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Old 10-28-2008, 03:18 PM   #21
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Last year, after our last trip, I figured I could do the final cleaning of the tanks at the last RV campground in Utah, but they had closed down some of their system and I couldn't do a good job. No problem, we could do it right at the Colorado Welcome Center in Fruita on I-70. When we got to Fruita, we couldn't use the dump station because they were paving around it. There wasn't much in the black tank, but I got a couple of lovely bucketfuls once we got home.

We'll be going out for one last trip this year to Capital Reef NP in a few weeks and then may go to Goblin Valley SP. I think there's a dump station at Capital Reef, but I don't know about Goblin Valley. If not, I figure we can use the dump station at Fruita because the area is well paved now.

Because I want to flush it thoroughly with the Flush King, I hope there's no line because it takes about 20 minutes to do it right.

Funny thing about septic tanks. Depending where you are, the honeywagon guys tell you different things. When we lived west of Denver in the mountains they said we should do it every year and the charges were around $130-150. They would sell a gallon of stuff for around $20 with what they called enzymes in it to promote the breakdown of the sludge. I have no idea whether that was necessary. Out here in western Colorado they charge well over $300, so people avoid getting it pumped for many years. Some never do, some wait 6 or 7 years. I'd dump the black water in my septic tank except I can't get the lid off.

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Old 10-28-2008, 03:30 PM   #22
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My Holding Tank Procedure

I've found even an empty and flushed tank will emit a lot of odor. To combat the odor, I always put a charge of chemical in the tank with a gallon or so of water after dumping, especially if the trailer will be setting for a while. It does solve the odor problems.
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Old 10-28-2008, 04:39 PM   #23
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On a related subject, this has never happened to me on any trailers I have owned, but I have always been fearful of having the steel operating rod pull out of the plastic gate valve blade leaving the blade in the closed position.

I wonder if that ever happens, and if it does, how the heck can you deal with the situation in order to then open the valve in order to dump the tank and install a new gate valve?

Be nice to know how to deal with it in case it ever happens! Maybe you'd be able to screw something in to the hole where the rod pulled out of the valve and be able to coax it open?

Anyone ever have this happen?


Brian.
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Old 10-28-2008, 06:00 PM   #24
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My grass is so green over the septic field....
The late Erma Bombeck wrote a book entitled, "The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Lines". Loved her sense of humor.


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You NEVER want ANY solids to go out into the drain field. Once it is plugged, you are looking at $10k minimum around here, since they require engineered systems for any repairs. The frequency depends on the size of the tank, how many people are in the house, whether you have a garbage disposal, how much bleach and other chemicals go down the drain, and whether your laundry is hooked up to the tank. I am a firm believer in what Larry said, it is better to spend $150 to get it pumped than to risk the alternative.
I think it is more a matter of how long it takes the soil to reach a saturation point where the soil can't process the leach faster than the household consisting of the variables you mention can fill the tank. It is the liquid that seeps up through the ground that lets you know you have a problem not the solids. At least that is how it is around here in the north Georgia clay soils we have here. It is also a matter of the area of your leach field.

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On a related subject, this has never happened to me on any trailers I have owned, but I have always been fearful of having the steel operating rod pull out of the plastic gate valve blade leaving the blade in the closed position.

I wonder if that ever happens, and if it does, how the heck can you deal with the situation in order to then open the valve in order to dump the tank and install a new gate valve?

Be nice to know how to deal with it in case it ever happens! Maybe you'd be able to screw something in to the hole where the rod pulled out of the valve and be able to coax it open?

Anyone ever have this happen?


Brian.
This is when you dig really deep into your pockets and take the Airstream in to the dealer for this repair...it's not a do-it-yourself job unless you are practicing for a guest appearance on "Dirty Jobs".
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Old 10-28-2008, 06:54 PM   #25
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Every leach field fails someday. The cost is very high. I have blotted out from my memory what it cost me at the house before this one. Maybe $7 or 8 K. Blasting wasn't cheap (maybe $1,200), the "engineering" firm that had to produce the report the county required, the same report they provided for everyone and the "engineer" they sent out who couldn't find anything and had trouble with his high tech 100' "tape measure" were about $500. Then the excavator (maybe $6,000, the cheapest one I could find), the septic tank ($1000 or maybe I'm confused with the gallons), pipe. That's about $9,000. It still hurts.

