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MSGTRETIREDCSP's avatar
MSGTRETIREDCSP
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015

Oh No!?!,,?

Well, I went out to empty the black and gray tanks. I first pulled on the black tank handle and nothing happened. No big gash on liquid and solids draining. I felt the hose and could feel a trickle of liquid coming from the black. I then pulled on the gray handle and a gush of flowing liquid could be heard. For years, we have always made sure to have plenty of water in the black tank to avoid the infamous poo-mountain.
Before I start to make anything worst than it is, what suggestions would you have on how to approach a black tank clog. I'm in a rv resort in south Texas. I don't want to make a bad situation worst by having a black tank spill.

I don't think it's a valve problem. It seems to open and close fine. I'm thinking it's a plug. Anything to pour into the tank to dissolve solids?

Any suggestion or help would be much appreciated.
Seeking Advice
  • dieharder's avatar
    dieharder
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2015
    Oh oh... had that happen once. Might not be the poo pyramid under the toilet, but a clog of TP at the exit. Drove back from Myrtle Beach like that, dumped every chemical I could down the toilet to hope to break up the clog. 2 days of road to get home and the clog was still strong.

    Had to hunker down and do it the bad way... poked a hanger up there a couple of times and hoped to get the hose back on before it all came a rushing while DW sat inside giggling her butt off. Thank god I had the foresight to wear clothes and an old pair of shoes that I wasn't worried about ever wearing again. Strongly suggest doing this at an out of the way dump station and not at the park campsite.

    Side note: advised her that she needs to be more careful about TP usage, or she'll be the one with the hanger next time. No messes since.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Mar 06, 2015
    Maybe the black tank valve was stuck on something and actually was open just enough to let the liquid out.
  • MWJones's avatar
    MWJones
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2015
    Had this happen to me a few years ago.
    This may or may not work for you but it did for me.
    Fill the gray tank FULL. Open the black tank valve and then open the gray valve. The suction from the gray water flowing broke my black tank lose!!
    Try it and hope.
  • joelc's avatar
    joelc
    Explorer III
    Mar 06, 2015
    Have you tried a back flush? If that does work and releases something, then if you don't have a wand installed in your tank take a hose stick it down there and hopefully the power from the hose will clean the tank. Do this with the valve open.

    You can purchase a fitting that goes onto the sewer hose connection that allows you to inject water into the tank while the sewer hose is connected to the fitting.
  • michigansandzil's avatar
    michigansandzil
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2015
    joelc wrote:
    Have you tried a back flush?


    X2
    It's clean and easy and worked for us in the past.
  • Homer1's avatar
    Homer1
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2015
    Definely back flush before you try anything else. Best done at home or any where but the campsite.
  • Dutch_12078's avatar
    Dutch_12078
    Explorer II
    Mar 06, 2015
    I cleared a similar problem for a fellow camper just last week. I used a coat hanger hook, but instead of hoping to get the hose back on in time, I poked a tiny hole in an old hose connected to the outlet and the dump station. I worked the coat hanger through the hole in to the tank and after a bit of poking, pulling, and twisting, the clog broke free and the tank emptied with out a drop spilling. The little hole in the hose probably could have been fixed with a dab of glue, but the owner elected to toss it instead, since it was spare that was pretty beat up anyway.
  • MSGTRETIREDCSP's avatar
    MSGTRETIREDCSP
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2015
    UPDATE:

    Problem solved! I hooked up a clear back-flush connection to see what was coming out. I then turned on the tank flush. Stuff started coming out real slow for a few seconds, then the flow picked up and before you know it, I had a shi5 eating grin on my face (figure of speech). Thanks for all your help and replies! Now let's see, it's 5:00 somewhere.:B

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