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Old 10-11-2010, 05:32 PM   #1
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2010 27' FB Flying Cloud
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Toilet paper clog

We purchased a new 27FB flying cloud earlier this year. However I seem to have a persistent clog of rv toilet paper in the black water tank where the toilet empties into this. The black water flush system doesn't deal with it. I have been using one of those plumbing rods but got into a battle earlier today with the valve on the toilet bowl bottom--valve lost so this will be a smelly and possibly expensive repair. That being said I have come to the conclusion that I am not adding enough water and/or chemicals to the black water tank and would appreciate any advice you might have.
Thanks
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Old 10-11-2010, 05:36 PM   #2
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Are you using RV TP?
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Old 10-11-2010, 06:11 PM   #3
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Main reason for the dreaded clog is starting off with little water in the holding tank.

I use no chemicals and Scott TP and have no problems but I start off with several gallons of water in the tank.

The pile can turn into what appears to be concrete. What I would do is put water in the tank to cover the pile add plenty of chemicals let set for a week or so then dump about 4 bags of ice in the tank and drive (pull) it around.
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Old 10-11-2010, 07:04 PM   #4
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Always start with about 10 gallons of water in your black tank. I usually carry a utility bucket to accomplish this, pouring water in through the toilet. Paper will then float away rather than become a stalagmite under the hole. That stalagmite has come up to just under the stool before my black tank has been less than half full. Start with that 10 gallons in the tank -- the remaining 30 gallons almost takes weeks to fill up.

Don't drain dry constantly if you happen to have a sewer hookup at a campground. You should mostly fill the black tank before you dump it. The gray water always fills and takes you to the dump station first anyway. Moving around and jostling the contents counts for a lot. There is no simple solution if you're staying parked at the same site for months at a time.

garry has the answer. Avoid the plushy paper. I don't use the $6/two-pack RV paper either. Thanks to thecatsandi I have gotten onto the Scotts one-ply bandwagon. Take one sheet of any paper you usually use at home. Take one sheet of Scotts one-ply. Put each in a separate bowl of water and observe. The results will guide what your use ever after. I'll bet it's the Scotts one-ply.

You can knock down the stalagmite by putting in 10-20# of ice cubes just before traveling a significant distance down the road. That will knock apart the stalagmite before it all unthaws (a Minnesota-ism of dubious meaning ). But I've had trouble knocking apart bags of ice small enough to fit down the toilet hole. Best to avoid this.
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Old 10-11-2010, 07:14 PM   #5
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Always start with about 10 gallons of water in your black tank.
In the case of modern 40 gallon tanks that is. Or use a similar amount equivalent to about a quarter of your black tank.
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Old 10-11-2010, 07:35 PM   #6
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Well if it were me I would don a face shield, goggles, rubber gloves, and get out the lye.

And plan on replacing the seals on the dump valve.
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Old 10-11-2010, 08:44 PM   #7
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Our 2002 19' Bambi has a 6-gallon blackwater tank, so no adding extra water for us! We have a two-fold solution for the TP problem.

First is a Sewer Solution which sucks the blackwater out and allows, with our setup, backflushing.

Second is a length of plastic pipe with a threaded connection on one end and a cap with several small holes in it on the other end. The thread matches the one on our shower hose. After emptying the tank with the Sewer Solution, we take the shower head off its hose, screw the hose to the pipe, turn the water supply to the toilet off, open the valve, insert the pipe through the toilet valve into the tank (not completely to the bottom), turn on the shower water, and spray away. All the TP goes into the large pipe draining out of the tank and can be easily pumped away with the Sewer Solution.

Tim
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Old 10-11-2010, 09:22 PM   #8
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The key as noted is to dump your black water tank as full as possible. And if it isn't, then fill it prior to dumping it. I've never had a clog and have used all kinds of TP. So if we are on a weekend outing, and it's time to go home, we fill the tank.....even if we don't create the material to fill it with!

Jack
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Old 10-11-2010, 09:51 PM   #9
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As has already been said, use lots of water. I lived in a SOB for 3-4 months a year,for 3 years and never had a problem. I always added water after I emptied the tank, and I always allowed the tank to fill before empting. Adios, John
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Old 10-11-2010, 10:30 PM   #10
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Assuming your black and grey tanks have a common manifold, as stated above fill the black tank prior to dumping (I do so by partially depressing the flush valve such that water fills the bowl to the top rim but the valve doesn't open; then I fully depress the flush valve and suddenly purge the entire bowl; all while the black "sprinkler" is on). Then dump the black tank until it stops flowing, raise the "slinky" above the tank level with one hand and open the FULL grey water valve for about 5 to 10 seconds which will back-flush the black tank via the manifold, then close the grey valve and lower the "slinky" to allow the black tank to drain again. This can be done several times if the grey tank is FULL.

After the above proceedure turn off the "sprinkler", close the black valve and open the grey valve to purge the "slinky".

