when you are hooked up to a sewer have you been leaving your black tank valve open?

If so, you may have the "pyramid of poop" causing you trouble.

I would run that tank wand at least a half hour and make sure it is actually spraying inside the tank. If it is spraying in the pipe going down it won't do any good, you need to install a sprayer into the side of the tank in that case.

I put an 'L' fitting on the end of a garden hose.

...turn the water on 'full-blast' while turning the water hose 'L' around in the tank.

Hope this helps.

I have a funny story for you!

...it was freezing cold outside one time, and the poo poo was frozen in the pipe.

...my hand was too big to get in the pipe ...but, my 7 year old's hand fit! 

The tank is draining off the liquids while the "mound" continues to grow. Are you in freezing temps?

When sitting in one spot, it is important to get extra water in your black tank. I used to put some dishsoap and buckets of hot water in it after it was emptied and then my husband back flushed it about monthly I think. After emptying it, you should be putting some water in before using it, less "sticky" on the bottom of the tank. We once were set up in one spot for 2 years and never had an issue.

I was hoping that Millie was joking since I cannot imagine anyone would have their child do something like that. I certainly wouldn't put my hand/arm up there. Imagine if you had a small cut or abrasion and introduced that bacteria!

arkypam wrote:

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Thanks, folks! We have gone out and bought another wand - a 360 degree type. I think this will perform the same function as the "L" fitting, Millie? One question - did you have to get counseling for the 7-year-old? .....

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 'Absolutely' a 360 degree type, Pam! - You never know where those sneaky poopies may be hiding!

...as long as the wand gives a good strong spray of water!

On the 'incident' point in time, we were living 'stationary' on a newly bought piece of land.

The frozen blockage was only 3" thick, a short way in the mouth of the pipe outlet.

That is when we learned to always leave the drain slider thing 'open'. - Therefore, it only happened 'once'.

The 7 year old boy was not 'ordered' to help. - He understood he had the only small enough implement available to do the job, and knew he wouldn't have wanted to go outside in the cold, in the middle of the night, trudging through the snow to do his duty behind a tree.

...so he scraped at the frozen offender with a butter knife until that tenacious scoundrel came popping out of the hole 'amazed' under the pressure and gush of the back water release!

There were cheers from all!

Just another day in the life of homesteading.

 

 

Since this is a 2003 model, my thought might be moot. However, often when the people cut the holes in the tank, the coupon falls into the tank and remains. Lazy people don't retreive the coupon due to production quotas. Is it possible the coupon has moved to the outlet, and when the valve is opened, it swings up and blocks the outlet? Then when flushing from outside, it is moved and a successful dump occurs. Next time to dump, repeat?

53 Merc wrote:

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Since this is a 2003 model, my thought might be moot. However, often when the people cut the holes in the tank, the coupon falls into the tank and remains. Lazy people don't retreive the coupon due to production quotas. Is it possible the coupon has moved to the outlet, and when the valve is opened, it swings up and blocks the outlet? Then when flushing from outside, it is moved and a successful dump occurs. Next time to dump, repeat?

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 That is some grasping at straws, Merc

...but 'valid'.

-- Edited by Millie on Sunday 5th of January 2014 07:35:50 PM

arkypam: I can sense your frustration and hope you get results soon.

Until then try to remember this: "Attitude makes the difference between an ordeal and an adventure."

Arkypam,

You say the toilet clogs, but the tank drains. Can you clarify that? For a while we had to empty our 40 (45?) gallon tank every three days because the toilet seemed to be filling up (burping) that fast and then smelling really bad. Our's too drained well and we use a Flush King on a regular basis. We also use LOTS of water in the black. Someone suggested our vent might be clogged so I ran a hose up to the roof and ran water down the vent. Sure enough, only a trickle of water came out of the tank. I ran a snake down the vent until I heard it hit bottom and then gently tapped and probed with the snake. When I pulled it back up there was nothing on it and it wasn't wet except for the very tip. After a lot of looking, calls to the mfgr, and crawling around into places I didn't fit into, I learned that our vent pipe comes down vertically from the roof, then makes a 90 degree turn and runs 6 or so inches horizontally and then enters the tank's side wall, near, but not at, the top. I guessed that some tissue might have flowed into the horizontal pipe and then dried there.

Lucky guess. I went back on the roof and poured some toilet chemicals and a little Dawn down the vent pipe, then added a little water. Later in the day I went back on the roof with the hose and by then the clog had softened enough to come loose. I let the hose run full force and ran it down as far as it would go and let it run until I saw nothing but lots of clear liquid running out of the tank. Since then, no worries.

Let us know what happens.