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Old 06-21-2022, 09:08 AM   #1
Garry H
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How flush tanks on 2016 333MKS? I’m brand new to RV’ing.

How do you flush tanks on a 2016 Cougar 333MKS?

My apologies…..I’m brand new to RV’ing. Just jumped in with both feet !!!
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Old 06-21-2022, 09:27 AM   #2
Javi
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Originally Posted by Garry H View Post
How do you flush tanks on a 2016 Cougar 333MKS?

My apologies…..I’m brand new to RV’ing. Just jumped in with both feet !!!
I owned a 2015 333MKS, nice 5th wheel..


https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-Degr...ps%2C71&sr=8-4
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Old 06-21-2022, 09:34 AM   #3
dutchmensport
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Welcome to the forums and congrats on the purchase of your new Cougar.

There are different ways to flush a black tank. You may be able to do all of these and maybe only one or two of them. I'll give you different methods.

1) The simplest is to simply drain your black tank. Open the black tank valve under the camper and let it drain completely. If you install a clear section of pipe (you can get these at Wall Mart), you can see what's actually coming out.

When it quits draining, you are basically done. But, if you want to go further, then close the outside valve, go back inside your camper and simply push the toilet peddle and fill the black tank again. When it's full, dump it from the outside again.

This can be done on any camper or RV.

2) Black tank flusher built into your camper. If you have a black tank flush hook-up, then you .... a) drain the tank as above in #1. Then attach a garden hose to the black tank flusher, turn on the garden hose, and water will spray inside your black tank pushing the remaining contents out. You can run the water as long as you need, until it runs clear (using that same clear attachment on our outside valve).

3) Use a black tank flusher wand: Click here. You attach this to a garden hose and simply insert it into the toilet bowl. Hold the foot pedal down, turn the water on and let it spray the inside of the black tank. Again, once the water runs clear from the outside outlet (again that clear section), you know it's rinsed out pretty good.

4) Another method is to back flush. In order to back flush, both the grey and the black water tanks need to exit at the same outlet. Before doing this, you need to attach a 3rd valve, like a Flush King Click here. The steps may sound awkward, but it's really very simple.

a) attach the flush king.
b) drain the black tank.
c) close the flush king valve, leave the black valve open and open the grey water. This will allow the grey water (shower and bathroom sink) to back flush into the black tank.
d) count to 20, then close the grey tank valve so no black water will flow into the grey tank.
e) open the flush king again and drain the black tank. Again, that clear section, you'll see what's coming out.
f) depending on how much water you have in your grey tank, I can usually back flush 3 times in a row doing this. That leave enough gray water in the gray tank for a final rinse of the sewer hose to flush out any remaining black water.

5) one more, the flush king. On the flush king, you can also attach a garden hose and fill the black (or the grey) tank. This is also a "back flush" method that works very well.


There is really nothing mysterious about flushing the black tank. In short, all you are doing is adding cleaner water and dumping it again, which will pull out more "stuff" that sticks behind.

Again, welcome to the forums, congrats again! And Happy Camping!
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Old 06-21-2022, 10:04 AM   #4
Laredo Tugger
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On #2 (no pun intended) above be careful to not overflow the black tank and have it spill contents inside the trailer. Ask me how I know?
Maybe the first time you do flush use a timer and have someone inside monitoring the toilet for signs of water spray in the toilet opening. You will have to turn the city water off so someone can hold down the foot pedal and see into the tank.
Remember how long it took and in the future you will not need anyone inside. Just do not start the flush and walk away and do something else. It easy to get distracted with any RV. Always something you think you can or should be doing while the tank fills, think again.
As a comparable standard I do mine for 4 minutes. I think i figured I had "lift off" around six and a half minutes. And do not leave the tanks open to "just flow". You will get "poo pyramid" on your black tank side. These systems are designed be filled and drained.
Good luck
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Old 06-21-2022, 10:18 AM   #5
Javi
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Originally Posted by Laredo Tugger View Post
On #2 (no pun intended) above be careful to not overflow the black tank and have it spill contents inside the trailer. Ask me how I know?
Maybe the first time you do flush use a timer and have someone inside monitoring the toilet for signs of water spray in the toilet opening. You will have to turn the city water off so someone can hold down the foot pedal and see into the tank.
Remember how long it took and in the future you will not need anyone inside. Just do not start the flush and walk away and do something else. It easy to get distracted with any RV. Always something you think you can or should be doing while the tank fills, think again.
As a comparable standard I do mine for 4 minutes. I think i figured I had "lift off" around six and a half minutes. And do not leave the tanks open to "just flow". You will get "poo pyramid" on your black tank side. These systems are designed be filled and drained.
Good luck
RMc
just so y'all know that trailer has about 4 foot of 3" pipe with two 45's between the toilet and the tank You'll maybe get a gurgle, but you ain't getting spray...
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Old 06-21-2022, 10:36 AM   #6
Laredo Tugger
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Copy that Javi.
To the OP, your indicator now appears to be "gurgle".
In any case, have a hand ready on the flush shutoff and do not let it overflow.
Thanks Javi
RMc
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Old 06-21-2022, 11:05 AM   #7
notanlines
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Keep in mind that the Flush King is not doing anything but filling the tank. It is not pressure washing anything inside the tank the way they describe in their literature.
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Old 06-21-2022, 11:13 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by Garry H View Post
…..I’m brand new to RV’ing. Just jumped in with both feet !!!
I'd pay attention to all of this good advice before you tried that.
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Old 06-23-2022, 10:19 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by notanlines View Post
Keep in mind that the Flush King is not doing anything but filling the tank. It is not pressure washing anything inside the tank the way they describe in their literature.
The Flush King does offer a couple advantages though:
1. It fills the tank much faster than holding the foot pedal down
2. While using the Flush King you are stationed near the drain valve. I, for one, get tired of running back and forth between the bathroom and the drain valve.
3. It uses an external backflow preventer rather than the problematic one under the bathroom sink.
4. It allows me to flush both grey tanks.

As long as you don't try to fill the tank to the "tippy top" the chance of leaks or flooding is essentially nil.
Since I have the In·Command I am able to monitor the tank level using my phone while standing next to the drain valve.

It would probably be more accurate if they called it the "Back-Flush King"
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Old 06-23-2022, 11:44 AM   #10
flybouy
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I have a Flush King and use it a couple of times a year. While it doesn't spray the tank it does help remove stuff from the valves and fills the tanks faster. It can also act as an emergency "last chance" valve incase one of my valves would fail in the open position.

That's been my experience, YMMV.
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Old 06-23-2022, 01:01 PM   #11
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Depending on how long & how many 90s are in the drain plumbing you may be only giving the hose a good rinse.
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