RV Holding Tank Flush Services January 10, 2016, 12:48:40 pm Yahoo Message Number: 158022We have had many years of bad sensor readings on our black tank and have tried all the self-help remedies mentioned, plus used many types of products (enzyme, non-enzyme, etc.) to no avail.We were wondering if anyone has had any experience (good or bad) with commercial RV Holding Tank Hydro Flush services. If so, we would appreciate hearing about it before we go forward and spend $ on it.Also, if anyone has any recommendations re flushing services in the So Cal area, we'd also appreciate hearing from you. There was a company at the FMCA Rally in Indio called RV Flush from Riverside -- not sure if anyone has worked with them ... .Thanks, The Murphys '05 IB Bruin Blue & Gold
Re: RV Holding Tank Flush Services Reply #1 – January 10, 2016, 04:55:23 pm Yahoo Message Number: 158026There is no sure fire way to correct erratic tank sensors. The tried and proven cure is to install a SeeLevel 709 tank sensor system. Each tank has its own external sensor, which cannot foul or short out. The readout is in percentage, in 4 degree blocks. The sensors can be adjusted for very accurate readings, if you take the time to field calibrate them. https://www.garnetinstruments.com/products/709-seelevel-ii-tank-monitor-system/A lot of us have used them for over a decade...they work.If your tanks need a good cleaning, search the topic with my user name and the words "septic tank enzymes". I recommend that holding tanks have some type of effective flushing system.Larry
Re: RV Holding Tank Flush Services Reply #2 – January 11, 2016, 09:35:53 am Yahoo Message Number: 158030The SeeLevel gauges are not foolproof. Sludge on the wall of the black tank can trigger false readings, showing significant levels when the tank is empty. This has happened to me when prolonged boondocking has prevented me from doing a full rinse (steps 1 and 2 below). In between dumpings, the walls of your black water tank are exposed to various materials as well as air. Salts can form. Calcification can occur. Removing those encrustations can be very difficult. Enzymes will remove sludge, but will not remove salt encrustation or calcification, because those materials are not biologically active in the way sludge is. Soaking in hot water might help. Hard water soaks will be minimally effective, but a soft water soak might dissolve some of the salts. Physical agitation or abrasion is the best bet to dislodge salts and calcification. This is why some folks have had a good experience from adding several bags of ice cubes to a tank 2/3 full, then driving for a while. The floating ice cubes bump into the walls, knocking material loose. I think, before I went to a commercial flush service, I would try the following:1) Dump 2) Rinse with a flush wand that penetrates the tank, spins, and can be moved around int the tank so the spray reaches various areas 3) Fill the tank to "nearly full", whatever that is, and let the tank sit overnight. 4) Repeat 1 and 2. 5) Add about 2/3 of a tank of water, then dump several bags of ice cubes into the tank. Drive a rough or winding road for half an hour or so. 6) Repeat 1 and 2.While that might not get the tank walls 100% clean, it is likely to restore your sensors to functionality. In my case, after 5 months without being able to use the flush wand, my SeeLevel gauge was reading 46% in my black tank after dumping. I finally had access to a dump station with a hose bib connection so I could use the flush wand. I got to step 4 before my SeeLevel gauge read 0%.Ken F in NM
Re: RV Holding Tank Flush Services Reply #3 – January 11, 2016, 05:12:35 pm Yahoo Message Number: 158033The black tank gauge on our current SOB and previous two SOBs, all malfunctioned in a short time, but I always knew exactly how full the tank was by turning off the water pump, opening the toilet valve, then using a flashlight to peer down into the tank. Accurate, easy, quick, cheap. As a backup (in case I'm not paying full attention), I have an emergency audio alert system that says "It seems stinky in here. Shouldn't we dumping or something?" According the Motorhome Marriage Manual, the only correct answer is "Yes!". On all three motorhomes, the gray tank gauges continued to work near the top 40% or so, so it was easy to know when it needed dumping.Eric Greenwell Kenneth Fears [lifewithalazydazerv] wrote on 1/11/2016 7:36 AM:
Re: RV Holding Tank Flush Services Reply #4 – January 11, 2016, 07:47:14 pm Yahoo Message Number: 158035"I always knew exactly how full the tank was by turning off the water pump, opening the toilet valve, then using a flashlight to peer down into the tank."That works great if your toilet dumps straight down into the tank. Unfortunately, several LD models--including the popular midbath that Ken, I and many others own--have a couple of elbows in the pipe between the toilet and the tank, making the direct-inspection method impractical.Andy Baird
Re: RV Holding Tank Flush Services Reply #5 – January 12, 2016, 10:32:58 pm Yahoo Message Number: 158063Every summer, when we will be home for a week or more, I flush the holding tanks, and then refill with freshwater. To each tank, a cup of septic tank enzymes is added and then let sit and digest for a week or more before dumping. The summer's heat does wonders in speeding up digestion.This does a very good job of cleaning the tanks and the long sit time helps break up the various coatings, organic or not. On dirty tanks, the amount of material flushed out will surprise you, considering that the tanks were dumped and flushed before starting. I have used this method on both of our LDs, and many other LDs, over the last twenty years with good success. The trick is to never let the tanks ever get so dirty that the sensors do not work correctly.Whenever possible, I use the in-tank flushers, while and after dumping, they make a big difference. https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157602104741465/show Regular use of flushers will go a long way to prevent problems from occurring.Larry
Re: RV Holding Tank Flush Services Reply #6 – January 13, 2016, 08:29:15 am Yahoo Message Number: 158070I agree with what Larry said, but as a fulltimer, filling the tanks and letting them sit for a prolonged time just is not in my cards. I feel lucky if I can get an overnight soak of a mostly filled tank.Ken F in NM
Topic: RV Holding Tank Flush Services (Read 14 times)
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Topic: RV Holding Tank Flush Services (Read 14 times)
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