Black Tank & Toilet Paper

[Larryzv7]

So I’m just wondering what others think about this. A camp host told me today that she does not put toilet paper in the toilet because it causes faulty sensor readings, sticks to the walls of the black tank, and can clog the drain system.

She told me that she puts all of her soiled toilet paper in a plastic grocery store bag and throws it out with the trash. She claims she has never had a faulty sensor reading or clogged drain pipe since doing this.

I do not buy the commercial RV black tank products, mainly because they are so expensive, rather I pour some bleach in my toilet after dumping the black tank, and that usually dissolves human waste as well as toilet paper.

I have heard of people doing all sorts of things when it comes to cleaning their black tank or using toilet paper. Some will only buy the RV camping type toilet paper while others use the commercial brand black tank cleaning products.

What are your opinions, if any, on this? What do you use to clean your black tank and do you use regular or RV type toilet paper? Yeah, it does sound like a bunch of crap.

[paulcardoza]

LOL!!!! Sounds like you've turned the simple task of dumping tanks into a 6 - 12 hour ordeal, depending on how many refills and soaks are required! Unbelievable..........

gotsmart wrote:

Larryzv7 wrote:

...
What are your opinions, if any, on this? What do you use to clean your black tank and do you use regular or RV type toilet paper? Yeah, it does sound like a bunch of crap.

Black tank sensors are notorious for false readings. There are a couple of vendors out there with "solutions" to the problem. Anyway, TP and everything else in the black tank can collect on the sensors. Period. Many just ignore the black tank's readout on the monitor panel. This may help:

Does the owners manual for your RV have a dumping procedure for your RV's tanks? Mine does.
My MH does not have a tank rinser and my manual says to:
1. top off the gray and black tanks with water.
2. dump the black tank and leave its valve open.
3. when step 2 is finished, dump the gray tank. The tanks are plumbed to have the gray backflush the black.
4. when step 3 is finished, close both dump valves.
5. repeat steps 1 through 4.

This is my modified procedure:
1a. top off the black tank with water.
1b. rock the MH side-to-side 4 to 5 times to slosh the water around in the black tank in an attempt to unclog the sensors. My MH does not have levelers or stabilizers. Lucky me.
1c. close the gray dump valve (if open) and fill the gray tank with water.
2. dump the black tank and leave its valve open.
3. when step 2 is finished, dump the gray tank.
4. when step 3 is finished, close both dump valves.
5. repeat steps 1a, 1b, 1c.

6. wait 2 to 6 hours. I call this "soak time". It is my opinion that allowing the black tank to have "soak time" (especially during the summer) loosens up even more stuff to achieve a cleaner tank.
7. dump the black tank and leave its valve open.
8. when step 7 is finished, dump the gray tank.
9. close both dump valves.

THEN...

I check at the level in the black tank on the monitor (see below). If the middle or top LED is lit I get slightly irritated. I may then choose to fill and dump the black tank again. In between dumping tanks I monitor the black tank by listening to the water as I'm flushing the toilet. My toilet is a Dometic Sealand with foot pedal (and no spray). When the tank approaches becoming full the sound of the water entering it changes. This tells me that I have about 4 to 5 good sized flushes before the tank gets full. YMMV. Then I do my modified dumping procedure. When finished I add 3-4 gallons of water to the black tank - to keep the bottom of it and the dump valve wet. Then I add 2 cap-fulls of Tide laundry detergent to the black tank (dish soap can foam up too much - up and out the waste vent on the roof).

TP or no TP - the choice is yours. I use Angel Soft and I flush it down the toilet. I can't be bothered to throw money at the black/gray tank sensors. As long as the sensors for the fresh water tank, LP gas, and battery work then I'm happy.

[gotsmart]

Larryzv7 wrote:

...
What are your opinions, if any, on this? What do you use to clean your black tank and do you use regular or RV type toilet paper? Yeah, it does sound like a bunch of crap.

