Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-29-2014, 09:01 PM   #1
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 16
Black Tank Flush Concern

My 2013 Sunset Trail Reserve has a "Black Tank Flush". I am new to how this works. I figured that all I needed to do was hook it up and let it do it's thing. So I hooked up the hose and turned on the water. It ran for 2 minutes. I kept the gate valve open to see if it was working. (I have a clear plastic piece I attach between the dump opening and the flexible hose). You could hear something spaying inside but nothing was seen coming out through the clear plastic tube. Now I have heard about problems with these Black tank hoses coming loose where they attach to the tank. So I immediately thought I had a problem too. My black tank hose attachment comes in the outside wall below my bathroom sink and then goes under the shower pan. I don't know where it attaches to the black tank from there.

Question; With the enclosed underbelly will I immediately see water dripping below?

Could water be spraying in the area between the floor and the shower pan?

Do I need to close the gate valve and let the water do it's thing for a while and then open the gate valve?

Just not sure why I wasn't getting any immediate black tank water to flow out the dump opening with the water running into it.

Again I have never had this added feature before. Just looking for some answers as to whether this is normal and not to worry.
medic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-29-2014, 11:09 PM   #2
Full Time Camper
 
WildWildWest's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 844
Normally I let the water run with the gate closed for about a minute or two and then open it up to see what's flowing out. Usually do that two or three times. It lets the water build up in the tank a bit and help with the flush. You should still see water running out unless you have a bit of blockage built up. In that case run your black tank flush longer with the valve closed and see if that helps.
__________________
Scott
2013 CrossRoads Cruiser Patriot CF345RF
2011 Ford F350 Lariat FX4 CC 6.7L Turbo Diesel (Heavily Modified)
Saskatoon, SK
WildWildWest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2014, 07:02 PM   #3
Family Vacation Member
 
FKT4387's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: NW Illinois
Posts: 163
Are you sure water is going in? I had the issue but my black flush hose was kinked. I posted about it. When you unhook does it have pressure?
__________________
2014 ST270BH
2015 Ram 1500 V8
FKT4387 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2014, 07:21 PM   #4
Family Vacation Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Virginia
Posts: 183
If you do have a blockage, I learned dumping a 5gal pail of water right down the toilet, with the valve open, will help loosen up any "pyramid" in the tank. This fast flush could also tell you if you have a leak since you should see the water go immediately out your clear tube.
I installed a valve at the flush connection so I wasn't always going back to the water source to turn on and off.
__________________
Ralph and Deborah
Northern Virginia
2011 Ford F250, 6.7 turbo diesel
SCT Flash 4X tune
Billstein upgrade shocks and dampener
2008 Crossroads Cruiser 32BL
RADMiller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2014, 05:15 AM   #5
Family Vacation Member
 
dminer04's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Virginia
Posts: 105
You will also need to run the facet in the outside kitchen before you start running the black water.
__________________
Dustin
Nokesville VA
2008 F350 Super Duty 6.4
2014 Sunset Trail 32bh

"I work so I can CAMP, I camp to get away from WORK"
dminer04 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2014, 10:33 AM   #6
Full Time Camper
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,508
If you have a leak in the black tank flush you will know it pretty quickly, the underbelly fabric will sag but it may not leak right away. If you hear the sprayer, then it is probably hooked up and working as intended, otherwise the noise of water running would be considerably less. I have no answer why you didn't see water running thru the clear pipe right away if you are sure the correct valve was open, but with cable valves there is always the possibility that the cable is disconnected.

There is very little value in using the black tank flush unless you first close the valve and let the water build up in the tank. Just like why you are not supposed to drain the black tank until nearly full, it is that sudden rush of fluid that helps flush solids from the tank. On mine, noise from the sprayer is very distinct until the level in the tank covers it, then the noise drops considerably and then I open the valve. I do this several times, then I put a tablespoon of dish soap in the toilet and put another 5-10 gallons thru the sprayer and hit the road. As soon as I get home, I dump the tank and use the black tank flush again, 2 or 3 times.

