Black tank (blockage??)

[rollingdownthehighway]

Ok, here is a new one. We're seasonal this year. I flush the black tank before we leave with the tank flush and the 'blaster', however, no paper is coming out, only 'clear' water. Yesterday the gauge was reading full, so I tried emptying it but only liquids came out, no paper. however, the gauge was bouncing from 1/3 to empty. I even raised the front as high as I could and still no paper. Now, there is water in the toilet.

Any thoughts on how to get it unclogged and get the paper out? Clear Liquids are draining, so it appears not to be 100% clogged, just no paper is coming out. We do put the stuff in the tank to break up everything, but after two flushes it can go from empty to 2/3 full. (I know the gauge is never 100% accurate).

I'm going to get the wand today and try and see if I can break it up anything in the tank, but any thoughts and anything I can try to get the paper released?

[jimcol]

Does the water gush out when you open the dump valve? If operating normal the clear elbow should be completely full of fluid and waste. If it is just trickling out I would suspect the valve is not opening completely, allowing only liquids to exit the tank.

[rollingdownthehighway]

It flows pretty good, I can run the tank flush and close the valve then open it, and the water gushes out and then starts to trickle when it empties out.

I never really paid attention, but is water in the toilet like that (in the pic) normal?

[Daryles]

No it is not normal to see water in the pipe.
You have the "Poo Pyramid". It is caused by not using enough water in the bowel OR, leaving the black tank valve open. Liquids run out leaving solids behind to pile up.
You can do a search on the forum. Lots of threads. Lots of different ways to fix. The wand with the flexible hose and sprayer on the end is good BUT, depending on how your unit is plumbed it may not be long enough to reach the tank. Mine has two 45⁰ bends in the pipe before it drops into the tank. I need at least 5' of flex hose to reach the bottom of the tank where the the Pyramid would be to break it up. Use HOT water.
A member recently posted about Zep Drain Defense
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...=Drain+Defense.
I bought a bottle. I'm planning on using it the last two legs of our journey home so it gets good agitation going down the road.

[rollingdownthehighway]

This just started, it's been draining fine. The tank isn't left open and we put a ton of water when we flush. Even when I drain it, I use the tank flush and leave it 1/3 full (per the gauge) of water, and add more water when we flush.

I'll check out that link, thx

[DutchmenSport]

Sorry to hear about your problem. We solved the toilet paper issue 3 years ago when I installed Bidets on all our toilets, in the house and in the camper. No more TP in the holding tank. What a difference. But a Bidet does require a very different mind-set to use. But it sure does make a difference (on the body and in the holding tank).

Meanwhile....

A wand down the toilet is probably your best answer. Back flushing is also something you can try. Attach a 3rd valve to the discharge pipe. With the grey water tank full, drain the black tank as much as you can. Now close off the 3rd valve and open the grey water tank. This will allow the grey water to back-flush into the black tank. Wait about 10 seconds for the tanks to equalize. Now close the grey tank so no black water will go into it and open the 3rd valve to dump the black tank again. Repeat this 3 times and you'll still have enough grey water to flush out the hose.

If you back flush every time you dump the black tank, it will help pull everything out of the tank.

Another thing... when initially dumping the black tank, before dumping turn on your black tank flusher, THEN start dumping. The extra swish will help push out stuck on solids.

If this does not work well either, the wand down the toilet hole is your best option.

See my post I here: (second half of the post, after the photos) ... Click here.

One more thing you can do if the blockage still does not free up is to shove a garden hose up the black tank from the outside. Yea ... use an old hose, you won't want to use this hose for anything after you do this.

I suppose there is one more thing you can do.

See another post I put: Click here too.

[rollingdownthehighway]

I'm getting the wand today and heading up to try it. I always run the flush first, let it fill up some more and then drain it, and so far never been an issue until now. We even dumped hot water into the toilet along with the chemicals to help break everything up. I even run the flush and the 'pressure washer' at the same time, and stop one, let it drain, let the other run, then stop the other, let it drain, etc.

[rollingdownthehighway]

Update:

Ok, here is an update of what I’ve done (for 2 hours) and still clogged/not draining anything but water

I got to the camper, opened the toilet lid and I saw TP at the toilet opening. I got the wand, I put the wand down the toilet l, tinted the water on, however, it started to backflow intro the bowl and the bowl started filling up and not draining.

I opened the drain and clear water drained out.
I then ran the hit tank flush with hot water. I let it sit for a bit, then I raised the nose as high as it could go, and nothing, just clear water gushed out. I tried the wand again and same thing, I can put the wand all the way down, turned it out and again, it started filling the bowl with the ‘stuff’, I opened the drain outside and clear water drained out.

I did this a few times and no paper or ‘stuff’ is draining, only clear water.

Is there anything I can use like a jet wash or something I can connect to my pressure washer and put that up the drain pipe and try to clear it that way?

[AZ Traveler]

It may be time to hire one of the services like ""Kleen Tank".

[Daryles]

Sounds like the blockage might be in the pipe between the toilet and the tank. My rig has two 45⁰ bends in the pipe before it hits the tank.
Maybe try a plunger?
I read of a case where the owner tried everything then used a "Drain Bladder"
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Me...-111/301879205
That blasted through the blockage.

I guess the next step if that didn't work would be this
https://www.homedepot.com/s/pipe%20b...pe=text&NCNI-5

[Daryles]

Kleen Tank is here at the Rally. Here's a picture of the back of their business card they talk about in the video. It has the recipe they use.

[rollingdownthehighway]

Originally Posted by Daryles

Kleen Tank is here at the Rally. Here's a picture of the back of their business card they talk about in the video. It has the recipe they use.

Yeah, I checked them out and they don't have a dealer where the rig is parked at (or my home state), but I reached out to one close to me and the rig.

[Foldbak]

I think what Daryles is suggesting is to make and use the recipe on the card.

[rollingdownthehighway]

Originally Posted by Foldbak

I think what Daryles is suggesting is to make and use the recipe on the card.

I made that mix yesterday prior to heading to the CG, though, I have to get the toilet unclogged to even get anything down the tank.

[DutchmenSport]

Did you try shoving a garden hose up the pipe from the outside. I know this will probably be horribly messy, but it might be the only way... especially if the clog is in the drain pipes?

[rollingdownthehighway]

Originally Posted by DutchmenSport

Did you try shoving a garden hose up the pipe from the outside. I know this will probably be horribly messy, but it might be the only way... especially if the clog is in the drain pipes?

Got a hose with a jet at the end for my pressure washer. Trying that this weekend.

[fatcatzzz]

We are fulltime and travel with one of these "SEWER JETTER - Complete and Ready to Use - Flexible Steel Braid (50 FT for Gas Pressure Washers)" (bought on amazons website). I just go to local rental yard and rent pressure washer for half a day. Usually about $50. Do this twice a year have not had any problems like we had before using this. You would not believe the stuff that comes out after just six months of use.
If you purchase one make sure you get one with small nozzle on the end as the larger ones can get stuck.

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by fatcatzzz

...We are fulltime and travel with one of these "SEWER JETTER - Complete and Ready to Use - Flexible Steel Braid (50 FT for Gas Pressure Washers)" (bought on amazons website)....

Here is a link to this product
https://www.amazon.com/SEWER-JETTER-...0BWNY9DKP?th=1

[Daryles]

One Problem with going up the sewer drain is the turns and Y joints in the pipe where the black tank and grey tank connect to the same pipe.
I have no idea how you would make the nozzle go in the direction of the black tank versus go straight to the grey tank.
Grey tank left. Black tank to the right.
Ok picture is upside down.

[twindman]

I have wondered how to do that also??????