2015 Flying Cloud 25FB

[chaseav]

Ooooooh. Good question. ^

[moosetags]

Originally Posted by fpbender

Brian,
Thanks for the info on the sewer solution.
I have watched the video and ordering today.
Do you have any difficulty back washing new Lucy's tank.
The video indicated some configurations may not backwash effectively.
Being a newbie, I was wondering, do most dump sites has fresh water available to use this system when departing the campground.
Fred

Newer Airstreams have a built-in sewer black tank rinse system. With this system there is no need to use the Sewer Solution's backwash function.

Brian

[fpbender]

Brian, Another question. Like when you were at Wilderness and hooked up do you keep black tank valve open all the time then just run water to rinse out the hose on departure or keep it closed and dump before departure?
Fred

[moosetags]

Originally Posted by fpbender

Brian, Another question. Like when you were at Wilderness and hooked up do you keep black tank valve open all the time then just run water to rinse out the hose on departure or keep it closed and dump before departure?
Fred

!!!!CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION!!!!

Never, ever, ever leave the black tank valve open other than when actually dumping the black tank. Leaving the valve open when set up at a campground will eventually result in what is called the "black hills syndrome". This is when solid waste is allowed to accumulate and dry out in the tank. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to remove. If not caught in time, this situation can cause a situation where the black tank may need to be replaced with a new one. This would be a very expensive proposition.

Brian

[dbj216]

moosetags... Do you get a commission on all the sewer solutions you sell?

Great comment on the black tank dump valve. An inexperienced traveler may think that's the way to operate for an extended stay with hook ups. I like to fill 20% water in my black tank after emptying. I wonder what guidance the Airstream owner's manual has on this?

I referred your thread to a new member, hope you don't mind. It's great the way you cover the pros and cons of New Lucy compared to the Old Lucy.

David

[moosetags]

Originally Posted by dbj216

moosetags... Do you get a commission on all the sewer solutions you sell?

Great comment on the black tank dump valve. An inexperienced traveler may think that's the way to operate for an extended stay with hook ups. I like to fill 20% water in my black tank after emptying. I wonder what guidance the Airstream owner's manual has on this?

I referred your thread to a new member, hope you don't mind. It's great the way you cover the pros and cons of New Lucy compared to the Old Lucy.

David

Thank you for the kind words, David. I only wish that I got a commission for kind of pitching Sewer Solution. The only reason that I recommend the Sewer Solution is that I have used it for about 1,500 nights of camping, and would not use anything else.

As far as dealing with Lucy's black tank. When we dump her black tank, I add a couple of gallons of water to dissolve the "blue pill" chemical treatment that I use. I also always add a splash of Pine-Sol to the bowl to brush around and add to the tank. As far as I know, the Airstream manual does not specifically address black tank issues.

Brian

[rmkrum]

We keep a shiny new clean slinky in the under-trailer storage just in case it's needed. I suspect it will still be in there in that condition forever.

Our sewer solution is just so much easier to use, self cleans, and has never had an issue. Clean, tidy, and easily stows in the bumper compartment.

Best $ I spent so far (other than the ProPride hitch setup).


Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums

[moosetags]

We also carry a slinky in the tube under Lucy's belly. We have used it a couple of times over the years to dump gray water at a public sewer dump. I would never consider doing a black tank dump with a slinky.

Brian

[chaseav]

The Airstream manual does not provide recommendations for operating use of the black tank other than "pull here". At least that I saw. My dealer gave me a super handy user guide that DOES provide the more "real world" advice and tips that you really need. There is of course always YouTube where I suspect you could learn how to perform open heart surgery on yourself if so inclined.

[murreywalker]

Originally Posted by moosetags

We also carry a slinky in the tube under Lucy's belly. We have used it a couple of times over the years to dump gray water at a public sewer dump. I would never consider doing a black tank dump with a slinky.

Brian

We too, carry a slinky in the tube and never use it.

SS is the only way to go!

HOWEVER, I like a clean hose, but don't fastidiously clean the SS after every use. At the end of the past camping year, I noticed a certain amount of suspect residue and promptly went after it.

Anybody out there with "git 'er clean" hints I'm not aware of?

[Endodoc]

Sewer Solution on sale today only at Camping World for $84.99.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by murreywalker

We too, carry a slinky in the tube and never use it.

SS is the only way to go!

HOWEVER, I like a clean hose, but don't fastidiously clean the SS after every use. At the end of the past camping year, I noticed a certain amount of suspect residue and promptly went after it.

Anybody out there with "git 'er clean" hints I'm not aware of?

All kinds of plastic can attract a filmy cover - and then there is external damage due to the sun. Do you remember your old circa 1955 Melmac dishes and coffee cups? All of those coffee cups got a coating of nasty brown/black coffee on them. Most things you'd have tried to use would have scratched the plastic and ruined it.

