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Back flushing tanks

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echo11

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Back flushing tanks
« on: April 21, 2011, 06:22:39 pm »
Hi,
Thanks for all your well wishes on our new addition.  

I would appreciate help in understanding how to do the back flushing of the black and gray tanks.  Here is my understanding- after dumping both the black and gray tanks, attach the hose to the sewer area, open the black tank valve, turn on the back flush, wait a few seconds and then turn on the pump, run for a few minutes until it runs clean.  Then shut the back flush, continue to pump until empty and then do the same with the gray.  Is that correct?  Also, after both tanks are empty, how much water needs to be added to each?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or suggestions!
Roni
« Last Edit: April 21, 2011, 07:36:49 pm by echo11 »
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billy

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Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2011, 07:40:59 pm »
I empty the black first and back wash it, how much you feel comfortable with then the same on gray. I just like getting as much of the "stuff" gone from the black, just an opinion. there is a post showing how to install a clear section, I'll try to find it for you. billy
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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2011, 08:46:05 pm »
We practice something different here, but understand that I don't feel everyone should do it my way.  I only am sharing our method and our reasons for it.

Simply stated......We do NOT poop in our motor home.  This keeps the black tank free of human waste solids, so flushing it works extremely well.  Why you might ask of this poop-free restriction?  This because we store our PC in our garage which is under our house.  We don't want to smell any sewer gas inside the house above the garage......which by the way is our master bedroom.  Oh....and my wife likes the restriction too, feeling grosed-out hauling such waste around, the smells, etc. roflol

Without human solid waste, we flush our black and gray tanks only upon returning from our trips.  I pour in a half bottle of bleach in the toilet, and a half bottle in the kitchen sink, then fill up the two tanks to capacity with fresh warm water.  After an hour or two, I then drain them into the ditch next to the driveway, and repeat the process with fresh warm water alone.  The result is clean odor-free tanks.

I let the bleach solution sit for 3 to 5 hours for the first two years, then heard of potential damage of the bleach to the sewage system, so I since do it for an hour or two.  So far so good.
« Last Edit: April 21, 2011, 08:51:37 pm by ron.dittmer »
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Bob Mahon

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Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2011, 07:14:37 am »
An additional comment:
When leaving liquid in the bowl to make the vapor seal, use nothing but water. 
DON'T allow Bleach to sit in the bowl. Ever !!!!!!    Never !!!!!    pyho

If you use Bleach to clean the bowl, make absolutely certain you rinse well.

Unless ,of course, you're willing to replace the seals.
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TomHanlon

Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2011, 07:49:27 am »
    I open the valve for the black tank and let it dump, then I flush it by opening the black sprayer valve and let it run until it comes out clear, about 3 or 4 minutes. Then I close the back tank valve and do the same for the gray tank.

    I have modified my sani-con system to do two things for me. In the pictures you will see a clear hose so I can tell when the water is coming out clear. You will also see a red handled water valve that I can open after I dump and turn off the pump that will break the vacuum allowing the water to flow out of the hose.

« Last Edit: July 03, 2011, 01:28:09 pm by aimee »
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Trudy

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Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2011, 09:41:14 am »
OK, I'm probably going to sound like an idiot, but I've been wondering about something. When traveling this past winter we stayed at many parks with full hook-up. But, due to the sani-con system, my husband (no, not me) still had to go through the whole process of dumping and flushing instead of having a hose running and continually draining into the campsite sewer. He says there is no other alternative. Is he right, or has anyone found a way around this? I love proving him wrong!!  lol
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TomHanlon

Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2011, 10:14:39 am »
I am not taking sides but both of you are wrong and both of you are right. You can put the hose into the hole and open the gray valve and leave it open. Once the gray water gets to the highest point of the hose the gray water will start draining though the pump bypass. The pump bypass is the small hose on the top of the pump, under the motorhome. This hose is very small and will drain very very slowly. So if you are taking a shower and the gray tank fills up, you will be trying to put water into the tank faster than it will drain out and you will be standing in water. What I am trying to say is that your husband is doing what I consider the right thing, but you are right in that there is a bypass. What a wonderfull world we live in.  :)(: 
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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2011, 12:21:36 pm »
On my 2007 with maserator pump, I also have a maserator bypass for long term RV park stays.  Don't we all?  I have never used it but it is there.  I would assume I would simply attach a generic big slinky hose and open both tank valves and leave them open to drain away as usage occurs.

On a related note, I once (and only once) screwed my maserator hose end into an RV park drain pipe and left it there for the duration of our visit.  Every time we flushed the toilet, we got a huge blast of sewer gas inside the bathroom.  I never hooked up that wayagain.  I since leave it capped and on the ground near the RV park sewer cap, ready for draining as required.

