Picking up our 21BHS!

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote source="/post/1681/thread" timestamp="1403713394" author="@fasteddieb"]
I finally got up the courage to poop in the trailer - TWICE! Added some orange powder and when it came time to break camp Saturday morning, everything seemed to flush out pretty well via the RhinoFlex 15' hose we bought and carried in the new carrier.

I am wondering how often the black water tank needs to be flushed. Plan on buying a back-flush adapter, and maybe one of those wand things. Any recommendations?[/quote]
Congratulations  

Everyone manages their black tank differently, but a common practice is to wait until your tank is about 2/3 full before dumping. Unfortunately a 2-night trip won't fill it nearly that high. That gives you two options:

[ol type="decimal"][li]If you'll be going on another trip in the next few weeks, just save it for later and add some extra chemical just in case[/li][li]Fill the tank to 2/3 with water (with the toilet, a wand, or a gate flusher) and then flush[/li][/ol][div]
Dumping with only a couple days of "stuff" will leave solids behind that will eventually build up and potentially cause the dreaded "poopyramid" (I can tell you from experience)

I like to flush after each large trip or before long periods of storage. I ended up with both the Camco "swivel stik" and the Valterra "flush king". I use the flush king during trips at parks that have sewer hookups, and I use the swivel stik at home for a more thorough (but also more involved) cleaning.

One other thing that helps prevent any black water issues is to fill your black tank with enough water to create a "pool" across the entire bottom. The tank bottom is slanted pretty dramatically, so it takes quite a bit (5-10 gallons). If the tank is completely empty when you start, a #2 will just go "splat" onto the tank bottom and the fluids will drain to the side. If there's water there it lets the solids float around instead of sticking. Now that I have the flush king, I've been filling with that until it registers on the tank monitor. The black tank sensor is on the shallow end of the tank, so if it shows a reading then I'm guaranteed that the entire bottom has some water.[/div]

[farmboy]

THIS is why I like this site; real information delivered in an easily understood manner.   We are RV  novices, and there is a lot to learn.   Great common sense advice.  

[charliem]

[quote source="/post/1681/thread" timestamp="1403713394" author="@fasteddieb"]
I am wondering how often the black water tank needs to be flushed. Plan on buying a back-flush adapter, and maybe one of those wand things. Any recommendations?

[/quote]Comments from TinkeringTechie are right on. I'll add that, when water and sewer hookup or dump station is available, I usually fill completely and flush at least twice.  It is important to be able to fill quickly if you're in line at a dump station. In contrast to the permanently installed flusher, I have read that the Flush King type flusher suffers from a limited fill rate due to a small water orifice. The little spray jet is really not effective; it's more important to completely fill and dump the tank a few times. Perhaps it could be drilled out. After flushing I add a toilet bowl full of water back into the tank so it sloshes around while driving. Keeps everything stirred up.  

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote source="/post/1688/thread" timestamp="1403734645" author="@charliem"]In contrast to the permanently installed flusher, I have read that the Flush King type flusher suffers from a limited fill rate due to a small water orifice. The little spray jet is really not effective; it's more important to completely fill and dump the tank a few times.[/quote]This is true for some of them. There are two (or more) similar looking products on the market:

[a href="http://www.amazon.com/Camco-39062-Flush-Holding-Rinser/dp/B000BUQOAE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1403750646&sr=8-3&keywords=black+tank+flusher"]Camco dual flush pro[/a]
[a href="http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-F02-4350-Black-Flush-Reverse/dp/B008O9DV78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403750941&sr=8-1&keywords=flush+king"]Valterra flush king[/a]

The Camco has the small jets that you're describing, but the flush king just has a big ball valve. The flush king fills just as fast as if I put a hose down the toilet. So if you want a gate flusher and fill rate is important to you (it was to me) then go for the flush king.

