Black tank splash shield problem

[mnoeltne]

I assume it's a splash shield anyway.

When we flush our toilet in the motorhome (Thetford Aqua Magic V) things go on down for the first day or two of a trip. Then paper and stuff starts to build up and it won't flush entirely.

I pulled the toilet today to install a new blade seal, and what I see seems to be a splash shield just below the drain pipe. It looks like things are supposed to flush down there, then drain off to the sides into the tank. But instead the TP builds up on this surface. We use the TP that's supposed to dissolve easily, but since it's up on this shield it isn't submersed in water and doesn't dissolve.

I can get everything to move if I use a cleaning wand (like this Valterra wand), but that's a hassle and uses a lot of extra water when we are dry camping.

Any suggestions for handling this problem, other than somehow removing the shield?

I guess I could take a hole saw down through the drain pipe and cut an opening in the shield, but I'm hoping for a better way.

Thanks!

[DFord]

Mark,
I wonder if it would be possible to get in contact with tech support at Fleetwood?

[RJsfishin]

Quote
But, when we are parked for multiple days in the same spot there isn't any sloshing, and the build up under the toilet occasionally caused problems.
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This is perfectly normal
So if you add a homade "knock down stick" to the equasion, it is no longer a problem

[mnoeltne]

DFord wrote:
mnoeltne,
You've never reacted to my earlier advice about keeping the black tank dump valve closed until the tank is near full. If you're doing that, you won't be able to see the bottom of the tank. If you're leaving the valve open, you're asking for the kind of trouble you're reporting here.

So which is it?

The tank valve stays shut until the end of the trip, or until the tank is full ( or at least 3/4 full). We seldom camp in a campground with hookups anyway.

The pile I am getting is just under the drain, and not at the actual bottom of the deeper part of the tank. Liquids drain off into the main part of the tank, but solids sometimes accumulate.

I'm sure that if we drove a bit at the end of a multi-day trip the liquids in the tank would slosh up onto this edge of tank or shield or whatever this is and wash the solids down into the main part of the tank.

But, when we are parked for multiple days in the same spot there isn't any sloshing, and the build up under the toilet occasionally caused problems.

[RJsfishin]

Quote:Youmust poo into a full bowl of water just like at home.
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Well, obviously you are not a boondocker ! That is ridiculous.
But if that was true or necessary, that RV is not designed for boondocking.

[cavie]

mnoeltne wrote:

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
Just for kicks, do you use LOTS of water when flushing the throne! Not speaking of while cleaning but rather in just the everyday flushing the toilet. I know I will always fill the bowl fairly well before stepping on the pedal to flush. I realize if you are someplace without sewer then doing this might fill the tanks quickly.

We try to, although that is part of the reason I'm changing the blade seal. Usually there isn't a whole lot of water in the bowl, but we do hold the flush lever open to let more water down in there.

So, I'm sure that this at least part of the issue, but the rough texture of the surface is certainly not letting stuff run off down into the tank easily.

Youmust poo into a full bowl of water just like at home.

[cavie]

DFord wrote:
Never BUT NEVER! camp with your black tank drain open!!!!!!!!!!!

ALWAYS!!!!! Allow the black tank to fill to almost full before dumping!!

IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO FOLLOW THESE STEPS, YOUR SOLIDS WILL MOUND UP!!!
Just like you're describing here. After flushing the tank ALWAYS allow it to fill with enough water to cover the bottom of the tank to prevent the next toilet flush from sticking to the bottom of the tank.

If you follow these hard and fast rules, you will not have any problem with mounds of solids and TP building up in your tank.

RVs are not flush toilets like you have in your house where over a gallon and a half of water move the solids along towards the septic tank or sewer treatment plant with each flush.

