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08-08-2018, 05:34 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Wichita
Posts: 4
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Storing RV with treatment in black tank
Is it a good idea after dumping the black tank to dump a gallon of water and treatment down the toilet so it can slosh around while driving home and help clean the tank? Is there a down side to leaving the water treatment in the tank while storing weeks between usage? (not intended to leave over the winter of course)
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08-08-2018, 05:45 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Winnipeg, MB
Posts: 329
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We have always put a standard treatment and water in after cleaning. It remains there until we dump again. We have had very few issues with smells or sensors over the years.
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John & Ekeen
2009 Ford F-150 5.4
2015 Nissan Armada 5.6
2021 Keystone Residence 40FLFT
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08-08-2018, 05:59 AM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,327
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Lots of people dump a bag of ice with the treatment. The ice cubes bounce around and clean things, and then melt for easy disposal. Does it work? I haven’t done it.
As long as your subject to freezing temps, I see no harm in leaving some treatment in the tank.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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08-08-2018, 01:07 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Dade City
Posts: 1,039
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I always add about 5gal of water after a "dump" and throw in a packet of dissolved chemicals. During the PDI of our first RV we were told to do this. It prevents a bunch of solids from lodging in the drain pipes thus requiring a visit from the Roto Rooter man.
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08-08-2018, 01:16 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 2,907
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I’ve been using TankTechsRV in our black tank for several years now and on their site it says their treatment can stay active in the tank indeninitely. It seems a little pricey at first, but once you are using it, the very small amount used each time makes a small bottle last a long time and in very hot conditions it still works without having to add more treatment.
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08-08-2018, 01:26 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 187
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I've always put treatment and water in after dumping and haven't had any issues. The black water tank plumbing in trailer "Number 4" has a drop-down elbow to the gate valve so unfortunately most of it ends up sitting right there. I guess freezing in the winter might be a concern with that situation, but it's super rare to get a hard freeze in central California.
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Number 4: 2013 Hideout 19FLBWE
Number 3: 1994 Skyline Nomad 1661
Number 2: 1971 Santa Fe
Number 1: 1967 Shasta Airflyte
2015 F-250 Lariat 6.2L CC 4x4 3.73
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08-08-2018, 01:31 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: MN
Posts: 11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57
Lots of people dump a bag of ice with the treatment. The ice cubes bounce around and clean things, and then melt for easy disposal. Does it work? I haven’t done it.
As long as your subject to freezing temps, I see no harm in leaving some treatment in the tank.
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This is what we do ... not sure it really does anything, but it sure doesn't seem to hurt. We use an ice maker while we're camping so we always have left over on departure day - so it gets dumped into the bathroom before we leave. We don't seem to have any "aromas" waiting for us on the next camping trip when we hook up, so I guess it's a good thing
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08-08-2018, 01:58 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Rockett, TX
Posts: 480
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We use 2 gallons of water and 2 porta-pak packets after dumping, mixture stays until next time or until time to winterize.
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Jerry & Debbie
with Fur Babies Sasha & Sam
2018 Alpine 3401RS
2019 Ford F350 SRW
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08-09-2018, 06:10 AM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,985
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Water and chemicals (or even Rid-X for prolonged summer storage) is OK. But, remember that the black tank (as well as the gray tanks) drain toward the valve, so anything you add will typically flow to the drain plumbing. If you're going to be using it throughout the summer, no problem, but if you do that as a part of winterizing, you may wind up with freeze damaged valves in the spring.
So, it's OK (optional not necessary but keeps things fresh) during the summer. Definitely a "NO NO" for the winter.
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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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08-09-2018, 08:15 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Lehigh Acres
Posts: 176
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After doing a lot of research on Black tank care I settled on the chemical Odorloss. We have kept this in the tank and it is the best I have found. The longer you leave these chemicals in the tank the better they are at keeping the tank clean. It is after all a septic tank on wheels. Hope this helps. Happy camping
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08-09-2018, 08:38 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Picacho, Az
Posts: 6,809
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BadmanRick
After doing a lot of research on Black tank care I settled on the chemical Odorloss. We have kept this in the tank and it is the best I have found. The longer you leave these chemicals in the tank the better they are at keeping the tank clean. It is after all a septic tank on wheels. Hope this helps. Happy camping
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That's the misconception! They are not septic tanks, they are holding tanks, chemicals designed for a septic systems are meant to stay in the tanks to emulsify solids to liquid. In a rv RidX or other septic treatments won't do anything for your holding tank in a week or two, but as mentioned if you add while storing for the winter it wouldn't hurt to try it.
