Suggestions on speeding up toilet paper dissolving?

[JudyJB]

I use the cheaper Quilted Northern which is septic safe and which I have tested. (There is a more plush quilted Northern which is NOT septic safe.) I think the problem was they were trying to conserve water and did not understand that we had to conserve water in sinks and showers, but not the toilet, which needs a lot of water. I should have explained more, but with three little kids running around and asking for stuff constantly, it was a very hectic weekend. (I would NOT recommend that anyone have three kids in 37 months! ALL need help with clothing and shoes and food and wiping, etc. To say nothing about staying out of traffic and getting off the campground road when a car comes.)

I know I need to add a lot of water to break it up, but I am conflicted because I also need enough space in there for the next few days to actually use it. No paper of any kind down the toilet until I get the mess in the bottom cleaned up. When I am by myself, I add a LOT of water and almost no TP, so have not had problems since my original "situation" last September.

Sloshing around today did not help much, but at least it is usable and I did see some little bits flowing out when I dumped. I will not dump it again for as long as I can manage. I now have enough room in it at least so that I can add more water. It is still not registering on the sensor panel, however, which leads me to believe I am still not adding enough water.

I am lucky in that both of my sons are very hands-on with their kids. In fact, the older son is the major caregiver since his wife works much longer hours than he does (and makes more money), so he is in charge of breakfast, and baths and bedtime, dropping off and picking up kids, and a lot in between. He even took off three months of parental leave for the second baby because his wife could not be replaced easily on her job as a vice-principal of a high school.

[Redwahine]

I understand! I had 3 kids in 3 years and those first few years are just a giant blurr.

[JudyJB]

Good news. After adding a lot of water and letting it sit for a few days, I was able to flush my black tank out today while running the built-in sprayer. (I had moved to a full-hookup site today for an additional $4.) Lots easier to do all this flushing with a full hookup. Anyway, I stuck a stick down the toilet and the wad of toilet paper seems to be gone, or at least was mostly gone from where I could reach.

So I can now go back to using a very minimal amount of TP when absolutely necessary. Most will continue to go in a plastic bag and get thrown away. Whew! Another thing I don't need to worry about.

[Bethers]

Definitely is good news. I was at a cg with a friend several years ago who got her black tank all gummed up. She called repair (as a workamper she got very lucky they didn't charge her) and the guy made her a back flush system and told her to sit with it until everything cleared out. Was over 3 hours. She was so upset with herself, cuz she had been doing everything wrong. Learned her lesson.

You knew what to do - just needed the right hookups to be able to do it.

Very happy for you.

[taburgh]

Am reading the post with interest. Last fall I upgraded to a camper with a toilet but was only able to take one quick trip before the winter freeze. I used the outhouse as I didn't have the time to learn about the wast tanks before freeze up. Am now planning a trip and am educating myself on the grey/black water system. I will trash most paper now after reading this thread Watched a video on emptying and flushing the black tank but am wanting to get some feedback.

At campsites I see most RVs hooked up to the sewer: do they have both valves open? I understand that the tanks are best not emptied till 3/4 full and then the black emptied first (with grey closed) so as not to contaminate the grey tank. The grey is emptied second. What if I'm not at a hookup (parked at a friends house) before returning the camper to storage? Will the partially full black tank be okay in storage (and heat of summer) for awhile?

Hoping to finally be on the road again . . . .

Hi to those of you from way back when at Chicot Lake!

[Paulette]

When hooked up at a campground or wherever, leave valves closed until you are ready to dump. If not, the liquid will go out of the black tank but the solids won't and you will end up with problems. Also, I would strongly advise dumping tanks before storing for any length of time, for odor control. Hope that helps.

[Sandersmr]

I would not leave the black tank with "stuff" in it for very long in the summer. I would go ahead and dump it at the dump station if I don't have full hook-ups, which I rarely do anyway. I just add water to the tank by holding down the flush handle until the tank is 2/3 - 3/4 full. Of course, for me, it doesn't take much water since my black tank is only 9 gallons.

[JudyJB]

My black water tank is 30 gallons. I wish it were 15 and my grey water tank more than 30. Makes no sense.

I do add a lot of water. Right now, I am flushing it like crazy because I sanitized my fresh water tank a day ago and want to run a full tank through it. So even though I have full hookups, I am running from my fresh water tank--even left the water running while I took a shower. Want to get my black tank relatively clean and will use the sprayer tomorrow morning. Easy to do all of this while you have full hookups, so I take the advantage to maintain things while I can do it easily right next to my rig.