I've done this for the past 9 years and have never had any blockage while using ordinary toliot paper (I have never used RV paper).
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Old 10-12-2010, 12:13 PM   #11
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I have a 1966 Tradewind with only a black tank. Is there a good trick to figure out how full the tank is so it doesn't back up in my shower again?

Carol
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Old 10-12-2010, 06:33 PM   #12
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I have a 1966 Tradewind with only a black tank. Is there a good trick to figure out how full the tank is so it doesn't back up in my shower again?

Carol
The black tank is separate from the grey water (shower). Grey water should flow out of the trailer unless the outside cap is on.

You can visually check the level in the black tank when you flush.
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Old 10-12-2010, 09:41 PM   #13
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Thanks to all of you for this info
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Old 10-12-2010, 11:12 PM   #14
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I have a 1966 Tradewind with only a black tank. Is there a good trick to figure out how full the tank is so it doesn't back up in my shower again?

Carol
Older vintage eh "charm of a '66" ? NO gray tank!

Early A/S models often were set up to have the gray drain directly onto the ground. This is no longer acceptable due to the increasing use of campsites. There is a lot of "funk" even in gray water.

Some people have added gray tanks, others carry a "blue boy" portable tank, in your case it appears that a PO routed all your plumbing into one tank. Black tanks on old units are really too small to be combo tanks.

Tank sensors --- mine work, but many malfunction. Sure method, take a flashlight, open the flush valve on the toilet and LOOK. A bit whiffy... but less offensive than having stuff in your shower!

I'd peek under the belly pan and see how much re-routing was done. Perhaps it wouldn't be major to change back to a separate gray drain and carry a 10-15 gallon blue boy.

Paula
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Old 10-13-2010, 11:49 AM   #15
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My gray water comes down a pipe and is now hooked up to the septic system at the park. Both the gray water and black tank join together at the outlet of the trailer for drainage into the septic system. A pull out valve lets me empty the black tank. If the valve is closed to the black tank and the tank got full, isn't that what backed up in my shower? It sure looked like dark water...

Carol
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Old 11-07-2010, 06:59 PM   #16
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I ran into the toilet paper clog this weekend when we went camping. I went to dump and nothing would come out. When I got home I found a spot to park and dug a hole. I put ten gallons of water on top of the existing amount of liquids. I tried again to dump and nothing would come out. I took a pex pipe and worked it up the dump valve and was able to get the clog out.

My son used the trailer this past summer with his friends and not all the folks got the message of what you can and can't flush in the toilet. I had a bunch of hand wipes and scott paper towls come out of the dump valve. I got the problem fixed and I think I will take the suggestion of putting water and ice in the tank when I pull it next time.

Brian
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Old 11-09-2010, 10:05 PM   #17
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I ran into the toilet paper clog this weekend when we went camping. I went to dump and nothing would come out. When I got home I found a spot to park and dug a hole. I put ten gallons of water on top of the existing amount of liquids. I tried again to dump and nothing would come out. I took a pex pipe and worked it up the dump valve and was able to get the clog out.

My son used the trailer this past summer with his friends and not all the folks got the message of what you can and can't flush in the toilet. I had a bunch of hand wipes and scott paper towls come out of the dump valve. I got the problem fixed and I think I will take the suggestion of putting water and ice in the tank when I pull it next time.

Brian
Yep! That's what happens when you let others use your trailer. I can only guess that it was my cute as a button little great nephew who flushed a matchbox racer down the tank. No one knew. It didn't cause any clogs. I'd probably drained the black tank a dozen times since they'd visited. Then one day when I was getting ready to finish off the black tank I looked through the clear Sewer Solution and said "What the heck!?" The backflow blasted it pretty clean... clean enough to pull out of the pipe and throw into the trash. I'm just glad it was small enough to go through the exit pipe.

Paula
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Old 11-09-2010, 10:55 PM   #18
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There are two things you muct do to prevent toilet paper clogs:

1. Add a couple of gallons of water to the black water tank after you finish emptying the tank.

2. Use a toilet paper that will fall apart after a few minutes in water. You do not have to use RV toilet paper. To test potential toilet papers, place a sheet in a quart of water, wait a few minuets then shake. If the paper falls apart it is perfectly good for the black water tank. We use Scotts.
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Old 11-10-2010, 05:27 AM   #19
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Having full-timed in a 37' fifth wheel from 2003 to 2007 and then our 98 Airstream 34' from 2007 to 2010, we made a habit of never ever putting solids (you know what I mean) down the black tank. We took a short walk to the RV Park's public toilet to do number 2.

Recognize that our rig was mostly parked stationary for months at a time and having heard the horror stories of others, we did not want to repeat them on our watch, in our black tank.

This approach has worked out well for us. You may not enjoy the trip, but to us, it's not much different than walking to the RV Park Laundromat.
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