Diagnosing and Fixing a Non-Working Black Tank Sprayer

[NB Canada]

Since this really is new to me, let’s see if I got this right:
You can buy a wand which you stick down the bowl, connected to a hose supplying fresh water and it “washes” the inside of the black tank
OR
you can run a hose with fresh water into a port from the exterior of the unit and wash the black tank but it probably won’t have the jet heads I see on the wand.

Is that about right?

There are tons of videos on YouTube with people demonstrating how poorly black tank rinsers work
They really are weak
I like the wand because it has no restrictions making a more forceful jet and I can rotate and tilt it to reach every inch of my tank

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a.co

 

[trailrydr]

Since this really is new to me, let’s see if I got this right:
You can buy a wand which you stick down the bowl, connected to a hose supplying fresh water and it “washes” the inside of the black tank
OR
you can run a hose with fresh water into a port from the exterior of the unit and wash the black tank but it probably won’t have the jet heads I see on the wand.

Is that about right?

You got it...... however, the ability to see all crevaces in, and top of a dark tank, thru a 4" hole (without a scope of some kind), while also placing a wand and spraying at the same time without some possible splash back inside the RV may be challenging.

If you have the Nautilus black tank flush connection it will rotate inside the tank while rinsing with water pressure connected to it.

A third idea..... which we practice, is just dont do number 2 in the RV. We camp at CGs and utilize their toilets for those special occasions. No solids or paper in the tank, and number one is easily managed with some deodorizer tablets. Ours 295RL, unlike our old 90's TT smells great and has no solid issues.

 

[Rabbit]

Unsure who you are replying to

Why would it spew water if installed backwards? Maybe it would I was just giving a suggestion
And who called it a valve and who said to “defeat” it?

It was intended for general awareness. It’s an air vacuum breaker device so is partially open to the environment and leaks if backwards. People assume a valve is enclosed and merely on-off. I’ve read too many comments on this forum to just replace it with tubing. That’s not code and it’s dangerous to your health. Just trying to keep people out of trouble.

 

[J_Man]

Agreed. Ours seems to do a good job.

I agree also… the built-in tank spray system helps get the paper out.

We do the same as @trailrydr suggested: “…just dont do number 2 in the RV. We camp at CGs and utilize their toilets for those special occasions. No solids… in the tank…”

We do use RV tissue, which is why I mentioned the sprayer helping get paper to flush out when draining the tank.

Also, no odor issues after using the sanitizer chemicals.

I’m not motivated to scrub the blank tank “squeaky clean” so I’ll not be using a camera!

Back to the original topic — we can clearly hear the sprayer spraying!


J_Man

 

[WhittleBurner]

I agree also… the built-in tank spray system helps get the paper out.

We do the same as @trailrydr suggested: “…just dont do number 2 in the RV. We camp at CGs and utilize their toilets for those special occasions. No solids… in the tank…”

We do use RV tissue, which is why I mentioned the sprayer helping get paper to flush out when draining the tank.

Also, no odor issues after using the sanitizer chemicals.

I’m not motivated to scrub the blank tank “squeaky clean” so I’ll not be using a camera!

Back to the original topic — we can clearly hear the sprayer spraying!


J_Man

tp that is septic safe is okay for use in a rv. Cost-co tp is septic safe.

 

[Riverbug]

A few observations just for the heck of weighing in after reading the comments...
a) 30+ years with motorhomes and travel trailers. Never once had a problem with using the black tank as intended (#2 and using toilet paper). Only one time did the tank stop draining mid dump. I simply lifted the hose up at the half-way point, raised it higher than the outlet pipe, the contents in the hose backflushed into the tank, pushing away the "clog", and when I put it back down it resumed draining and that was it.

Okay, also one time I forgot to close the valve after flushing the tank and putting the cap on. Next time I went to dump I realized before removing the cap (thankfully) that the valve was still open. Only need to do that once and you'll never forget again. Pro tip if you ever do this: close the valve before removing the cap. get a couple garbage bags (one inside the other). Wrap the open end over the pipe and cap and then remove the cap so the contents goes inside the garbage bags. Since you closed the valve, there isn't so much to come out. It's not the most fun I've ever had, but it was so much better than it could have been if I hadn't realized the valve was open before pulling the cap off. I now also have the additional gate valve that goes on to the end of the pipe for extra measure.
b) In the old days I tried the wand method, never found that it did a better job than just filling the tanks to 50% with the toilet flush. That was before the came out with the built in flush nozzles.
c) I find the flush nozzles works great. And so much better than my previous experience with the toilet flush method or wand down the hole.
d) I have never read in this forum that people replace their vacuum breaker with tubing. I must have missed that one - bad idea for sure.

