How To Keep Camper Septic Tank From Backing Up? (Best solution)

  • The most important step you can take is to prevent a septic tank backup in the first place. Here are some preventive suggestions: Make sure your septic tank is always biologically active. Don’t use antibacterial soaps and cleaners that drain to the tank. Never put garbage or any foreign objects into the system.

How do I keep my RV black tank from clogging?

How to Prevent Camper Clogs

  1. Keep your black tank valve closed unless actively dumping a full tank.
  2. Use A High-Quality, Bacteria-Based Tank Treatment (Like Unique RV Digest-It)
  3. Avoid Using Chemical Cleaners And Antibacterial Dish And Hand Soap.
  4. Use Lots Of Water Each Time You Flush.
  5. Keep Temperatures Regulated.

How do you unclog a camper septic tank?

Begin by boiling several pots of water. Pour the water down the toilet and let it sit overnight. Attempt to dump the tank in the morning. Sometimes the super hot water is enough to break up a stubborn clog, especially if the tank isn’t already full.

How often do you empty a septic tank in RV?

In simple terms, if you have lots of people on board, you might need to empty the tank daily. But if you are just traveling alone or maybe with one more person, your tank would need emptying less frequently – maybe even once a week. The rule of thumb is to empty the tank before it fills up.

Why is my camper toilet backing up?

The main issue that leads to a clogged black water tank is when your waste and toilet paper aren’t breaking down properly inside of your tank. Water and other liquid waste is detrimental to fully draining your RV’s black tank! A clogged black tank isn’t anyone’s favorite thing, but it is a common issue with many RVers.

How do you get rid of the poop pyramid in RV black?

To eliminate a poop pyramid, you need to get water into your black tank. The first thing you should do is close the black tank valve and get as much water into the black tank as possible. If the poop pyramid prohibits you from putting water into the tank, get some tank cleaner to pour down into the sewer drain.

Can I use Drano in RV black tank?

for clearing a clogged black tank are usually the most efficient and cheapest, I see no problem with using chemicals if one wants to do so. I’ve never agreed with those who caution against using Drano, Liquid Plumber, etc. in RV plumbing because it will harm something in the system.

Can you use Drano in an RV?

Avoid using caustic drain cleaners like regular Drano, as they may damage your valves. Instead, choose drain cleaners that use liquid bacterial enzymes to break down the mass. Another option is to use a drain snake suitable for use in your RV’s water lines.

Why is my black tank filling up so fast?

The reasons why your RV black tanks fills up too fast have mostly to do with using too much fresh water in the toilet. But there are other reasons too, such as a build-up of solids, too much toilet paper, other sinks draining into the black tank, or you have kids dumping stuff in there that they shouldn’t be dumping.

How do you know if your black tank is clogged?

Clogged Pipe: Nothing will go down the toilet, and nothing (or not much) comes out when you dump. You did NOT leave your black water valve open while parked. Compacted/Dried Up Tank: You can add liquid into the toilet, and it flows into the camper blackwater tank, but nothing comes out when you dump.

How long can black water stay in RV tank?

How long can you leave waste in a black tank? Our research shows that most camping experts maintain that you can safely leave black water in the tank for up to ten days. Most, however, state that you should empty it out after no more than a week.

What happens if I overfill my RV waste tank?

The Holding Tank for Your RV May Physically Burst. If your tank has filled beyond capacity then the materials may give out due to weight and pressure. This will cause the waste to pour into the area that the tank occupies. The waste will also spread anywhere that a liquid can go.

Does Ridex work in RV tanks?

RID-X RV Toilet Treatment is safe for RVs, portable toilets, and portable marine toilets. Use our toilet chemicals once a week to combat odors and break down waste.

Can I use a plunger on my RV toilet?

You can use a plunger to clear the clog just like in your toilet at home. Add some water to the toilet bowl if there isn’t any already. Then, put the plunger over the hole. Make sure it completely covers the hole.

Preventing Clogs In Your RV Holding Tank

View a Printer-Friendly Version of This Page The following are the most important points:

  • A clog in your toilet or black tank in your camper can be caused by one of three types of blockages: Blockage in the toilet line, pyramid plug, compacted tank, and other issues When sensors are misread, it is possible to be fooled into believing that there is a blockage in the toilet when there is not. The most effective strategy to avoid blockages is to use The Unique Method on a regular basis.

clogged and foul-smelling RV holding tanks and toilets are one of the most common problems RVers have on a yearly basis, according to the American RVing Association. These blockages and smells are inconvenient, and they have the ability to turn travelers away from the RV lifestyle altogether. The good news is that preventing these problems is a rather straightforward process. In this tutorial, we’ll look at the many types of clogs that can arise in your black water tank, as well as the kind of behaviors that you can develop to avoid getting them.

What Type of RV Toilet Clog Could Develop?

There are three sorts of clogs that can occur: blockages in the drain, clogs in the drain line, and clogs in the drain line.

Pyramid Plug

Basically, this is feces and toilet paper that has built up into a pyramid form just under your toilet line and has now reached a point at the top where it is blocking anything from being added to the tank. A pyramid clog is most commonly caused by leaving your black tank valve open when on hook-up. This is because any liquid supplied to the tank rapidly drains out of the open valve, enabling collected waste to dry and pile. Unless you are actively emptying a full tank, you should always keep your black valve closed.

Compacted Tank

In most cases, a compacted tank simply refers to solid trash that has gathered at the bottom of your black water tank, preventing waste from being released when the valve is opened. The use of insufficient water in your tank, the use of a low-quality waste-digesting treatment, the presence of a leaking discharge valve, or the retention of waste in your tanks while in storage can result in the liquids eventually evaporating and the poop drying out, making it much more difficult to clean when you’re ready to use it again.

