Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Tank Cleaning (Perhaps only for Coachmen GMC'ers...)
| Tank Cleaning [message #203063] |
Sat, 30 March 2013 13:24  |
Chr$
Messages: 2690
Registered: January 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Karma: 1
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With my GMC, I got used to just one waste tank. A black tank. Treated it. Flushed it. No problems. No odor.
Now I have a grey tank too. Noticed it was kind of stinky after a long weekend. Food particles were the problem, but how to clean it? The blue stuff will probably work, but I want to add a pump and use the grey water to flush the commode. I fill the grey tank faster than the black tank. I don't want Blue water in the commode. Seems a waste to use fresh water to flush when there is plenty (too much) grey.
No toilet to stick a rinse wand down, and my rig came with a flush fitting on the black tank, but not the grey tank. (??)
I will be doing this mod for the grey water flush:
http://www.modmyrv.com/2009/07/22/rv-grey-water-potty-flush
but for cleaning/treating the grey tank, I found this:
The GEO method. Seems to make sense. This never seems to have come up here, as there are so few grey tank equipped GMC's, but you can find a good way to clean either tank here. Basically Calgon water softener, bleach, and dish soap.
Probably better for sewers and septics at parks than the blue stuff anyway, and If I recall, BLM dump does not allow that stuff.
https://sites.google.com/site/cbruni/
I kinda wish I had 64 Gallons of only black tank instead of 32 Grey and 32 Black.
Hope this is useful for the GMC community (Well, Coachmen fitted coaches anyway). Having a newer rig with different systems has brought some new challenges and solutions.
-Chr$: Perpetual SmartAss
Scottsdale, AZ
77 Ex-Kingsley 455 SOLD!
2010 Nomad 24 Ft TT 390W PV W/MPPT, EV4010 and custom cargo door.
Photosite: Chrisc GMC:"It has Begun" TT: "The Other Woman"
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| Re: Tank Cleaning [message #203064 is a reply to message #203063] |
Sat, 30 March 2013 13:37  |
rcjordan
Messages: 1913
Registered: October 2012
Location: Elizabeth City, North Car...
Karma: 1
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Try citric acid. Cheap. Safe.
http://www.amazon.com/Spicy-World-Citric-Acid-5-Pound/dp/B000OZFECU/
My wife kept complaining about dishwasher detergent (Cascade, the good stuff) no longer doing a good job. (They took out the phosphates a couple of years back.) She uses Cascade one cycle and citric acid in the other.
I got the idea from the dishwasher cleaners to remove stains & lime from the interior. One of the products got rave reviews. Went to buy it ($3.50 for 4 oz.) and the only active ingredient was --you guessed it.
SOLD 77 Royale Coachmen Side Dry Bath
76 Birchaven Coachmen Side Wet Bath
76 Eleganza
Elizabeth City, NC
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| Re: Tank Cleaning [message #203068 is a reply to message #203064] |
Sat, 30 March 2013 14:04 |
Chr$
Messages: 2690
Registered: January 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Citric acid promotes bacteria growth. I'd have to add peroxide after to deal with that. All the stuff I am reading is to treat the tanks with calgon to make them hydrophobic (repel water) and then use a little dish soap or pine sol (of you can stand the smell of that) to keep it clean.
-Chr$: Perpetual SmartAss
Scottsdale, AZ
77 Ex-Kingsley 455 SOLD!
2010 Nomad 24 Ft TT 390W PV W/MPPT, EV4010 and custom cargo door.
Photosite: Chrisc GMC:"It has Begun" TT: "The Other Woman"
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tank Cleaning [message #203102 is a reply to message #203063] |
Sat, 30 March 2013 17:35 |
mickeysss
Messages: 1476
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I saw one trick to cleaning tanks by putting ice in them and driving around corners fast to clean them out.
mickey'S
77 palm beach
anaheim ca.
On Mar 30, 2013, at 11:24 AM, Chris Choffat wrote:
>
>
> With my GMC, I got used to just one waste tank. A black tank. Treated it. Flushed it. No problems. No odor.
>
> Now I have a grey tank too. Noticed it was kind of stinky after a long weekend. Food particles were the problem, but how to clean it? The blue stuff will probably work, but I want to add a pump and use the grey water to flush the commode. I fill the grey tank faster than the black tank. I don't want Blue water in the commode. Seems a waste to use fresh water to flush when there is plenty (too much) grey.
>
> No toilet to stick a rinse wand down, and my rig came with a flush fitting on the black tank, but not the grey tank. (??)
