Black tank flush is something I never walk away from. Totally agree with routine draining at about 2/3, but occasionally will use the tank flush. When doing that I set a timer on my phone to make sure I never overfill the tank. Thanks Kenny for another well informed video
Absolutely correct about distractions - in May 2024 I was filling my fresh water tank. Got distracted by my step breaking when I walked in the trailer. I began repairing the step. A short later, I heard a BANG & a CRACK. OMG, I immediately knew what it was. Shut the water off immediately. The tank was ok, but I cracked the lower wall near the breaker panel, and the 3 steel supports for the tank were badly bent. I spent 8 hours removing the underbelly, 3 steel supports, straightened the supports, installed a piece of 3/4" plywood under the tank, re-installed the 3 supports and the underbelly. Lesson learned!!!
When I overflowed mine, I was standing there watching and waiting when a camper came by and started a conversation about my truck. The next thing I knew I had water pouring out the bottom of the trailer. The water found its way out at the base of the toilet and went down the furnace vent. After filling the vent pipes and furnace with crap it started running out the bottom. Although, on one occasion, I put a lot of Dawn soap in the tank, and when I turned on the tank flush big bubbles came out of the roof vent.
Great info as you said this is no laughing matter and I have to say I almost did it myself. Had to run in the house just for a second forgot what I was doing with the valve closed I got LUCKY, I dont do it anymore.
Thank you for the video. I just explained this to a newbie camper who was camping next to me last weekend. I gave them you video link. Glad you aren't really, really retiring, lol. Darwin- Camping with the Adams's
So, other than leaving a hose connected to the flush port at a campsite, it is a matter of lack of attention and not having the co-pilot watch the tank fill and down the toilet hole. I like the fitting that blows water backward up the pipes and has a gate valve on it. That way, I can flush black and gray. But the most important thing you showed is, you can blow up your tank very easily! Best wishes Ken, Kevin
Good to know because I have flushed my tank before with the valve closed because my camper did not have a sticker telling me not to. In fact I didn't even know I had a black tank flush because it was not marked. I was lucky I never had a problem, but believe me I will never flush again without opening the valve. Thank you for this video.
Only thing id add to your thoughts would be in fifth wheels drain tanks regularly , not when you see poo in the toilet when flushing theres 3 foot or more of pipe above your tank between toilet that pressurizes and blows out tanks without even using the flush. Also as far as channel ideas i love this video how about a new direction like what not to do in rv's and random secrets we know like black tank flushes , dont step on electric step til its out ( motors arent cheap) , fridge door not sealing (washers on hinge to raise saggy door) , roof maintenance and marker lt sealing , dont put warm food in fridge until its room temp (raises inner temp to promote bacteria growth) also how rv fridges work.... thats useful stuff dealers wont tell in walkthroughs
I have a 2005 Holiday Rambler travel trailer I'm working on making usable again and as far as I can tell it doesn't have a black tank flush connection. I guess for those you use a 5 gallon bucket or something through the toilet if you need more water in it to help it drain?
Great video. Though it is more effort to use, I prefer the down the stool type flusher. Seems like it has stiffer spray, you can wiggle it around, no worry about overfilling, and it more reliably gets the sensors.
Thanks Kenny great explanation of how everything works seeing that i boondock more than having full hookup sometimes I don’t have the option of black tank flush so if I have extra water I put it down the commode till I can reach a dump station
I put a third valve at the discharge of my system and use the grey water to back flush into the black. Not only does it get more "stuff" out than the tank flusher, it will never overflow .
i have a leak when i hook my hose up to the flush valve fitting on a Keystone Passport 2021 3352bh extended season the water starts to drip of the main pipe coming down from the RV how should i get to the tank to look at it do i need to cut the underbelly to do that Thanks Ron
It should go out the vent to keep from pressurizing, but at 1-1/2” vent, it wouldn’t take much to plug it. Wonder if there is something in Vent line to prevent it from going out roof?? Thanks for the clear explanation, Kenny. Appreciate your videos. I don’t have an RV yet, have helped on others. Have a great day.
