most chemicals are just deodorizers & typically aren't in the tanks long enough to break down anything.
By using "septic safe" 2 ply paper, expensive rv specific paper is not necessary & plenty of water per flush, if using paper hold the pedal for a 5 count before closing, you should never have a clog issue.
From my experience the kitchen grey tank often smells worse than the black tank, but don't be tempted to add bleach or say Pine Sol to any of the tanks, bleach is not good for the seals & if you've ever smelled pine scented crap you know why not the Pine Sol.

[Bob Denman]

"Pine scented crap"?

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/at...1&d=1608048050

[Pete'sMH]

....once rinsed & flushed add a couple gallons of water to the black tank then add a good healthy squirt of cheapo dish/laundry detergent, this will work to keep valves lubricated & work as well as the expensive tank chemicals.[/QUOTE]



Rather than using regular dish soap I use cheap liquid automatic dishwasher detergent as it is non foaming.

[lwmcguir]

Well just to add on

Dawn is a great surfactant and concentrated so requires a small amount

The benefit is to help the level sensors clean and working

Surfactants work by changing the surface charge

I use chemicals if were going several days prior to dumping

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

...Rather than using regular dish soap I use cheap liquid automatic dishwasher detergent as it is non foaming.

Hi Pete,
Please forgive my ignorance...
Why is that important?

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Hi Pete,

Please forgive my ignorance...

Why is that important?

Good question, actually.....I guess I don’t see value in suds foaming up. One of those “I’ve always don’t it that way” things that maybe doesn’t make any difference. I’ll withdraw the question, your honor!

[Lt Keefer]

Another hint is to not be that guy at the dump station that takes 45 minutes to dump the tank. If you are there more than 5 minutes you are doing it wrong.

[Bob Denman]

Use whatever time you have.
The key is to get there when you're not faced with a traffic jam.

[Pete'sMH]

I try to book a full hookup site every now and again so I can drain and flush to my heart’s content. Especially useful on the night before going home.

[Bob Denman]

. Same here!

[paulwadley]

This past summer, I booked the last available spot at the Bear Lake KOA in Garden City Utah. It only had water and electric at that site. When I checked in the staff that helped me told me that their dump station gets very busy about the time everyone checks out so they suggested that I just pull into a vacant site that had a dump site and use it before leaving. I thought that was a great idea and took their advise.

Paul

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

That water is there to provide a seal against tank odors.

Yes. The point I was making was that my toilet fills with enough water to seal just with regular flush; unless you let it out. And you could optionally add more water to fill more of the bowl.

The other point, was this past summer I tried a few times adding no Thetford Deodorant and after a few weeks it had awful smell when flushing. At some point when flushing the water is out and seal is broken. This time of the year with cooler temperatures it may not be as bad.

For us; we just use to Thetford as it works great. We also have always used just regular toilet paper, same as in the house. Note: I only use about a 1/3 of what Thetford recommends. I just like knowing we never have any odors and it does breakdown and it is faster than what most are saying. You can take regular toilet paper and put in water and in a few hours it is already breaking down without chemicals.

We have used Dawn or equivalent as well, but does not mask odors anywhere close to Thetford or similar (not trying to advertise for anybody, but all chemicals / odorizes are not the same. When you sleep just above a waste tank for 15 years in your boat, you learn real good as to which deodorant can mask smell

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

Another hint is to not be that guy at the dump station that takes 45 minutes to dump the tank. If you are there more than 5 minutes you are doing it wrong.

So far other than the campsites that sewer at our site, we have yet had a need to dump. When we go to a facility we use it normally takes me about 20 minutes

So not sure what I am doing wrong?

1. Get a beer
2. Go get my gloves
3. Figure which the valve is on / off to connect hose to Sani Flush, and connect Camco slinky 5 minutes
4. Drain Black with Sani Flush on (10 minutes as I wait until water coming out is clear)
5. Drain Gray 5 minutes
6. Put everything back up, spray and wipe down wet bay, toss gloves, go inside sanitize hands
7. Get beer

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

. Same here!

I need to find that other thread, but I finally installed that Jet Flo Macerator. I have only used it to test and verify it works but not for a real sewer dump at home. I got a trip planed this week so maybe next week I get a chance to see it live action. I have 100ft hose

I installed myself, I got 12vdc off the Genset and ran 12 gauge wire to wetbay. So all 15 amps is dedicated to pump when in use.

[Bob Denman]

It's looking better than great: good luck!

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/at...1&d=1608126502

[10scDust]

Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans

From my experience the kitchen grey tank often smells worse than the black tank, but don't be tempted to add bleach or say Pine Sol to any of the tanks, bleach is not good for the seals & if you've ever smelled pine scented crap you know why not the Pine Sol.

Correct, I learned the hard way...
I was dropping a chlorine tablet into the tank after dumping the tank.
It seemed to swell the seals on the dump gate enough it wouldn't function closed.
I had to remove the gate to see what was keeping it from closing, now replacing it, oh what fun, I ran a garden hose into the toilet for 15 minutes to get a better rinse before disassembly.
Conclusion: do not use bleach nor chlorine tabs, I didn't try the Pine-Sol, but won't. Good tip!