OK --- Guilty!

[DutchmenSport]

...for being lackadaisical not attending to my black tank more.

Been on the road a lot, been using the camper every day at home. Bathroom is being used every day. Week-ends hit the road, week-days, spending nights in the camper at home.

I've been using the "back flush" system since we've had the camper. I also use the black tank flusher. I "back flush" every time I dump, and use the tank flusher ... oh... ever 6 weeks or so now.

Well, the last few weeks we've noticed the unplesant smell emitting from the toilet when the pedal is pushed. And if the exhaust fan is turned on in the bathroom, it's really a smell to die for ... literally.

Well, when we left the camp ground earlier today, I dumped at the dump station as I normally do, backflushing and running the black tank flusher.

But, I've been very neglegant at adding some Dawn into the tank before hitting the road. Not this time! I took the time after dumping to add about 5 gallons of water, about a 1/4 gallon of bleach and a very generous dose of Dawn dishwashing liquid.

Once home, I dumped the tank again. Amid the bubbles and bleach, and rinsing with the black tank rinser, the bubbles started to subside. Water drained out and everything said and done.

So then I went into the bathroom, pushed the peddle ... well ... it smells like bleach!

Moral of the story! After every dump, before hitting the road, add some water again and add the Dawn so it can pulverize the inside of the tank and wash out all the "nasties."

Note to self! Just do it, add the water and the Dawn, and then hit the road!

[momentum_rv]

Always add some water back into the black tank, it should NEVER be left empty.

[mgirardo]

DutchmenSport wrote:
Moral of the story! After every dump, before hitting the road, add some water again and add the Dawn so it can pulverize the inside of the tank and wash out all the "nasties

Never had the need to add anything to the black tank other than water. We camp seasonally and dump the black tank once a week. Every time I dump the tank, I refill with water, then dump again. Then I let the in tank rinser run for a few minutes until the water is clear.

The only time we get odors from the tank is if it gets too full and the vent is blocked.

-Michael

[Veebyes]

Yup, have a few gallons of water to slosh around right after dumping. Think the effect of waves washing up on a beach. Stuff gets moved & broken up. Lovely subject.

[ReneeG]

We only use the Porta-Pak drop ins and have never had a smell or problem. Before every trip we put in 2 - 3 gallons of water and the treatment. At the dump station, we use our tank flushing system till it runs clean, then back home and repeat for the next trip. Same rig, same system, for the past 9 years.

[WNYBob]

I use those laundry packets, neat smell good and easy to store.(just keep all the mentioned chemicals away from children.)

[down_home]

We use black tank treatments and water softener. We have used soap too.
We haven't dry camped much and always connect to sewer at RV Parks.
We let it get pretty full before filling draining and flushing.
Just used the soap and water softener a few times as thought it a good idea.
Used the ice cube, soap and softener idea too and drove a long ways then flushed the system. did we need to I don't know only once or twice have I thought we had a problem. RV Parks with lots of water pressure really clean the tanks with the factory sanitizing system.

[time2roll]

Check your vent does not have some obstruction.

[SDcampowneroper]

1 oz. of bleach to 50 gal. of black water will neutralize the waste. More bleach can cause serious harm to the digestive systems of wastewater treatment systems. Please use bleach sparingly on non community waste water systems. It kills the bacteria that treat the waste.

[blownstang01]

Yep ! We don't use Dawn, just because we haven't. We put in our dishwasher soap, Cascade. Always keeps the level sensors working and the smell down. It's the grease cutting agents in these type of soaps that keep the solids from forming. Good Advice.