Black tank sensors are notorious for false readings. There are a couple of vendors out there with "solutions" to the problem. Anyway, TP and everything else in the black tank can collect on the sensors. Period. Many just ignore the black tank's readout on the monitor panel. This may help:

Does the owners manual for your RV have a dumping procedure for your RV's tanks? Mine does.
My MH does not have a tank rinser and my manual says to:
1. top off the gray and black tanks with water.
2. dump the black tank and leave its valve open.
3. when step 2 is finished, dump the gray tank. The tanks are plumbed to have the gray backflush the black.
4. when step 3 is finished, close both dump valves.
5. repeat steps 1 through 4.

This is my modified procedure:
1a. top off the black tank with water.
1b. rock the MH side-to-side 4 to 5 times to slosh the water around in the black tank in an attempt to unclog the sensors. My MH does not have levelers or stabilizers. Lucky me.
1c. close the gray dump valve (if open) and fill the gray tank with water.
2. dump the black tank and leave its valve open.
3. when step 2 is finished, dump the gray tank.
4. when step 3 is finished, close both dump valves.
5. repeat steps 1a, 1b, 1c.

6. wait 2 to 6 hours. I call this "soak time". It is my opinion that allowing the black tank to have "soak time" (especially during the summer) loosens up even more stuff to achieve a cleaner tank.
7. dump the black tank and leave its valve open.
8. when step 7 is finished, dump the gray tank.
9. close both dump valves.

THEN...

I check at the level in the black tank on the monitor (see below). If the middle or top LED is lit I get slightly irritated. I may then choose to fill and dump the black tank again. In between dumping tanks I monitor the black tank by listening to the water as I'm flushing the toilet. My toilet is a Dometic Sealand with foot pedal (and no spray). When the tank approaches becoming full the sound of the water entering it changes. This tells me that I have about 4 to 5 good sized flushes before the tank gets full. YMMV. Then I do my modified dumping procedure. When finished I add 3-4 gallons of water to the black tank - to keep the bottom of it and the dump valve wet. Then I add 2 cap-fulls of Tide laundry detergent to the black tank (dish soap can foam up too much - up and out the waste vent on the roof).

TP or no TP - the choice is yours. I use Angel Soft and I flush it down the toilet. I can't be bothered to throw money at the black/gray tank sensors. As long as the sensors for the fresh water tank, LP gas, and battery work then I'm happy.

[sowego]

I've heard of people not putting paper in the tank thinking that is what causes sensor readings, build-up, etc.

I think it is just a nasty plan to have soiled TP, even in bags in the house, maybe for hours before taking to the dumpster. After all...how many times a day do all of us use the toilet??? That's a lot of trips to the dumpster!

We use biodegradable blank tank products if we can find it or just plain water. Paper, with proper amount of water will dissolve just fine in a tank.

We generally don't use bleach in our black tank either because the natural process to begin breaking down paper and waste is by using bleach.

[Larryzv7]

Actually if you read what is on the package of just about any brand name, with some exceptions, it is not called “toilet paper” rather it is called “bathroom tissue,” and while wiping your bum may be its’ primary use, it is often used for a lot more than wiping your bum. Lots of women use it to remove makeup, some people use it to clean their eyeglasses, some use it to cover a public toilet seat, while others might use it to blow their nose, among many other things, what we call toilet paper is not just for the toilet as it has been used for many other things since it was created back in the 6th century.

Okay, I’m done; don’t want to make a mountain out of a mole hill.……:Soops too late.

[fla-gypsy]

Oh gee whiz, it's a toilet people, put the toilet paper in it. This freaking country gets weirder all the time.

[Lantley]

RV daytrader wrote:

Lantley wrote:
While I don't disagree that the TP may cause sensor issues the sensors are not that important. There is no need to treat dirty TP as though it were special. Put it in the toilet.

Having human waste in the trash can,dumpsters,landfills where ever is a much bigger issue than keeping tank sensors clean. Your black tank is not going to overflow! Putting your stuff in the trash exposes everyone who handles waste downstream of your trash can for no good reason.......Is the reason to keep sensors clean?!

