Black tank flusher

How long do I turn the water on for when connected to the black tank flusher ?

After each dump, I let it run for a minimum of 5 minutes.

I have 3 little girl's who don't seem to understand that a little toilet paper goes a long way; so I have discovered that I have to sometimes run the black water flush up to 10 minutes to get all of the junk out.

schrowang wrote:After each dump, I let it run for a minimum of 5 minutes.

Ditto for me, but I do need to get one of those clear plastic dohicky things so I can see that the water is clear-ish.

I have one of those clear plastic doohickey things, works really good for seeing how clear the water is.

I run my flusher for at least 5 minutes. I also at times close the black dump valve and let the tank fill up to 3/4 then dump it all.

Remember, always leave about 5 gallons in the tank, so no mounds start to build up.

oldelmer1 wrote:I have one of those clear plastic doohickey things, works really good for seeing how clear the water is.

I run my flusher for at least 5 minutes. I also at times close the black dump valve and let the tank fill up to 3/4 then dump it all.

Remember, always leave about 5 gallons in the tank, so no mounds start to build up.

I do the exact same thing. I'm a stickler for clean so I'll let it fill while I raise the back stabilizers then dumb it then let it fill again while I do something else then dump again. I also have a clear elbow and when I'm done the water is crystal clear.

Uncle Tom wrote :
Remember, always leave about 5 gallons in the tank, so no mounds start to build up

It takes awhile but all the Helpful little secrets come out eventually,,,
Sometimes I think your just
holding out the important info ,,,,

I always add 5-6 gallons of water to the black tank before I head home. That way, it mixes everything up on the drive home. Dump it (I have a dump station at home), and flush it throughly. You'll know when it is clean. I also like to fill it with water a time or two when flushing. Don't forget to do all this first, then dump your gray tanks last. Prior to heading out on a trip, I put a few gallons of water and the chemical treatment in the black tank. I don't usually use any treatment in the gray tanks, but have some on hand in case I need it during hot weather.

[quote="Admin"]

Uncle Tom wrote :

I bought some of those chemicals to add to the black tank and found they really don't do much. If you flush regularly, you don't need them. Had 1 of those dissolves packets in, and when I dumped, I saw the packet float on out. So then I dissolved it in a cup of hot water.

But remember, its not a septic system, its a holding tank.

I went to a seminar about cleaning you tanks, and they recommended using a 1/2 cup of dawn dish detergent in the tanks before you leave the campground with 1/3 full tanks. First time I did this, I put in 1 cup, man did I have some suds when I dumped.

My kitchen tank always registered 1/3 full, even when the valve has been open all day. So I'm going to try the Calgon water softener(GEO Method) next.

Great info! I was wondering my self how long to run the black flush.
I need to get one of those clear doohickey things too.

YUK! The last thing I want to watch is my black water flowing through a clear fitting.

Richard Mondavi wrote:YUK! The last thing I want to watch is my black water flowing through a clear fitting.

You just don't know how to have fun.

oldelmer1 wrote:I have one of those clear plastic doohickey things, works really good for seeing how clear the water is.

I run my flusher for at least 5 minutes. I also at times close the black dump valve and let the tank fill up to 3/4 then dump it all.

Remember, always leave about 5 gallons in the tank, so no mounds start to build up.

This is pretty much what I do as well - works good.

oldelmer1 wrote:Remember, always leave about 5 gallons in the tank, so no mounds start to build up.

Thanks for that visual.

mattebury wrote:

oldelmer1 wrote:Remember, always leave about 5 gallons in the tank, so no mounds start to build up.

Thanks for that visual.

Could be worse. Could be a photo.

[/quote] I also have a clear elbow and when I'm done the water is crystal clear.[/quote]

I have the tornado and the flush king which has the clear elbow...but I must not be flushing properly...because I would never say the outgoing water is ever crystal clear!

Mark

oldelmer1 wrote:I have one of those clear plastic doohickey things, works really good for seeing how clear the water is.
I run my flusher for at least 5 minutes. I also at times close the black dump valve and let the tank fill up to 3/4 then dump it all.
Remember, always leave about 5 gallons in the tank, so no mounds start to build up.

Whoa... you mean you run the tank flusher, where the hose is connected to your black tank, with your black tank valve closed???? My dealer said never have the black water valve closed while connected to the tank flush as I could blow the system.

Which lead me to wonder after reading these replies, just how does one partially fill their black water tank without running a hose through the trailer.

Confused...

David

dchaviland wrote:

oldelmer1 wrote:I have one of those clear plastic doohickey things, works really good for seeing how clear the water is.
I run my flusher for at least 5 minutes. I also at times close the black dump valve and let the tank fill up to 3/4 then dump it all.
Remember, always leave about 5 gallons in the tank, so no mounds start to build up.

Whoa... you mean you run the tank flusher, where the hose is connected to your black tank, with your black tank valve closed???? My dealer said never have the black water valve closed while connected to the tank flush as I could blow the system.

Which lead me to wonder after reading these replies, just how does one partially fill their black water tank without running a hose through the trailer.

Confused...

David

I don't know what he meant by "blow the system". The tank is vented so there is no way to build pressure unless the vent is clogged.

Be carefull when using the tank flusher with the valve closed. Leave it on too long and it'll overflow and back up through the stool.

Sometimes I'll monitor the guage and when it gets to 2/3 full go out and pull the gate valve.

MaxRock wrote:

I also have a clear elbow and when I'm done the water is crystal clear.

I have the tornado and the flush king which has the clear elbow...but I must not be flushing properly...because I would never say the outgoing water is ever crystal clear!

Mark

I'll flush maybe 4, 5 or 6 times. That's closing the valve and letting it fill a little before opening it again. After a couple and its still a little brown.

I always fill the tank to full, them dump. Run the tank rinser with valve closed until full again, dump. Fill with rinser again and dump. Usually after 2-3 times it runs clear.

You can run the rinser with the valve closed, just watch how full it gets, like stated above, it will fill to the toilet, then maybe you could blow the toilet off the seal.



Steve

I have always run the flusher with the valve closed.

BUT, YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE AMOUNT OF WATER GOING IN. IF YOU DONT, THERE WILL BE A MESS :(

I don't know what he meant by "blow the system". The tank is vented so there is no way to build pressure unless the vent is clogged.
Be carefull when using the tank flusher with the valve closed. Leave it on too long and it'll overflow and back up through the stool.
Sometimes I'll monitor the guage and when it gets to 2/3 full go out and pull the gate valve.

Well, Big Dave, this is why this thread got me thinking. We videotaped our walk through and both DW and I distinctly recall, and saw again, where the gentleman giving us our walk thru specifically advised us not have the hose connected with water flowing with the tank wash with the black water valve closed. The thought crossed my mind from a liability issue whether it was prudent for the dealer to not recommend filling the tank when black valve is closed. (All they need is some idiot who fills his black water tank, overflows his system, and has it on record that it was ok to do this.) As I thought about the obvious, the fresh water tank has an over fill tube, the black tank would not. By "blow the system" he says the tank would pressurize and I could damage the pluming. But reason takes over and agrees that the tank has to be vented. If you think about what goes into sewage what is in there is going to generate gas anyway and there must be relief from that - the vent tube you described.

After this topic, I think it is more a matter of common sense and paying attention to what you are doing.

David