>
> I will be doing this mod for the grey water flush:
>
> http://www.modmyrv.com/2009/07/22/rv-grey-water-potty-flush
>
> but for cleaning/treating the grey tank, I found this:
>
> The GEO method. Seems to make sense. This never seems to have come up here, as there are so few grey tank equipped GMC's, but you can find a good way to clean either tank here. Basically Calgon water softener, bleach, and dish soap.
>
> Probably better for sewers and septics at parks than the blue stuff anyway, and If I recall, BLM dump does not allow that stuff.
>
> https://sites.google.com/site/cbruni/
>
> I kinda wish I had 64 Gallons of only black tank instead of 32 Grey and 32 Black.
>
> Hope this is useful for the GMC community (Well, Coachmen fitted coaches anyway). Having a newer rig with different systems has brought some new challenges and solutions.
>
> --
> -Chr$: Perpetual SmartAss
> Scottsdale, AZ
> 77 Ex-Kingsley Featuring: 455, Power Drive, 3:21, Rockwell, Jim B QJET, Qbag. Now for Sale
> 2010 Nomad 24 Ft Travel Trailer
>
> Photosite: Chrisc "It has Begun"
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tank Cleaning [message #203122 is a reply to message #203102] |
Sat, 30 March 2013 19:46 |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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It is hard to get much ice into the gray tank. No handy large hole to pour them in, Only little winding ones with traps and stuff. (Requiring water to wash the cubes down.... melting the cubes!
| mickeysss wrote on Sat, 30 March 2013 15:35 |
I saw one trick to cleaning tanks by putting ice in them and driving around corners fast to clean them out.
On Mar 30, 2013, at 11:24 AM, Chris Choffat wrote:
....
>
> No toilet to stick a rinse wand down, and my rig came with a flush fitting on the black tank, but not the grey tank. (??)
>
> I will be doing this mod for the grey water flush:
>
> http://www.modmyrv.com/2009/07/22/rv-grey-water-potty-flush
>
> but for cleaning/treating the grey tank, I found this:
>
> The GEO method. Seems to make sense. This never seems to have come up here, as there are so few grey tank equipped GMC's, but you can find a good way to clean either tank here. Basically Calgon water softener, bleach, and dish soap.
>
> Probably better for sewers and septics at parks than the blue stuff anyway, and If I recall, ...
|
Chris, you can treat tanks one of two methods but do not Willy-nilly mix the two methods:
1. Treat them like big chamber pots. Keep them as clean as possible and use chemicals and the like to control the smell. This method is good for coaches used occasionally. (Sadly, most of us...) I assume the method you speak of (with Calgon water softener, bleach, and dish soap) is of this type. (I did not see a link.)
2. Treat them like small septic tanks. Have good tank venting and encourage growth of "good bacteria to control the smell. If using this method, do not use anything that kills your "good" bacteria or you'll end up with only the "bad" (smelly) kinds of bacteria. (Many household cleaners should not be used in any quantity.) As you have to regularly "feed" the bacteria, this is more useful for full timers. Phred has a poop sheet on this subject: <http://manmrk.net/tutorials/RV/phred/phredex.html>
The only reason to switch from on method to the other would be if you store your rig for a long time, them use it for a month or two and put it back in storage. (RobM. is a example of someone who could swap back a forth... but would really need to understand starting of bacterial cultures, as he would need to "restart" it each time.)
OBTW: If you do want to use gray water to flush the toilet, be sure to use a separate hand held spray "gun" and resist the temptation to plumb in three way valves. (IE: no physical connection between your gray and fresh water systems.) Valves can leak and allow "bad" stuff to back flow into your "clean" system. It can make you sick.
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tank Cleaning [message #203126 is a reply to message #203122] |
Sat, 30 March 2013 19:57 |
Chr$
Messages: 2690
Registered: January 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Noooo! No three way valve. That guy did that and is heading for trouble I'll be isolating it. I use the shower to rinse and clean the potty when I dump. Gets the black tank flushed as well.
-Chr$: Perpetual SmartAss
Scottsdale, AZ
77 Ex-Kingsley 455 SOLD!
2010 Nomad 24 Ft TT 390W PV W/MPPT, EV4010 and custom cargo door.
Photosite: Chrisc GMC:"It has Begun" TT: "The Other Woman"
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tank Cleaning [message #203128 is a reply to message #203122] |
Sat, 30 March 2013 19:59 |
k2gkk
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
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Senior Member |
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We have a "grey" tank in a "standard" GMC M/H?
