Filling the black tank.

[theSane]

New Motorhome owner, so I have a question which may be a little silly, but here goes.

How do I pre-fill my black tank? I read that I should start with it 1/3 full when we make camp and add the treatment to it, but I do not see any ways to get it 1/3 full outside of holding the toilet flush down, or running a water hose down the toilet. How should I be doing this?

If I want to flush it again after emptying it, what is the best option?

[Eagle5]

I clean the black tank via the flushing port. With the water still running, I then close the drain valve. I continue to run "flush water" for about 60 seconds to prime the black tank. I then add the deodorizer through the toilet.
Eagle5

[Eagle5]

Here is my Checklist, in case that might be a helpful guide to make your own custom list:

Pitstop Checklist for the 22M:
Pick-up dog water
Shut-off Hot Water Heater
Close vents and windows
Secure loose items
Break-camp Checklist for the 22M; do the above, and also:
Shut-off Coach A/C or Coach Heater
Shut-off Hot Water Heater
Switch-on fresh water pump
Retract awning
Stow Welcome Mat
Glove-up
Stow TV cable, fresh water hose, & power cord
Open Black Water tank valve, connect flushing hose & start flushing
Check slide-out for debris
Close Black Water tank valve and back-fill for 60 seconds
Open Grey Water tank valve
Stow flushing hose
Close Grey Water tank valve
Stow sewer hose & sewer hose support
Toss gloves
Lock outside compartments
Add deodorizer to toilet
Lock Shower Door & close bathroom door
Assure that the Closet Doors are closed
Start Main Motor (be sure parking brake is set)
Retract slide-out (press button twice)

[theSane]

Thank you for the checklist.

It is that, "connect flushing hose" part I am having trouble with. Could not find anything referencing it in the manual, or something similar.

[Eagle5]

I assume your Intent is brand new, looking at the photo. I was under the impression that all of the motorhomes are now equipped with a Black Tank Flushing Port, which is a hose connection on the side. Is this not the case?

[theSane]

I am sorry, I did not realize the mobile site dropped my signature with my year/model.

There is no flush port on the outside near the fresh water intake. In the storage compartments I see the sensors for the fill state, but if there is a fill port, I am missing it.

2018 Intent

[Eagle5]

Yes, after I sent that last message, I then noticed in your prior message that you have a 2018. The current 2020 Intents all come equipped with the flushing port. Sorry that the 2018 does not. I guess those are a relatively new adaptation to the motorhomes. I must admit I really appreciate mine.

I believe you just need a little water on the bottom of the tank to prime it. I would hold the flush pedal down for a minute and call it good. I don't believe too many folks fill their Black Tanks one-third of the way just to prime it.

Thanks, Eagle5

[YGoHom]

Check your build month. Winnebago didn’t add the black tank flush until March 2018 production. A few of us with early builds don’t have it.
Easy way to prime the black tank is go old school...just fill about 4 gallons in a 5 gallon bucket and pour it in the toilet...with the drain closed, of course! Then add a drop in deodorizer.

[Eagle5]

Here is another option for flushing that I just found on Amazon:
Camco Rhino Blaster Sewer Tank Rinser with Gate Valve

[theSane]

Jan 2018 is my build month. So I will need to find an aftermarket part then?

[YGoHom]

I used this...

Camco 40126 Tornado Rotary Tank Rinser with Hose https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BUU5TU..._FNKREbGEMV3M0

I think I posted pictures in the “All Intents” thread.


-Robb

[Eagle5]

Somebody must make an aftermarket kit.

OK, for one excellent laugh, check out this one-star rating for that Camco Flusher I just found in the above post:

Emptying your RV’s black water used to be a chore. Not any more, thanks to the folks at Camco. The Camco Rhino Blaster turns tiresome into awesome! Coprophiles of all ages will enjoy this unique product, which combines the old-fashioned suspense of Jack-in-the-box with the visual fascination of that video of your last colonoscopy! The whole family will want to gather around and watch yesterday’s stinkpickles slither away through the Rhino Blaster’s unique clear plastic elbow. But that’s not all. When will the Rhino Blaster’s seals give way? Nobody knows, but when it does, giggles turn in an instant to screams of delight as the Rhino Blaster showers one and all with a warm spray of juicy man-manure. And the Rhino Blaster puts the gag in “gag gift”! Give it to that annoying neighbor and then set up your video recorder, because you’ll want to watch over and over again as he gets a fetid faceful of human guano. Thanks, Camco! Five stars and two enthusiastic thumbs up for the Rhino Blaster! GMO-free and naturally low in sodium!

So, seriously, this product was great until it blew apart on the 3rd use. The swivels where the parts are joined together are not made well. I ended up sprayed with human waste.

[Eagle5]

Damn; I can't stop laughing.

[YGoHom]

I saw that and laughed before I decided to install mine. I’ve owned this particular kit for about 10 years. I bought it for my first RV, but never opened it.
Since installing it last year I haven’t had any issues and it works great.

[theSane]

Thanks for the product recommendation. I wondered if something simple like this would also work.

[Morich]

RV life can get fussy and hard to figure at times, so I like to keep it as simple as works for me and my methods of using the RV. We each do it different so it takes some time to figure what works best. One of my ways to keep it simple is to not buy anything to help with problems until I can see that I will have a problem. And that certainly is true of black tank questions. How do you use the tank versus how others use theirs? Unknown until you get a few trips in, so assuming draining is a problem can lead to just adopting some method which makes it more complex to solve a problem that you might not actually have.
I don't like the thin RV paper and use what we use at home, but that was a calculated risk, knowing that I would be the one to deal with any problem that came along with that decision. So I looked at how the tank and plumbing lay out and saw it is very simple to stick a wand straight down into my tank and flush it as good as I need, without installing anything to fight every time I drain. Each RV style has it's own little odd things, so a look at what is needed is my first step when we trade to a different one. So looking at how and why you might need something would be my first suggestion.
If you just read the ads, you will have an unlimited number of things to carry and not use most of them! Ad writers are brilliant at making you think you need to solve a problem---whether you have that problem or not.
A 1/3 tank sounds like an insane amount of water but I don't know your system, either.

[SLOweather]

I usually dump a 6 gallon jug of water into the tank through the toilet and call it good. And all the TP goes in the trash.


A third of tank does sound a little excessive, but you should never have to deal with the pyramid...

[Nickd]

A third of tank does sound a little excessive, but you should never have to deal with the pyramid...

Funniest thread I have in years. Thought I was the only one who ever discovered a pyramid in our blank tank when boondocking for 4 days with 7 people in our 31BE.
Big tanks help, but you can’t chart the laws of physics. Guess I need to try adding more water to the black tank in the pre trip prep.

Thought it may just have been a design flaw in the 31BE plumbing as the toilet doesn’t drop directly into the tank. The drop pipe has an angle.

[SLOweather]

Sloshing before you dump helps, too. I usually drive to the dump station to dump, and tap the brakes rather firmly a few times to mix it up.

[Goodspike]

There's always eating more fiber!