Blocked Toilet Line

An accumulation of toilet paper and solid waste might become entrapped in the actual pipe that connects the toilet bowl to the waste tank. This problem arises most frequently in recreational vehicles (RVs) since the toilet is not located directly over the black tank and the plumbing system, as a result, includes curves and elbows where waste and TP may easily become clogged and clog the entire system. Using more water than you may believe required while flushing the toilet is recommended in systems where the toilet line does not drain vertically into the tank.

Misreading Sensors

A clog is usually caused by waste and toilet paper material (black water tanks) or grease and oils (gray water tanks) giving the impression that the tank is full when it is not; for example, when you open the black valve but nothing comes out when you open the gray valve. It might be a compressed tank, or it could just be an empty tank with sensors that are reporting it as full when it is not. If the problem is just a result of misreading sensors, the solution is straightforward. Refer to our tutorial on how to clean and restore RV holding tank sensors for more information.

Several of the most important behaviors you may establish to avoid clogs before they occur will be discussed in further detail in the next section. Of course, following The Unique Method is the most complete method to go about it, so we strongly advise you to become quite familiar with it as well.

How to Prevent Camper Clogs

The most effective approach to avoid any form of blockage is to adhere to The Unique Method, which is our tried-and-true procedure for treating RV wastewater tanks. The Unique Method is a 50/50 strategy that necessitates 50 percent of the proper care habits and 50 percent of the proper products in order to be successful. When employing this proven procedure, we always recommend our goods since they were created with The Unique Method in mind, ensuring that you obtain the greatest possible outcomes from the items you utilize.

All of these techniques are included in The Unique Method, so we highly recommend that you start using it as a preventative measure against issues like clogs as soon as possible after learning about it.

Keep your black tank valve closed unless actively dumping a full tank

A common misconception in the RVing community is that you can leave your black tank valve open when on hook-ups and everything will just pour into the sewer. This is simply not true. This is the most efficient method of causing a blockage to form. When you leave your black tank valve open, any liquid contained within your holding tank drains away, and all that is left is a pile of solid waste that grows in height with each passing visit to the bathroom. In addition to helping to break down waste and hide odors, liquid (particularly water) can also help prevent the formation of a pyramid clog, which is actually a pyramid-shaped mound of waste that extends all the way up to the toilet line.

Many people are unaware that their black water tank is most likely flat across the bottom, which means that if solid waste is put to a tank that is empty of liquid, it will simply settle on the bottom of the tank and continue piling up in that one location until the tank is completely full.

You’re fortunate that you haven’t had to deal with a clog yet, but our interactions with hundreds of RVers who have dealt with clogs have convinced us that it’s only a matter of time until your good fortune runs out.

Why It’s Critical to Keep Your RV’s Black Water Valve Shut (Guide)

Use A High-Quality, Bacteria-Based Tank Treatment (Like Unique RV Digest-It)

You want the waste in your black water tank to be practically liquefied, and the easiest method to do this is to apply a high-quality bacteria-based holding tank treatment on a regular basis, such as Unique RV Digest-It. Incredibly effective, bacteria-based products work so well because aerobic bacteria (such as those found in RV Digest-It) break down waste into nearly liquid form without leaving behind residue or byproducts, without adding odors, and in fact, by pushing out the stinky bacteria that ride in on the solid waste.

In addition, if you’re planning to employ bacteria-based tank treatments, make sure to keep your black valve closed until you’re ready to dump a full tank.

If you leave the valve open while working on the hook-ups, your tank treatment will simply drain down to the sewer, making it appear as if you had not added any treatment at all to the tank. Why You Should Use a High-Quality Waste Digester in Your Recreational Vehicle (RV)

Avoid Using Chemical Cleaners And Antibacterial Dish And Hand Soap

Chemical toilet bowl cleaners, shower cleansers, antibacterial dish soap, and hand soap will all work against the bacteria-based tank treatments you choose to employ if you decide to go with that route. It is possible that these chemicals will destroy the good, waste-digesting bacteria that you have introduced to your tank through the use of a bacteria-based treatment such as Unique RV Digest-It. In the event that you damage or kill these bacteria by the use of chemical cleansers, it is quite likely that clogs will occur because waste will remain solid rather than being broken down into its smallest possible size by the bacteria.

Why Are Bacteria and Enzymes Beneficial to Your RV Holding Tanks?

Use Lots Of Water Each Time You Flush

Adding water to your wastewater tanks is one of the most beneficial things you can do. In fact, even if you don’t use any tank treatment, filling your black tank with plenty of water can help you avoid a pyramid blockage and a compacted tank since water helps soften the waste, allowing it to drop below the water line and not cling to the walls and floor of the tank. The quickest and most convenient method of adding water to your tank is to just press the flush pedal for at least 10 seconds after each flush.

In addition, you should fill the toilet bowl with water before using it and refill the bowl with water after each flush.

Water is also essential for the aerobic bacteria that you introduce to the tank through the use of a bacteria-based tank treatment; these bacteria require a lot of water to thrive and to reach all of the debris that they will decompose.

When it comes to pyramid plugs, it’s really hook-up campers who have the greatest trouble since they frequently forget to close their black valves, which allows water to drain completely from the tank and solid waste to dry out and gather in one location.

Water in your RV’s toilet and holding tanks is critical, as explained in this guide.

Keep Temperatures Regulated

High temperatures may cause odors to worsen, and if you are using a bacteria-based tank treatment, high temperatures will cause the bacteria to become extremely lethargic, making it difficult for them to digest waste properly. High-quality bacteria-based holding tank products have an effective temperature range of 45 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 45 to 85 degrees Celsius. All bacteria-based holding tank treatments will suffer in extreme cold and high heat conditions, and this is true for all kinds of holding tank treatments.