Thanks for letting me play along.

 

[Rabbit]

d) I have never read in this forum that people remove their air admittance valve with tubing. I must have missed that one - bad idea

Sure is!! It is rarely suggested, but it has been. As a water industry veteran, I have to remind those who might do so that it would be dangerous and irresponsible, not to mention unlawful.

 

[fred01]

d) I have never read in this forum that people remove their air admittance valve with tubing. I must have missed that one - bad idea for sure.

Thanks for letting me play along.

I think they’re talking about the vacuum breaker not the AAV, still a bad idea.

 

[Hoopy Frood]

I think they’re talking about the vacuum breaker not the AAV, still a bad idea.

Yeah, sometimes the terms get used interchangeably, but they are different.

 

[exnavy]

Can’t imagine that would fix anything.
Explain how you think it is clogged

Before I could hear it working, now nothing

 

[livinthelife]

Before I could hear it working, now nothing

There are times we can't hear the sprayer. Usually at those campgrounds that have low water pressure.

 

[NB Canada]

Before I could hear it working, now nothing

are you positive it is plugged though or is it just sound that is different?

If it was plugged when you go to disconnect the hose with the water on it should forcefully spray back

 

[Riverbug]

I think they’re talking about the vacuum breaker not the AAV, still a bad idea.

Huh. I honestly thought they do basically the same thing. Thanks. I'll have to look that up. I learned something new even after all these years; wasn't sure that was still possible.

 

[WhittleBurner]

Can I put drano down the hose, to clean the blank tank sprayer? I have flushed the tank out and the sprayer still not working.

Do you use a water filter? (yes even for the black rinse) It could be sediment build up. You could try to put a little CLR , or a lot to cover the rinse valve and let it sit a day or 2 then try.. just a crap shoot (pun intended)

 

[Capt Bob]

A lot of stuff here so……….
Our sprayer also stopped (you couldn’t hear it).
I replaced this device (see link below).
It was connected to the sprayer line coming into the bathroom under the vanity sink. Yours may be located somewhere else. In any case, I’m guessing this is the reason you can no longer hear the sprayer. Very common failure.

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I just use my rinser to add 6-8 gallons of water back in after I clean
YMMV

Hmmm. I like that idea. I think I will start doing that.

 

[18CrewDually]

Hmmm. I like that idea. I think I will start doing that.

That should be normal practice along with an oz of your favorite treatment like Liquified. A few gallons in the tank during travel will slosh around and break up anything that remains. I then give a rinse when I get home and drain fully only for winter storage.

 

[WhittleBurner]

There are tons of videos on YouTube with people demonstrating how poorly black tank rinsers work
They really are weak
I like the wand because it has no restrictions making a more forceful jet and I can rotate and tilt it to reach every inch of my tank

Loading…

a.co

Restrictions depend on the cammper model, not all go straight down. SO.. That is IF your pipe out of the toilet is straight down to the tank. Our pipe has a bend and goes a couple feet down. There is no way a wand will even reach the tank. With all the different configurations in the RV spectrum you can't say it is the best option for all.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

That should be normal practice along with an oz of your favorite treatment like Liquified. A few gallons in the tank during travel will slosh around and break up anything that remains. I then give a rinse when I get home and drain fully only for winter storage.

Oh I always put a few gallons of water and some treatment in there on travel days...just never used the black sprayer to add the water.

 

[trailrydr]

Restrictions depend on the cammper model, not all go straight down. SO.. That is IF your pipe out of the toilet is straight down to the tank. Our pipe has a bend and goes a couple feet down. There is no way a wand will even reach the tank. With all the different configurations in the RV spectrum you can't say it is the best option for all.

Our old Jayco TT went straight down and we still had some occasional hidden "nuggets"even on permanent leveled RV on blocks and doing up and down circular wand motions for 5-10 min while flushing. Had to end up buying a lighted mechanics mirror to placed down the tank between flush attempts.

Black tank solids just dont do well in a long term stationary setting (between dumps) no matter what flush method is being used. Plus, unlike septic systems, they dont really have the good enzyme bacteria and time between dumps to really work.