Another Black Tank Story - YUK

**sourdough** · 06-22-2020, 01:44 PM

Well, we've had a few blank tank questions and oops tails recently. Unfortunately I have one of my own now.

Today was mowing day at the park. Typically they don't run a weedeater but today they did and a guy I've never seen was running it. Came to our trailer (we were over at the office when he started) and I mentioned to DW that he was sure getting close to the sewer/water hoses. He finished and we went inside. Decided to take a power nap before going to the lake. Just got prone and I smelled something. Ciphered on it for a minute or 2 then heard some sort of "strangling" sound....the smell got worse.

I told DW I think I smell propane and headed out the door. She came behind and opened the bathroom door and began yelling; the black tank was backing up through the commode. The floor was flooded, under the wall to the bedroom was flooded. Ran outside and shut the water off and pulled the drain on the black tank. Looked at the water connection and.....I always keep a Y on the faucet with the black tank hose hooked to it to "minimize" my trouble when running the flush. The weedeater guy had apparently hit the little black lever and turned on the black tank flush filling it to overflowing.

We have now cleaned the bathroom, the floors and the pass thru where it leaked. What a stench! At least we must have made some headway because it doesn't just knock your head off now; or, our noses are burned out and can't smell any longer. Oh, and that black tank hose? It's no longer connected to the water spigot. Never had an issue like this in all these years with a black tank flush but today was the day. So if you like the convenience of that Y BE CAREFUL - WHAT a mess!

Update: I was wrong. The floor heat vents have the liquid in them from the bathroom to the bedroom so sorting that out now. Plus, that Thetford toilet they keep putting in these things? The inside of it (inside the pedestal) is completely full and I'm sure all the little pockets Thetford likes to put in there are full as well requiring pulling it. I will, but a new Dometic is going in its place when I get back from CW tomorrow.

Gegrad · 06-22-2020, 04:55 PM

Holy smokes... that's some incredibly unfortunate luck. Thank god you were there when that happened. Can't even imagine if that had happened after you had left for the lake.... I don't keep my black tank flush connected when I am at a full service park, mainly because my flush is on my streetside side, right by my rear door, so the hose would constantly be in the way.... but I sure won't be starting that. LOL. Hopefully you can continue to get it cleaned up.

**sourdough** · 06-22-2020, 05:12 PM

Thanks. Making progress. DW now has 3 washing machines running with lots of towels and wash rags washing/drying from trying to clean up the mess.

I called the manager of the park when it happened to tell her that they needed to set the boy straight with the weedeater. She told me she was sorry and would call the owner (our friend and who we were visiting with when the boy started weedeating at our location). I told her "remember the other day when you were here and you opened the door and said "ooh, nice - it smells new?" She said yes. I said it now smells like a bucket of 2 month old dried urine.....

Gegrad · 06-22-2020, 05:20 PM

That's certainly not the way you wanted your new rig to lose the "new camper smell", that's for sure. Maybe the park owners will give you a few free nights after you filed your complaint. Let us know how the new toilet install goes. What all is wrong with the Thetford that you don't like about it?

Customer1 · 06-22-2020, 05:47 PM

Contact your insurance, your RV is now a hazmat site and probably totaled.

**sourdough** · 06-22-2020, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gegrad

That's certainly not the way you wanted your new rig to lose the "new camper smell", that's for sure. Maybe the park owners will give you a few free nights after you filed your complaint. Let us know how the new toilet install goes. What all is wrong with the Thetford that you don't like about it?

Thetfords in my experience and opinion are just sort of "entry level" junk. Keystone puts them in everything but they aren't designed, to me, for top level functioning. They are built with a flush system that does not compare to the Dometic. Their construction is so "backward" IMO that they induce foul water accumulation under the pedestal; they are prone to failures etc. The bowl itself, as one of our members so aptly observed, feels like you are sitting on a bucket....and they do.

I said I would get a new Dometic at CW tomorrow but that won't happen; backordered. Have one on order from Amazon to be here Friday, then, Thetford in the dumpster just like the one in the trailer before.

**sourdough** · 06-22-2020, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Customer1

Contact your insurance, your RV is now a hazmat site and probably totaled.

I guess I'm old school. Hazmat? Nah. My dad used to hold me by my pants and stick me head first into our little "home septic tank" to pull out the contents with a coffee can on a wire. Fill up the bucket; dunk and repeat. I'm not afraid of "stuff" - it washes off - and I've made it 70 years....

Bill-2020 · 06-22-2020, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

I guess I'm old school. Hazmat? Nah. My dad used to hold me by my pants and stick me head first into our little "home septic tank" to pull out the contents with a coffee can on a wire. Fill up the bucket; dunk and repeat. I'm not afraid of "stuff" - it washes off - and I've made it 70 years....

notanlines · 06-23-2020, 02:19 AM

Damn, Sam! It sort of puts the old "No pets, no smokers" on the back burner....

I'm with you, though, Danny. This too will pass. And I plan to learn from your experience. I'm never going to leave the grey/black tank rinse hose connected.

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