Mac from OKC
"Money Pit"
Sent from my iPhone
On Mar 30, 2013, at 19:46, "Mike Miller" <m000035@gmail.com> wrote:
It is hard to get much ice into the gray tank. No handy large hole to pour them in, Only little winding ones with traps and stuff. (Requiring water to wash the cubes down.... melting the cubes!
mickeysss wrote on Sat, 30 March 2013 15:35
> I saw one trick to cleaning tanks by putting ice in them and driving around corners fast to clean them out.
>
> On Mar 30, 2013, at 11:24 AM, Chris Choffat wrote:
> ....
>>
>> No toilet to stick a rinse wand down, and my rig came with a flush fitting on the black tank, but not the grey tank. (??)
>>
>> I will be doing this mod for the grey water flush:
>>
>> http://www.modmyrv.com/2009/07/22/rv-grey-water-potty-flush
>>
>> but for cleaning/treating the grey tank, I found this:
>>
>> The GEO method. Seems to make sense. This never seems to have come up here, as there are so few grey tank equipped GMC's, but you can find a good way to clean either tank here. Basically Calgon water softener, bleach, and dish soap.
>>
>> Probably better for sewers and septics at parks than the blue stuff anyway, and If I recall, ...
Chris, you can treat tanks one of two methods but do not Willy-nilly mix the two methods:
1. Treat them like big chamber pots. Keep them as clean as possible and use chemicals and the like to control the smell. This method is good for coaches used occasionally. (Sadly, most of us...) I assume the method you speak of (with Calgon water softener, bleach, and dish soap) is of this type. (I did not see a link.)
2. Treat them like small septic tanks. Have good tank venting and encourage growth of "good bacteria to control the smell. If using this method, do not use anything that kills your "good" bacteria or you'll end up with only the "bad" (smelly) kinds of bacteria. (Many household cleaners should not be used in any quantity.) As you have to regularly "feed" the bacteria, this is more useful for full timers. Phred has a poop sheet on this subject: <http://manmrk.net/tutorials/RV/phred/phredex.html>
The only reason to switch from on method to the other would be if you store your rig for a long time, them use it for a month or two and put it back in storage. (RobM. is a example of someone who could swap back a forth... but would really need to understand starting of bacterial cultures, as he would need to "restart" it each time.)
OBTW: If you do want to use gray water to flush the toilet, be sure to use a separate hand held spray "gun" and resist the temptation to plumb in three way valves. (IE: no physical connection between your gray and fresh water systems.) Valves can leak and allow "bad" stuff to back flow into your "clean" system. It can make you sick.
--
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#1)'73 26' exPainted D. -- (#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: Tank Cleaning [message #203136 is a reply to message #203063] |
Sat, 30 March 2013 20:37 |
Chr$
Messages: 2690
Registered: January 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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As stated, Coachmen fitted models and some custom jobs do.
-Chr$: Perpetual SmartAss
Scottsdale, AZ
77 Ex-Kingsley 455 SOLD!
2010 Nomad 24 Ft TT 390W PV W/MPPT, EV4010 and custom cargo door.
Photosite: Chrisc GMC:"It has Begun" TT: "The Other Woman"
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tank Cleaning [message #203140 is a reply to message #203122] |
Sat, 30 March 2013 20:45 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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I agree with Mike's 2 alternatives and have tried both over my past 50+
years of RVing.
Method 2 works best for us. We don't worry about, nor have any trouble
with, the gray water, but the black water than receives a "whenever I think
of it" dose of Rid-X to help the "good bacteria" keep doing their thing.
Only in the hottest weather, with 'most nearly overflowing black water
tank, do we get any septic odor. If I dump before that, we have no odor
problem. I do have a pressure flusher built into the black water tank, but
seldom use it.
We usually don't have a coach-idle period of over 3 months. After those
layovers, I don't do anything special to get the "pot to brewing again".
Just start using it; apparently the bacteria survive unaided.
I NEVER put any cleaner, deodorant, nor treatment other than Rid-X in the
tanks; I don't want to harm the good bacteria who're doing such a good job
for me.
Ken H.
On Sat, Mar 30, 2013 at 8:46 PM, Mike Miller wrote:
>
> Chris, you can treat tanks one of two methods but do not Willy-nilly mix
> the two methods:
>
> 1. Treat them like big chamber pots. Keep them as clean as possible and
> use chemicals and the like to control the smell.
