Do Ice Cubes in the RV Black Tank Really Work?

I did it once with great results. Dumped the tank, checked the control panel and all lights were lit like the tank was full. Put about 10 gallons of water in the tank. On my way out of the campground I stopped by the store and bought three bags of ice, broke them up real good and dumped them in the tank. Two minutes later I was on the curvy canyon road for the next 20 miles. Dumped when I got home and the tank monitor showed empty. Stayed that way for a year or so. The trailer was a Montana 3485 5er.

I did it once this year. We were getting ready to take a 4 hour trip. I filled 6 soda cans with water and put them in the home freezer a few days ealier.After adding some water to the tank, I guessed how much it would take to put about an inch in the bottom. Cut the cans off (carefully) the ice and drop the big can sized ice cubes down the toilet. They just fit through the opening. Did it help? I don't know I cant see in the tank as mine has an elbow right below the toilet. I'm sure it didn't hurt.

Rollnhome wrote:
I think by the time you dump the ice in the tank. Start the rig and get underway, at a speed that would sufficiently slosh the ice around at a force great enough to thoroughly scrub the, tank the ice would be melted.

X2 I have tried it and never saw any difference. Water and maybe a little chemical is the best, IMO.

I think by the time you dump the ice in the tank. Start the rig and get underway, at a speed that would sufficiently slosh the ice around at a force great enough to thoroughly scrub the, tank the ice would be melted.

I think the main problem is that people add the ice to too much water and all they do is bob around. they have to have very little water ad slam/bang around hitting the "stuff". My friend used marbles and found out why ice cubes were a better idea.
bumpy

myredracer wrote:
There's no credible evidence out there that I have ever seen that it really works and the above vid is the best thing I've seen to date.

It may work in rare cases, but regardless, we'll still see recommendations on here to use it.

You have to give the guy a lot of credit for actually trying to simulate what happens inside an RV tank with ice. Would be a good one for Mythbusters. I think where he went a bit wrong is that he should have used genuine real poop. :D

We tried the ice thing a little while after buying our first TT upon the recommendation of the dealer. It did diddly squat.

From an engineer's perspective, I say ice is another urban myth. There's no credible evidence out there that I have ever seen that it really works and the above vid is the best thing I've seen to date. The best cleaning method is preventative measures in the form of thorough cleaning and flushing with lots of water each time you dump and the use of lots of water when using your black tank. For really stuck on buildup of solids, I think chemical treatment is the best.

I saw that video also. The test was to see if the ice cubes could break up a dried up pile of poop from the bottom of the black tank. And the results indicated that the ice cubes were no more effective than plain water.

I will use left over ice cubes in the black tank on the ride home after a dump and I will notice more junk come out, but not from a dried pyramid.

I wished the you tube guy would have used the ice in the black tank rinsing tests he had done earlier. I keep saying that the ice cubes work but apparently some people thought that I may have meant that they work at removing the dried pyramid.

RLS7201 wrote:
Do ice cubes really work?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH6acEmqvcw&feature=youtu.be

Richard

You know how many hundreds of bags of ice you would have to put in a REAL SIZE black tank for it to even reach the first sensor near the bottom?

He is using a tank that is about 2 x 4. Far cry from the size of an actual black tank.

This is where size DOES matter when trying to simulate a test.

This one of all the quick fixes I've heard really takes the cake.:R