The one thing that worked (and incidentally also works well on stainless steel utensils that are icky looking) is BAKING POWDER. Of course it works well when you get it slightly damp and rub it on the inside of a coffee cup or on a dingy fork or spoon. How you're going to do that on the inside of a Sewer Solution is a prospect which I am simply too squeamish to contemplate. (Frankly dear it's a poo hose - by definition it should NOT look appealing for any other use! Ugly is good!) If you wanted to curl up the whole thing in a bucket and submerge it in a baking powder and water solution, It shouldn't hurt it, though I doubt if it would ever be in pristine condition again. I fulltime so my hose has actually faded and gotten a coating of camping grunge on its outside.


Paula

[moosetags]

I am not super fastidious about cleaning the Sewer Solution drain hose, either. I have never noticed any suspect debris in the hose. I usually run clean water down the hose for a minute or two after dumping the tanks.

My Sewer solution extension hoses are approaching nine years of age. I have noticed that the are no longer clear with green stripes. They are now milky white with green stripes, and they are not quite as flexible as the newer hoses.

A couple of the older hoses had become split at the ends. I cut off an inch or two from each end and reflared the ends to accept the aluminum fittings.

Flaring the Sewer Solution hose ends is a little tricky. You must put the end of the hose in boiling water momentarily to soften it sufficiently to be able to insert a piece of the aluminum fitting to half its length. Allow it to cool and remove the fitting. The end of the hose is now flared and will remain that way to accept fittings or connections. I would suggest holding the aluminum fitting with a pair of Vise Grips to give you something to really hold on to while performing this operation.

This procedure was passed on to me by one of the people at Plan 9 in Oregon several years ago. They were the original manufacturer of the Sewer Solution. They have since sold out to one of the big guys. I am guessing that if you called today and asked about reflarring the hoses, you would be told to go out and buy new ones.

Brian

[switz]

When I was getting started with our first travel trailer, our Airstream 2013 25FB, I was told by an old timer at Camping World that if I put about five gallons of water and the pre-measured helping of Thetford ECO Smart into the tank, we would have no issues. That has worked so far.

[fpbender]

Just a little more help and I think I'll get it.
With the sewer solution does one need to stay in a full service site or do most RV locations with general dump sites have adequate water hookups to utilize the SS system or is there a method to access AS flush system to attach to SS at a remote dump site with no standard water bib hook up?

[moosetags]

Sometimes there is a fresh water hose fitting available at a community dump. Sometimes there is not. Sometimes a Water Bandit can be used to create a Sewer Solution connection. So, the answer to your question is maybe.

As we can easily get five days out of Lucy's black tank, and more if we are careful, we have rarely had to deal with this situation.

Brian

[murreywalker]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

All kinds of plastic can attract a filmy cover - and then there is external damage due to the sun. Do you remember your old circa 1955 Melmac dishes and coffee cups? All of those coffee cups got a coating of nasty brown/black coffee on them. Most things you'd have tried to use would have scratched the plastic and ruined it.

The one thing that worked (and incidentally also works well on stainless steel utensils that are icky looking) is BAKING POWDER. Of course it works well when you get it slightly damp and rub it on the inside of a coffee cup or on a dingy fork or spoon. How you're going to do that on the inside of a Sewer Solution is a prospect which I am simply too squeamish to contemplate. (Frankly dear it's a poo hose - by definition it should NOT look appealing for any other use! Ugly is good!) If you wanted to curl up the whole thing in a bucket and submerge it in a baking powder and water solution, It shouldn't hurt it, though I doubt if it would ever be in pristine condition again. I fulltime so my hose has actually faded and gotten a coating of camping grunge on its outside.


Paula

Thanks, Paula!

This time around (after cleaning the hose as best I could), I soaked it in hot water and detergent and pulled a weighted string with a strip of old washcloth. It worked okay, but I want to go beyond okay.

Just call me compulsive.

Uncle Sam did it to me. ;-p

[moosetags]

Originally Posted by murreywalker

Thanks, Paula!

This time around (after cleaning the hose as best I could), I soaked it in hot water and detergent and pulled a weighted string with a strip of old washcloth. It worked okay, but I want to go beyond okay.

Just call me compulsive.

Uncle Sam did it to me. ;-p

I don't see what more you could do short of buying new hoses. I have never done anything more than than rinsed-out my Sewer Solution hoses.

Brian

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by fpbender

Just a little more help and I think I'll get it.
With the sewer solution does one need to stay in a full service site or do most RV locations with general dump sites have adequate water hookups to utilize the SS system or is there a method to access AS flush system to attach to SS at a remote dump site with no standard water bib hook up?

We use the GEO method: 2 cups water softener (Borax), 2 gal. water, 1 cup liquid laundry soap. This sloshes in your tank and softens any "stuck stuff"; been using for 10 years and works pretty well.

Just an observation; maybe we should change the name of this thread site to; "potty planning" or "clean as a whistle!"

[Gene]

My wife uses some sort of combination with soap and something else and it does a good job. I can backflush and clean out the black tank in about 2/3 the time it used to take.

Gene