black tank odors after storage

[JimNH]

we have a small hybrid TT with small tanks - a "weekender" really.

Last time we were at a site with full hook ups (which was fortunate, since I got some kind of stomach bug and took full advantage...)

This time we are back at Chocorua with no sewer hook up. Everything went fine for set up, but we have some black tank odor to deal with. We added more water to the tank and one of the one-time use enzyme balls, and that has helped.

I think the issue was maybe not adding water after emptying the tank last time, and the smell occurred while the trailer was sitting in the driveway in the hot sun for a week or more.

My plan (we're home today during the day, heading back up late tonight or early tomorrow) is to get a flushing wand and hose, and clean the tank then dump into my portable tank, then fill with a few gallons of water and some enzyme.

Sound right?

JIM in NH

[Roo_Camper]

TheGreatWaz00 wrote:
Hi Roo

Since the tanks are holing tanks and not septic tanks the cleaner you keep them the better.

For the back tank I pour two caps of Calgon liquid water softener in the toilet. It will make the tank walls slippery. Then I travel with about just less than 1/3 tank of water. Let it slosh around while driving. At camp I let it fill up before draining. If not full before draining I fill it. Get a good flow of water when emptying. I also use some little blue packet if deodreizer with each tank.

After emptying the tank I fill it again. Just water. Fill it full. When you empty it the second time you will be surprised how dirty it comes out. I suggest getting a clear drain tube connector. It connects between your sewage tube and your camper connection. It enables you to see how the water is as it drains.

When I prepare my camper for long-term storage I fill it a 3rd time and pour 1/2 galln bleech down the toilet. Fill the tank let it sit 30 mins and drain.

Do this and you should be good.

Thanks GW
The long weekend trip, we had both valves closed...to fill the tanks, found out that keeping an eye on the panel is a must when doing that, since my bff went to take a shower and the shower floor was full of water...luckily it all stayed IN the shower.. shewww.. so pulled the gray water and emptied that, left the black water closed. Then we closed the gray again to refill, so the day we left, pulled the black.. emptied that, then the gray to help flush things a bit. Only did it once though, so not sure it was enough "flushing out" or not.
I'll look into finding the calcon softener before i put more water in the black, and the trip in Sept..I also have those little blue packets as well..

[TheGreatWaz00]

Hi Roo

Since the tanks are holing tanks and not septic tanks the cleaner you keep them the better.

For the back tank I pour two caps of Calgon liquid water softener in the toilet. It will make the tank walls slippery. Then I travel with about just less than 1/3 tank of water. Let it slosh around while driving. At camp I let it fill up before draining. If not full before draining I fill it. Get a good flow of water when emptying. I also use some little blue packet if deodreizer with each tank.

After emptying the tank I fill it again. Just water. Fill it full. When you empty it the second time you will be surprised how dirty it comes out. I suggest getting a clear drain tube connector. It connects between your sewage tube and your camper connection. It enables you to see how the water is as it drains.

When I prepare my camper for long-term storage I fill it a 3rd time and pour 1/2 galln bleech down the toilet. Fill the tank let it sit 30 mins and drain.

Do this and you should be good.

[Roo_Camper]

Well not sure there is any water in storage.. I'll have to check that also.. 🙂

Thank you..

[bikendan]

Roo Camper wrote:

bikendan wrote:

Roo Camper wrote:
should I be putting some more water in?

YESSS!! 3-4 gallones. you'll have hardened Poo if you don't keep water in it. as Chuck said, you can never get all of it out.

putting in additives is your choice. we like Odorlos.

Ooops.. guess I should do that.. and I just pour that down the potty.. that will work? ( yeah I know another dumb question)

you can unless you prefer to hold the toilet foot pedal down until 3-4 gallons goes down.:W

[Roo_Camper]

bikendan wrote:

Roo Camper wrote:
should I be putting some more water in?

YESSS!! 3-4 gallones. you'll have hardened Poo if you don't keep water in it. as Chuck said, you can never get all of it out.

putting in additives is your choice. we like Odorlos.

Ooops.. guess I should do that.. and I just pour that down the potty.. that will work? ( yeah I know another dumb question)

[bikendan]

Roo Camper wrote:
should I be putting some more water in?

YESSS!! 3-4 gallones. you'll have hardened Poo if you don't keep water in it. as Chuck said, you can never get all of it out.

putting in additives is your choice. we like Odorlos.

[Chuck_S]

In my experience I add a couple of gallons of water to both tanks after they've been dumped. This and the residual enzymes and Odorlos do a pretty good job of getting rid of the rest of the stuff in there. I do flush the tanks before winter storage but not during the season.

Mistake I made early on was using minimal water to flush "#2". Built up a White Mountain of toilet paper under the potty. For solid waste I fill the bowl first, then dump it into the tank. Helps spread the mountain out.

-- Chuck

[Roo_Camper]

Ok.. I'm gonna show my newbieness again..
When I left the campsite Tues..I dumped both the gray and black tanks..so guessing now they are empty..should I be putting some more water in? And I didn't add anything to the potty tank after either.. advice for this newbie would be appreciated.. ( apologies in advance for being so dumb)

[Chuck_S]

Complete rinsing of the black tank is literally impossible, too many places for stuff to hide. Back flushing does NOT work well unless you have a straight pipe into the tank; if it's curved you're just splashing water around the pipes, not the tank. And if you rinse all the enzymes out the stuff remains in place. Dump and go works well for me. Let the remaining enzymes and Odorlos do the remaining work.

-- Chuck

[JimNH]

Got back to the campground last night. No problems with smell. I think that just adding water to the empty tank helped. Seems fine now. After dumping tomorrow I'll add some water and enzyme.

[Lynnmor]

duplicate

[Lynnmor]

I use the chemicals since odor may come up the toilet when flushing and there is less stink when dumping. Use several gallons of water at the start since just one gallon will all be in the drain pipe.

If you think that any flush system will completely clean the tank, try this: After flushing, add a few gallons of water and drive to the next place you can dump without using the toilet. Using a clear elbow, dump the tank and observe the brown trout swimming downstream.

[Old-Biscuit]

I don't use ANY chemicals and NO smells cause all vapor barriers work.

Stink inside (other than when flushing toilet) is due to something not working .

All the chemicals will NOT cure that problem......just have a chemical smell inside

[Dick_B]

I think the Flush King or Hydro Flush is a better approach than dragging a hose thru the camper to flush out the toilet tank then dragging the potentially dirty want back thru the RV. Keeps all the `black' stuff out where it belongs.
There is a video showing the Hydro Flush cleans the tank better than my No Fuss Flush ie. built-in flushing system. Hard to believe but the video proves it.