So we went on a camping trip in the new to us 5th wheel this last weekend and were at the dump station I pulled the valve, dumped black tank, then gray tank, and then tried to shut the black tank valve and it wouldn't fully close.
So I hook up the hose to the bib, drag it inside the camper and fill the black tank fully with water so I can flush the obstruction out. -Lots- of very intact looking toilet paper starts coming out and I think to myself, well that had to be it, I go to shut the valve and it still wont fully close.
A line is starting to build behind me (its sunday and everyone is packing up) so I finish up and head home, dreading the task that I know is ahead of me.
This is only the second time we've used the rig since we bought it, and neither of us used the toilet for anything related to #2, we are both experienced campers, and know not to use anything but RV toilet paper in the camper when we do have to use the toilet.
So this means the mess in the black tank wasn't ours, which makes it even worse to have to deal with.
The dealer I bought it from at the time of purchase of course told me that they had fully prepped it, cleaned the whole unit, flushed the tanks etc. **The one thing I asked the dealer to do was to check the roof for any cracks and reseal it wherever required. The technician scoffed at me and told me and my wife that "he knew what his job was"...
As I feared this was completely untrue, it started raining really hard on our 1st trip (think monsoon) and there was a little water dripping from the bottom of the fridge, at first I thought it was the fridge sweating because of the humidity, but when I got up on the roof myself to check I saw a 2" circular crack where the fridge vent joins the roof seal. I carry a tube of dicor sealant, so I fixed it and the drip went away. Thankfully no visible damage on the inside of the camper.
When we got home I unbuttoned the bottom of the rig where the valves are, and got to work taking the black tank valve apart. I got it apart and found just what I thought I would, a wad of triple ply Charmin wedged in the seal. I cleaned it out and reassembled it so problem solved, took the rig to the local campground and filled/flushed 3 more times and I think the Charmin is finally all gone. Time will tell.
I wanted to share these experiences with the group so hopefully someone else can learn from them.
* Don't take your dealers word for anything.
* Check and verify everything yourself.
* If you run into a technician with a bad attitude, or that wont take direction from you (the customer) don't let them work on your rig.
Regards,
Colin