I use and recommend HIGHLY a tank treatment called "HAPPY CAMPER" every time I empty my tank. It helps dissolve TP and breakdown the solid but most of all kills the odors. After flushing the tank, fill the bowl, put a scoop of HAPPY CAMPER in the toilet and use your bowl brush to swirl it around to mix it up and clean the inside of the bowl and lip wiping off any excess. Then flush the toilet, fill it again to rinse your bowl and brush before putting thinks away and returning the toilet to use. http://1-happycamper.com/ Use this link to read more about the product. You can find it offered by several vendors on the internet, Amazon and Ebay plus "good" RV supply stores. Shop around.

+2

[opnspaces]

Some toilets have a 45 degree bend in the drop pipe, I wonder if that is what you are seeing. As far as filling the bowl for a flush, that doesn't really apply for just pee. Although if there is toilet paper in the bowl you will need extra water to make sure it clears the bend in the pipe.

[stickdog]

Just filling the bowl to the rim every time a flush is necessary will fill your tank quickly. Better to find out how much your bowl holds. I dump when our black tank gets to 80 percent which is 40 gallons of a 50gal tank. After dumping I fill the bowl twice and flush to prime the tank which registers 8 percent or 4 gallons. Anyone doing 2gallon flushes aren't going to be boondocking for long.

[DFord]

mnoeltne,
You've never reacted to my earlier advice about keeping the black tank dump valve closed until the tank is near full. If you're doing that, you won't be able to see the bottom of the tank. If you're leaving the valve open, you're asking for the kind of trouble you're reporting here.

So which is it?

[mobeewan]

Sounds like you are seeing the edge of the tank support ledge where it rests on the support angles under the trailer. They may have mounted the tank so the edge of the tank is just under the opening for the toilet and is also in the shallow end of the tank. You may have to use a stick or fiberglass rod to help push things away from the ledge until there is enough water in the tank to help "things" float away from the opening.

Although my toilet is centered between the support ledges it is over the shallow end of the tank. Toilet paper will build up until there is enough water in the tank. Then as more water, toilet paper and solids enter the tank they help push the previous flush aside.

You might also let everyone know they might need to use a little less paper per flush and not let too much paper fill the bowl. If they have to use extra paper for clean up, more than one flush is necessary.

[mnoeltne]

I guess it COULD be just a shallow end of the tank, rather than a shield. It goes, flange, short drain pipe (4" ?), then a gap of about 2 inches, then something solid that extends out well away from the drain before dropping off.

I'm certainly not getting a "pile of poo" in the main part of the tank. Just directly under the toilet.

OK, new blade seal will be here on Tuesday and we will be camping next week so I can test how it goes with a full bowl of water.

[NRALIFR]

“I pulled the toilet today to install a new blade seal, and what I see seems to be a splash shield just below the drain pipe.”

I’m not sure what your seeing in the drain pipe, but I’d bet you dollars to donuts it’s not supposed to be there. Nothing should be in the pipe between the commode and the black tank that will impede the flow of solids and TP into the tank.

:):)

[Bobbo]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Typically waste tanks are sloped...shallow end under inlet pipe.

Whenever using TP you should FILL the toilet bowl FULL prior to flushing so you have good volume to carry stuff away from inlet area

Just the nature of gravity toilets.
Shorter the drop the more likelihood stuff will collect if NOT using enough water when flushing

maddog348 wrote:
If NOT really full before using ~ do your thing ~ hold pedal down 1/2 way (lets water in none out)~ fill to top with water ~~ FLUSH

These are the answers. Whenever solid waste (including just TP) is in the toilet bowl to be flushed, FILL THE BOWL TO JUST BELOW THE RIM BEFORE FLUSHING. That volume of water will carry the TP right past the "splash shield."

[maddog348]

If NOT really full before using ~ do your thing ~ hold pedal down 1/2 way (lets water in none out)~ fill to top with water ~~ FLUSH

HOLD PEDAL 1/2 WAY DOWN ~ LETS WATER IN TO FILL TANK> Then all the way down to flush all the water at once

IF THAT DOES NOT WORK USE A BUCKET TO FILL THE BOWL