And that handle to open the tanks—I've wondered about that too. Sewers are very corrosive places. What parts are in the tank and what are metal—something's gotta rust or rot. Seems like a good idea to treat that handle gently.

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Old 10-28-2008, 08:07 PM   #26
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Gene, I put our septic system in the house we built in Trinidad... It cost me just over $3500 including renting a backhoe... That was for everything.. Although there was no need for it to be engineered.. The county came a did a perk test and said Use this many Infultrators... I like these better than a leach feild... Infultrators never seem to fail. They hold ton of liquid before it even to to perk into the ground... Here in Delta county you have to pay someone to do it because the county just doesn't want to deal with it....

It's not hard to figure one out.... Take your perk and then make it big enough.. you can get the info from the people who sell the stuff... Everyone wants a buck....
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Old 10-28-2008, 08:45 PM   #27
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Arrow Murphy's Brown Law *

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wingeezer View Post
this has never happened to me on any trailers I have owned, but I have always been fearful of having the steel operating rod pull out of the plastic gate valve blade leaving the blade in the closed position.

I wonder if that ever happens, and if it does, how the heck can you deal with the situation in order to then open the valve in order to dump the tank and install a new gate valve?

Be nice to know how to deal with it in case it ever happens! Maybe you'd be able to screw something in to the hole where the rod pulled out of the valve and be able to coax it open?
Anyone ever have this happen?
Brian.
(emphasis added)

Quote:
Originally Posted by CrawfordGene View Post
And that handle to open the tanks—I've wondered about that too. Sewers are very corrosive places. What parts are in the tank and what are metal—something's gotta rust or rot. Seems like a good idea to treat that handle gently.
Gene
Boy I never thought about this possible dilemma. But changing a valve with a partial tank load behind it would possibly be the ultimate Black-Tank-Blues event of a lifetime.
A real OSM !!! (Oh S#it Moment)

*Murphy's Brown Law = If you mess with mess long enough you're gonna get covered with mess.
(might think of this next Tues. Nov.4th IYGMD).

Seriously, you could I guess, remove much of the sewage from above thru the toilet. Can you imagine what a task and a misery that would be? But you sure wouldn't get it all. So.....this becomes a great question. (thanks Brian, I needed something else to worry about).
So I anxiously await some expert thinking on this. If that is not forthcoming here maybe a sepearate thread is in order.
Hello Inland Andy...any thoughts on this?

Is there a "Cadilac" valve out there? Maybe all brass ? or would that be worse?
I don't ever want to face this problem..do yall?
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Old 10-29-2008, 01:21 PM   #28
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(emphasis added)



Boy I never thought about this possible dilemma. But changing a valve with a partial tank load behind it would possibly be the ultimate Black-Tank-Blues event of a lifetime.
A real OSM !!! (Oh S#it Moment)

*Murphy's Brown Law = If you mess with mess long enough you're gonna get covered with mess.
(might think of this next Tues. Nov.4th IYGMD).

Seriously, you could I guess, remove much of the sewage from above thru the toilet. Can you imagine what a task and a misery that would be? But you sure wouldn't get it all. So.....this becomes a great question. (thanks Brian, I needed something else to worry about).
So I anxiously await some expert thinking on this. If that is not forthcoming here maybe a sepearate thread is in order.
Hello Inland Andy...any thoughts on this?

Is there a "Cadilac" valve out there? Maybe all brass ? or would that be worse?
I don't ever want to face this problem..do yall?
To keep things simple, what year and length Airstream do you have?

Andy
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Old 10-29-2008, 01:26 PM   #29
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'75 / 31' / rear bath / made in Ohio

But aren't all the valves similar?
The problem is a hypothetical BTW. I want to keep it that way.
thanks
dd
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Old 10-29-2008, 01:29 PM   #30
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'75 / 31'

But aren't all the valves similar?
The problem is a hypothetical BTW. I want to keep it that way.
thanks
dd
The similarity in the valves is that they are all white.

