You know the kind.. $15-20, attach to a hose.. I'm assuming used through the toilet to clean the black tank.Worth it? Any better techniques to keeping the blank tank clean?

I bought one since my current TT doesn't have a black tank flush. if you can get at the black tank, install a flush attachment for it, much better than dragging a hose in, etc.I just open the toilet valve and dump a bucket of water in when I get ready to empty my black tank.bumpy

There are a few ways to deal with cleaning the black tank:A flush wand down the toilet. Before I knew you could buy them I made one by capping off a piece if 1/2" copper pipe, cross-drilling the cap with some 1/4" holes, and adding a female hose fitting to the other end.Empty the tank, add a few gallons of water and 2 bags of ice cubes, and go for a drive. The ice / water sloshing around will clean the tank.Add a black tank rinse system, best done when the tank is new and unused. My new TT has one but the jury is still out on its effectiveness.And do a search for the "Geo method" - using Calgon to prevent buildup.

In my opinion, the "down the toilet wand" is the best way to really get all the "stuff" out of your black tank. I use one whenever we are going to be away from the trailer for an extended time and also about once every other month when we are staying in it for an extended time. No need to spend $15-$20 for one. Here is the one we have been using for years.Even with a black tank flush system, there are still corners and other places in the tank where waste builds up and the wand is the only thing I have found to get it all out and keep the sensors clean and working. I have used our built in tank rinser and the Flush King, and the best is the down the toilet spray wand. Barney

One of the easiest ways to keep the black tank under control is to let if fill as much as possible before dumping. That will allow the solids to soften and breakdown as much as possible. If you are just doing weekends and don't use the toilet much and have another trip planned soon, just leave it and dump next time. If you must dump, hold the toilet fill valve open and let the tank fill while you are doing other chores packing up to to go. When we left our last trip of last season I wentso far as to tip the trailer sideways and uphill to get a thorough drain. After the initial drain I closed the valve and put another 15-20 gallons water in and rinsed again. It was pretty clean by that point. Do not add bleach to the tank, especially mid-season. It will kill the bacteria and slow down the breaking of solids.I will repeat it again though, don't drain the black tank until it's full. Save you all kinds of problems

DatacomGuy wrote:You know the kind.. $15-20, attach to a hose.. I'm assuming used through the toilet to clean the black tank.Worth it? Any better techniques to keeping the blank tank clean?Yes and No. The one they sell at Walmart is practically useless if you have a problem. The wand concept has been out though for years. I built one out of copper pipe in 1986. I still have and use it and YES it works great. I suppose you could use PVC pipe.I took a piece of 1/2" dia copper pipe about 30" long and placed a cap on one end and a ball valve and hose connection on the other end. On the end with the cap I drilled a 3/16" dia hole in the side of the cap. I actually drilled 2 holes in the side of the cap, one above the other. You will get lots of pressure out of the wand. It doesn't spin you will have to rotate it but it works very well. Whenever I have problems with my monitors I clean out my black tank with my wand. My monitors always work, my black tank stays clean. Don't waste your money on the Walmart model. It spins and a little water comes out but no real pressure that you can direct slowly in the black tank. JMHO.

Are those black tank cleaning wands worth it? | Good Sam Community

uncle_t
Explorer
Jun 23, 2014
a bit of talk here about dragging a hose thru your coach. anyone besides me have a bathroom window?
mlts22
Explorer
Jun 23, 2014
I wish more black water tanks had a way to access them. One European motorhome I looked at had 8 inch circular access panels that one could turn, then go at the black and gray tanks with a scraper and a wet/dry vac to get anything and everything out.
NorCal_Dan
Explorer
Jun 23, 2014
Complete waste of money...better to use lots of water and dump when full. I use Happy Camper or bio chemicals once or twice a year to keep my sensors reading correctly. You just add the chemicals after emptying the tank, use until full, and dump as normal.
Carb_Cleaner
Explorer
Jun 16, 2014
Apparently, on occasion, I have too much time on my hands.
It works pretty good for our straight-shot-to-the-tank toilet. At the least, it makes me feel better about the process, somehow.
The cheaper, red rubber plungers may work better than the fancy unit I used. Besides enlarging the hole for the wand, I had to cut the lower portion off of it to permit a closer proximity to the hole while rinsing.
atreis
Explorer
Jun 15, 2014
My trailer came with one and I've never used it. My sensors on black and gray stopped working the first year I had the trailer, but I've found they're not really necessary. (When freshwater is empty, it's time to empty the gray too. Black we've never even come close to filling.)

I do pop the rocks out of my tires though. Gives me something to do after work. :)
carp65
Explorer
Jun 15, 2014
We are full-timers and have always used the rotating wand purchased at
Camp World. To me, this does the best job in cleaning a black tank. A small
amount of cheap laundry soap after cleaning also helps.
Bucky_Badger
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
dodge guy wrote:
TyroneandGladys wrote:
Fresno Tundra Driver wrote:
Are they worth it? Yes,for people with OCD. For everyone else just always use plenty of water and you'll be ok.

X2

Nothing to do with OCD! everything to do with proper maintenance! OCD would be coming home from a trip and popping the little rocks out of your tire treads!

So true dodge guy
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
Gene&Ginny wrote:
dodge guy wrote:
....
Don't tell me you also clean the dead bugs from the radiator?!!! ;)
They are free protein and already precooked to 185 degrees F.

you've gotta get them fresh so they are nice and crispy.
bumpy
Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Jun 09, 2014
dodge guy wrote:
....
Don't tell me you also clean the dead bugs from the radiator?!!! ;)
They are free protein and already precooked to 185 degrees F.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Jun 08, 2014
Bumpyroad wrote:
dodge guy wrote:

Nothing to do with OCD! everything to do with proper maintenance! OCD would be coming home from a trip and popping the little rocks out of your tire treads!

wait a minute. do you mean that everybody doesn't do this?
bumpy

Don't tell me you also clean the dead bugs from the radiator?!!! ;)