Black Tank Cleaning - Suggestions Please
Well, after three years and at least two different sets of sensors I am trying to get a little creative to see if I can get the black tank monitor to read correctly. Despite already having the San-T-Flush system on the black tank and using it after each dump the tank sensors are usually stuck on Full or 2/3 best case scenario. FYI-Even though I have no way to flush the grey tanks I have never had a problem with that side of the system.
Due to the coach design (macerator toilets) some of the age old solutions such as a washer wand or ice cubes in the tank during travel are out of the question. Also, long term solutions such as filling the tank with Rid-X and leaving it for weeks or months is out since we are full-timers meaning that we usually dump our tanks about ever 5 days.
Taking these circumstances into consideration I have decided that it s time to try the age old GEO method with a twist. For those of you familiar with the GEO method it consists of using Calgon Water Softner and Dawn detergent to loosen the scum and "other" debris from the walls of the holding tank. Here's where I am thinking of trying something different that I have not heard anyone mention. In the plumbing bay I have an exterior shower with both hot and cold water. I also have the AquaHot heating system which give me essentially unlimited hot water. Provided I can find the correct fitting to connect a short hose to the shower faucet and then to the San-T-Flush fill connection I could fill the tank with Hot water which should hopefully do a better job of cleaning than Cold water. I would probably also use an inline backflow valve just to make sure nothing backs up from the black tank and contaminates the fresh water system.
Very interested to hear from anyone who has tried this method or something similar. Am I wasting my time or does this make sense to anyone else?
Due to the coach design (macerator toilets) some of the age old solutions such as a washer wand or ice cubes in the tank during travel are out of the question. Also, long term solutions such as filling the tank with Rid-X and leaving it for weeks or months is out since we are full-timers meaning that we usually dump our tanks about ever 5 days.
Taking these circumstances into consideration I have decided that it s time to try the age old GEO method with a twist. For those of you familiar with the GEO method it consists of using Calgon Water Softner and Dawn detergent to loosen the scum and "other" debris from the walls of the holding tank. Here's where I am thinking of trying something different that I have not heard anyone mention. In the plumbing bay I have an exterior shower with both hot and cold water. I also have the AquaHot heating system which give me essentially unlimited hot water. Provided I can find the correct fitting to connect a short hose to the shower faucet and then to the San-T-Flush fill connection I could fill the tank with Hot water which should hopefully do a better job of cleaning than Cold water. I would probably also use an inline backflow valve just to make sure nothing backs up from the black tank and contaminates the fresh water system.
Very interested to hear from anyone who has tried this method or something similar. Am I wasting my time or does this make sense to anyone else?