See also:  How To Prepare Your Septic Tank For The Summer? (TOP 5 Tips)

How to Prevent Your RV’s Holding Tanks from Freezing (Guide).

Rinse/Flush The Tank (Even Briefly) After Each Dump

Gravity is used to empty the wastewater tanks, which means that there will be leftover waste particles adhered to the walls of the tanks as the water level gradually lowers. If you think of a sink full of filthy dishwater draining, certainly, the majority of remaining food particles flow down the drain, but there is always some oil and particles that manage to cling to the rims of the sink. Small particles of waste clinging to the tank floor, walls, and sensors can cause sensor misreadings and residual waste buildup on the tank floor and around the discharge port if you aren’t rinsing after each dump.

Every time you empty your tank, make sure to thoroughly flush or clean it.

Following this thorough cleaning, you may rest assured that there is no leftover dirt lurking somewhere in the tank, ready to cause a blockage in the future.

Perform A Regular Deep Cleaning

Deep cleaning your tanks will aid in the removal of even the smallest amount of waste residue that may be sticking to the tank and the sensors throughout the cleaning process. Weekend warriors, dry campers, and boondockers should thorough clean their RVs at the beginning and end of each camping season, whereas full-time RVers should deep clean their RVs every 3-5 dumps. Fortunately, extensive cleaning is rather straightforward, even for the full-time RVer who has to use the tanks on a regular basis.

Never Store Your RV With Waste In The Tank

Storing your RV with waste in the tank is the most effective method of achieving a compacted tank structure. It is possible that you did everything correctly to keep the waste liquefied, but if you store the RV with waste in it for several weeks, the water in that sloshy waste mixture will eventually evaporate, leaving behind a nice, even layer of dried out waste that will cover your discharge line, making it impossible to dump later on.

You should dump at a station on your way home or as soon as you reach back home to avoid forgetting about it and having to deal with a clogged tank later on. How to Prepare Your RV Holding Tanks for Storage (with Pictures)

Review

The most effective strategy to avoid camper clogs is to adhere to The Unique Method at all times; all of the behaviors discussed in this article, as well as a few more that will enhance your camping experience, are included in The Unique Method. As a quick recap of the preventative techniques we mentioned in this article, here is a quick rundown:

  • When not actively dumping your black tank, keep the valve to the black tank closed. Use a high-quality, bacteria-based tank treatment to keep your tank clean. It is best to stay away from chemical toilet/shower cleansers and antibacterial soap. Every time you flush the toilet, make sure to use a lot of water. The temperature of the tank should be between 45 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. After every dump, flush the tank with water. Deep cleaning should be carried out at least twice a year. Never leave waste in the black tank of your RV when parked.

Adopt The Unique Method

You purchased your recreational vehicle so that you may enjoy life and spend time with family and friends on the road. The last thing you want to do is squander valuable time and resources attempting to resolve wastewater holding tank complications. It is not necessary to spend a lot of time or money on keeping your tanks in optimum functioning condition if you follow our tried and true process: The Unique Method. After years of talks with actual clients who were dealing with genuine difficulties, we developed The Unique Method, which is a complete tank maintenance plan.

Try it for yourself and learn why thousands of campers rely on TheUnique Method to keep their RVs running well every day.

Get in Touch With Us

Also in Guides and Resources

An issue with a holding tank will arise for a large number of RV owners, particularly those who are new to the lifestyle. These issues can include a pyramid plug, a compacted tank, or a clogged drain line. A blocked line, on the other hand, might be the most deceiving of all of these different sorts of clogs. Even though a clogged RV toilet line is a very rare occurrence, it can be difficult to identify since it is sometimes mistaken for a pyramid plug. In most cases, though, a clogged toilet line is far easier to cure than a pyramid plug, and it is also much less serious!

How Does a Blocked Line Develop?

A clogged RV toilet line happens when solid waste (often toilet paper) begins to accumulate in the pipe that connects your RV toilet to your black water holding tank, causing the toilet to get clogged. This can eventually jam the whole waste pipe, resulting in a backlog that extends all the way to the toilet tank! Lines that become clogged are most commonly found in RVs where the toilet is not immediately over the holding tank, such as fifth wheels. Also frequent in recreational vehicles (RVs) with intricate plumbing that includes bends and turns in the lines between their toilet and holding tank (like a 90 degree elbow, for example).

When a pyramid plug (which is considerably more frequent than a blocked line) is present, many individuals believe they have a blocked line.

It is usually preferable to avoid these sorts of blockages from developing in the first place, and the most effective method to do so is to follow The Unique Method.

However, if you are currently suffering with a clog, you need first determine what type of blockage you are dealing with. As previously said, some clogs exhibit the same symptoms as others, so be sure to complete our simple diagnosis exercise in the next area to be certain of what’s wrong.

Determine the Type of RV Toilet Clog

Knowing what sort of clog you are dealing with is critical since there are different approaches that may be required to release one clog as opposed to another depending on the type of obstruction. Our very simple litmus test is provided below to assist you in determining what type of issue you are having, and then we’ll show you how to resolve it. Fill your RV’s black tank with water by flushing it down the toilet bowl.

  1. If the water in the toilet bowl begins to accumulate fast, you may have a clogged toilet line or a pyramid plug.
  • If you have kept your black tank valve open for an extended length of time, you are most likely suffering from a pyramid plug. if you never leave your black tank valve open, it’s likely that you have a clog in the pipe that runs from your toilet to your holding tank.
  • It is possible that the extra water may readily flow into the black water tank due to a compacted tank or inaccurate sensors.
  • If water starts to run out of the tank when you release the black valve, it is most likely due to misreading sensors on the tank. Refer to the post How to Clean and Restore RV Holding Tank Sensors for more information. When you open the black valve on the tank, nothing comes out, indicating that the tank is compressed.

