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scottykrug's avatar
scottykrug
Explorer
Jul 10, 2013

pyramid

So I was wandering the web this morning and stumbled onto this comical picture (story behind it was just as comical) and figured it was a good pictorial description of what happens when you leave your black valve open while hooked up.

  • LOL, just got a chuckle when I saw it. For the record, my arm would never fit down there and even if it did, I would choose to use a pressure washer to break up the pile.
  • figured it was a good pictorial description of what happens when you leave your black valve open while hooked up.


    So if the black valve is left open, how does the poop get that high? :h
  • Way back when I was a kid, at scout camp all we had were outhouses. We used to pour some lye down there every week or so......
  • 2012Coleman wrote:
    figured it was a good pictorial description of what happens when you leave your black valve open while hooked up.


    So if the black valve is left open, how does the poop get that high? :h


    The liquid drains away through open valve allowing the solids to accumulate and build toward entrance point. If valve is kept closed the liquid creates a slurry and over time breaks the solids apart.

    Hope this helps
  • Roundtwo-40 wrote:
    2012Coleman wrote:
    figured it was a good pictorial description of what happens when you leave your black valve open while hooked up.


    So if the black valve is left open, how does the poop get that high? :h


    The liquid drains away through open valve allowing the solids to accumulate and build toward entrance point. If valve is kept closed the liquid creates a slurry and over time breaks the solids apart.

    Hope this helps
    OK - I got it... TMI, but I got it :P
  • TenOC wrote:
    I have been "camped" at the same site for 2 years now. I leave the black and gray water vales open ALL THE TIME. You only need to make sure that there is water in the toilet before use and when you flush you use extra water. I have NEVER had a pyramid.


    Have you gotten inside to look? :B

    My bet is there IS a nice thick layer of that stuff on the bottom of your tank. My guess, 2 years...1/2 your tank is sediment. Poop needs to 'float' in water to be able to exit. The amount of water from a flush does not fill the entire bottom of the tank to float the stuff out the opening. It's just sitting there and when the sediment gets high enough 'some' of it exits!