Another great tip, I'm guilty of using the tank flush, as we are packing up to leave a campground, while I am standing out with the hose I have my wife at the pad to check when it get about 1/2 full then I dump and repeat the process again.
I do walk thru's at our local RV dealer and when I explain how to use the black tank flush I constantly get customers telling me that they know how to close the valve and fill the tank to be able to clean it better. They saw how to do it on TH-cam. I tell them that I don't recommend doing it and they should always have the valve open
I don't hook up my black tank flush hose line till I am ready to empty and flush the tank.i also have a cutoff valve attached to the flush inlet so I can control the water going in
Finally the video I was looking for!! Thank you so much for the explanation. I was in a hurry to get my camper ready and hooked the hose to the black tank flush instead of the water connection and it leaked down to the underbelly. Luckily not at floor level. Sounds like I broke the glue seal around the rim. In your mind, does this require a full on tank replacement? Or is that something that can be repaired.. What kind of unseen damage could that have caused in the underbelly?
Thanks for the video. Not knowing that our bathroom sink also goes into the black tank, we let too much water go down the sink and it caused the black tank to overfill and fluid to leak down the sides of the black tank in the bay where the black tank is found. The black tank did not back up into the RV. Am I correct to infer that the liquid I saw draining down the side of my black tank was coming from a broken glued fitting up at the top of the tank? The problem has never happened again and all appears to be well. Should I be concerned and have the black tank repaired? Is this something I can do myself?
I have a suggestion and I know it is health permitted. What if offered the business for sale with say 6 months training as part of the package. Obviously price would need to be adjusted to make it worth your while.
Great explanation! I have a truck camper with no flush. It’s brand new. Well after using the toilet on a trip the sensor reads 2/3 filled regardless after emptying. I used one of those campco wands for a few minutes with my valve opened. It then showed empty. The next day after traveling it showed 2/3 full again. Any suggestions on getting the sensor clean enough to work?
I have a 1997 travel trailer that’s been mostly at 2/3s since 1998😂. I’ve tried every trick in the book to clean all the sensors. The camco wand consistently helps me keep the full sensor clean, odd time it helps with the 2/3s.The only one I worry about is the full sensor. If I’m concerned, I use my eyes( open the toilet valve and check) 🤷🏻♀️
@@hillbillyrv absolutely.. I also think it’s where manufacturers placed the sensors too. I keep the tank clean throughout usage months, then clean my tank out EXTRA well before winter storage. Very rarely smells, so I’m not worried.I’ll probably install a flush valve on the trailer when I get to the tanks on my motor home. It’ll be a while though, I’ve discovered 1988 class Cs need lots of love. Keep up the good work! You’re sense of humour and common sense approach make your videos very enjoyable to watch ☺️
Hillbilly, My flush connection when made water never gets to the black tank. Water doesnt go anywhere it fills the tube and stops as though its clogged. I've read that stop valve maybe installed backwards, or a clog or a kink in the hose but I can't see the hose because of the rubber undercarriage hides it. Any suggestion?
Second question: The part of my black tank flush that fits up right next to the tank leaks water whenever I disconnect the black tank flush hose. The water is clear and does not appear to be sewer water. Thinking this was a problem, I had the flush replaced but the new part leaks clean water whenever I disconnect the hose as well. Is this normal?
Or your neighbor who blamed the maintenance guys. I got a call on Thanksgiving while I was driving along the border in south Texas. I installed a ball valve with a chain and lock. I was lucky and had flushed it out and it was drained before I left. I think that even with a vent you could still pressurize the tank. Once the water reaches the vent pipe then it won’t vent.
So I have another question regarding black tank flushing, I have two different methods one of them is a clear 90 degree tank flush elbow and the other is a tank rinsing wand that you stick down through the toilet bowl into the tank, which one of these is more effective? My black tank on my 99 Fleetwood Prowler fifth wheel does not have a built in black tank flush. From the 3 inch valve the pipe has a 90 that goes into the bottom of the black tank, so my question is how well will my 90 degree tank flush elbow work without having a second valve in line between the flush elbow and the sewer hose? My thought is that you could possibly have the valve partially closed if you wanted to have a thorough tank cleaning without any pressure building up.