Refer to the Clearing a Blockage in the Line part of the Clearing RV Toilet Clogs guide once you have completed this diagnosis exercise and determined that you are dealing with a clogged toilet line.

How to Prevent a Blocked Toilet Line

As previously said, a clogged RV toilet line is a rare occurrence, but it does occur from time to time. The easiest method to avoid this is to follow the proper care practices, which are detailed in The Unique Method. In order to avoid a clogged toilet line in the future, here is a quick review of the Unique Method principles you should follow:

  • Always make sure that your toilet bowl is completely filled with water before using it. If you’re not driving, always keep several inches of water in the toilet bowl at all times. Each time you flush your toilet, depress the flush pedal for a full ten seconds before releasing it. Make an effort not to use excessive toilet paper. Make frequent cleanings of your bathroom toilet bowl, as the cleaning solution that passes through the line will aid in keeping the line free of dirt. If you are currently struggling with a toilet clog, prevention tactics will not be of use
  • Therefore, consult our guide onClearing RV Toilet Clogs to resolve the situation
  • And

Adopt The Unique Method

You purchased your recreational vehicle so that you may enjoy life and spend time with family and friends on the road. The last thing you want to do is squander valuable time and resources attempting to resolve wastewater holding tank complications. It is not necessary to spend a lot of time or money on keeping your tanks in optimum functioning condition if you follow our tried and true process: The Unique Method. After years of talks with actual clients who were dealing with genuine difficulties, we developed The Unique Method, which is a complete tank maintenance plan.

Try it for yourself and learn why thousands of campers rely on TheUnique Method to keep their RVs running well every day.

Get in Touch With Us

Also in Guides and Resources

Kelly Beasley contributed to this article. Date of publication: October 5, 2021 The most recent update was made on December 14, 2021. When your camper’s toilet backs up, it’s undoubtedly one of the most uncomfortable elements of RVing! It is not need to occur, and it is entirely avoidable. I’m assuming, though, that you already have a clogged black tank, my buddy, because you’re reading this. It’s a bummer for you. The good news is that most waste obstructions can be cleared out. It is OK to use your dump tank as long as there are just four items in it: water, pee, toilet paper, and feces!

Don’t be concerned. In this lesson on how to unclog an RV black tank, you’ll discover all you need to know about diagnosing, treating, and, most importantly, FIXING a backed-up RV toilet. Continue reading to find out how to clear a clogged RV black water tank.

Types Of RV Toilet Clogs

Toilet paper, solid waste, and hardened solid waste are the three things that clog an RV toilet, and any combination of these three items will clog it. Having stated that, there are three ways in which an RV toilet might get clogged:

Pipe Clog

The drain pipe for your RV toilet extends from the toilet’s base and transports all waste down to the black tank below. While sometimes it’s just a straight piece of pipe, sometimes there are bends in the waste pipe that go down to the waste collection system. The majority of the time, a pipe blockage occurs in an RV toilet design that includes twists and turns in the pipe. The use of bent elbows (pipe turns) to guide sewage into the black tank is necessary if the black tank is not located immediately beneath the toilet bowl.

The following are examples of errors that might clog a pipe:

  1. Using insufficient water in the toilet bowl for flushing purposes
  2. Using an excessive amount of toilet paper or toilet paper that is not septic-safe
  3. Large or difficult bowel motions (this is dangerous)

Poop Pyramid

This one is exactly what it says on the tin. Down in the dark tank, there’s a mound of your feces in a pyramid form. This is often typically caused by a rookie RV owner forgetting to close the valve to your black tank while parked and linked to a dump station, as described above (most likely when you are at an RV site with full-hookups). When the black tank valve is left open when connected to a dump, the liquids can escape from the black tank and into the dump. Meanwhile, the particles remain where they fell when they exited the RV toilet’s discharge line, where they remain.

Eventually, the pyramid develops to such a height that it contacts the toilet pipe, preventing the toilet from draining into your tanks.

Compacted Tank Or Hardened Solids

It’s not probable, but it’s conceivable that if you don’t utilize enough liquids in your RV toilet holding tank, a mass of solid stuff will collect at the bottom of the tank. Similarly, if you keep your RV for an extended period of time with the contents of the RV’s black tank still there, the liquids will ultimately evaporate. This approach leaves the solids in the container, where they will ultimately dry and solidify, at the very least. (Remember that your RV’s blackwater holding tank has a vent for this purpose.) As a result, it is not completely sealed.)

So My Black Water Tank Clogged. Now What?

After that, you need to figure out what kind of clogged black water tank you’re dealing with. (This can be in the form of a pipe, pyramid, or compressed.) Which sort of blocked black tank problem you have will dictate which procedures you will need to take to clear the obstruction. There are three indicators that something is going on:

  1. When you flush your RV toilet, nothing goes down the drain anymore. When you empty your RV’s black holding tank, very little or nothing flows out of the tank. You’re dealing with two issues at the same time.

The use of clear RV sewage line adapters allows you to see how much waste is emptying from your black holding tank, which is a great idea.

How to figure out what these clues mean:

  1. No matter how hard you try, nothing will go down the toilet bowl and nothing (or very little) will come out when you dump. It is your fault that you have left the black tank valve open while connected to the sewer system. You’ve got a poop pyramid on your hands. Nothing will flush down the toilet, and nothing (or very little) will come out when you defecate. Clogged Pipe: You did not leave your black water valve open when you were parked, as claimed. Tank that has been compacted or dried up: When you flush the toilet, liquid enters the camper blackwater tank and runs into the toilet bowl, but nothing comes out when you dump. During your camping/connection to the sewer, you did not ever leave the black tank valve open
  2. Misreading Tank Sensors:an Here’s example you might not have considered before. However, your sensors indicate that your black tank is full, although you have just emptied it. If everything appears to be working properly (you can dump without issue, and toilet contents flow into the blackwater holding tank without issue), but the RV black tank sensors indicate otherwise, your sensors are generating erroneous readouts (this is a very typical issue).
See also:  How To Hookup An Rv To Septic Tank? (Solved)

How Do You Unblock An RV Black Tank?