BTW: our few RV park stays are usually one night, rarely two nights, so I'd never hassle with a conventional slinky hose setup.  But I might if we stayed in one place for a season.....though that sewer gas problem might have me keep my tank valves closed until they get full.  At that point why not exercise the maserator?
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echo11

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Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2011, 02:57:16 pm »
I am still a little confused.

After dumping, when you open the black valve and put on the sprayer, do you immediately put on the pump?  Or do you wait a short while for the bottom of the tank to fill and then put on the pump for a few minutes?  After dumping, how much water should be added to the bottom of the black tank- a few flushes?

Thanks-
Roni
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TomHanlon

Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2011, 03:49:50 pm »
Quote from: echo11 on April 22, 2011, 02:57:16 pm
After dumping, when you open the black valve and put on the sprayer, do you immediately put on the pump?  Or do you wait a short while for the bottom of the tank to fill and then put on the pump for a few minutes?  After dumping, how much water should be added to the bottom of the black tank- a few flushes?

After starting to spray I wait 2 or 3 minutes before starting the pump. The spray cleans the walls and the top, flushing cleans the bottom.If the pump runs out of water, I stop it for a couple of minutes more. I continue doing this until the water coming out is clean. After dumping the black tank, you should fill the toilet bowl and flush it so you have some water in the bottom.


Never put the hose into the sewer hole and leave the black tank open. What happens is what Ron had happen to him, big stink every time you flush the toilet.  :'( The gas in the sewer will come right into your bathroom. The other problem is without water in the tank, you will build up a cone of waste that will get very hard and eventually clog your toilet. Not a job you want to have to clean out.  :bolt You can leave the gray water open because the shower and the sinks have a "P" trap under them that is full of water, keeping the gas out of your bathroom. I always run water into the sinks before each trip to fill the traps, after that normal use will keep them full.


The gray water bypass I was talking about is on the sani-con pump, not the 3 inch pipe facing out the back of the motorhome. That is the other way to dump, if you have a problem with the sani-con system. RVs with out the sani-con have this type of hookup to dump with. :-D
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echo11

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Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2011, 05:16:07 pm »
Tom,
Thanks!  Your response is very helpful!
Roni
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TomHanlon

Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2011, 11:14:46 am »
OK, it stopped raining for a few minutes, so I went out to the back of the PC a took a picture. Click on it to enlarge it. I hope this clears up what I am talking about. To the left side you will see the sani-con pump with the wide metal strap holding it onto the body (this is an improvement over earlier years thin strap). You will also see a 90 degree elbow coming out of the pump going up into the outside compartment. Coming over the top of the pump and going into the 90 degree elbow you will see a little 1/4 hose that is going into the elbow also, this is coming from the main dump pipe and bypassing the sani-con pump. It is meant to allow gray water to bypass the pump and drain out to the sewer. The only problem with it is that the water has to push it way up the two hoses and out to the sewer. Since the top of the main hose is about 3/4 or more as high up the side as the gray tank, and we all know that water seeks it own level, the water will only flow when the tank is 3/4 full or higher.

On the right of the photo you will see a 3" pipe with a cap that has Valterra written on it. This is the pipe that you would use it if you did not want to use or could not use the sani-con system. You would hook up a 3" hose and run it to the sewer before opening the dump valves. When you open the dump valve water flows into this pipe and either out the end or is pumped out by the sani-con pump.

I hope this clears up the sewer system questions. Sorry if I confused anyone with my post.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2011, 01:28:27 pm by aimee »
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Trudy

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Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2011, 10:37:34 am »
Thanks Tom for your explanation and taking the time to post a picture. I've crawled under our PC many times, comparing your pic to what we have and that cap just ain't there!!!  I need to go take a pic of ours to post. Maybe i'm just blind (or stupid  :beg)!!
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mciai2000

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Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2011, 11:14:51 am »
Trudy:

I think this might be your problem.  JackD posted this in the sewer hose posting.

Trudy --- For what its worth -your 2006 Cruiser may not have it --- I didn't have one on my 2006, 2350...I'm not sure when they starting addintg the fitting, but the 2011, 2552 has it...

I am sure you could retrofit that.  I am sure it would be pretty easy.

David
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Bob Mahon

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Re: Back flushing tanks
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2011, 12:02:42 pm »
Our 2007 did not have it either. (WH)
But our 2010 does. 2o2

Regardless, the parts are readily available and, as David says, should not be too hard to retrofit.
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