When I use my black tank flush, I add 3 minutes of water at a time (approx 60L or 15 US gallons), and then I pull the drain valve. I do this until I see no more brown milkshake 😂
Yes, it’s a risk. So is just owning one. I flush by closing the valve. I acknowledge the risk and accept it. My choice. If you choose to operate it in this manner, do what you can to reduce the chances, pay attention.
This is what I do also. I first hook up the tank flush, fill the black tank until it comes up into the toilet I stand at the toilet with the toilet valve open until the water comes into the bowl), then drain all the way. I then repeat the exact same process again for a clean rinse and even once more at times if it has been a while. I then go the tank 1/3 of the way with clean water. I do ONLY one thing when I am servicing my black tank: I service only the black tank without distraction. I have learned the lesson the hard way once and that is all it took for me!
Black tank flush is something I never walk away from. Totally agree with routine draining at about 2/3, but occasionally will use the tank flush. When doing that I set a timer on my phone to make sure I never overfill the tank.
Thanks Kenny for another well informed video
Absolutely correct about distractions - in May 2024 I was filling my fresh water tank. Got distracted by my step breaking when I walked in the trailer. I began repairing the step. A short later, I heard a BANG & a CRACK. OMG, I immediately knew what it was. Shut the water off immediately. The tank was ok, but I cracked the lower wall near the breaker panel, and the 3 steel supports for the tank were badly bent. I spent 8 hours removing the underbelly, 3 steel supports, straightened the supports, installed a piece of 3/4" plywood under the tank, re-installed the 3 supports and the underbelly. Lesson learned!!!
thank you i often wonderd how the flush worked now i can talk to my friends and pass the word thank you
When I overflowed mine, I was standing there watching and waiting when a camper came by and started a conversation about my truck. The next thing I knew I had water pouring out the bottom of the trailer. The water found its way out at the base of the toilet and went down the furnace vent. After filling the vent pipes and furnace with crap it started running out the bottom. Although, on one occasion, I put a lot of Dawn soap in the tank, and when I turned on the tank flush big bubbles came out of the roof vent.
ha ha....never heard of bubbles coming out the vent. I bet that was impressive.
@@hillbillyrv lmao i was thinking same thing
Great info as you said this is no laughing matter and I have to say I almost did it myself. Had to run in the house just for a second forgot what I was doing with the valve closed I got LUCKY, I dont do it anymore.
Like I said, I have done it. It is easy to do.
Thank you for the video. I just explained this to a newbie camper who was camping next to me last weekend. I gave them you video link. Glad you aren't really, really retiring, lol. Darwin- Camping with the Adams's
Thanks for sharing my video.
Good to hear ur staying around.
I don't know what the future holds yet.
So, other than leaving a hose connected to the flush port at a campsite, it is a matter of lack of attention and not having the co-pilot watch the tank fill and down the toilet hole. I like the fitting that blows water backward up the pipes and has a gate valve on it. That way, I can flush black and gray. But the most important thing you showed is, you can blow up your tank very easily!
Best wishes Ken, Kevin
I have seen it too many times.
@@hillbillyrv I’m thinking once would be enough for us lay people!
@@KevinCoop1 I would think so too.
Good to know because I have flushed my tank before with the valve closed because my camper did not have a sticker telling me not to. In fact I didn't even know I had a black tank flush because it was not marked. I was lucky I never had a problem, but believe me I will never flush again without opening the valve. Thank you for this video.
You are welcome Donald.
Great informational video. Just do it like you said and no issues. Thanks Don
Only thing id add to your thoughts would be in fifth wheels drain tanks regularly , not when you see poo in the toilet when flushing theres 3 foot or more of pipe above your tank between toilet that pressurizes and blows out tanks without even using the flush.
Also as far as channel ideas i love this video how about a new direction like what not to do in rv's and random secrets we know like black tank flushes , dont step on electric step til its out ( motors arent cheap) , fridge door not sealing (washers on hinge to raise saggy door) , roof maintenance and marker lt sealing , dont put warm food in fridge until its room temp (raises inner temp to promote bacteria growth) also how rv fridges work.... thats useful stuff dealers wont tell in walkthroughs
Thanks for the ideas.
