Black tank bound up.

The Kunkels wrote:
Our black tank won't pump out. The fellow in the park said he got nothing out. When ya look down the toilet it is not empty. Thanks.

Looks can be deceiving. Get an old broom handle and stick it down to the bottom of the tank to actually measure it. An inch of black water in the bottom can appear as half of a tank when looking down the hole with a flashlight.

I take it CG Septic truck hooks up to drain line.opens dump valve and then SUCKS tank contents out.

2 issues....
Drain valve not opening. Otherwise vacuum from truck would suck it dry
High vacuum being used can damage tank....sucks contents out faster then vent line can allow air back in (waste tanks do NOT hold up very well under a vacuum)

Did 'honey wagon get anything out of grey tank?
Grey YES.Black NO---black tank drain valve NOT opening

Will need to open up underbelly and visual inspect drain valve....open it using pliers etc.

Maybe eating too much cheese? It usually gets me fairly bound up.

One thing you can try is get a stiff rubber type hose and cut it so you have 8' or so and push it back into the tank and turn the water on to try and break up the blockage. Must have someone watching inside so toilet doesn't overflow. Can also push the hose into the toilet. Gloves optional... :E May need to buy a hose. We had a badly plugged tank on a previous TT and the honey wagon operator had an old rubber hose laying around and pushed it into the outlet pipe to flush it.

Occasionally, when the factory cuts a hole in the tank for the outlet pipe, the disc gets left behind and can plug the outlet.

For a deep cleaning that will get the tank back to factory fresh, factory clean, Liquid Drano can be used. Our owners manual says to use it. Won't hurt metal or plastic. Have used it a few times. Need to drive around so it sloshes inside the tank. Just don't dump it into a private septic system.

One of the biggest mistakes with black tanks is skimping on water. You need to add 3-5 gallons after each dump and before using and then adequate water at each flush. Makes a surprising difference in how long you can get between dumps and how much easier it is to rinse/flush. Dump valve must be always be closed except when dumping.

Make sure to thoroughly flush the tank after each dump. If you don't have a built-in rinser, you can try a back-flush elbow or inserting a flush wand into the toilet.

Pick up one of these.
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/rv-hydro-flush-45-degree/14496
It will allow you to connect a hose to that connection that will shot water backward up into the tank. If the valve is stuck closed the water will not be able to go anywhere. If there is a blockage of some kind this will push it out of the way. You will need to have the truck there or cap the outlet as if this clears the blockage you will experience an undesired experience very similar the the movie "RV".

If it is a pyramid, you could use RV Digest-it to dissolve the mound. Pour a whole bottle of it in and it's supposed to dissolve everything within 24 hours. I use it in my tank along with water softener, two caps of liquid detergent and a toilet bowl of water. "Water is your friend" . The tank is slippery from the softener and really doesn't smell that sweet from the laundry detergent but what the hey.

A Bag of ice and bottle of DrainO and an hour drive...

Don't bother with chems or flush wands. And instead of a broom handle go to Ace and get a four-foot steel rod. STick this down the tank and use it as a stir-stick while you leave the flush going. Does anyone need to ask how I know this works?

Keep stirring and watering until your pyramid of goodies melts away and begs to be flushed. And, careful with the used rod.

I NEVER use enough water, I eat WAY too much cheese, and as a kid Mom was always yelling at me to flush the toilet after I used it. I took all these skills with me into RVing, and the only reason my toilet hasn't been raised two feet off the floor is that I stir before dumping.

Look, it's a lousy task to begin with, and I'm lazy.

greenrvgreen wrote:
Don't bother with chems or flush wands. And instead of a broom handle go to Ace and get a four-foot steel rod. STick this down the tank and use it as a stir-stick while you leave the flush going. Does anyone need to ask how I know this works?

Keep stirring and watering until your pyramid of goodies melts away and begs to be flushed. And, careful with the used rod.

I NEVER use enough water, I eat WAY too much cheese, and as a kid Mom was always yelling at me to flush the toilet after I used it. I took all these skills with me into RVing, and the only reason my toilet hasn't been raised two feet off the floor is that I stir before dumping.

Look, it's a lousy task to begin with, and I'm lazy.

I believe the correct terminology for that procedure is turd herding.

It is fun reading all the posts that mention driving around for an hour when the unit is a stationary one at trailer park.... valve is only open when dumper pumper is there to suck it out since there are no sewer connections at the site.