Since I will be running on water from my fresh water tank for the next week, I will try to empty it tonight and fill it up tomorrow morning with fresh. I need to take a full tank of fresh water with me tomorrow because I was told by my cousin who I am visiting, that his campground's water is drinkable but a brown color, so to fill up before I came.

My toilet did break down all that toilet paper and is doing well now.

[taburgh]

Thanks all for the input. Really just common sense once I have information. Had no idea there was so much to learn when I had a compulsion to buy an RV. Thanks again. More questions are inevitable.

[Nasoosie]

It occurs to me that nowhere else on the internet can a group of women discuss poop and toilet paper with such abandon and wisdom! I love reading all the suggestions and accumulated knowledge of such a wonderful and experienced group! When I am in FL at my son's site they prepared for me, I use the septic system specifically for me at the site, separate from their house septic system, and I use it just like I would any camping site with a sewer connection. I keep all doors closed with sewer hose down chute until I feel it's dump time. Then I open the black tank door and let 'er rip. Following the dumping of the black tank I open the two grey tank doors (yes, I have two----one called 'galley' and one called something else---bathroom sink, I suspect) and let those empty. Then I shut the black tank door, turn on the faucets and let a lot of fresh water surge through the grey tanks. Then close the grey tank doors, and re-open the black tank and keep the flush handle down for a long time. Add good-smelling tank stuff from Walmart to black tank, shut it all up, and I am ready to go.

Here at my house in the Adirondacks, I have no such luxury as a septic system which I can use, hence I use my mini-porta potty and dump that into the rented porta potty out in the yard that I rent for the summer and is maintained (dumped and cleaned once a week) by the company I rent from. Not as handy as my FL site, but it is fine. I dump dishwater I catch in the dishpan out in the woods, or down the porta potty outside. If I take a shower, I let it out onto the lawn.

Scott single layer paper is the best for dissolving, as is most generic single layer brands from various stores. However, I demand that all use a wastebasket for all toilet paper, if they can remember, which I wrap up daily and move to a covered trash bin, and take to the dump on Saturdays along with other refuse. The few "forgets" seem to dissolve just fine in the mini-porta potty which indicates to me that I am sure they would also dissolve in the big black tank were I to use it.

And that's all from the Adirondack pooper chat this morning!

(Never ask about my first official dumping experience alone at a campground when I was a newbie! It was years, last year in FL, actually, that I ever dared to try that again!)

[judi]

When I bought my first RV I was the second owner and the first owner did not properly care for the tanks. After many attempts at cleaning out the black tank I called Roadtrek and they recommended a product called Happy Camper. It cleans the tank, dissolves toilet paper and other "stuff", and cleans the gauges. I had to use it with plenty of water and sloshing 4 times before starting to see a difference. A few more times and the black tank was clear. I drove to a state park about 80 miles away several times to use their dump station. Now that I have a brand new Roadtrek. I will not leave home without Happy Camper!

[monik7]

I keep all doors closed with sewer hose down chute until I feel it's dump time. Then I open the black tank door and let 'er rip. Following the dumping of the black tank I open the two grey tank doors (yes, I have two----one called 'galley' and one called something else---bathroom sink, I suspect) and let those empty. Then I shut the black tank door, turn on the faucets and let a lot of fresh water surge through the grey tanks. Then close the grey tank doors, and re-open the black tank and keep the flush handle down for a long time. Add good-smelling tank stuff from Walmart to black tank, shut it all up, and I am ready to go.

I suppose all systems are different, but my manual specifically says not to open both black and grey tanks at the same time - to avoid sewage backup into the grey tank. It says to empty the black tank first then close it. Then open and empty the grey tank.
Sandi

[Nasoosie]

[/quote]
I suppose all systems are different, but my manual specifically says not to open both black and grey tanks at the same time - to avoid sewage backup into the grey tank. It says to empty the black tank first then close it. Then open and empty the grey tank.
Sandi[/quote]
Sounds logical to me, Sandi----I will remember that next time and do it that way. I have never really had a true lesson in dumping! But I like that lesson! Thanks.

[JoanE]

I eat a high fiber diet. No way am I going to not put the tp down the toilet unless I am boondocking. I use Scot one ply. To see how easily it breaksdown just try blowing your nose into it.

[OregonLuvr]

Sandi, my manual says the same thing. Close the black tank before opening the gray water. I was just reading my Manual today and that jumped out at me and I remembered your post. I have always done it that way for many years so guess I was doing it right all along.

karen