I have a 2005 Holiday Rambler travel trailer I'm working on making usable again and as far as I can tell it doesn't have a black tank flush connection. I guess for those you use a 5 gallon bucket or something through the toilet if you need more water in it to help it drain?
More valuable info. Thanks
our 1999 Tradewinds has Black tank flush - I watch it like a hawk and have cross trained my wife also.
Be careful.
Great video. Though it is more effort to use, I prefer the down the stool type flusher. Seems like it has stiffer spray, you can wiggle it around, no worry about overfilling, and it more reliably gets the sensors.
Those are good too.
Thanks Kenny great explanation of how everything works seeing that i boondock more than having full hookup sometimes I don’t have the option of black tank flush so if I have extra water I put it down the commode till I can reach a dump station
Most people probably don't use the flush.
I put a third valve at the discharge of my system and use the grey water to back flush into the black. Not only does it get more "stuff" out than the tank flusher, it will never overflow .
That’s an awesome idea.
i have a leak when i hook my hose up to the flush valve fitting on a Keystone Passport 2021 3352bh extended season the water starts to drip of the main pipe coming down from the RV how should i get to the tank to look at it do i need to cut the underbelly to do that Thanks Ron
It should go out the vent to keep from pressurizing, but at 1-1/2” vent, it wouldn’t take much to plug it. Wonder if there is something in Vent line to prevent it from going out roof?? Thanks for the clear explanation, Kenny. Appreciate your videos. I don’t have an RV yet, have helped on others. Have a great day.
Nope, it's a straight pipe, open on top.
Been there done that. Thankfully was already cleaned out.
That's good.
Another great tip, I'm guilty of using the tank flush, as we are packing up to leave a campground, while I am standing out with the hose I have my wife at the pad to check when it get about 1/2 full then I dump and repeat the process again.
You have been warned.
@@hillbillyrv I'm guilty of trying to fill my tank halfway then draining it...all while I'm standing there watching it. You make sense.
@@tmet01 Sometimes I do. ha ha
I do walk thru's at our local RV dealer and when I explain how to use the black tank flush I constantly get customers telling me that they know how to close the valve and fill the tank to be able to clean it better. They saw how to do it on TH-cam.
I tell them that I don't recommend doing it and they should always have the valve open
There is a LOT of BAD info out here.
I don't hook up my black tank flush hose line till I am ready to empty and flush the tank.i also have a cutoff valve attached to the flush inlet so I can control the water going in
Good idea
Thanks again --great instruction…
You are welcome.
Finally the video I was looking for!! Thank you so much for the explanation.
I was in a hurry to get my camper ready and hooked the hose to the black tank flush instead of the water connection and it leaked down to the underbelly. Luckily not at floor level. Sounds like I broke the glue seal around the rim. In your mind, does this require a full on tank replacement? Or is that something that can be repaired..
What kind of unseen damage could that have caused in the underbelly?
You will not know until you get in there.
Most the ones I've dealt with have a vacuum breaker up some where that seems to always leak. Ugh
Some have those and some don't.
Thanks for the video. Not knowing that our bathroom sink also goes into the black tank, we let too much water go down the sink and it caused the black tank to overfill and fluid to leak down the sides of the black tank in the bay where the black tank is found. The black tank did not back up into the RV. Am I correct to infer that the liquid I saw draining down the side of my black tank was coming from a broken glued fitting up at the top of the tank? The problem has never happened again and all appears to be well. Should I be concerned and have the black tank repaired? Is this something I can do myself?
I have seen tanks that will leak if they are overfilled. Most seem like if you don't overfill them, they are ok.
I have a suggestion and I know it is health permitted. What if offered the business for sale with say 6 months training as part of the package. Obviously price would need to be adjusted to make it worth your while.
I am open to something like that. I was planning on working for Cameron for a year, if he bought it from me.
Great explanation! I have a truck camper with no flush. It’s brand new. Well after using the toilet on a trip the sensor reads 2/3 filled regardless after emptying. I used one of those campco wands for a few minutes with my valve opened. It then showed empty. The next day after traveling it showed 2/3 full again. Any suggestions on getting the sensor clean enough to work?
