Black water tank cleaning.

Keep the water inside the pipes, tanks, and sinks
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goinmobile
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Black water tank cleaning.

Post by goinmobile »

I have been having odor problems for awhile now. Thoroughly draining , refilling with clean water, treatments etc aren't helping much. The sensor reads full----so I suspect residue stuck in the tank.
I stuck a pressure washer down the toilet today but hav4n't emptied it yet--but the sensor still reads full.
Any suggestions? I'm debating a power fan on the vent? I have noticed in very hot weather tiny black flies get in the tank via the roof vent I guess.
It's a pretty Sh1tty problem to have. :P
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skater
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Post by skater »

It's not unusual for those sensors to misread-the one in our trailer constantly shows the black tank as almost full. I wouldn't put too much faith in that.

If you're using the treatment stuff I'm not sure what else to suggest, although a different brand might work better if you haven't tried it.

Another thing I've heard that sometimes works is putting ice in there (a lot of it I assume) and driving around a while. Apparently the ice tends to grind any residue, then it melts for easy flushing.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

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Alaskan
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Post by Alaskan »

Fully drain...put in one gallon of bleach and one gallon of water and drive it, as long as ya can before either using that tank or dumping it
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goinmobile
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Post by goinmobile »

Thanks--I'll try the ice and bleach. If I'm running the fantastic fan on exhaust------opening the toilet allows air from the tank out and smells pretty bad. I doubt the toilet or tank is meant for full time use.
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Alaskan
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Post by Alaskan »

ya.....the ice is a good idea.

I'd put 3 or 4 bags of crushed ice in and a gallon or 2 of bleach and go for a drive, make as many turns as ya can.. !

Then head to a dump station.

I've modified the outlets on mine, mainly to get them up where they are not so easily damaged...in doing this mod it also allows for a tank cleaner device to be easily slipped straight into the tank for cleaning...its a neat device that hooks to a garden hose and has a spinning device on the end that does a great job of cleaning the inside of the tank...can also be used directly down the toilet

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Last edited by Alaskan on Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jonny
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Re: Black water tank cleaning.

Post by Jonny »

I've had odor issues from day one. Tank wand, ice, a few chemicals, repeated rinsing, nothing would prevent odor about 4-5 days into full time use.

Yesterday I installed an inline vent fan called the 'lil stanker'. Put it in the rear cabinet up high right before the vent goes out the ceiling. Basically it pulls air through the vent and out the stack, creating an slight vaccum in the holding tanks. I had purposely not dumped the tanks in awhile and timed it so the install came after odor problems when driving. It instantly worked. I could even hold the toilet flap open and zero odor.

The vacuum is enough that dumping my gray water tank I noticed a gulp gulp sound instead of the customary steady rush of water.

Totally worth it for about $50.
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