The approach you’ll need to use to unclog your black water holding tank is entirely dependent on the sort of obstruction you’ve discovered.

We’ll show you how to repair each one in this section.

How To Unblock A Poop Pyramid

Prior to attempting to clear pyramid clogs, you must first determine whether or not a poop pyramid is responsible for the blockage in your tank. There are three factors that indicate if a pyramid is blocking your toilet:

  • You forgot to close the black tank valve while camping and were disconnected
  • Nothing (or very little, or it moves very slowly down the toilet) is flushed down the toilet any more. Nothing comes out of the sewage hose
  • It is completely dry. Maybe you observed that the RV toilet was emptying slowly before it stopped draining completely. It will begin to drain slowly before the poop pyramid begins to totally obstruct the pipe.

If any of these three statements apply to your circumstances, you should be pleased. You’ve got a poop pyramid on your hands.

Here’s how to unclog an RV with a poop pyramid.

You can experiment with a variety of approaches. Your primary objective is to create a route via which water may be pumped into the tank in order to fill it. What you should do initially is the following:

  1. The first and most important step is to CLOSE your black tank valve. Pour some liquid plumber type enzymeRV black tank treatment into the toilet and flush it down the toilet. It could be able to accomplish the task of breaking down solids in order to create a channel. Allow it to sit for as long as the maker specifies. Typically, this will take a few hours or as long as a few days
  2. Whenever a channel opens up, fill the tank with water and an enzyme treatment, which will immediately begin working to break down the waste accumulation. If no channel opens up, you must manually open up the socket that is causing the problem. You may perform this with a flexible PEX pipe (which looks similar to a toilet snake) to save time. It should be flushed down the toilet and moved about. If everything goes according to plan, the recalcitrant material will finally give way. Once the door is open, continue with 3
  3. Keep in mind that you must allow the product to sit for at least the amount of time specified by the manufacturer. If you have the ability to go a bit further, that is probably even better. Allow enough time for the product to break down the solids. After the stipulated time has expired, flush out the clogged RV toilet tank with fresh water. Everything has to be dissolved and let to flow freely
  4. However, even if everything appears to be flowing well, it is a good idea to repeat the process at least once more to ensure that the entire pyramid has been dissolved.

How To Unblock A Compacted Black Tank

To unclog a compacted tank, you must first check that the tank in question is truly a compacted RV holding tank. What decides whether or not you have a compacted tank is as follows:

  • When you flush water down the toilet, liquids enter the toilet bowl. When you dump the blocked black tank of your RV, nothing comes out
  • NOTE: If liquid does flow out of the tank when you empty it, it is most likely due to faulty sensors rather than a blocked black tank, as previously stated.

So you’ve learned how to clear a clogged RV black tank. Keep in mind that clearing up this sort of obstruction may take a bit longer than usual (no pun intended). This is especially true if you haven’t emptied your RV’s blackwater tank before putting it away. The solids at the bottom of the tank have now solidified and are ready to be removed. Maybe you’ll have to read it twice or three times before it sinks in entirely.

Here’s how to unclog an RV with a compacted blackwater tank:

  1. Prepare by filling your blackwater tank completely with water
  2. Fill the container with your selected enzyme therapy. It’s possible that the manufacturer wants you to utilize the full bottle. Keep it in for as long as the manufacturer recommends. The more time you have, the better. It is preferable if you can let it sit for at least one night. Alternatively, you might try dumping the tank at an RV dump station once the authorized time has passed. If there is no liquid waste coming out, leave it for a little longer. Empty the blackwater tank and dispose of it at the disposal station. If you believe there are still particles of debris left, repeat the process.

Liquid Tank Unclogger

In order to disconnect an RV holding tank, all three methods necessitate the use of a liquid enzyme treatment to aid in the process. You might want to consider using the Unique brand tank cleaning, which is particularly designed to deal with clogged pipes, feces pyramids, and a compacted tank.

How To Clear An RV Toilet Clogged Pipe

A liquid enzyme treatment is required for each of the three methods of unplugging an RV holding tank in order to aid in the process. Consider using the Unique brand tank cleaning, which is particularly developed to deal with clogged pipes, feces pyramids, and a compacted tank, among other problems.

Here’s how to unclog an RV with a clogged toilet pipe.

  1. Plunge it into the water to see what happens. If the pipe is actually clogged, this procedure will be effective in clearing it. However, it is possible that it will not be enough to remove the obstruction. If it still doesn’t work, flush your enzyme treatment down the toilet and let it rest for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer. After the allocated time has passed, flush the system to check whether it works. If it doesn’t work, try again. Repeat the enzyme treatment until the blockage is successfully eaten away by the enzymes. When everything else fails, grab yourself a PEX pipe and try pushing it through into the black tank. As soon as the blockage has been cleared, fill your tank with water and flush it to remove any leftover “junk.”