There are a LOT of campers that the black tank always says 2/3. I don't know of anything that will fix that.
I have a 1997 travel trailer that’s been mostly at 2/3s since 1998😂. I’ve tried every trick in the book to clean all the sensors. The camco wand consistently helps me keep the full sensor clean, odd time it helps with the 2/3s.The only one I worry about is the full sensor. If I’m concerned, I use my eyes( open the toilet valve and check) 🤷🏻♀️
@@rvgalpals7245 Seems like some RVs never read the right tank levels.
@@hillbillyrv absolutely.. I also think it’s where manufacturers placed the sensors too. I keep the tank clean throughout usage months, then clean my tank out EXTRA well before winter storage. Very rarely smells, so I’m not worried.I’ll probably install a flush valve on the trailer when I get to the tanks on my motor home. It’ll be a while though, I’ve discovered 1988 class Cs need lots of love. Keep up the good work! You’re sense of humour and common sense approach make your videos very enjoyable to watch ☺️
@@rvgalpals7245 Thank you.
Hillbilly, My flush connection when made water never gets to the black tank. Water doesnt go anywhere it fills the tube and stops as though its clogged. I've read that stop valve maybe installed backwards, or a clog or a kink in the hose but I can't see the hose because of the rubber undercarriage hides it. Any suggestion?
In order to diagnose it, you will have to gain access to it first.
Second question: The part of my black tank flush that fits up right next to the tank leaks water whenever I disconnect the black tank flush hose. The water is clear and does not appear to be sewer water. Thinking this was a problem, I had the flush replaced but the new part leaks clean water whenever I disconnect the hose as well. Is this normal?
That seems weird.
Or your neighbor who blamed the maintenance guys. I got a call on Thanksgiving while I was driving along the border in south Texas. I installed a ball valve with a chain and lock. I was lucky and had flushed it out and it was drained before I left.
I think that even with a vent you could still pressurize the tank. Once the water reaches the vent pipe then it won’t vent.
I don't know why it doesn't come out the vent pipe. I just know it doesn't.
I have over filled my black tank with a flush and now I cannot get rid of the foul odor. Any suggestions. Thank you
You most likely broke the tank or plumbing.
Here's a crazy question, why would'nt they just have a sensor that would set off an alarm when the black tank gets near full?
They have sensors in the tanks, but they very seldom work correctly, so you can't trust them.
So I have another question regarding black tank flushing, I have two different methods one of them is a clear 90 degree tank flush elbow and the other is a tank rinsing wand that you stick down through the toilet bowl into the tank, which one of these is more effective? My black tank on my 99 Fleetwood Prowler fifth wheel does not have a built in black tank flush. From the 3 inch valve the pipe has a 90 that goes into the bottom of the black tank, so my question is how well will my 90 degree tank flush elbow work without having a second valve in line between the flush elbow and the sewer hose? My thought is that you could possibly have the valve partially closed if you wanted to have a thorough tank cleaning without any pressure building up.
@@jonathancall9967 Be careful.
Did you retire
I have one the customer “says” he did not over fill the tank but water bad water come from somewhere so here we go.
Yep, it happens.
I will never close the valve again thanks
When I use my black tank flush, I add 3 minutes of water at a time (approx 60L or 15 US gallons), and then I pull the drain valve. I do this until I see no more brown milkshake 😂
Did you read your other comment?
Thanks! You too
You are welcome.
Ick to say it lightly
Yes
Yes, it’s a risk. So is just owning one. I flush by closing the valve. I acknowledge the risk and accept it. My choice. If you choose to operate it in this manner, do what you can to reduce the chances, pay attention.
This is what I do also. I first hook up the tank flush, fill the black tank until it comes up into the toilet I stand at the toilet with the toilet valve open until the water comes into the bowl), then drain all the way. I then repeat the exact same process again for a clean rinse and even once more at times if it has been a while. I then go the tank 1/3 of the way with clean water. I do ONLY one thing when I am servicing my black tank: I service only the black tank without distraction. I have learned the lesson the hard way once and that is all it took for me!