Sorry if im not using the correct term. We have an RV dump setup. Years ago i was told its (2) 50 gallon drums welded together with holes drilled in it. Worked great for over 10 years. I think we finally clogged it up. It will only take around 10-20 gallons now before overflowing. Even if i wait over a month between dumps. In the past i could wait 1 day and continue dumping/flushing. There is an ABS threaded cap to keep debris out. Im thinking about drilling a hole in that cap and installing an automotive valve stem so i can pressurize the setup and hopefully blow out the clogged holes. Looking for a quick fix. Probably should have dumped some type of breakdown chemical down there months ago. Years ago. Im a cheapo and dont want to pay someone to come clean it out. Not even sure if you would call it a septic tank. The man who installed it is no longer with us. So im not sure how big the holes are. How many holes. I do have an endoscope but not ready to sacrifice it just yet. Think air pressure is worth a shot? Also considering a hose adapter. Blast it out with pressurized water. The schrader valve seems cleaner and easier. More control on pressure and no worries about backflow. I think there are still a few unclogged holes towards the top of the tanks which allows me 10-20 gallons of space. If i used a hose adapter i could leave the hose on and walk away. With the air pressure it might seep out the holes in a few seconds and never clear the problem area.

Be sure to get a video of you doing that. It might just win a spot on America's Funniest Videos. Put a copy on YouTube and post a link to on here. I'd love to see it.

wopachop wrote:Sorry if im not using the correct term. We have an RV dump setup. Years ago i was told its (2) 50 gallon drums welded together with holes drilled in it. Worked great for over 10 years. I think we finally clogged it up. It will only take around 10-20 gallons now before overflowing. Even if i wait over a month between dumps. In the past i could wait 1 day and continue dumping/flushing. There is an ABS threaded cap to keep debris out. Im thinking about drilling a hole in that cap and installing an automotive valve stem so i can pressurize the setup and hopefully blow out the clogged holes. Looking for a quick fix. Probably should have dumped some type of breakdown chemical down there months ago. Years ago. Im a cheapo and dont want to pay someone to come clean it out. Not even sure if you would call it a septic tank. The man who installed it is no longer with us. So im not sure how big the holes are. How many holes. I do have an endoscope but not ready to sacrifice it just yet. Think air pressure is worth a shot? Also considering a hose adapter. Blast it out with pressurized water. The schrader valve seems cleaner and easier. More control on pressure and no worries about backflow. I think there are still a few unclogged holes towards the top of the tanks which allows me 10-20 gallons of space. If i used a hose adapter i could leave the hose on and walk away. With the air pressure it might seep out the holes in a few seconds and never clear the problem area.If you're not in a huge hurry, there's a product called Bio-Clean that literally eats the stuff that is probably blocking your system. It does take a few days to work, so it's not a quick fix, but it isn't expensive either. I used it to clear a clogged basement drain last year. Took about a week of adding the stuff to the open end to work it's way through about 15 feet of sewer pipe. After a week, I could blast water through it with a garden hose. Can be used for maintenance, as well. There are all sorts of similar products out there, I'm sure.

DFord wrote:Be sure to get a video of you doing that. It might just win a spot on America's Funniest Videos. Put a copy on YouTube and post a link to on here. I'd love to see it. Hey youre the guy who replied in 1 minute to dog on a complete stranger over the internet. Think about that for a bit.

MDKMDK wrote:If you're not in a huge hurry, there's a product called Bio-Clean that literally eats the stuff that is probably blocking your system. It does take a few days to work, so it's not a quick fix, but it isn't expensive either. I used it to clear a clogged basement drain last year. Took about a week of adding the stuff to the open end to work it's way through about 15 feet of sewer pipe. After a week, I could blast water through it with a garden hose. Can be used for maintenance, as well. There are all sorts of similar products out there, I'm sure.Thanks i just looked that up. They have a drain clean and a septic treatment. Depending on the advice other people give i might do the air pressure first and then get on a routine of septic treatment.

wopachop wrote:.... We have an RV dump setup. Years ago i was told its (2) 50 gallon drums welded together with holes drilled in it. Worked great for over 10 years. I think we finally clogged it up. ... .You indicated you had two barrels welded together I'm assuming they were steel and not plastic.I've had single 50 gallon drums sitting in the yard with the lids still clamped on that were sealed with left over grease residue inside them that didn't last half that long before the bottoms and tops rusted out.What you basically have is a now failed improvised septic system. I doubt there's much left of the original barrels still in the ground it hasn't rusted away. The holes would only let the liquid drain out so any undissolve toilet paper and solids would have collected in the barrels for 10 years. I doubt that you're going to just blow them out the holes in the barrels. Most likely the barrels have been rusting away, filling up with solids and or caved in by now.I think you're going to need an entirely new improvised septic system for the trailer to dump into.

