Al: Hey Tim! Aren’t you glad they ‘dumped’ this topic on us?
Tim: You bet Al. I knew they would ‘flush’ it out of us sometime! Let’s see what we can explain to our customers about Black Water tank systems
.Al: Depending on the model, holding tanks can provide approximately 30 to 65 gallons of waste storage. Available holding capacity of the black tank system during RV use can be determined by referencing the monitor panel. Black tanks are often constructed during a roto molding process to produce a certain degree of slope, tilt and drain. Black tanks that are flat in construction are tilted at a certain angle for adequate draining. Typically, drain access to the black tank will be located on the roadside of the RV.
Tim: I like to let people know that grasping and pulling the handle will cause the handle to slide back and forth in the valve assembly. Use WD-40 to lubricate this slide rod. Other components of the valve assembly do not require lubrication, including the knife valve, which comes assembled from the manufacturer pre-lubricated on the rubber seal.
Al: Sometimes Tim, the sewer hose may snake around and become heavy when filled with waste during tank evacuation. Utilize a support cradle to hold the hose during this evacuation procedure. A piece of plastic gutter pipe, similar to that used on a house, or telescoping supports etc. (see our Parts Specials) work well to support the hose while allowing you to adjust the level. Incorporate a tie strap to secure the hose within the cradle for added support and protection. Inspect the hose clamps for tightness prior to opening the valve.
Tim: Hey Al, they should also use caution to avoid grabbing the handle and pulling the valve completely open. Start slowly to avoid a sudden influx of pressure that may cause the hose to pop off and spray waste from the exposed opening.
Al: Prior to starting out on a trip, run water into the empty sewage holding tank via the toilet flush lever in an amount that will approximately cover the bottom of that tank to one inch. Usage of the black tank when the tank is completely dry can result in a build up of solids directly below the bowl that future amounts of water will simply wash around.
Tim: Leave the drain to the black tank closed, even when connected to a campground water supply. Empty the black tank when the holding capacity reaches 2/3. Prior to evacuation of the black tank, allow the gray tank to fill to a capacity of 2/3. After the black tank has drained, evacuate the gray tank to help flush waste from the sewage hose. (Black Water Flush attachments are available that work great.) Close the black tank valve and again fill the bottom of the tank with one inch of water using the toilet flush pedal.
Al: After a dry camping stay, empty the black tank at your soonest opportunity to prevent solids within the holding tank from building up around the black tank flush while the RV is moving down the road. During drive time, pour ice cubes directly into the toilet after evacuating the black tank to create a churning action within the tank that will help to break up residual solids.
Tim: Don’t forget to come and see us for chemicals available to use for odour control & assist in breaking down solids & toilet paper within the black tank (we have several environmentally friendly ones).
Al: Speaking of the environment Tim, we have toilet paper designed for specific RV use. Regular paper may fail to properly dissipate within the RV black tank, and instead cling to the inside of the tank and around the dump valve assembly, resulting in eventual blockage of the tank. Do we have any of that left handed stuff left? Tim: I’m not going to be the butt of your jokes Al! Remember folks, flushing out the tank using a hose inserted through the toilet, is a last resort (You may want to buy a new Fresh Water Hose to ensure the quality of your Drinking water and use your old one for this purpose). While in many cases this may unclog the waste, it will likely result in excess water pressure spraying that waste all over the place. Tank wands, (at ARBUTUS RV Parts), are designed for use in breaking up solids by opening the toilet to run water into the tank while moving the wand around the inside of the tank.
CALL ANY OF THE FINE SERVICE REPS AT ARBUTUS RV