...
>
> 2. Treat them like small septic tanks. Have good tank venting and
> encourage growth of "good bacteria to control the smell. If using this
> method, do not use anything that kills your "good" bacteria or you'll end
> up with only the "bad" (smelly) kinds of bacteria. (Many household
> cleaners should not be used in any quantity.) As you have to regularly
> "feed" the bacteria, this is more useful for full timers. Phred has a poop
> sheet on this subject: <http://manmrk.net/tutorials/RV/phred/phredex.html>
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tank Cleaning [message #203160 is a reply to message #203128] |
Sat, 30 March 2013 21:59 |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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| k2gkk wrote on Sat, 30 March 2013 17:59 |
We have a "grey" tank in a "standard" GMC M/H?
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The "standard" GMC M/H came with ONLY a black tank. Most are still that way.
A single tank and a Thermasan system worked well with the GM idea of a "traveling machine." Drive enough miles and you almost never needed to dump your black tank. (Well they did recommend you dump the heavy solids from the tank a few times a year!)
Coachman products (Royale and Birchaven's) came with two tanks. What ever one is under the stool is the black tank the other the gray.
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tank Cleaning [message #246046 is a reply to message #203140] |
Tue, 01 April 2014 13:16 |
rjw
Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005
Karma: 4
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| Ken Henderson wrote on Sat, 30 March 2013 21:45 |
I agree with Mike's 2 alternatives and have tried both over my past 50+ years of RVing.
Method 2 works best for us. We don't worry about, nor have any trouble with, the gray water, but the black water than receives a "whenever I think of it" dose of Rid-X to help the "good bacteria" keep doing their thing. Only in the hottest weather, with 'most nearly overflowing black water tank, do we get any septic odor. If I dump before that, we have no odor problem. I do have a pressure flusher built into the black water tank, but seldom use it.
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Ken,
how much Rid-X is a dose? Certainly not the 8 oz dose suggested on Amazon I hope. ("RID-X Septic Tank System Treatment Liquid, 6-Dose, 48 Ounce")
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
Roller Cam 455, TBI+EBL, 3.42 FD, 4 Bag, Macerator, Lenzi (brakes, vacuum system, front end stuff), Manny Tranny, vacuum step, Tankless + OEM water heaters.
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tank Cleaning [message #246063 is a reply to message #246046] |
Tue, 01 April 2014 14:49 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Richard,
I thought surely everyone knew that a "dose" for a little ol' RV tank is
"just a little bit".
Heck, I don't know -- I just shake the box over the toilet a little and
then flush 'til all the stuff's washed away. Seems to be enough. Maybe
5-6 tablespoons, more or less? A box lasts a long time...
Ken H.
On Tue, Apr 1, 2014 at 1:16 PM, RJW wrote:
>
>
> Ken Henderson wrote on Sat, 30 March 2013 21:45
> > I agree with Mike's 2 alternatives and have tried both over my past 50+
> years of RVing.
> >
> > Method 2 works best for us. We don't worry about, nor have any trouble
> with, the gray water, but the black water than receives a "whenever I
> think of it" dose of Rid-X to help the "good bacteria" keep doing their
> thing. Only in the hottest weather, with 'most nearly overflowing black
> water tank, do we get any septic odor. If I dump before that, we have no
> odor problem. I do have a pressure flusher built into the black water
> tank, but seldom use it.
>
> Ken,
>
> how much Rid-X is a dose? Certainly not the 8 oz dose suggested on
> Amazon I hope. ("RID-X Septic Tank System Treatment Liquid, 6-Dose, 48
> Ounce")
> --
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tank Cleaning [message #246106 is a reply to message #246063] |
Tue, 01 April 2014 20:08 |
rjw
Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005
Karma: 4
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Senior Member |
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| Ken Henderson wrote on Tue, 01 April 2014 15:49 |
Richard,
I thought surely everyone knew that a "dose" for a little ol' RV tank is "just a little bit".
Heck, I don't know -- I just shake the box over the toilet a little and then flush 'til all the stuff's washed away. Seems to be enough. Maybe 5-6 tablespoons, more or less? A box lasts a long time...
Ken H.
|
Of course. I should have known that. I'll try a smidge more than half a cup because, unlike you, I only have a black tank. That should do it.
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
Roller Cam 455, TBI+EBL, 3.42 FD, 4 Bag, Macerator, Lenzi (brakes, vacuum system, front end stuff), Manny Tranny, vacuum step, Tankless + OEM water heaters.
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