[charliem]

[quote source="/post/1692/thread" timestamp="1403751556" author="@tinkeringtechie"][quote source="/post/1688/thread" timestamp="1403734645" author="@charliem"]In contrast to the permanently installed flusher, I have read that the Flush King type flusher suffers from a limited fill rate due to a small water orifice. The little spray jet is really not effective; it's more important to completely fill and dump the tank a few times.[/quote]This is true for some of them. There are two (or more) similar looking products on the market:

[a href="http://www.amazon.com/Camco-39062-Flush-Holding-Rinser/dp/B000BUQOAE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1403750646&sr=8-3&keywords=black+tank+flusher"]Camco dual flush pro[/a]
[a href="http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-F02-4350-Black-Flush-Reverse/dp/B008O9DV78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403750941&sr=8-1&keywords=flush+king"]Valterra flush king[/a]

The Camco has the small jets that you're describing, but the flush king just has a big ball valve. The flush king fills just as fast as if I put a hose down the toilet. So if you want a gate flusher and fill rate is important to you (it was to me) then go for the flush king.



[/quote][font face="arial" size="3"]Good info. Thanks for the clarification.[/font][font face="arial" size="3"] BTW, it looks like Valterra also makes a [a href="http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-F02-4100-45%C2%B0-RV-Hydroflush/dp/B0002UHVAA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1403786456&sr=8-2&keywords=valterra+flush+king"]Hydroflush[/a] that suffers from the same problem, but doesn't include the gate valve. Buyer beware.
[/font]

[shovelhead]

Anybody use the "Sewer Solution" ?   I wonder about use at a full hookup site and  have potable water connected .  I know it has a check valve and
a garden hose for water supply should be used.  Just something about  the connection worries me.  It does look much more efficient.
[a href="http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-SS01-Boxed-SewerSolution-System/dp/B00CCYWJQK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403808134&sr=8-1&keywords=valterra+sewer+solution"]Valterra Sewer Solution[/a]
 

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote source="/post/1700/thread" timestamp="1403808337" author="@shovelhead"]Anybody use the "Sewer Solution" ?   I wonder about use at a full hookup site and  have potable water connected .  I know it has a check valve and
a garden hose for water supply should be used.  Just something about  the connection worries me.  It does look much more efficient.
[a href="http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-SS01-Boxed-SewerSolution-System/dp/B00CCYWJQK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403808134&sr=8-1&keywords=valterra+sewer+solution"]Valterra Sewer Solution[/a]
 [/quote]I just watched a video about it: 

[video src="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsdfUXoOxrw"][/video]

I don't get it... :-/ It looks like it takes much longer than necessary, it's big and bulky, and you can't even use it to flush the actual tank (he had to use a separate black tank flusher). The only thing that I could see this being useful for is if you want to get a really long 1" hose to pump long distances. Otherwise I don't see any advantages.

[shovelhead]

The Valterra version.  It's < $80 on Amazon (Prime)  I could have used this when I was at my sons place. His septic  system dump port
was about 50 feet from where I parked.  I could'nt get any closer do to terrain (yard and a good slope)  I had to drive to
a dump station about 10 miles away.


[video src="http://youtu.be/zYJCLzGaaB8"][/video]

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote source="/post/1702/thread" timestamp="1403815398" author="@shovelhead"]The Valterra version.  It's < $80 on Amazon (Prime)  I could have used this when I was at my sons place. His septic  system dump port
was about 50 feet from where I parked.  I could'nt get any closer do to terrain (yard and a good slope)  I had to drive to
a dump station about 10 miles away.
[/quote]

That video made it look even slower. He also admits at 10:15 that "the effectiveness of the flush is going to depend on your plumbing configuration". Well on my 21BHS that means it's going straight into a 90 degree turn and if it makes it past that it will just shoot against the side of the very front of the tank. But as you mentioned, for longer distances it might be a good option. I wouldn't use it at an RV park though.

[mitch]

Based on these videos it seems that if you really want the least amount of sludge on the tank bottom a wand is the only way to do it.

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote source="/post/1704/thread" timestamp="1403824217" author="@mitch"]Based on these videos it seems that if you really want the least amount of sludge on the tank bottom a wand is the only way to do it. [/quote]I think some of the permanent black tank flushers can be just as good, but it's really dependent on the location and spray pattern. I like the wand because if anything is going to stick or clog it's probably going to be right below the toilet and that's exactly where the wand is pointing.

[fasteddieb]

WalMart sunrise:






This morning, New Bern, NC.

[djsamuel]

Where are you heading?

[fasteddieb]

We visited Camp Sea Gull near Arapahoe, NC this morning.

Then took the ferry from Minnesott Beach to Cherry Branch:






Now just set up camp for a couple nights in Sea Level, NC.

All very spur of the moment.

[djsamuel]

Sounds great. Enjoy!