If you have seen the movie "RV", or not, never leave or get distracted during this process. Otherwise, the tank will fill up, then either overflow thru the roof vent pipe or around the toilet base and the tank may fall down. Seen this happen to other RVers on at least 4 occasions, it is an event you don't want to live firsthand.
__________________
Larry Day

Texas Baptist Men-Retiree Builders member since '01
13 Silverado 3500HD D/A, 2wd CCSB srw, custom RKI bed
11 Cruiser CF32MK
https://www.picturetrail.com/dayle1
Dayle1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2014, 06:34 PM   #7
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 16
Black Tank Flush Concern

I was the one who started this post. What I forgot to say in the original posting was that I had some water dripping from the underbelly directly beneath my fridge area. It wasn't much. Probably a few cups full at the most. This water drip came after the power to fridge and camper were shut off and the front of the camper was pitched about 20-25 degrees downward backing my camper up my driveway. That is what got me worried about a possible black tank flush leak because I don't know where else it could be coming from. One thing that I just thought of. Does my fridge have a drip evaporation tray down below in the under belly area? Since this posting I have also loosened a few of the under belly screws to take a peek near the black tank using a flash light. Even with the obvious looking sag in the under belly, no obvious water was seen.
medic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2014, 09:31 AM   #8
Full Time Camper
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,508
Quote:
Originally Posted by medic View Post
I was the one who started this post. What I forgot to say in the original posting was that I had some water dripping from the underbelly directly beneath my fridge area. It wasn't much. Probably a few cups full at the most. This water drip came after the power to fridge and camper were shut off and the front of the camper was pitched about 20-25 degrees downward backing my camper up my driveway. That is what got me worried about a possible black tank flush leak because I don't know where else it could be coming from. One thing that I just thought of. Does my fridge have a drip evaporation tray down below in the under belly area? Since this posting I have also loosened a few of the under belly screws to take a peek near the black tank using a flash light. Even with the obvious looking sag in the under belly, no obvious water was seen.
The drain for the frig is a small tube that should be sticking out thru one of the holes in the lower frig vent. And water should run down the outside wall. Sometimes, the tube may fall loose inside the frig compartment allowing the water to drain onto the plywood base for the frig. But that would most likely be soaked up by the plywood and not be visible otherwise.

There is another possibility, especially if the unit has been in rain recently. The lower skirts have a lip that can hold water, change the angle of the trailer and it will run out somewhere. If I have a small drip at the fresh water connection, it will frequently collect on that lip and depending on the trailer angle, it will fall off several feet further forward or rearward. Might take an hour or more before the drip is visible on the ground.
__________________
Larry Day

Texas Baptist Men-Retiree Builders member since '01
13 Silverado 3500HD D/A, 2wd CCSB srw, custom RKI bed
11 Cruiser CF32MK
https://www.picturetrail.com/dayle1
Dayle1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2014, 03:06 PM   #9
Family Vacation Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SW Indiana
Posts: 180
Larry is correct, I have seen it many times when disconnecting the city water or connecting the black water spray. Spill a little water and it will run down the skiriting lip and drip off way down by the tires or by the front corner. I would say maybe your trailer was tilited slightly away from the outlet side and water just hadn't reached the level to run out yet. Close the valve and let the water run several mins then open the valve, you may have to do that a few times until the water runs clear.

Flyone
__________________
F250-7.3 L, 2012 305SK--Happy Wife, Good Life
Flyone is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2014, 01:37 PM   #10
New Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: MB
Posts: 2
This thread is Interesting to me as well. I just acquired a 2010 31QB that came with a black water flush. Unfortunately no manuals. So first time out I simply connected a hose to it at the dump station and opened the water supply valve. Nothing happened (except for some drips of water under the bench seat in the bunk house where the flush line enters the rig and connects to a small device with a pipe that goes through the floor; seems like a connector was leaking). Not knowing what I was doing I aborted the process and just flushed the old fashioned way. Are there valves on these black flush devices that need to be opened?
TheManitoban is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2014, 07:53 PM   #11
Family Vacation Member
 