The majority of the chemicals sold for the holding tanks are for odor control regardless of how well they claim to "digest" solids.
DO NOT use roto rooter or any other type snaking device in any of the holding tanks, all it will do is damage something beyond repair.
The Geo method a lot of folks use has no chemicals "to break down solids", just uses water softener & soap, no odors & works very well. Won't hurt to use this method in the grey tanks as well, sometimes the galley tank odor is worse than the black.
The most important thing for new owners is NEVER leave the black valve open when hooked to a sewer, keep the valve closed til tank is full or you're changing locations & use plenty of water when flushing the toilet. The grey valves can be left open til a day or 2 before dumping the black to have a good hose rinse.
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Full-timed 10+ years
Sold '13 Redwood FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
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08-09-2018, 10:04 AM
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#12
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,985
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^^^ X2...
The holding tank is a "chamber pot" not a septic system. It's designed to temporarily hold waste until it can be deposited in a septic system or a sewer system. Holding tanks are not designed for long term sewer treatment, rather for short term storage until the contents are dumped into a treatment system.
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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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08-13-2018, 07:36 PM
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#13
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,743
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It's a camper colon, things only stay there until it get's full.
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Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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08-16-2018, 06:15 AM
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#14
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Site Team | Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 3,878
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flybouy
It's a camper colon, things only stay there until it get's full.
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Now that's funny!
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Chip Bruce, RPh
Kansas City, MO
2016 Impact 312
2017 Silverado 3500HD SRW
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08-16-2018, 09:01 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Commerce Twp, Mi
Posts: 1,002
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3-5 gallons of H2O and a healthy squirt of dawn after dumping.. sloshing around as i pull it back to the lot..Dawn is getting like Duct tape, crescent wrenches and Franks hot sauce. We use that **** on everything.
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TOM
2011 Chevy Silverado
1500, HD Tow Package
2017 Keystone Hideout 177LHS Carlisle Radial HDs
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08-19-2018, 01:31 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Green Valley
Posts: 124
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I was told to treat the black tank after dumping, whether you were moving on to another campsite, or storing the RV for the winter (freezing in SO AZ not a big problem).
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08-19-2018, 01:42 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Kansas
Posts: 308
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I believe sitting at a campsite and putting treatments in either the gray or black tank doesn't do much good except for odor control. What I do at my last stop before arriving at my sticks and bricks I dump and put in about 10 gallons in both the gray and black tank and a tank treatment. Then I drive the last 300 miles on our wonderful rough roads and the agitates the mixer in the tanks. Then I get the RV out and prepare for a trip and drive another 300 miles to my first campsite. Seems to keep the tank clean and sensors working they way they should.
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Current
2017 Fleetwood Discovery 40D Class A Diesel Pusher
Past
2016 GMC Denila 1 ton Diesel CC 3722
2017 Grand Design Solitude 310GK-R
Montana 3711FL Front Living Room 5er
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08-19-2018, 01:45 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Kansas
Posts: 308
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When you leave the gray tank open your roof vent becomes the vent for the entire park sewer system.
__________________
Current
2017 Fleetwood Discovery 40D Class A Diesel Pusher
Past
2016 GMC Denila 1 ton Diesel CC 3722
2017 Grand Design Solitude 310GK-R
Montana 3711FL Front Living Room 5er
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08-19-2018, 02:39 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Picacho, Az
Posts: 6,809
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CWSWine
When you leave the gray tank open your roof vent becomes the vent for the entire park sewer system.
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You can prevent this very easily, I always do, just put a sag in your sewer hose creating a P trap then no more odors.
__________________
Full-timed 10+ years
Sold '13 Redwood FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
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08-19-2018, 02:49 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: prophetstown
Posts: 318
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There is a video on you tube on the ice theory,, proves it doesn't work
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