Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Open Roads Radio forum for Ham, Amateur Radio and RV camping


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 09-14-2011, 08:07 AM   #1
N1VWD
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Waltham, Vermont
Posts: 11
Default Winterizing black water tank

Hello to all in the group.
I live in VT and I am in the process of winterizing my TT for the year. I have read that after draining the black water tank you should always add 3 to 5 gallons of water to the tank to keep any remaining solids from drying out and keep every thing in solution. Do you still do this at the end of the season? What about freezing, wont it damage the tank? If I drain the tank what about any residual nasties left behind wont they dry out.
All replies will be greatly appreciated.
__________________
Brad N1VWD

TV 2018 STX Ford F150


TT 2016 Model 1905 MiniLite
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift.
N1VWD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2011, 11:30 AM   #2
W5DOK
Old Member
 
W5DOK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: In Gods country
Posts: 253
Default

Fill your tank half full with water, add 10 pounds of ice, 1/2 bottle of dawn liquid, drive 10 miles, drain, flush well, and leave empty. Cleans all the crud, leaves a good scent and no danger of freezing and rupturing tank.
Doc
W5DOK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2011, 04:17 PM   #3
Radio
Administrator
 
Radio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
Default

If your going to move the trailer doing the "ice in the tank" proceedure, try running the curbside wheels up on blocks before draining the tanks. That's helpful, too.
__________________

KU4OJ "Wade" Ships Captain, CFO, Chief Engineer
KG4DQQ "Kathy" 1st Officer, Navigator, Best Friend
2007 F-150 SuperCab - 2009 Rockwood 8280SS
Lot's of mostly Kenwood stuff

Radio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2011, 09:30 AM   #4
KF5BET
Senior Member
 
KF5BET's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Lafayette, LA
Posts: 507
Default

I purchased a flush king a couple of years ago. One of the best buys I ever made. You can fill and flush the tank multiple times while connected. It has a clear discharge outlet so you can see when the tank is clean (water running clear).
__________________
Galen - KF5BET
Crysti - "the CHIEF"
Abbi - KF5BEW dd
Kendra - KF5FYS dd
Maggie - Cat chaser
2005 F250, 1996 Nomad
KF5BET is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2011, 07:38 PM   #5
Andy N1ORK
Senior Member
 
Andy N1ORK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Manchester, CT
Posts: 1,034
Send a message via Yahoo to Andy N1ORK Send a message via Skype™ to Andy N1ORK
Default

For my park model in Freedom, NH, I installed a black tank 'spinner' that hooks up to a waterhose. I turn on the water and it spins water around the tank helping to clean it. I do this a few times until the see through coupling runs clean. I shut off the water, drain the tanks then close both the grey and black tank valves. Then I pump RV anti-freeze through the system. The excess goes into the tanks. This procedure works well for me.



__________________
CQ..CQ..CQ..DE ANDY, N1ORK..QTH Manchester, CT...QRZ..QRZ..
Hello anyone out there?
Is this thing on?
SkyWarn, CERT, EmComm
Andy N1ORK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2011, 10:19 AM   #6
KC1BUD
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Gateway to the thumb
Posts: 243
Talking

Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy N1ORK View Post
For my park model in Freedom, NH, I installed a black tank 'spinner' that hooks up to a waterhose. I turn on the water and it spins water around the tank helping to clean it. I do this a few times until the see through coupling runs clean. I shut off the water, drain the tanks then close both the grey and black tank valves. Then I pump RV anti-freeze through the system. The excess goes into the tanks. This procedure works well for me.
I haven't used it yet but my Damon Motor home has a flush kit installed from the factory.
However I did purchase a 4" section of clear black water pipe, like the one pictured below, available at most RV stores. I connect this in between the hose and the valve.

This way I can see when it runs as clear as fresh water.
Back to the OP's question; After a through rinse and flush, other than the antifreeze that gets past toilet's gate valve, I leave the tanks dry. Have never had a problem in all the 30 years of RVing.

The only problem(not really a problem) I have with this is my Daughter's two oldest sons, 8 & 10, they have seen the movie RV, and now when my daughter's family are at the horse shows with us the boys have to watch grandpa dump the RV tanks when we are leaving.





Dan
__________________
Dan,
Almost a Marine (Army/Navy)
15 months in VietNam (12 Army/3 Navy)
Love to
KC1BUD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2011, 12:10 PM   #7
wa8yxm
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Mobile, on the road
Posts: 1,139
Send a message via AIM to wa8yxm Send a message via Yahoo to wa8yxm Send a message via Skype™ to wa8yxm
Default

As someone said, Fill with 1/2 cup Dawn, (Regular NOT anti-bacterial) 1/2 cup Calgon water softener (Powder or liquid) and .. Well I go 1/6th water but I drive farther, say 1/3 water. Drive a while, making turns and such to slosh it around good.. DUMP, tank will read FULL (which it is.. Full of bubbles) give it a couple days for the bubbles to pop and dump again.. Then add around a quart of "pink stuff" down the toilet, then some more in the toilet (Water pump off no city water hook up, bleed pressure off water system before you do the last dump, in fact winterize fresh water system before last dump)

Pour pink into the drains for the traps, and walk away. This should take care of it.

NOTE: same for the gray tank.
wa8yxm is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
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
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:56 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
×