Cleaning out a DIY septic tank | Good Sam Community

profdant139
Explorer II
Sep 19, 2019
I wish you the best of luck!!

You may be interested to know that you have won this month's competition for "Least Appetizing Subject Line." ;)

(And yet, here I am, reading the thread . . . )
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Sep 19, 2019
Air pressure is NOT going to 'clear' any clogs ----it will just force sludge out ANY opening there is

10 yrs.....
It's done.
Time to redo

Much like Grandpa's outhouse(s).
Every few years dug a new pit..hooked up the bull and pulled the outhouse over the top of new hole. Then backfilled the old spot.
BarabooBob
Explorer III
Sep 19, 2019
I know that in Wisconsin, by law, we have to have our septic tanks pumped every three years. If I were to call a septic pumper to clean out a system that you described, he is required to report me to the DNR for having an illegal and un-certified system. The pumper could receive a huge fine for servicing the system.
mobeewan
Explorer
Sep 19, 2019
wopachop wrote:
.... We have an RV dump setup. Years ago i was told its (2) 50 gallon drums welded together with holes drilled in it.

Worked great for over 10 years. I think we finally clogged it up. ...
.

You indicated you had two barrels welded together I'm assuming they were steel and not plastic.

I've had single 50 gallon drums sitting in the yard with the lids still clamped on that were sealed with left over grease residue inside them that didn't last half that long before the bottoms and tops rusted out.

What you basically have is a now failed improvised septic system. I doubt there's much left of the original barrels still in the ground it hasn't rusted away. The holes would only let the liquid drain out so any undissolve toilet paper and solids would have collected in the barrels for 10 years. I doubt that you're going to just blow them out the holes in the barrels.

Most likely the barrels have been rusting away, filling up with solids and or caved in by now.

I think you're going to need an entirely new improvised septic system for the trailer to dump into.
wopachop
Explorer
Sep 19, 2019
MDKMDK wrote:

If you're not in a huge hurry, there's a product called Bio-Clean that literally eats the stuff that is probably blocking your system. It does take a few days to work, so it's not a quick fix, but it isn't expensive either. I used it to clear a clogged basement drain last year. Took about a week of adding the stuff to the open end to work it's way through about 15 feet of sewer pipe. After a week, I could blast water through it with a garden hose. Can be used for maintenance, as well.
There are all sorts of similar products out there, I'm sure.
Thanks i just looked that up. They have a drain clean and a septic treatment. Depending on the advice other people give i might do the air pressure first and then get on a routine of septic treatment.
wopachop
Explorer
Sep 19, 2019
DFord wrote:
Be sure to get a video of you doing that. It might just win a spot on America's Funniest Videos. Put a copy on YouTube and post a link to on here. I'd love to see it.
Hey youre the guy who replied in 1 minute to dog on a complete stranger over the internet. Think about that for a bit.
MDKMDK
Explorer
Sep 19, 2019
wopachop wrote:
Sorry if im not using the correct term. We have an RV dump setup. Years ago i was told its (2) 50 gallon drums welded together with holes drilled in it.

Worked great for over 10 years. I think we finally clogged it up. It will only take around 10-20 gallons now before overflowing. Even if i wait over a month between dumps. In the past i could wait 1 day and continue dumping/flushing.

There is an ABS threaded cap to keep debris out. Im thinking about drilling a hole in that cap and installing an automotive valve stem so i can pressurize the setup and hopefully blow out the clogged holes.

Looking for a quick fix. Probably should have dumped some type of breakdown chemical down there months ago. Years ago.

Im a cheapo and dont want to pay someone to come clean it out. Not even sure if you would call it a septic tank. The man who installed it is no longer with us. So im not sure how big the holes are. How many holes. I do have an endoscope but not ready to sacrifice it just yet.

Think air pressure is worth a shot? Also considering a hose adapter. Blast it out with pressurized water. The schrader valve seems cleaner and easier. More control on pressure and no worries about backflow. I think there are still a few unclogged holes towards the top of the tanks which allows me 10-20 gallons of space. If i used a hose adapter i could leave the hose on and walk away. With the air pressure it might seep out the holes in a few seconds and never clear the problem area.

If you're not in a huge hurry, there's a product called Bio-Clean that literally eats the stuff that is probably blocking your system. It does take a few days to work, so it's not a quick fix, but it isn't expensive either. I used it to clear a clogged basement drain last year. Took about a week of adding the stuff to the open end to work it's way through about 15 feet of sewer pipe. After a week, I could blast water through it with a garden hose. Can be used for maintenance, as well.
There are all sorts of similar products out there, I'm sure.
DFord
Explorer
Sep 19, 2019
Be sure to get a video of you doing that. It might just win a spot on America's Funniest Videos. Put a copy on YouTube and post a link to on here. I'd love to see it.

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