How To Maintain A Healthy Black Tank

Congratulations! It’s time to figure out what caused your clogged black tank pipe in the first place and what you can do to avoid further obstructions in the future. The following are the traditional methods of avoiding a blocked toilet:

  1. Use toilet paper that is suitable for septic systems. Before you use your toilet paper, rip it up into small pieces. Make use of a lot of water when flushing your BM (How much water? At the very least, half-fill the bowl. The greater the amount of water, the better)
  2. If you are constipated or have firm stools, you may be suffering from a digestive ailment. Stools that are too hard or too lengthy might become trapped. If and when this occurs, remove them from the equation. Disgusting? Yes. Effective? Yes, as well

DEMONS! LOL The most effective approach to avoid a clog in your blackwater tank is to avoid flushing your toilet paper down the toilet. Instead, throw it away in a trash can or recycling bin. It may seem disgusting, but it isn’t at all. Kelly has not dumped toilet paper down the plumbing of her toilet for about 5 years, and she has never experienced a blockage. Even better, I can use whichever brand of toilet paper I choose! Final point: it conserves gas tank space when boondocking, allowing you to remain out longer before needing to dump.

In the hopes that you’ll continue to use septic-safe toilet paper and more water than you used previously, and that you’ll never have another blockage in either of your tanks again.

Whatever the case, I pray you never have to deal with your human excrement in this manner again!

How To Unclog A RV Toilet Holding Tank- MYTHS!

I’m providing several techniques.

Others have claimed to have found jobs simply performing a Google search. Some of them are really outrageous in their absurdity. But here’s what we’ve got:

Ice Method

Nothing can be removed from your black water tank by using this method, it just does not work. Even if you tried something and it worked, it was all by chance. A blocked pipe means that neither water nor ice will be able to reach the obstruction and remove it from the pipe’s interior. Unless you have a poop pyramid, the only ‘rubbing’ that the ice can perform is extremely minor and will only affect a single level of the blockage at a time. If you have a tank that has been compressed, floating ice will not even get close to touching the tenacious waste.

Boiling Water

Okay, can you assist me with this hot water method? HOW is it that hot water, boiling water, or even warm water will be able to break apart anything? It does not have the ability to ingest or remove anything from its environment. Even seeing this as a’solution’ on another page makes me wonder how I came to be here. Is there hot water? Please. Is it effective against grease clogs? Maybe. Is it effective for feces clogs? Nope! (Unless, of course, you consume an excessive amount of grease.)

Vinegar and Baking Soda

Again. Please. Perhaps you could try dumping this on some dog feces and see what happens. It will be a complete and utter waste of time. Don’t squander any more of your time. If you believe that a few little bubbles will make a difference, you’re wasting your time. Furthermore, the process that produces the bubbles is only active for a relatively brief period of time. No, this one isn’t going to work out for you. (Even though that is a fantastic technique to create a volcano!)

Dish Soap

Once again, how does liquid soap intend to function? Anything that gets between the stuck object and the wall or pipe, such as toilet paper and feces, will not be able to get soapy water in between them. This method of repairing tanks is just not a realistic alternative, despite the fact that some individuals say it worked for them while they were rebuilding their camper toilets. At the very least, it MIGHT assist in degreasing and doing some minor tank maintenance in a gray water tank. It is necessary for anything to EATEN/LIQUEFY their solid waste or for an object such as PEX pipe to physically transport it if their solid waste is the source of black tank clogging.

Harsh Chemicals

You might be tempted to employ some harsh chemicals in your holding tanks to get rid of the garbage that has accumulated there. Why, once more? You run the danger of harming the seals in the plumbing that prevent leaks from occurring. Furthermore, it is preferable to keep these chemicals out of the dump station or septic tank that you are currently utilizing.

Pressure Washing

It is possible that using a pressure washer will be effective. Using a drain snake to penetrate through pyramid obstructions or RV clogs, on the other hand, is far less nasty and much easier. Some people say that utilizing a pressure sprayer into the toilet and accidently puncturing through your clogged blackwater tank is a possibility, but I don’t believe so.

In the event that your black tank is in desperate need of a thorough cleaning, there are specialists that can pressure wash your holding tanks. When it comes to pressure cleaning, this is most likely your greatest choice to consider.

Black Tank Flush

If you use a wand style flusher to flush your black water tank, it could work. Not to mention the fact that if you have a blockage, you must puncture a hole through the tank’s contents, thus it might either drive a blockage through or at least open a hole so that you can get drain unclogger product down the tank. In that case, good luck if you attempt to employ a backflush method in which water is poured into the tank through its exit plumbing (the drain line in your RV that you use to empty the tanks).

Those who have witnessed the inside of a tank during one of these utterly pointless flushes would appreciate why.

RV Blackwater Tank Clogged FAQs:

There are a variety of reasons why your black tank continues to clog.

  1. When you flush the toilet, you are not utilizing enough water. You’re either using too much toilet paper or you’re not utilizing toilet paper that is safe for septic systems. In the pipe that leads into the tank, there is an obstacle that keeps collecting objects on it.

How Do You Snake An RV Black Tank?

Get yourself some PEX pipe if you want to snake an RV’s black tank. Because it is flexible, it will still function even if your waste pipe has bends in it. Plunge your way through the obstruction until you can get water into your tank again. Fill it with water, and then apply an enzyme treatment to dissolve the clog in the hole.

What Do You Do If Your Black Water Tank Won’t Drain?

Don’t get too worked up if your black water tank refuses to empty or flush. You’re dealing with a barrier that has to be removed. To begin, determine what sort of obstruction you are experiencing, and then follow the instructions provided above to remove that blockage.

Conclusion

RV owners do not want their RV’s black tank to become blocked. If you’re in a travel trailer, 5th wheel, or motorhome, it’s bad enough that you have to deal with your RV dump hose and human waste on the road. A toilet that isn’t operating properly in your RV, on the other hand, might cause your camping trip to go horribly, horribly wrong. It’s a filthy and stinky chore to clean it up. If your black water tank is not draining its waste water, there are three sorts of obstructions that you might be dealing with at the same time.

