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Post Info TOPIC: Frozen Tank


RV-Dreams Community Member

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Frozen Tank


My black water tank is frozen and I am in ND and there is no RV place open till Jan 5th. I dont have access to the tank to put a heat gun on it. Can someone please help me figure out how to get it unfrozen!

 



-- Edited by azreark on Wednesday 23rd of December 2015 09:37:44 PM

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If it is not very full run hot water into it with the drain open.  If full you can suspend something like this in your black tank through the commode MAKING SURE it is not touching any pipes.  It will take awhile, but may work.  Something like this which is a sealed unit that can be completely submersed.  Third idea is drive south.....   DH asked if you are sure the black tank is frozen or is it frozen in the piping that drains it?

 

726214 Norpro 300W Immersion Heater 559 Norpro Immersion 559 Immersion Heater 300W Immersion 559 Immersion Heater 300 Watts Of Power & UL Listed found at Midland Hardware.



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Patti and Ed

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hardware store and pick up heated pipe tape .......wrap your valve and pipe.....also do several s configurations on the bottom of the tank and secure it with aluminum duct tape.......place the thermostat for the tape against the lower side of the tank.............if tanks are exsposed to the outside get some foam panel insulation and build a box around the tank and add a light bulb.....

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726214.jpg&maxx=300&maxy=250

That is an incredible idea, Talensnana!

...suspend it in the poo poo water through the toilet hole!

Then 'afterward' use it to boil some water in a cup, for a nice warm cup of tea!

(Only kidding about the last part! )

Yes, I've had the same freezing problem just a couple of weeks ago.

...luckily the weather got warmer, which opened up the flood gates for the deluge of 'unmentionables' to come flying out!

Many years ago, I lived 'stationary' in a motorhome for 7 years.

I remember now, not to have any droops in the sewer hose, so the sewer water cannot collect 'in-mass' in the hose.

AND, despite what everybody else says, always leave the sewer spigots 'wide open' when attached to an underground sewer hole.

Here is my reasoning behind this:

It allows warmish air from the fermenting sewer under the ground to flow up through the tank and pipes, up and out through the pipe vents on the roof, thereby preventing anything from freezing.

My condolences to azreark. - It's a horrible thing when it happens.

...not to mention the 'trauma inflicted' while sitting in a cold motorhome, realizing the sewer piping could very well be cracked from the freezing.

 

The only unfortunate thing about that water heater is that there's no way to suspend it in the wash/shower holding tank.

I'd like to see some solutions for that.



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RV-Dreams Family Member

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Millie,

With all due respect, one needs to leave the black tank valve closed when not actually dumping.  Otherwise, one gets a pile of stuff in the tank directly under the toilet.  That stuff has to be in water in order for it to liquify and be able to be flushed out.

Terry



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Terry and Jo wrote:

Millie,

With all due respect, one needs to leave the black tank valve closed when not actually dumping.  Otherwise, one gets a pile of stuff in the tank directly under the toilet.  That stuff has to be in water in order for it to liquify and be able to be flushed out.

Terry


Terry:

Extremely good advice.  Not following the procedure of “lots of water in the black tank before dumping” can lead to the dreaded “pyramid of doom” as you more eloquently described the resulting situation of leaving the black value open all the time.

This is a very big deal.  Don’t leave the black tank value open all the time.  The results will not be pleasant at the least and expensive to fix at the worst.



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Bill & Linda



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I guess I should go into greater detail then.

This is all assuming you flush out the tank at least once a month.

After you've done your business, you let the toilet bowl fill with water before you flush it down into the sewer holding tank.

The momentum of the water exiting out the holding tank into the ground sewer hole, carries the poo poo and toilet paper with it.

7 years experience with this method, with no problems.



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RV-Dreams Family Member

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Do not Leave your black tank valve open except to empty........no matter what anyone else tells you, its not ok.....or just make sure the person that says its ok is willing to post a bond or put cash up to take care of the repairs!!



As a past RV servicer , I will tell you that most if not all will double charge you for working with hazardous material!!!.........the cone of death in your tank will definitely kill your wallet when you get the bill !!!!


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 1998 ...Harney Renegade DP  class A

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My Service dog and life partner " Nikki"......Klee Kia Miniature Husky....(she Runs the ship!!)

We are not lost in the Woods.....Just Extreme boondocking!!!!!!



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If you are a newbie reading this thread, please take Mike's statement to heart. NEVER leave the black tank open, ever. In freezing weather, attach hose to dump, rinse hose, then put it away until your tank is at least 2/3 full before dumping again. In addition to the dreaded pyramid, leaving drains open can allow fecal flies to migrate into your tanks. Even in warm weather, we always keep both tank valves closed.

Barb

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Barbaraok wrote:

If you are a newbie reading this thread, please take Mike's statement to heart. NEVER leave the black tank open, ever. In freezing weather, attach hose to dump, rinse hose, then put it away until your tank is at least 2/3 full before dumping again. In addition to the dreaded pyramid, leaving drains open can allow fecal flies to migrate into your tanks. Even in warm weather, we always keep both tank valves closed.

Barb


 

Barb:

Some will say this is overdoing it but we also leave even the gray tank value closed and then dump it when it’s almost full.  IMO that will better flush out the particles and maybe even some of the “grease” that may build up on the bottom if you leave the value open all the time.

You’re the chemist, but I think you will agree this is the best way to keep your tanks in good order is pretty easy to do.  Lots of water in one big dump does the best flushing job, IMO.

This side of a broke frame or delamination, I can’t think of anything with an RV that is worse to deal with than a holding tank issue.

Bill



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You are correct - lots and lots of water is what is necessary. It is the key ingredient in keeping tanks 'moving'.

Barb


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Barb & Dave O'Keeffe

2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID

Blog:  http://www.barbanddave.net

SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834



RV-Dreams Family Member

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Well, if ya'll have a hankerin' to be thinkin' 'bout your sewer 24 hours a day, far be it for me to try and dissuade ya's from it!



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RV-Dreams Family Member

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Millie,

I can personally attest to the fact of a buildup of "stuff" in the holding tank by leaving the valve open.  I learned my lesson the first time.  That buildup is especially prevalent if one's holding tank has a flat bottom and is pretty long, as is ours.  Just because you've not had problems doesn't mean that others couldn't have the problem.

This was the advice you gave in an earlier posting in this thread:

AND, despite what everybody else says, always leave the sewer spigots 'wide open' when attached to an underground sewer hole.

That advise is not good for everyone's RV, thus you are getting others saying the same that I am and advising against your advice.

Terry



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2010 Mobile Suites 38TKSB3
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2019 Ford Expedition Max as Tag-along or Scout

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X2 with Terry......

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Howdy

For what its worth, my wife & I lived in our 40' 5th wheel for 3 years in Wyoming where we saw -30F for a week at a time, our preps were

A fitted skirt around the RV

The RV had a heated basement (Keystone 3750FL)

Heat trace on incoming water line

Insulation around heat trace

Dump valves kept closed unless dumping. RV park manager requested this,
seems the underground sewer line between where where our unit dumps into
the ground to the main sewer line would freeze up if exposed to a continuous flow.

RV manager also requested we not place fiberglass insulation into the underground
water connect box. He indicated that if I did and we had a leak of water into the box,
I would be the one chipping frozen fiberglass out of the box.

Installed a 250 gallon rental propane tank at the RV

Kept the heat set to about 65F minimum to keep the basement heated.

During realy cold weather I would add 2 heat lamps under the RV skirt.

Worked for us.

Randy

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