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pmlevine's avatar
pmlevine
Explorer
Jun 30, 2020

Black Water Accident

I'm sure this post will provide some laughs. I drained our grey and black water tanks to our TT last season, then winterized with approved anti-freeze for the winter. Before we departed on our first RV trip, I made sure both the grey and black water release valves were not seized up, buy pulling open, lubricating with teflon spray, then closing both valves. Fast forward to our first RV camping trip of the season. At the campground setup (yes both grey and black valves were still closed) - when I went to remove the cover to the TT waste pipe, it was very hard to turn and remove. I figured it was the arthritis in my hands that made it difficult - but WAIT FOR IT - when the cover finally came off, I got a full force jet stream of urine, and feces in the face - full blast. Yep, I had a nice clean up job of the ground, then took a shower.
F.Y.I. our TT has cleaning jets for the black water tank, which I always use for 20 minutes before leaving the campground.
So I have since learned that even though the black and grey indicator level LED's show empty - there can still be substantial residue left in the tanks.
But I don't understand how such a forceful jet stream of waste can blast out when both grey and black water valves are turned off.
Why did I have this unpleasant start to our camping trip?
  • gbopp's avatar
    gbopp
    Explorer
    Jun 30, 2020
    You need to learn to ignore the black & grey tank level indicators.
    But, I guess you just did. :)
  • mobeewan's avatar
    mobeewan
    Explorer
    Jun 30, 2020
    You're grey and/or black tank valve seals maybe be bad allowing any residual liquid in the tank to fill between the valves and the cap. As the weather has gotten hotter the contents in the pipe may have become pressurized due to the warmer temperatures. The seals may have worked enough to hold the contents in the pipe keeping them from seeping back into the tanks. The pressure gave the contents a little extra help coming out when the cap was removed. Organic break down of the contents in the pipe may also have produced gas adding to the pressure in the pipe.

    Either way it was like popping the cap off a champagne bottle or a soda bottle when you took the cap off. You might replace the 3" cap with one that has a garden hose cap. That way in the future you could loosen the garden hose cap first cap to see if it starts dripping before you remove the 3" cap itself.
  • wanderingaimles's avatar
    wanderingaimles
    Explorer
    Jun 30, 2020
    "Why did I have this unpleasant start to our camping trip?"
    Because you had clean clothes, and 10-12 days to wonder WHEN it would happen again. :)
    Some would say "Murphy's Law"
    But Murphy was an optimist, things are actually much more dire. :R
  • traildog's avatar
    traildog
    Explorer
    Jun 30, 2020
    traildog wrote:
    That's a pretty chitty situation.



    Reminds of the guy who thought all he had to do was get his drain pipe over the concrete at the dumping station and pull the valves.

    What a mess that made...........

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