toilet treatment for black water tank

[stargirl96]

We have a perpetual problem of black water tank indicator showing it's full even after emptying tanks. From what I've read, I think sensors may not be working properly for a variety of reasons. Just purchased a small container of Starbrite toilet treatment to help with odors and keep drain valves from sticking. Any one ever use this product, and does it have to be put in just before using RV? Right now my Jayco is sitting in our driveway and we may not be able to use it for one or two weeks.

[lane_hog]

Tvov wrote:

lane hog wrote:
Never let your tanks sit empty, and most chemicals are snake oil that cover up odors only.

We do 5 gallons of water after dumping (Home Depot bucket x 1 or my wife's mop bucket x 2), and the sloshing action while driving is enough to prevent buildup anywhere.

I am not sure what you mean by "never let your tanks sit empty"... ours are always empty when parked at home. I never leave them full.

Do you mean for seasonal campsite?

Parked, between trips, on trips, 10 months of the year, I've got a minimum of 5 gallons in my black tank.

The only time my black tank runs dry is for full winterization.

Then and only then, I'll drain off that 5 gallons, knowing it's sat there for weeks since our last trip and done its job...

[Oasisbob]

Guages lie like politicians and both are... well never mind. I use an internal sprinkler head to flush the tank. It spine around washing away the cling ons and I get a better reading. Only trouble I have with tank flush kit is finding a dump station with a threaded flush hose.

[klutchdust]

During my trips I always spritz the bowl with simple green or a few squirts of dawn foam and I have no tank odors.

Once home I make my usual concoction of dawn and a tad of bleach and mix it into a rich foam using a paint paddle and cordless drill and dump that into the tank. I then go out and close the black tank drain. Some of the foamy mix stays in the tank.

I do the same with all my drains. The nice thing is when opening the cap next time to attach hose if there was a drip it isn't raw sewage.

[lamont]

5 gallons water, bag ice & some Dawn soap---- start stop ride some rock the Motorhome--- it will clean the sensors off... been doing this over 25 years..
richie,

[TexasShadow]

we treat ours with cheap liquid detergent and borax, a couple cups of each. we use it to treat the gray water too.
start with a couple gallons of water in the tanks.
it works very well. we frequently go as long as 10 days before dumping.

[ksg5000]

Another alternative - buy a flexible toilet tank wand - about $15. It will clean off the debris that is clogging your sensors.

[bobndot]

Google 'Odorlos' holding tank treatment .
Its avl from Amazon . Been using the liquid for years . Never had an odor, never had a failed sensor. I think it's an enzyme type of treatment and sensor cleaner. It doesn't seem to have the usual masking scent of other toilet tank treatments.
After dumping my 40 gal black tank, I always add 3 or 4 gals of water plus an Oz. of Odorlos to the tank and allow that to agitate .

Sometimes I tow an enclosed 12x5 cargo trailer with an electric flush "Curve' porta-potti that secures to the floor. The 'Curve' has its own water supply or windshield washer supply during winter use and its own holding tank. That system also has the same positive results. Odorlos works year round, all temps.

[Tvov]

lane hog wrote:
Never let your tanks sit empty, and most chemicals are snake oil that cover up odors only.

We do 5 gallons of water after dumping (Home Depot bucket x 1 or my wife's mop bucket x 2), and the sloshing action while driving is enough to prevent buildup anywhere.

I am not sure what you mean by "never let your tanks sit empty"... ours are always empty when parked at home. I never leave them full.

Do you mean for seasonal campsite?

[jjrbus]

Depends on the sensors you have for the tank. If they are in tank contacts anytime solids or paper hangs up on them they will show the tank is full. You can use every magic elixir, snake oil, spray accessory know to man and the monitor will work until something hangs up on the sensor again. Which usually does not take very long.

To save some long term aggravation, turn off the pump, push flush lever and look in toilet with flashlight, what you should see is black water tank level. Flashlight held up to fresh water tank will also show level.

If you have external sensors, usually a strip of what looks like foil, then you have another problem. If you wish to add external sensors look up Seelevel tank monitors.

[cavie]

Us seasonals don't move ours. The chemicals are not snake oil. They have been working for many many years. (50) that I know of. I use the orange Camco packs form WM. (think Tide pods) Sensors do and will fail. You will learn when the tank is full. The toilet will Burp back at you when flushing. I just Drain the same day every week with no problems in 4 years. We can go 10 days if need be. You will also be able to see down the toilet if it is straight over the tank. 5 gals of water and a chem treatment after you drain and a full bowl of water when you flush the poop.

[lane_hog]

Never let your tanks sit empty, and most chemicals are snake oil that cover up odors only.

We do 5 gallons of water after dumping (Home Depot bucket x 1 or my wife's mop bucket x 2), and the sloshing action while driving is enough to prevent buildup anywhere.

[DutchmenSport]

All you need to do is empty the tank, flush it the best you can. Then add about 10 gallons of water, enough to cover the bottom of the tank, add a half cup of Dawn Dishwashing liquid down the toilet and go for a 10 mile drive. When you get back, empty the tank.

Now... do this every time you leave a campsite, and 1) your tanks will never smell, 2) your tanks will always be clean, 3) your sensors will work better. No need to change them. 4) Dawn is a lot cheaper than RV black tank deodorizers and cleaners. Actually, you can use them, that's ok if you want. The real cleaning is the agitating of the water in the tank when on the road. It cleans off anything caught or dried on the sensors. It's really just that simple. I don't know why folks don't want to do this. Just dumping a chemical into the tank and it sits there won't clean off those sensors at all. On the other hand, more "gunk" will just stick to them. Water, go for a drive, let the water pulverize the inside of the tank, and dump immediately. All good stuff!

[Lwiddis]

Fill three quarters full with water, drive around, dump. Repeat. You’ll be fine.

[Dusty_R]

I put SeeLeval gauge system on the tanks of our mhs. and don't worry about rinsing/cleaning the tanks.

Dusty

[wildtoad]

enblethen wrote:
We put a couple cups of dish sop in holding tank along with Thetford Campa-Chem.
I believe the dish soap does more then toilet chemical.

This and you should make sure there is plenty of water in the tank, drive around awhile to agitate the solution. Let let it set for the entire time you’re NOT using the RV.