  • It shouldn’t be too difficult to correct them.
  • It is hoped that this will be the last time you have to deal with blockage, as it is a common problem.
  • You should now be aware of how to avoid future jams.
  • I’m the co-founder of Camp Addict, which was founded by my business partner and me in 2017.
  • Heck, I lived in my travel trailer for more than 5.5 years, primarily boondocking during the duration of that time.
  • Anyway, I’m a huge animal lover who despises campsites and seldom cooks.

My current activities include plotting and strategizing over whether or not to begin collecting farm animals (or planning my next RV vacation!) at my gorgeous new ‘ranch’ titled ‘Hotel Kellyfornia,’ which is located in Southern Arizona’s Sonoran Desert. Other Articles That You Should Check Out

What To Do When An RV Waste Tank (Black/Grey) Won’t Drain

So after taking your RV to the dump, you discover that the black or grey tanks will barely empty a few gallons at the most, if they ever empty at all. A typical concern for RV owners, particularly those who are dumping a used RV or trailer for the first time, is a clogged sewer line. Product that is related: Tank for RV waste Camco Rhino Portable Waste Holding Tank (click to view on Amazon) Improper RV holding tank maintenance is one of the most common reasons of blocked black tanks, and it’s possible that the prior owner did not properly maintain their RV waste tanks as well.

  1. An biological blockage (flushable wipes, foreign items, and other such things)
  2. A broken gate valve or T-Handle
  3. A broken T-Handle. A natural obstruction (a valve that has been left open for an extended period of time, causing items to dry and harden and therefore generating a blockage)
See also:  How To Get Approved For Septic Tank? (Question)

As a result of this essay, I’ll go over some of the most important things you can do to unclog a black or grey water tank on your own. I’ll start with things you can do with minimal equipment in case you’re reading this post while standing at the RV dump station trying to figure out how to unclog your black tank at the time of this writing. Review of the Best Septic Safe RV Toilet Paper Brands is also available.

How To Unclog An RV Black Tank

It doesn’t matter what the cause of a blocked black tank is; there are a few things you can do right away to get things flowing again. However, if none of these approaches prove successful, you may be forced to turn to the more time-consuming procedures described later on in this article.

Make Sure The Gate Valve Is Open

The first thing you should look for is whether or not the gate valve is open or closed. Unless you have a major hard buildup and obstruction exactly at the valve opening of your black tank, there should be at least some liquid coming out of the valve hole of your black tank. If you open your black tank and nothing comes out, it’s possible that the fault is with the gate valve itself. Despite the fact that it is not a prevalent problem, it is worth investigating. The t-handle should have a slight amount of resistance when you pull on it, or if you have a trailer like mine, where you can’t see the gate move in or out, the t-handle should have a slight amount of resistance when you pull open the gate valve when you pull open the gate valve.

If the t-handle can be moved in and out extremely easily and doesn’t appear to be linked to anything, this indicates that the gate valve is not opening properly.

If the waste tank begins to drain normally, you have identified the source of the problem.

Backflush It

An obstruction of some kind immediately at the valve opening will be the most prevalent problem. Perhaps it is only a pile of toilet paper and other organic materials, in which case you should be grateful (aka number two). It is necessary to flush the tank out in the opposite direction of the valve opening in order to dislodge the blockage and possibly break it apart. When using a black tank flush in an RV, travel trailer, or fifth-wheel, you may find that this does not work because you need to attack the clog from the other end.

  1. Using backflush items for holding tanks, such as these, may be beneficial in maintaining holding tanks as well as breaking up or even snaking out obstructions in the tank.
  2. It should either break up the clog or at the very least move it enough to enable the rest of the black tank to drain properly.
  3. Ideally, when both valves are open, some water from the grey tank should flow into the black tank, increasing the amount of water that is applied to the blockage.
  4. Open the grey tank valve a few times while the black tank valve is still open to see if it helps.
  5. Hopefully, this procedure will allow you to drain your black tank once more.
  6. This approach isn’t always the best option since if the clog is broken up while you don’t have the sewer hose attached, it will result in a major mess on your hands.

Make sure you are prepared to close the gate valve once the blockage has been cleared so that you may reconnect the sewage line and redirect the flow of water to where it belongs.

Check The Roof Vent

If backflushing doesn’t work, there are a few more things you may check or attempt before moving on to the more time-consuming techniques of unclogging a blocked black tank that need more effort. If your black tank is slowly draining but not pouring out as quickly as it should, it is possible that you have a clogged air vent. This is a more common problem than you may believe, especially if you are camping or storing your RV in an area where there are a lot of wasps. It is possible that they have constructed a nest in your RV’s exhaust vent.

  • Though the flow of waste from your black tank suddenly increases, and it appears as if a vacuum seal has been broken by admitting air into the tank, the air vent is clogged.
  • If your roof cap was correctly installed, the only item that should have gotten into the vent should have been a wasps nest or a piece of toilet paper stuck in there.
  • Normally, smell will be a decent indicator of which one is which, but if you aren’t sure, you may always clean out both of them and see if it helps.
  • Dicor’s Self Leveling Lap Sealant (click here to see it on Amazon) is the product of choice for most RVers when it comes to sealing anything on their camper roof.

Dump Water Into The Toilet

If backflushing the tank has at least partially resolved the problem and there is some black water draining from the black tank, another option is to throw a 5 gallon pail of water into the toilet. The high velocity of water rushing into the black tank at the same time should help to break up the clog even more and maybe drive out any foreign items that may have been causing it to clog in the first instance. This procedure should not be used as a first step since it may exacerbate the obstruction.