Gcross1468's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Alabama
Posts: 163
Our 2013 SF32RL has this flush kit as well. I usually screw in the hose, turn the water on pretty high but not full blast. I don't use the pressure regulator on this as it seems counter productive, but that's just me. I close the valve and let the flush run for about 3 - 4 minutes. I can hear the "sprinkler" like noise going round and round inside the black tank and don't usually see any leakage at the time but I do this before unplugging from shore power, so there wouldn't be any defrosting happening. Then I open the valve and the flow begins. Now I let this drain until it appears as just a steady stream, such as how much water is going in via the hose. Then I close the valve again for 3 - 4 mins and repeat. Normally for a week or more trip at one site, I'll repeat this about 4 times or until I don't see much waste coming out the clear extension. Hope this helps??
__________________

**WAS**2013 Sunset Trail Reserve SF32RL
**WAS**2011 Dodge 1500 Outdoorsman
**NOW** 2015 RAM 2500 6.7L CUMMINS TURBO DIESEL
Gcross1468 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2014, 04:22 AM   #12
Full Time Camper
 
cw3jason's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 688
that little connector that was leaking is the back flow preventer and it is also a pressure relief valve. if the water pressure is to high, it will spray all over the inside. try using a pressure regulator or do not open the faucet all the way. also make sure your connections are tight. If your line going into the black tank is kinked or there is blockage, that can also cause back pressure and it will spray out of that valve. others have had this problem. My guess is you just had to much water pressure from the campground faucet.

hope this helps
__________________

Jason & Wendy
2014 Ford F-350 Lariat 6.7L PSD
2015 Keystone Montana 3711FL
B&W Patriot 16K Fifth Wheel Hitch
cw3jason is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2014, 10:44 AM   #13
Full Time Camper
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,508
Quote:
Originally Posted by cw3jason View Post
that little connector that was leaking is the back flow preventer and it is also a pressure relief valve. if the water pressure is to high, it will spray all over the inside.
Jason, where have you seen a back flow preventer with a relief valve? And a relief valve that would drain inside the RV or basement? Besides, the sprayer is basically no different than a spray nozzle on the end of a garden hose that is always open, no way to build up too much pressure. The black tank drain and associated plumbing is not pressure rated, the tank would burst before any relief valve would open. I've heard and seen many RVers that left the flush running and had water exiting the vent stack (and the vent pipe is much larger in diameter than the flush hose so it can easily handle the flow w/o building pressure), sometimes leaking around a bad toilet seal, even damage to the black tank. And I've heard about loose hose fittings that cause problems, but I've never heard of a relief valve on a tank flush.
__________________
Larry Day

Texas Baptist Men-Retiree Builders member since '01
13 Silverado 3500HD D/A, 2wd CCSB srw, custom RKI bed
11 Cruiser CF32MK
https://www.picturetrail.com/dayle1
Dayle1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2014, 12:11 PM   #14
Full Time Camper
 
cw3jason's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 688
Dayle,
My mistake according to this it is lack of pressure, that can cause it to leak. I have heard of others that had problems with high pressure, but here it is from the manufacture
http://www.swanindustries.com/questions/

Also the proper name is vacuum breaker
__________________

Jason & Wendy
2014 Ford F-350 Lariat 6.7L PSD
2015 Keystone Montana 3711FL
B&W Patriot 16K Fifth Wheel Hitch
cw3jason is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2014, 05:56 PM   #15
Weekend Camper
 
crowsnestflyfisher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Alberta
Posts: 43
I just had the exact thing happen to me about an hour ago on a ST30RE. This was the first time I used the flush as the unit is new. I heard the rinse but faintly and then all of a sudden water was dripping from under the trailer by the fridge, but not from the underbelly but right at the wall on the outside of the frame. It's also enclosed there so I can't see what's leaking but I assume that the connection on the black tank flush connection is loose and the water is rolling down the pex and dripping at the wall.

This might be something to look but I can't tell you how to access without taking underbelly cover off.....
__________________
2013 F150 XLT Supercrew Ecoboost Max Tow
2014 Sunset Trail Reserve 30RE
Blue Ox Sway Pro
Firestone Work-Rite
Kipor IG2000p
crowsnestflyfisher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2014, 12:08 PM   #16
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Western Canada
Posts: 95
Sorry, I'm not really sure what the protocol is with this. I don't want to hijack Medic's thread but I also did not want to start another for the same reason and subject......anyway....

