Bubbling Toilet

kenn209 · 03-17-2013, 08:44 AM

So went on our maiden voyage for 2013 and it was an expensive trip. First the toilet started to leak at the valve, Somehow it almost filled up the tank. You could here the water gurgling into the tank. So I called the local Stealer, SouthernRV in Richmond, Va and he just happened to have a drain valve. Well I talked to the guy on the phone and he told me 65 bucks, Holly Crap!! I looked it up online when I got back to the campground and the AdventureRV.net had ti for 25.99 + shipping. Needless to say not going back there to buy ANYTHING!!

It was easy to replace took 5 minutes. And we are back in business no leaks. But the whole time when we would flush the toilet bubbles big time. Now it doesn't want to drain when we dump! Is this a blocked vent? I went up on the roof both vents were clear. So not sure what the issue is. Any ideas?

**hankpage** · 03-17-2013, 08:57 AM

When it was over filled some waste may have been forced up the vent. You should be able to snake it through the roof vent or force it back down with a hose. (Using a rag to create a seal around hose) Hope this helps ... keep us posted, Hank ...... If someone flushes while you dump it will vent through the toilet and empty quickly.

kenn209 · 03-17-2013, 10:17 AM

Problem fixed. 2 tank flushes and a snake down the toilet cleared the issue! Now ready for the next trip!!

Bob Landry · 03-17-2013, 01:10 PM

Doesn't your toilet empty straight down into the black tank? I think mine does on my Outback.

SteveC7010 · 03-17-2013, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Landry

Doesn't your toilet empty straight down into the black tank? I think mine does on my Outback.

Bob, the new thing with Keystone fifth wheelers seems to be toilet drain pipes that do not drop straight down into the black tank. We had quite a discussion on this a month or two ago. A lot of us (yours truly included) learned some interesting facts about dealing with the usual clogs and such in a trailer with the bent toilet drains. Apparently they are locating the toilet in places that are not directly above the black so they have to use some 22 or 45 degree ells to reach. (Maybe even 90's!) It's possible to do that as long as the toilet is located in the upper section of the fiver so that there is 18"-24" of drop through the basement to the black tank.

Travel trailers, on the other hand, have virtually no distance between the bottom of the toilet and the top of the black tank except for a couple of inches to get through the floor and into the top of the tank. Using current construction techniques, there is no way to separate the toilet and the black tank. The toilet has to be directly above the tank.

So in some fivers, it's no longer possible to use the wand and the eyeball to identify and deal with dreaded black pyramids and such. Heck, you can't even look down to see if there is anything in the tank at all.

In my view, this adds another layer of difficulty for first time RV'ers to learn about their rigs and how to take care of them. I am absolutely certain that no dealership is taking the time to explain any of this during a PDI and we know that this stuff is not in Keystone's generic manual.

Festus2 · 03-17-2013, 02:29 PM

Bob & Steve -
We try to encourage any new members here who are about to pick up their new RV at the dealership to study the PDI that we have here on the forum and to take it with them as a checklist.

In view of Steve's example of how plumbing/toilet designs have recently changed as well as other "new" features like the black tank flushing system, I am wondering if an up-date of this PDI would be in order. I am sure that there are several new things we could add to the checklist to make improvements.

I realize that the PDI is borrowed and really isn't "ours" as such and we would have to get permission, I would think, from its author to make changes. Another option would be to have our own "Sticky Add-On" to this PDI so as to make it more current and helpful to the buyer when doing the walk-through.

Comments??

kenn209 · 03-17-2013, 02:39 PM

If you want I can post a pic of how it curves into the tank.... lol

Festus2 · 03-17-2013, 02:45 PM

Kenn209 -

Who said, "A picture is worth a thousand words"?

Thanks but no thanks. We'll try to use our imaginations.

Bob Landry · 03-17-2013, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Festus2

Bob & Steve -
We try to encourage any new members here who are about to pick up their new RV at the dealership to study the PDI that we have here on the forum and to take it with them as a checklist.

In view of Steve's example of how plumbing/toilet designs have recently changed as well as other "new" features like the black tank flushing system, I am wondering if an up-date of this PDI would be in order. I am sure that there are several new things we could add to the checklist to make improvements.

I realize that the PDI is borrowed and really isn't "ours" as such and we would have to get permission, I would think, from its author to make changes. Another option would be to have our own "Sticky Add-On" to this PDI so as to make it more current and helpful to the buyer when doing the walk-through.

Comments??

First.. Steve.. Thanks for that clarification. I'm not familiar with any part of the construction of Keystone's fivers. it only brings me back to the idea that maybe the design team has had too many liquid lunches.

Festus... My initial thought on updating the PDI is that the original author would probably be glad to know that it is a "work in progress" since he/she/they did put in a significant effort to produce something that would be of benefit to RVers. Unless there is a copyright issue with the original document, I don't see where there would be an issue as long as the original author was credited with writing it any additions were annotated as such..
Another approach, and I haven't seen the PDI nor do I even know where it's located, is to have it as a sticky so that readers can update it as new information becomes available. That would allow for updates while keeping the original document intact. If that were the chosen method, I would recommend that it be monitored to assure continuity of the subject matter.. We all know how a disagreement causes a thread to take on a life of it's own. JMHO

rjsurfer · 03-18-2013, 08:32 AM

My black tank plumbing makes a 35 degree bend to get into the tank so I can't see the level, and my sensors haven't worked since day two (six years ago) of owning the camper I rely on my ear.

When the sound of flushing changes from a whoosh to a burp I know it's time to drain the tank.

Ron W.

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