I never check mt sensors because I am easily good for at least a week.

Putting soiled TP in the trash vs. using a black tank is nasty,unsanitary and ridiculous. If you truly don't want to use the toilet as it was designed use the bath houses.

ummmmm...where do you think all that dog poop goes that owneres are supposed to pick up ?? And there you have the whole dump, not just some smears on TP !!

We have no choice with dog poop. Getting it off the ground is an vast improvement from leaving it lay. It is not practical to put the poop in the toilet once it picked up. I imagine attempting to do so could get quite messy surely more trouble than its worth.
However it makes no sense to take soiled TP,that is 6" away from be disposed of properly in the black tank, and bagging it up. Only to take it outside and place it in a public container for everyone to be exposed to.
I can understand backpackers and those without a toilet, however to get up from a toilet without disposing of soiled TP does not make sense! Instead of disposing of the mess where you sit, some feel carrying it outside to expose others makes more sense

The purpose of bagging the TP is to keep the sensors working? If you are concerned about your sensors invest in a Sea Level sensor monitoring system and flush the TP the normal way.
Eliminate the notoriously unreliable and inaccurate OEM sensors and your problem will be resolved without bagging TP.
TP will have no effect on the Sea Level Sensors

[Larryzv7]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
I don't know about a bidet, but the Japanese paperless toilets ARE already being used in some of the RV's of the super rich. Some good friends of ours have one in their RV and one in the casita on their RV lot. I tried it but I still prefer paper. Maybe it's just something you had to learn to be OK with.

A lot of Americans who go to southern Europe, especially Italy, either are uncomfortable with a bidet or don’t know how to use them.

I was stationed in Japan when I was in the army back in the late 1960’s and back then their toilets were just a few inches off the ground; you really had to squat down to use them. Maybe today things have changed.

Fact is every nation does not use the toilet the same way and people do become accustomed, or conditioned, to using the toilet the way they do in that person’s particular country or culture. Using toilet paper as we Americans do is a hard habit to break, regardless what other options are available.

[moonlightrunner]

oilslick wrote:
... Now on to more important things.. toilet roll installation? Feed from the front or the rear, lets hear.

Feed from the front, but step in the roll first to flatten it so it doesn't just go spinning off the roll. 🙂

[Bill_Satellite]

Larryzv7 wrote:
Wow…came back and looked at this thread I started last night and was surprised at how it grew overnight. Didn’t know toilet paper was such a prolific topic here. The bottom line is that people are going to do what they do regardless what others think.

The first time I ever heard of saving TP was from my current camp host who told me about it yesterday, and there are pros and cons about using that method. Like someone said dog poop is scooped up and put in the dumpster and no one thinks twice about that. But I did not know there was so much passion about how people use TP.

Toilet paper may become obsolete if bidets catch on here in the U.S. like they have in many other parts of the world. Although some still use TP with a bidet many just use a cloth hand towel instead. It would be interesting to see if a bidet can be installed in an RV.

"The first "paperless" toilet was invented in Japan in 1980. Called a "spray toilet," it is a combination of toilet, bidet and drier, controlled by an electronic panel next to the toilet seat."

I don't know about a bidet, but the Japanese paperless toilets ARE already being used in some of the RV's of the super rich. Some good friends of ours have one in their RV and one in the casita on their RV lot. I tried it but I still prefer paper. Maybe it's just something you had to learn to be OK with.

[Ramair]

Been RVing fulltiming for 5 yrs and what goes into the black tank is everything that is suppose to go in there. I use Angle Soft septic safe TP and water. My sensors have always read correctly, I started using the GEO Method and it does work. 1 Cup Calgon and 1 Cup Liquid laundry soap, and every time I dump I always flush, flush and flush, Now I only use the above method approx. once per month and still sensors work great. I do occasionally when flushing out the black tank I pour some dish soap down the toilet and continue with the black tank flush when full pulling the drain you see all the suds come out flush again and done. To each their own but we use the toilet for what its intended for, and never a sensor problem. If you bag it go for it.