The Drive Around Method

Even if you’ve tried all of these methods and the clog still won’t come free, you’ll have to resort to using water, chemicals, and motion to attempt to loosen the obstruction. If you have recently purchased a secondhand trailer but have not yet taken it camping, you might consider doing so to get rid of any debris that may have accumulated in the RV waste tanks from the previous owner’s absence. This is also something you should do to ensure that your black tank is well cleaned before winterizing it.

  • See also: The Best RV Sewer Hose Kits, According to Consumer Reports After that, you’ll need some chemicals to get started.
  • Almost any hardware or supermarket will have the Camco RV toilet treatment, but if you have the opportunity to get the Happy Camper RV Tank Treatment, I strongly advise you to take advantage of it.
  • Fill a 5 gallon bucket halfway with hot water and roughly a half-cup of dishwashing soap and set it aside for now.
  • Take the RV holding tank treatment and flush approximately 2-3 times as much as you would typically do down the toilet to flush it away.
  • In the event that you have enough hot water to flush a couple more 5 gallon buckets down the toilet, do so.
  • If this is not possible, flush at least one more pail of water down the toilet, even if it is chilly.
  • You want to have the water sloshing about in your RV black tank as much as possible in order to break up everything and everything in there.
  • If you have the luxury of time, you may even leave your trailer unattended for a few days to let the chemical to do its job properly.
  • Once you’ve drove around a few times, try to empty your black tank once again.

Hopefully, this has dislodged any biological obstructions or caused whatever was obstructing the valve to be released. It is possible that you may need to apply some of the procedures outlined above in order to get things started.

Snake It

Another thing you may do before contacting a plumber and perhaps dismantling the entire RV black tank valve system is to snake the system. As a word of caution, if you have never used a drain snake before, you should exercise extreme caution to avoid causing the snake to become tangled in the pipe, which might result in the snake becoming trapped as well. Everything should be relatively simple to operate, with little need for excessive force. There is an apparent problem with snakeing your black tank from the gate valve end: if you break up the clog, you will have a massive amount of unpleasant raw sewage rushing out very rapidly, creating a huge mess on your hands.

  • Drilling a hole at the top of their sewer hose, close to the bayonet coupling, is the most basic thing that individuals perform.
  • To avoid damaging your excellent sewer hose, you can purchase a low-cost sewer hose for this purpose.
  • As soon as you’ve made a hole in the top of the tank, you may insert the snake and begin to move it into the black tank below it.
  • A short snake, such as theGeneral Pipe Cleaners 3-Foot Toilet Auger (click to purchase on Amazon), with a 1/2 inch serpent should suffice.
  • Using a rubber glove or at the very least a cloth to cover as much of the hole as possible while inserting the cable into the hole you’ve created will help to prevent sewage from escaping throughout the installation process.
  • The blockage should be struck and broken up as soon as it is discovered, and sewage should start flowing immediately.
  • You are not need to empty your whole black tank due to a faulty sewer line connection.
  • Consider the following: Best Portable Foldable Solar Panel Chargers for Camping and RV People have also used their RV black tank flush attachment to feed the drain snake through, which I’ve seen them do in the past.
  • This approach is also effective, and you may not have to worry about damaging a sewage pipe if you use it.

The disadvantage of this approach is that it is possible to damage the RV black tank flush attachment if you are not cautious, and they are often more expensive than a new sewage hose if you are.

Call The Professionals

This summer, the black tank on a 5th-wheel belonging to a family member became blocked. We tried all we could to clear the blockage, but it just wouldn’t break apart. We eventually found ourselves in a predicament where we needed to ask for assistance. The most cost-effective solution was ultimately determined to be a porta toilet provider. It may come as a surprise to some, but those types of businesses often trash recreational vehicles. Their vacuum had an attachment designed specifically for RVs, and they were able to suction the clog out of the black tank while also emptying the remainder of the tank.

If there isn’t a porta toilet firm in the area, your next best bet would be to call a plumber or a repair shop for your RV.

How To Unclog An RV Grey Tank

While clogged RV grey tanks are less prevalent, they still occur on rare occasions. Any of the procedures listed below can be used to unclog a clogged RV black tank. The only thing I would alter is that if you are going to use the water from the black tank to try to flush out a clog in the grey tank, make sure that the black tank has been completely drained and cleansed to the best of your ability before doing so. The raw sewage from your toilet should not enter your grey tank. Filling your black tank with water and flushing it out with a Camco Swivel Stick Black Tank Sprayer (click to view on Amazon) is one way to accomplish this, as is pouring a 5 gallon bucket full of water and dish soap down the toilet a few times to thoroughly clean it.

The grey tank does not have a direct connection to the black tank, as there is with the black tank.

After you’ve poured holding tank treatment into the kitchen sinks, bathroom sink, and bathtub, make a concerted effort to dump as much water as you possibly can down each drain at the same time to ensure that the most amount of water possible flows into the grey tank.

If none of the other methods work, you can try the snake technique.

Final Thoughts On What To Do If The Black Or Grey Waste Tanks Won’t Drain

Things go wrong with recreational vehicles (RVs), travel trailers, and fifth-wheels on a regular basis. Even after only a year of ownership, I’ve had to repair or replace nearly everything on my old travel trailer. In RV ownership, having blocked holding/waste tanks is just another part of the experience. Hopefully, being able to go camping or travel across the world in an RV more than makes up for all of the difficulties you encounter throughout your journey. There are steps you can take to ensure that your RV holding tanks are properly maintained and that you never have a blockage.

I hope at least one of these ways has been successful for you and that you have not given up on camping or RVing.

You never know how someone else has treated their RV holding tanks, and by thoroughly cleaning your holding tanks before utilizing them, you may potentially avoid any future blockages.

Do you have any further questions regarding RV black or grey tanks, or about removing blockages from waste tanks? Leave a remark in the section below.

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