Black water tank full "sound"

[Old_Stevenick]

I've read here that some of you have come to knowing the sound of when your black water tank is close to full.

When I flush the toilet the sound of the water rushing down is all I hear.

What should I listen for?

The gauge as has been pointed out on other threads, is almost useless.

[LnS]

trust your eyes, take a look down the ole poop hole, that will give you a good idea of how much head room you have left. Take a listen, take a look but for something that important, trust your eyes, if not the gauge. The gauge isn't meant to be accurate just an indicator for when you should start looking.
Others with tuned ears will tell you what their tank sounds like, your results may vary.
What you want to avoid is the wet feet shrieks in the night.

[Old_Stevenick]

While flushing and the water is rushing down and the hole is open I can't really see much. Maybe hold a flashlight and look?

Tomorrow I'll try turning off the water pump and stepping on the flush foot pedal. Maybe I can see better then if there's no water rushing down.

2 adults. How many gallons a day of poop, pee and flush water do we use?

[LnS]

proper lighting helps, I haven't had to turn off the flow to see. It helps to have the water falling so you can see the surface disturbance.

Somethings you gonna have to answer yourself.

[cliff]

A lot depends on the toilet ball, pipe length, etc. We watch for the bubble when we flush. It means the water level is coming up the pipe. You ain't got many flushes left.

[B-O-B'03]

When we are dry camping we use the following motto:

If it is yellow, let it mellow, if it is brown, flush it down. Meaning we wait to flush the pee until there are several to flush and the poo goes immediately.

That allows us to extend needing to dump the black tank.

-Brian

[captcolour]

When plenty of room, with I flush, the water rushes down without and burp or bubble. When it is nearing full, as soon as I step on the peddle, the water burps a bit before it goes down. My panel indicators seem pretty accurate so far and confirms what I see different when flushing.

[flybouy]

It's easy to tell how much water you're adding. If the pump provides 3 gal/min. then for every min of flushing you'll add 3 gallons. Divide by 60 for flow rate/second. As for describing sound, well even the best wordsmiths would struggle with that. It's impossible to tell someone what it sounds like to Them as you have to know what their hearing impairmentsbor loss may be and the backround sound levels and frequencies are in that space (my DW gets her new hearing aids in about a week thank God.).

EXPERIENCE! The best teacher is experience so be observant to changes in sound and sight. If you hear something different look, investigate. This applies to not just your blacm tank but to most everything in life. There's often a "different" sound that precludes an issue. This even and I would say the most important example of this is a persons speech. A change in speech is one of the first indicators for a stroke.

[Scttw]

Originally Posted by captcolour

When plenty of room, with I flush, the water rushes down without and burp or bubble. When it is nearing full, as soon as I step on the peddle, the water burps a bit before it goes down. My panel indicators seem pretty accurate so far and confirms what I see different when flushing.

THIS ^^^^ is exactly the correct answer. Burp, or "Gurgle" as I call it - means it's about 80% full.

My panel lights considering the cost of my trailer stopped being accurate almost immediately.

Also for the OP ..... sometimes your bathroom sink will empty to your black - mine does.

[behrmr]

With my Cougar I can tell by the sound as well. Basically you start to hear the waste water hitting the tank more when you flush. I'm usually about 80% full when I start to hear that.

[Old_Stevenick]

Originally Posted by flybouy

It's easy to tell how much water you're adding. If the pump provides 3 gal/min. then for every min of flushing you'll add 3 gallons. Divide by 60 for flow rate/second. As for describing sound, well even the best wordsmiths would struggle with that. It's impossible to tell someone what it sounds like to Them as you have to know what their hearing impairmentsbor loss may be and the backround sound levels and frequencies are in that space (my DW gets her new hearing aids in about a week thank God.).

EXPERIENCE! The best teacher is experience so be observant to changes in sound and sight. If you hear something different look, investigate. This applies to not just your blacm tank but to most everything in life. There's often a "different" sound that precludes an issue. This even and I would say the most important example of this is a persons speech. A change in speech is one of the first indicators for a stroke.

Great post!

Originally Posted by Scttw

THIS ^^^^ is exactly the correct answer. Burp, or "Gurgle" as I call it - means it's about 80% full.

My panel lights considering the cost of my trailer stopped being accurate almost immediately.

Also for the OP ..... sometimes your bathroom sink will empty to your black - mine does.

I never thought of that. I just emailed Keystone to ask. Hopefully they'll get back to me.

[skids]

I have never had the black full enough to burble. I am a little paranoid, so I turn off the pump and open the flusher to look down with a flashlight (fun). I look to see how close to the down pipe the pool of yuck is.

[BauerAP]

I will usually fill the tanks to the flange before dumping on the last day. Depending on the stay and use this can take a while. The more water, the better the rinse/flush.

Doing this I can definitely hear when it’s getting close to the top. The best description I can say is the sound of filling up a bottle. The higher the pitch the more water is in the tank.

There is a bubble or gurgle as stated. Sinks are easier than the black. When the sink drains like a hair clog and then bubbles I know it’s getting close. The black you can visually see when the water is at the flange.

[sourdough]

I have to say that after the 1st set of "gauges" on an RV, thinking they meant something and would tell me something....I've never looked at another one again. I just go by what I always did before the came into existence. For the black tank I've never peered down into one to look for water? level, I just listen to the sound of the flush telling me the water is up in the neck and the tell tale "bubble"....which will get bigger and bust larger the longer you wait, hopefully not too long.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by sourdough

I have to say that after the 1st set of "gauges" on an RV, thinking they meant something and would tell me something....I've never looked at another one again. I just go by what I always did before the came into existence. For the black tank I've never peered down into one to look for water? level, I just listen to the sound of the flush telling me the water is up in the neck and the tell tale "bubble"....which will get bigger and bust larger the longer you wait, hopefully not too long.

Same here!
Listen as you're fueling your vehicle, you'll here that sound just before the nozzles shuts off or fill a long neck bottle with liquid, that's the same type of sound you'll hear when the tank is nearing full.
My last 2 5ers I wouldn't of seen anything looking down the toilet, both had 2 45 degree fittings before the tank. Not to mention I could see all of the black tank contents I need to see through the clear fitting connected to the sewer hose.

[rlh1957]

Depending on plumbing design you might not be able to see directly into black tank. Mine makes a bend so I can’t see.
If a tank gets that full you would see water standing in the bottom of your pipe.
A full black tank is a great way to always assure a good dump. Too many black tank issues snd snells come from not dumping with enough tank liquid volume.