[oilslick]

I read this thread with interest.. I spent my working life having to deal with the proverbial .... When you have 100 - 400 people on an aircraft ready to go and the toilets don't work, or they just flew 8 hours with no toilets and immigration won't let them off the airplane, who you conna call?? I've seen some very nasty stuff stuffed down toilets, never bothered me but most guys I worked with couldn't handle the real bad stuff especially if it's steaming.:)
What it did learn was always use lots of water when flushing after dumping, this ensures that the "steaming pile" directly under the tank entry is always washed away, you don't want that "building up". Second most important is the pre charge, sure it helps keep stuff moving around and is supposed to be done on aircraft but for my RV it cuts down on capacity so ZERO pre charge for me, I just make sure the waste coming out at the end of flushing is clear. TP.. yup it collects on the sensors and stays wet, holding water after the sensors would have dried, this gives false quantity readings, a good flush takes care of this every time. Last but not least keep the stinky TP out the garbage and flush it. Now on to more important things.. toilet roll installation? Feed from the front or the rear, lets hear.

[Larryzv7]

Wow…came back and looked at this thread I started last night and was surprised at how it grew overnight. Didn’t know toilet paper was such a prolific topic here. The bottom line is that people are going to do what they do regardless what others think.

The first time I ever heard of saving TP was from my current camp host who told me about it yesterday, and there are pros and cons about using that method. Like someone said dog poop is scooped up and put in the dumpster and no one thinks twice about that. But I did not know there was so much passion about how people use TP.

Toilet paper may become obsolete if bidets catch on here in the U.S. like they have in many other parts of the world. Although some still use TP with a bidet many just use a cloth hand towel instead. It would be interesting to see if a bidet can be installed in an RV.

"The first "paperless" toilet was invented in Japan in 1980. Called a "spray toilet," it is a combination of toilet, bidet and drier, controlled by an electronic panel next to the toilet seat."

[Dog_Folks]

Bumpyroad wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:
Let's get going folks. The last thread on TP, whether to fold or bunch it went 7 pages!

how about a link? I missed that one.
bumpy

Here you go, enjoy: Toilet Paper- Fold or Bunch

thanks but I didn't see one correct answer on the how many squares. I have found that one square will suffice. take one square. fold it sort of pointy and tear a small circle of paper out of the middle. then poke finger thru hole and wipe. then use small circle of paper to clean out from under fingernail.
you are welcome for this advice.
bumpy

Thanks for clearing that up.

[Executive45]

louiskathy wrote:


Many years ago (we've been RVing since 1990 in one class A or another)we had a problem at the dump station JUST ONCE that resulted in most of our black tank on the ground instead of "down the hole". It was raining (of course). Dealing with the mess and cleaning up the area would have been so much easier if there had not been all that white dissolving toilet paper clinging to the rough ground.

I don't care how many say that it's so disgusting to imagine not putting that nasty TP in the toilet. (They only say that here... they don't tell me this in my own RV And they certainly are not going to be around helping me clean it up off the ground.)

Just curious...how exactly would your job of cleaning up the ground after your black tank spill be any easier or cleaner without the TP...I think the TP was the least of your problem...:S...Dennis

P.S. All of this can be solved by investing is one simple item...
The Bumper Dumper

[Bumpyroad]

Dog Folks wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:
Let's get going folks. The last thread on TP, whether to fold or bunch it went 7 pages!

how about a link? I missed that one.
bumpy

Here you go, enjoy: Toilet Paper- Fold or Bunch

thanks but I didn't see one correct answer on the how many squares. I have found that one square will suffice. take one square. fold it sort of pointy and tear a small circle of paper out of the middle. then poke finger thru hole and wipe. then use small circle of paper to clean out from under fingernail.
you are welcome for this advice.
bumpy