Black Tank Issues

[usaclark]

I have a 2014 Bullet Premier 19FBPR. I have been reading the threads on black tank issues and even got advice from one senior board member. My black tank will not accept water or air, it is plugged. First I removed the valve under the sink and the ball was stuck as described in a recent post. I removed the ball, cleaned it and replaced it. It was stuck again or at least the tank flush did not work.

Next I removed the entire valve as one other member suggested and used a backflow prevention device on my designated water hose. The black tank flush remained plugged. Next I hooked up my compressor as if I were going to winterize my trailer. I set the pressure to 40 lbs, as the compressor kicked off when it reached that pressure, no air would leak out through the black tank ( black tank drain open).

My conclusion is that it is plugged at or in the black tank. Would you have any other suggestions for unplugging the black tank flush? I think my next move is to purchase a manual black tank flush device and abandon the built in one.

Thanks as always for your help.

[Ken / Claudia]

Maybe check to see if that under sink pipe has anything to do with the black tank. Normal black tank is vented thru the roof not under a sink. Under sinks should be gray tanks.

[canesfan]

I've never heard of a black tank flush being clogged, but there's a first time for everything. You said you removed the valve, when you did what did you put in its place, or did you bypass the valve and its plumbing altogether as some others have done? Did the flush work before and stopped working, or did it never work?

Edit - I can't remember, is there a check valve in the flush inlet like in the city water inlet? Maybe it could be hung up?

[JRTJH]

A couple of things you might want to check: First, is the anti-siphon valve (usually under the sink) installed correctly? If it's installed "backwards" it won't allow water to flow through. Next, have you lowered the coroplast "underbelly cover" of your trailer to look at the black tank flush plumbing that enters the black tank? If not, you might want to remove 2 or 3 screws from the coroplast and check your PEX hose.

Here's one post http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=24103&highlight=FLUSH&page=2 (read #15) where a member had a similar problem. When he checked his tank plumbing, he found the PEX line going into the black tank flush fitting was kinked, preventing water flow.

Good Luck

[jeff57]

I experienced the same thing last year and mentioned it to the dealer when I brought it in for winter storage. They looked it over and said the check valve in that flush line was installed backwards. Nice job at the factory, huh? Since it was under warranty, they took care of it. I was told that the check valve was accessed somehow through a wall in the shower.
Hope this helps.

[Pull Toy]

" Next I hooked up my compressor as if I were going to winterize my trailer. I set the pressure to 40 lbs, as the compressor kicked off when it reached that pressure, no air would leak out through the black tank ( black tank drain open)."

Two thoughts here:

#1 Your fresh water "city" fitting has nothing to do with the tank flush. Tank flush fitting is a separate hose connection right into the tank totally isolated from "clean" water.

#2 Are you sure your not mis-labeled? Keystone is famous for screwing up labels.


Good Luck,

[vantage32fls]

The first time we used our black tank flush it wouldn't take any water took it to the dealer and they found plastic shavings had plugged the flush head fixed under warranty. Came from factory that way as we didn't do the PDI from this website. It'll be much different next time around.

[bill-e]

My conclusion is that it is plugged at or in the black tank. Would you have any other suggestions for unplugging the black tank flush? I think my next move is to purchase a manual black tank flush device and abandon the built in one.

Thanks as always for your help.Another member here found after a lot of troubleshooting that the feed line going into his black tank flush was kinked. He dropped a corner of the insulating plastic and discovered and repaired it.

[usaclark]

The black tank worked fine for the first year and a half and then stopped working. I removed the check valve located under the bathroom sink and the ball was stuck as others have mentioned in other posts. I reset the check valve and installed it in the same way it was when I removed it and it still didn't work. Removed it again and the ball was stuck again. I removed the check valve all together and plumbed around where the check valve had been. ( Others have posted on this adaptation.) Still can't get the black tank to accept any water or air. I realize the black tank plumbing is an independent system. I was hoping one of you had a magic solution as you so often do.

I have now purchased a manual black tank sprayer. Some times simple works best. I'm still hopeful one of you will wave your magic wand over my black tank.

[hankaye]

usaclark, Howdy;

Have you looked inside the bottom liner yet? Trace the 'flush' line
and double check to see that it's hasn't developed a kink in it. You're
gonna be under there anyway for the aftermarket install so why not
check it out first, maybe get a refund on the replacement ...

hankaye

[Festus2]

Have you checked to see if the valve at the exterior hose fitting is working properly? There is a curved screen inside this water valve. Is it clogged or properly in place.

Not sure if you can access this inlet valve but there is a hose/line attached to it which in turn leads up to the vacuum breaker check valve.

The blockage can only occur at these places:
1) the inlet valve on the exterior of the RV
2) the line from this valve to the vacuum breaker
3) the line from the vacuum breaker to the tank
4) holes in the "sprayer" inside the black tank may be plugged.

It may not provide you with any comfort but long before black tank flushing system came into being, folks got along just fine without it. As long as you keep a sufficient quantity of water in your black tank, drain it thoroughly after use, and replenish the tank so that there is always water in the tank, you should be fine.

[1l243]

I realize your black tank flush worked at first but now it appears to be blocked. I tried all the things listed and found the black tank flush line kinked as noted in the link above. It would only take a few minutes to drop a few of the sealed under belly screws at the rear of the trailer just enough to pull the coroplast down and take a peak with a flash light. Mine was a white water line separate from the red and blue water lines. It had a obvious kink where they tried to make a 90 degree bend with the tubing... Maybe yours was not bent enough to kink at first but maybe it did over time..