From that, the year, the length of the trailer, center bath, rear bath, all require different answers, in many things other than the toilets.

Andy
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Old 10-29-2008, 05:11 PM   #31
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To keep things simple, what year and length Airstream do you have?

Andy
Well, since I posted the concern, I'd certainly be interested in any informed comment/suggestions. Maybe I'm worrying about something that never happens - I hope!

We just acquired a 2005 Classic 30'


Brian.
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Old 10-29-2008, 05:34 PM   #32
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Maybe the question ought to be, does this happen often?

How long do these things last?

Is there a solution on the road when you've got to open the valve and move on to where ever (apparently an RV shop)?

There are solutions to worrying about every possible thing that can go wrong—mild to strong sedation, for example, or being put in a coma. In the '70's (and even now), there were many "home" remedies.

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Old 10-30-2008, 09:25 AM   #33
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Well, since I posted the concern, I'd certainly be interested in any informed comment/suggestions. Maybe I'm worrying about something that never happens - I hope!

We just acquired a 2005 Classic 30'


Brian.
Yes, it happens, and so do earthquakes.

Forget about it and enjoy your Airstream, but take care of the PM's as necessary.

Andy
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Old 10-30-2008, 11:00 AM   #34
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Yes, it happens, and so do earthquakes.

Forget about it and enjoy your Airstream, but take care of the PM's as necessary.

Andy
Thanks Andy! Do I take it from your comment that in the unlikely event it DOES occur on the road, there are no "trade tricks" to getting it open in the least possible messy way in order to dump the tank and then install a new slide valve assembly?


Cheers ........ Brian.
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Old 10-30-2008, 11:13 AM   #35
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Thanks Andy! Do I take it from your comment that in the unlikely event it DOES occur on the road, there are no "trade tricks" to getting it open in the least possible messy way in order to dump the tank and then install a new slide valve assembly?


Cheers ........ Brian.
Unfortunately, that's about the size of it.

Andy
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Old 10-30-2008, 12:05 PM   #36
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This is what you do

Keep the TV runner, with the wife or other in the driver seat..

Get your drill with about a 1" bit in it.

Drill on fast speed into the pipe above the broken valve.

Once it starts coming out run like mad back to the TV

Then drive off and head for home.. FAST>>>>
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Old 10-30-2008, 05:43 PM   #37
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This is what you do

Keep the TV runner, with the wife or other in the driver seat..

Get your drill with about a 1" bit in it.

Drill on fast speed into the pipe above the broken valve.

Once it starts coming out run like mad back to the TV

Then drive off and head for home.. FAST>>>>



Reminds me of a bumper sticker I once saw on a septic tank pumping truck,

It said "That ain't mud on your windshield lady!"


Brian.
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Old 10-30-2008, 08:20 PM   #38
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I saw once on the back of one of these trucks that said, "You Bump - We Dump!"

And there's a septic service on the west side of the state that has it's motto painted on all of it's trucks, "Your s____ is our bread and butter!" ... except they don't use blanks. I've got a ball cap from them. I wear it whenever I WANT to offend someone!
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Old 10-31-2008, 10:53 AM   #39
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I'm so glad I decided to check this thread on my lunch hour!
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Old 10-31-2008, 12:44 PM   #40
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Primordial soup

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I'm so glad I decided to check this thread on my lunch hour!
It's enjoyable at any time of day or night.

I'm going to be afraid of pulling out those handles for years now. I've already had the flexible line come apart more than once no matter how tight I thought I made it, fortunately only with grey water.

Have you noticed how when you take the cap off the common drain pipe to attach the flexible line, there's always a little "water" (that's how I like to think of it) that comes out no matter how long you let that line drain before you disconnected the line the last time. Since every RV that was there before leaked a tablespoon or so of "water" in about the same spot, and you are in that place, perhaps sitting on it, what a pleasant thought. It surprises me that a new form of life does not emerge from the ground. Rubber gloves are not enough—I want one of those EPA moon suits.

Gene
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