Somebody asked earlier.....is there a valve you need to open for the San-T-Flush to work?? My trailer is brand new, tried this feature yesterday, hooked up the hose, turned the water on and heard absolutely nothing. I can't even hear the water flowing in the hose!!! I tried to kink it to see it I could hear it rushing and nothing!! I then tried the monitor panel to see if the lights were registering additional water and still nothing!!!

I know it's empty as I just dumped at our lakeside lot using one of those blue "honey wagons" but my monitor said it was 1/3 full. I gave up for the night and re-checked the monitor this morning and now it says it's empty!!

Thanks for the help....sorry Medic if this was not the right course to
choose!!
__________________
2012 Dodge Ram 3500 6.7 CTD SRW SB CC - Full EGR and DPF delete, 4" Flo Pro Exhaust with custom Double R Diesel MAP - pulling a 2014 Sunset Trail Reserve 33BD
Gsxrgrizz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2014, 02:12 PM   #17
Family Vacation Member
 
Donjamin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CA - California
Posts: 142
Send a message via Skype™ to Donjamin
Problem with leaking water from my black tank flush

Quote:
Originally Posted by crowsnestflyfisher View Post
I just had the exact thing happen to me about an hour ago on a ST30RE. This was the first time I used the flush as the unit is new. I heard the rinse but faintly and then all of a sudden water was dripping from under the trailer by the fridge, but not from the underbelly but right at the wall on the outside of the frame. It's also enclosed there so I can't see what's leaking but I assume that the connection on the black tank flush connection is loose and the water is rolling down the pex and dripping at the wall.
I have a 2013 32RL 5th Wheel. This past week was our fifth time out with the trailer and up until this past week I had never had a problem with the Sani-T-Flush system. Just hook up the hose to the outside hose connector, listen for flowing water and the tank sprayer spinning and then pull the black water valve and flush the tank. Well this time, hooked up the hose, turned the water on and suddenly water was pouring from the underside of the trailer on both sides of the driver and passenger side. My wife checked the bathroom and water was flowing from the wall behind the toilet about at the level the Sani-T-Flush hose connector is on the outside of the trailer. We turned off the water hose immediately and cleaned up the water on the bathroom floor.

I took the trailer to the dealer yesterday and explained my problem. This is the first time the service manager had heard of this problem so he said he would look into it. He suspects the hose connection inside the wall has become disconnected or the hose has cracked from the wall connection to the black tank.

I'll keep you posted on what the outcome is.
__________________
Donjamin
Fullerton, CA
2015 Ford F-250 SD 4X4
2013 Sunset Trail 32RL 5th Wheel (no longer own)
Donjamin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2014, 02:16 PM   #18
Full Time Camper
 
harley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Belle River , Ontario
Posts: 1,753
I do not believe it is his first time hearing about this problem ...mine was not tight under the sink right from the factory and the dealer never even tested it. Alot of others have said the same thing , even on other brands of trailers.
__________________


It was a rainy few days at Algonquin Prov park...tarps kept us dry.
Wayne --Belle River (Windsor), Ontario
2013 Sunset Trail Reserve 25RB..(just sold it)
2015 White Chev Silverado 2500HD 4x4 (6.0 l gasser)
2003 Mountain Star 890SBRX Truck Camper
harley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2014, 05:07 PM   #19
Full Time Camper
 
socoguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: , RI
Posts: 1,164
Not a solution for the varied problems mentioned here but remember to include the San T Flush in your winterizing procedure. It could prevent some of the aforementioned problems. I also periodically flush directly down the toilet with a hose.

There are other threads on this subject, the GEO method is popular and in my opinion it works if you are diligent.

It is not fun but a very important part of happy camping.
Go Well!!!!!!!!!
__________________
Al Laura (Lily & Breeze Portie Girls)
2011 F250 6.7 PS Tuxedo Black 4x4
11 305SKP- TPMS- RideRite air bags
Reese 16K Slider Wet Bolts
socoguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2014, 06:45 PM   #20
Weekend Camper
 
Daddyo&GG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 69
It never crossed my mind to winterize the San T flush line. Thanks scoguy!! I will be adding this my list at year end.
__________________

DaddyO & GG
Kids and Cat
2010 Tundra 4x4 CrewMax 5.7 (gas hog)
2013 Sunset Trail 29SS Reserve
Daddyo&GG is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Crossroads RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:32 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
×